As Long as There is Love - Chapter Three
"Hey Baby." Justin greeted finding Michelle stretched out on the couch, watching television.
"Mmm." Michelle smiled warmly. She sat up as she spotted Jonathan standing, shyly, beside Justin. "Hey Jonathan. What's up? Justin said you were sick. Are you feeling any better?" He nodded and grasped her hand lightly. He shook it.
Justin came back into the room, sipping from a soda can. "Aight little man. There are some games upstairs. Go knock yourself out." Jonathan grinned and ran off.
Justin slid on the couch next to Michelle and placed her legs across his lap as he watched television.
"Justin?" Michelle waited until she had his undivided attention before continuing. "Why is Jonathan still shy towards me after all these years? I mean I knew him before he knew himself." She explained frustrated.
Justin snickered at her comment attempting to lighten her mood. "Shelly, don't be so hard on yourself Jonathan is just a shy kid, you know that."
She smirked with disbelief. "That is a lie and you know it. Jonathan was never shy. He just never liked me that's all." Michelle moped.
Justin didn't want to admit it but it was true. Jonathan had told him so on many occasions. However, Justin could never understand why Jonathan was so scared of sweet ole Michelle.
Justin pulled Michelle's small frame onto his lap. Although he thought she was being emotionally ridiculous, he wrapped her in his warm, comfortable embrace. "Shelly. Jonathan likes you. He…just doesn't see you that often, okay."
Michelle shifted in his embrace, resting her face against his chest. She guessed she would have to settle for that answer. "Okay." She replied in a slow whine.
Justin dropped a kiss on her hair as he massaged her back in a circular motion. He suddenly remembered what occurred in McDonalds. "Oh I took Jonathan to McDonalds and guess who I saw?"
"Who?" Michelle smiled, anticipating.
"Come on guess." He paused to wait for an answer from her but she was taking too long.
"I saw Ronnie."
"Ronnie?"
Michelle suddenly stiffened in his arms but Justin didn't notice. "Yeah you remember Ronnie don't you? Cameron? Nina's sister? Come on, I know you remember Nina." Justin pulled back a little to gaze at her. "Michelle?"
"Nina." Michelle replied hoarsely. She never expected to hear that name again. When she and Justin moved away for College, she figured that would be that last time she'd hear from Nina and Cameron. She thought she finally had Justin to herself.
"Yeah Nina. I didn't see her though. But Ronnie had her nieces with her. They were the cutest little twins." He grinned, thinking back. "Maybe they're Maurice's?" Justin thought aloud, referring to Nina and Cameron's older brother.
"Twins?" Michelle choked.
"Yeah? Shelly, baby, what the hell is wrong with you? You keep asking questions after everything I say. Do you want me to keep answering them or are they rhetorical questions?" Justin joked, which brought a small smile to her face.
"I'm just surprised to hear from them after all these years, that's all." Michelle explained, convincingly.
"Yeah me too. You know they moved down here from Memphis a couple months ago?"
"Oh really."
"Yeah." Justin nodded, and then suddenly laughed. "You remember how we used to call ourselves ‘the triple threat'?" He laughed aloud. "We were so stupid then. But Nina was the only one who was actually a threat. She was always fighting!"
Michelle rested her face in her palms as she watched Justin happily rehash the events of their past. It surprised her how much he actually remembered. He hadn't spoken of the two of them and Nina since they were in college. She honestly thought he'd forgotten about Nina and the friendship they all had together. Suddenly she felt ashamed for wishing he had.
Sure, she couldn't deny that three of them had fun together in their early years. However, there were times when she felt left out, especially when Nina and Justin started going out.
When they went on dates and wanted her to go, she felt as if she was tagging along or spoiling their fun. Not long after, Michelle stopped hanging out with them. It was just too hard watching them together, she decided.
Although it was difficult to become accustomed to, Michelle made some new friends, while Nina and Justin became the ‘it couple' around school.
When Nina and Justin confronted her about the situation, Michelle forced herself to be best friends with them again, no matter the circumstances. She was willing to support her friends. However, she wasn't willing to overlook the feelings she had for Justin since childhood, but she kept them hidden from Nina and Justin until the right time. The right time came sooner than she'd expected.
Graduation was over and everyone was moving away to college, including Michelle and Justin. In fact, they were going to the same college, NYU. Nina could've easily joined them because she was receiving full scholarships for basketball left and right, but for some weird reason she decided to stay in Memphis.
Michelle couldn't have been happier. She now had Justin to herself, miles away from Memphis. Although, Justin was still attached to Nina, with the frequent calls between them and their strong bond, Michelle was slowly growing on him.
Then the calls stopped and she finally had Justin.
Michelle came out of her trance, while Justin was still talking about their past. She was glad he didn't run into Nina or he would've never given this up.
"You remember prom night Shelly? You and Nina wore the same color but different styles. Who was that guy you went with?"
"Mark." Michelle replied dryly.
"Yeah that's him name. You looked beautiful that night." That brought a smile to her face. "Nina did too." Her smile dropped and she frowned. "I was big pimpin' it with Nina on my arm." Justin laughed aloud.
Michelle rolled her eyes as jealously caught in her chest. "Can we stop talking about Nina now!" She spat.
Justin's eyes widened. "Baby?" He observed her facial expression. It was hard, unmoving. "I just thought you'd be happy to here that Nina and Ronnie were back in town. I mean we were all friends."
"I was-" Michelle started slowly as she calmed herself. "I am happy." She lied quietly.
"Okay, then what was the outburst for?"
Michelle slid off his lap. "No reason. I just had a long day at work that's all."
"But-"
As she was heading to the steps, Michelle turned and interrupted him. "I just need a nap." She smiled lightly and continued upstairs.
Justin ran a hand through his hair wondering what she wasn't telling him.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Flashback
"Okay I'll see you later. Oh and let me know when the next exam starts." Michelle called out to her college roommate before she entered Justin's dorm room.
She yawned, stretching her arms above her head as her eyes focused on the bed in front of her. She sighed, oh how it would feel to be in the comfort of Justin's bed, arms, and his warm embrace after passionate lovemaking. With that thought, she smiled to herself in anticipation.
"Oh hey Michelle how was the exam?" Justin's voice ripped through her sensual thoughts.
Michelle slowly turned around to face him. She took a deep breath. The weariness in his eyes, and his tousled curly locks made him look extremely sexy to her. However, she resisted the urge to throw him on the bed behind her.
"It was easy. I think I at least gotta B. What about yours?" Michelle plopped down on the bed. She fell back into his pillows and sighed, his scent hung all over them. She snuggled closer to his sheets.
Justin didn't notice her fascination with his bed as he answered her question. "Mine were easy too, but thank God that was my last one today."
"Yeah you're lucky." Michelle laughed, tossing a pillow his way.
"I am, ain't I?" Justin laughed. "Well, I'm about to jump in the shower. Take my phone calls and messages, would you?" Justin tossed the pillow back at her and entered the bathroom.
I would really love to jump in that shower with you, Michelle wanted to say, but decided against it. She didn't want to move too fast or be too forward since he was just starting to get over being away from Nina.
Michelle buried her face in the pillow and in minutes, she fell asleep. Before she noticed she had fallen asleep, the telephone woke her from her peaceful slumber. "Hello?" She answered groggily.
"Michelle is that you? Oh Thank God!"
Michelle propped herself up. "Yeah who's this?"
"Nina."
‘Nina! Hey, best friend, what's up? What've you been up too?"
"Nothing really." Nina sighed.
"Oh. Well how do you like it, now that your first semester as a college student is officially over?" Michelle asked, excitedly.
Nina didn't know what to say because she had yet to experience the thrill of college life. An unexpected problem occurred which delayed it.
Michelle continued asking questions. "I bet you're killing it on the basketball courts, but I watch all the games and I have yet to see you."
"Yeah I know. Hey Michelle is Justin around?"
"Um," Michelle looked around. "Well I don't see him. He's actually finishing one of his exams. Why did you have something to tell him? I could take a message."
"Well, you see…" Nina paused as her voice went hoarse. "It's important. Actually it's kind of personal." She finished quietly.
"Oh okay then, I'll tell him to call you back when he-"
"Michelle…I'm pregnant." Nina quickly interrupted her. She had kept the secret inside so long that it started to hurt. She hadn't even told her sister yet, but it felt good to tell someone, especially her best friend. Now she only wished it would be that easy when she had to tell Justin. How would he handle the news?
"What?" Had she heard her right? Did Nina just say she was pregnant? Michelle had no idea that they were actually having sex. Was their relationship more than what she'd believed it to be?
Justin said on many occasions that he was in love with Nina, but he could've just loved having sex with her.
"Yeah…" Nina choked off the tears that fell rapidly from her eyes. "I don't know what to do, Shelly. You're the first person I've told. My parents are gonna be so disappointed in me." She cried harder and harder. It became difficult to form words. Thh-ey are…going think I'm following in the footsteps of Ronnie…c-c-cause she had Tony young too."
Michelle actually felt a little sympathy for Nina. She knew it was going to be hard raising a child, that's if she decided to keep it. College would be hard too, as she struggled to maintain passing grades. And what about basketball, her future in the WNBA? Michelle knew that she would have to give that up as well.
"Nina…I don't know what to say." Michelle sighed, raking her fingers through her hair. "How are you feeling?" She offered her small amount of sympathy.
"I'm okay. The morning sickness hasn't really kicked in yet but I'm gaining weight like a bitch and it hasn't even been three months." Nina laughed lightly, despite her problems.
"This situation has just left me so vulnerable."
"I'm sorry to hear that."
"Thank you…I needed that." Nina smiled.
Michelle heard the shower turn off. Justin must be finish, she thought. Oh, no I have to get off the phone!
"Um,” She had to think of something quick. Something convincing. "Um, Nina, I have to go. My second exam's bout to begin and I don't want to be late." Hopefully that convinced her.
"Okay then best friend. I don't want to hold you up."
"Okay, take care of yourself."
Justin exited the bathroom as she put down the phone. "Who were you talking to?"
Michelle turned to face him and Lord help her! He had one flimsy ol' towel hanging on his hips. How could she tear her eyes away long to even hold a decent conversation? "Um it was nobody, they had the wrong number."
"Oh okay." Justin looked at the clock. "Shouldn't ya be getting ready to go? Your exam starts in five minutes."
"Oh." Michelle jumped up and grabbed her pencil and paper. "Yeah you're right. I'll see you when I'm done." She ran out of the room, shutting the door behind her. She leaned against the door, releasing a sigh.
Her roommate ran up to her. "I was just about to come get you." She grabbed her arm as they walked through the congested hall. "Girl you smell like Justin."
Michelle smiled and sniffed herself. She didn't expect the scent from his bed to attach to her clothing. "I know!"