Commit This to Memory

"Shh, you're going to wake them."

"They're going to wake up anyway."

"Jesse, don't."

"Go for it Jesse."

"Don't encourage him, Tony."

"Josh shut up. Do it Jesse."

Justin snapped his eyes open, looking at the suspicious faces of Jesse and Tony. He tried to sit up but realized Betty was lying on top of him. He guessed they had fallen asleep on the couch last night.

Jesse coughed slightly. "So, uh," he said smirking. "What'd you guys do last night?"

Justin yawned and searched for his glasses. "Laundry and a movie," he muttered pulling his glasses out from the space in between his arm and his chest, taking extreme precautions not to touch Betty's boob.

Jesse stared at him, not sure whether or not to believe the story. Tony was already snickering, although he did his best to hide it. Jesse decided that Justin was telling the truth and shook his head. "You lead an interesting life, Mr. Pierre." A laugh burst out from Tony, causing Betty to move. She raised her head high enough to look at Justin and mumbled, "Coffee."

"I can't if you're laying on me," Justin said barely shaking her shoulder. She grumbled and pushed herself up long enough for him to slip out before collapsing back down. All of the guys migrated to the kitchen and watched Justin but no one made an effort to help him.

It wasn't long before Jesse started laughing. "You've got it so bad," he sang. Justin shot him an inquisitive look. "You've barely known this girl for 24 hours and already there's an extra bounce in your step and you've been humming while you made the coffee."

"I've been humming?" Justin looked at Josh and Tony for confirmation; the two nodded, amused looks on their faces. "Well I can't help it, I haven't been this happy in-"

"Minutes?" Tony interjected.

"Oh ha ha, Mr. Funny Man," Justin said flicking water at him. "But this thing hasn't happened to me in forever; and I'm trying not to think of all the ways I could screw this up or how fast this could all go to shit, so I choose to be annoyingly happy about it." They all sighed and looked at each other pity written all over their faces; not sure whether to hope that the relationship would fail or for it to succeed.

There was some rustling in the other room followed by a loud bang. "Ow, who put a fucking table here?" A few seconds later Betty came in the room, eyes mostly shut, yawning, and clutching her shin. Without even acknowledging the guys, she reached into the cupboard and pulled out a bowl. She poured some coffee into the bowl and searched around in the fridge for creamer. What she pulled out instead was cranberry juice, but she took no notice and poured it into her coffee. "Betty-" Justin started but it was too late and she took a sip.

Almost immediately, she spit the coffee out. "Oh gross, what'd I put in it this time?" She dumped the bowl in the sink and grabbed the bottle on the counter. "Cranberry juice? Well that's a first." Justin didn't think he was ever going to get used to this girl.

The guys left a few minutes later after drilling it into Justin's brain that practice was at five. "They're always afraid I'll forget," Justin said sitting down on the couch. "And they're right to do so. I almost always end up coming late or not at all."

Betty laughed at sat at the opposite end of the couch and faced him. "What kind of practice is it?"

"Band, we're trying our luck at becoming rock stars."

She raised her eyebrows. "You guys? No offence but you guys seem to be more of the type to be scribbling down notes in class while everyone else slept."

"It's the glasses isn't it?" She shrugged and nodded. "Wow they really do make you seem smarter because that notes thing is totally wrong. I was the one asleep in class, if I bothered to show up at all."

"Yeah same here, except for math," she said smiling. "It's my favorite subject."

"So you're into math?"

"And director's cuts, what about you?"

Justin leaned back and put a hand to his chin, pretending to think. "I'm fond of afternoons and inexpensive wine."

"Just inexpensive or do you like expensive wine as well?"

"I like alcohol in general."

That made her laugh. "Hey what time is it?"

He turned and strained to look at the clock in the kitchen. "About 10:10, why?"

"10:10?" she cried in disbelief. "Shit, I've got a flight to catch at eleven!" She leapt to her feet and put her shoes on.

"A flight, you're leaving?" This was a major disappointment to Justin. He had imagined them spending the day together, talking; he could've had her listen to some demos. Now she was getting away.

"Yeah, I've got to New York for a couple of days," she said, finding her jacket.

"Oh, okay..."

"Don't worry I'll be back." Betty smiled and kissed him lightly on the cheek. "Don't forget to call." And she was gone. Leaving Justin sitting there touching the spot where she kissed him and wondering if he'd ever see her again.