March 1st 2011, Maggiano's Little Italy Restaurant, LA 11:35 pm.

Flash. Flash, flash.

"Hey Justin!" someone screams in my ear, their tone is urgent and anxious. I flinch, drawing in a shaky breath and trying to collect my thoughts.

Flash. Flash.

'keep calm' I think franticly. I feel someone take my hand firmly, tugging me along. I know who that hand belongs to.

"Off the sidewalk!" – There's more yelling, screaming. Someone shouting orders. I bring my free hand to my face, briefly covering my eyes. My heart continues to pound loudly in my ears, nearly drowning out the commotion that swirled around me. The commotion that swirled around us.

Us.

Justin and I.

I never would have guessed it would be this way. I never - ever - realized what feelings I would soon develop. I had no idea that this person would become such a large part of my life. My stomach clenched just thinking about it; about the emotions I felt when his name was mentioned… or the way he carefully stared into my eyes. He was genuine, and I was floored by it. Any thought of losing him made me feel instantly nauseated, I nearly doubled over in anxiety.

Flash, flash, flash.

"Justin! Justin!" They continue to yell, frantically swarming around us. I felt feverish, worried, and definitely nervous. There was always something about paparazzi that unnerved me. 'You can handle this.' I thought sternly, 'you HAVE done this before.' I felt Justin give my hand a reassuring squeeze, still leading me through the loud frenzy of people. I heard my name being called, questions rudely thrown in my direction. All I could do was ignore them, grasping at the collar of my jacket and shuffling towards the dark car in front of us. I focused on the vehicle, its inky surface glistening with every camera-flash. Someone opened the door and I felt Justin's hand leave mine. I didn't have time to watch as he maneuvered himself into the driver's seat. I was guided along, around the back of the car towards the passenger's side. I could hardly think. I was jostled around as the door was opened for me. I felt a man direct me into the seat. He shut the door firmly behind me and gave a sympathetic smile. I had forgotten his name but I still managed to whisper: "thank you." I wasn't sure if he'd heard me, but I hoped he did…

A horn disrupted my thoughts. A loud, angry noise. The sound made me cringe. Then I realized where it was coming from – Justin. He pushed steadily against the steering wheel, wearing a stone-cold expression and staring directly ahead of us. I tore my gaze from him, peering out the windshield and feeling my breath hitch in my throat. The hood was hardly visible, draped with a mass of screaming men. It was almost blinding as the silvery glow reflected off our faces. Flashes of light sparking from every direction, flickering like irritated fireworks. I buried my face in my hands, letting my hair fall over my eyes. My heart continued to beat erratically – sending shivers down my spine. I could hardly handle this. It was, truly, frightening.

The vehicle lurched forward, scattering the paparazzi in a moment. Their yells were muffled and panicked; I bit my lip and closed my eyes even tighter. The car accelerated slightly, turning a corner and pulling away from the hysterical mob. The flashes quickly decreased and I felt myself begin to breathe easier.

"It's okay…" I heard a voice murmur from beside me, a voice that made my heart flutter like a hummingbird. His voice.

We pulled to a slow stop and silence hung in the air. Justin turned to look at me, one hand resting on the wheel, the other covering his mouth. He wore a serious expression – concerned and irritated. A small fearful gasp escaped my throat as man suddenly appeared at my window, I flinched and leaned away. He pushed a bulky camera toward the glass, shouting things in a loud condescending fashion. I couldn't decipher his words, and had no idea what he was talking about. The flickering of lights began to return. I couldn't help but feel suffocated, covering my face once again, I felt powerless and on-display. Honking began to sound around us, blaring noisily. The horn of our own car held a steady note. I reached behind me with a shaking hand, grasping the seatbelt and pulling. I struggled until it was strapped firmly across my body. The noise and commotion continued to rage on; I felt a lump rise in my throat and my eyes began to sting.

The vehicle jerked forward abruptly and the uproar finally subsided. There was silence – apart from my ragged breathing and the hum of the car. I felt us accelerate down the street but made no effort to move. All I could think about was the collection of paparazzi we'd just left behind. Justin let out a long sigh, staring out across the road. We pulled onto the bustling highway and I felt him lay on the gas, quickening our pace. Soon we were flying past the other cars – just barely under the maximum speed limit.

"…Selena?" his voice was low and almost raspy; he cleared his throat and shot a glance at me.

"Yeah." I quickly replied, taking a deep breath and running my fingers through my hair.

"You okay?"

I opened my mouth to speak, trying to compose myself. I could only choke out "I'm…fi…ne…" I only then realized that tears were streaming silently down my cheeks, pouring out uncontrollably. I promptly wiped them away, taking in deep breaths. "God, that's – embarrassing." I could see him looking at me from the corner of his eye, his mouth twisting into a concerned frown.

"That's it…" he breathed smoothly, glancing over his shoulder before moving into the next lane. He checked his mirrors, and then cautiously pulled onto the shoulder of the highway. He brought the car to a complete stop, exhaling and flicking on his hazard lights. Turning to me, his hazel eyes smoldered with a fury of emotions.

"You're okay." He whispered in a low voice. "We're okay. I'm here with you."

"Sorry," I sniffled, feeling angry with myself and wiping my eyes hurriedly "I'm being so stupid…."

"No," he looked away, watching the other cars zoom past us. "Those... Those bastards… They shouldn't be allowed to act like that!" He slammed his fist down on the steering wheel, shaking his head. "It's just ridiculous."

I stared at him silently. He was frustrated with it all.

He spoke again, quieter this time. "I'm sorry I got you into that." He turned to make eye contact, slowly reaching across the cab. He took both my hands in his. "I seriously am."

"It wasn't entirely your fault…"

"I know, but, I should have planned better… I should have thought it through." He stopped, still gazing intently into my eyes. He licked his lips in thought, furrowing his eyebrows and inhaling slowly.

"I'm fine." I almost laughed, trying to change the subject "really, now that we're out of there… I'm feeling better already."

He stared at me for a moment, making sure I really was okay. His expression was completely honest.

"….Good." He half smiled, giving my hands a quick squeeze before letting go. "Let's hit the road."

Next Chapter will be up if I get some positive feedback/reviews!