Taylor:

I'm freaking out with Jess beside me, acting like a total freak as I have the paper two inches away from my face. I trace my fingers over the smooth, black permanent marker. Justin Bieber actually gave us his number. It's like my biggest dream come true. I mean, yeah, he gave us both the paper, but he gave it mainly to me. That has to be something.

Jess glances over at me as I whip out my cell phone, preparing to type, "Are you seriously going to text him now? That's a little creepy."

"I can't help it!" my fingers shake as I enter the ten numbers.

She rolls her eyes, staying concentrated on the road, "Whatever you want to do is fine with me, babe. Just remember he doesn't like the obsessive stalker type."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means you're acting like a creep and he'll never like you if you keep acting this way. I love you to death, but you're freaking me out!" she starts screaming as she slams her hand on the steering wheel.

I give her the death glare and look back down at my phone. The text is quickly typed out and sent, sounding completely creepy. But truly, I couldn't care less, - I'm texting Justin Bieber! I breathe a sigh of relief knowing that it's done. Jess pulls into my driveway and comes to a complete stop. I make sure I have my things and open the car door.

She pulls on my shirt and gets me to halt, "Wait, what about Dan?"

I shut my eyes. Shit, shit, shit. The last thing I need is my mood to be ruined by being reminded that the guy in my life is mad at me. She knows what he does and hates him for it. I put on a smile and bend down into the car again, "Oh, we're taking a break. No big deal."

"Well," she paused and looked down at her shoes, "could I have Justin's number too? It's just that he gave it to both of us. I know it sounds bitchy but… yeah."

I hand her the page hesitantly. I really don't want to give up the paper that Justin has touched and written his name on, but I know it's the right thing to do. She probably won't call or text him anyway, so I think everything will be fine.

She smiles and nods, "Thanks. And don't worry about you and Daniel. You're better without him, trust me."

I smile, trying to look at the bright side of everything, "Thanks, I'm hoping we will. But for now, I have to act like I'm fine with it."

I wave to Jess in her car as she drives off. I take a deep breath before walking up onto my porch. The comfy chair sitting in front of the den window is the perfect place to think. I curl up into a ball and look out to my front yard. I have so many things that a lot of people don't have, and I'm really grateful for it all. I've never been one to think I'm better than someone because both of my parents have full-time jobs that work all the time and earn a lot of money. I mean, we never really get to spend a lot of family time together because of jobs that we all have. Kristina is going to college in the fall in New York and it's just going to be weird not having her around all the time. Plus my little sister is just growing up, and she's going to be a teenager soon. Time is just moving so fast it's hard to keep up with everything.

After sitting outside for a while, I realize that I was way too hyped up about Justin earlier and I just went crazy. The long time I had staring out at the nature around me made me realize how much of a stalker I was being. I pull my phone out and send a new text to Justin; "Sorry about that earlier. I was a little star struck. Hope we can talk soon! – Tay" I smile at my work and throw my phone onto the chair next to me. I stare out at the stars until I see a few lights coming down the driveway. My head tilts to the side, my eyes squint to make out what car it is. That's when I realize that it's Daniel's Range Rover.

I hold my breath as the car turns off and the figure comes walking up the porch steps. His black hair blows in the wind as he stands in front of the chair beside me. I look away and act as if I hadn't realized that he was there. "Um, mind if I sit?"

I grab my phone and shove it into my pocket, "Go ahead."

"I'm sorry, Tay," he sits down and bites his lower lip, "about everything. I'm not even sure why I got pissed off – I just hate not knowing things about you."

I run my hand through my messy hair and let my lips stick out as they sit in a straight line on my face. His caramel-brown eyes glow in the darkness.

"Please, don't be mad at me. I love you, Taylor, and I'd hate to see what we have gone like that," he snaps his fingers together and offers his right hand out to me. "What do you say?"

I bite my tongue and look into his eyes. I can tell that he's sorry, and my heart wants to say yes, but my brain is saying no. I can't decide which to go with, but I know I shouldn't take him back. I lightly place my hand on his and he wraps his fingers around it. I keep a straight face, "I'm... I'm sorry. I just can't do this anymore."

He instantly looks furious. I bite my lip and close my eyes, preparing for another beat down. After a few seconds of waiting, I open them back up. Out of the corner of my left eye, I can see a small crowd gathering behind the curtains in the den. Just by a short shadow, I could tell that it was my little sister at least. I keep the sigh of relief in my head.

"Oh, great, just what I need!" Danny pouts and crosses his arms.

"You should probably go."

"Yeah," he messed with his hair, obviously unhappy, "I'll talk to you later."

I don't hold back my anger. I know he won't do anything to me with people watching us. I smirk, "Don't fucking count on it, you dick."

He keeps silent as he gets into his car. I feel the tension between us – I know how badly he wants to just slap me in the face.

I smile. I finally did it; I'm free from the obsessive boyfriend who abuses me. It's like I'm walking on a cloud as I get back into the house, surrounded by little people.

"Taylor! What happened out there? Are you back together?" Emily and her friend Haley were eagerly waiting for my response.

"Um, no. But it feels good."

"Oh, at least you're happy, right?" Emily looked at her friend.

"Yeah! We don't need boys! Playing it is just too much fun," Haley followed my sister downstairs, probably to go watch a movie in our home theater. That's usually where she and her friends stay when they sleepover.

I laugh as I walk up the stairs. This day just keeps getting better and better. My door is locked and I pull out my phone. There are a few new text messages;

Message from "Hannahhh": Hey girl how was teen vogue?

Message from "Jessickka": Whatd biebs say? Ha

Having my friends talk to me is cool, but nothing from Justin was sent. I sigh, guessing he's just really busy. Honestly, I don't feel like talking to Jess because she's just going to rag on me about how she told me not to text Justin, then she has to emphasize how Danny and I are finally done with all of fighting, and how she's been telling me to break up with him for so long and forget the fact that he'd hurt me. Just not in the mood right now.

Message to "Hannahhh": Guess who was there! J 2 the f-ing bieber!

Message from "Hannahhh": No way! R u srs?

Message to "Hannahhh": Totally. Jess and i got his numbr cause he luvs us

Message from "Hannahhh": Stop trying 2 fool me im not that stpid

Message to "Hannahhh": Im not jk! I texted him but he hasnt replied yet

Message from "Hannahhh": Mayb he doesnt like u plus u got dan, rmbr?

Message to "Hannahhh": Dan is history girl.

Message from "Hannahhh": R u srs? Well wen people start tlking bout how u r trying 2 get w guys dont come crying 2 me

Message to "Hannahhh": Who said i was trying 2 get w/him? Plus how wuld tht mean im getting w/other guys?

Message from "Hannahhh": No comment

Message to "Hannahhh": No hannah tell me!

Message to "Hannahhh": Hannah?

I cocked my head to the side as I lay in my bed. What does she mean by that? I'm not one to sleep around or even cheat on anyone; I'm nothing like anyone on Jersey Shore. Oh, well, I guess I'll let it go. Hannah rarely ever makes any sense anyway. I get ready for bed, and say goodnight to everyone. When the lights are turned off and everything is silent, I suddenly realize what's going on in the room next to mine.

A chill runs down my spin. "Um, ew! Get a fucking room not in my house, please!" I'm so tempted to get out of bed – ruining my perfect placement, - and go out to the hall to bang on Kristina's door. I mean, seriously, I don't want to hear her and her boyfriend moaning all night. I don't even get how he doesn't get caught sneaking in her bedroom window all the time. I've held it against her for a while now, ever since I caught them a year ago. If I ever have to get back at her for something, I have the perfect blackmail package.

I sigh as I stare out my own window. I decide to hide the noise by my iPod. It's turned up just loud enough to hide the sounds as I slowly fall asleep to an old Miley Cyrus song from 2007. The song describes how I feel, so I whisper along to the lyrics; "It's been in the past, for a while. I get a flash, and I smile. Am I crazy? I still miss you, baby. It was real, it was right, but it burned too hot to survive. All that's left is, all these ashes. Where does the love go? I don't know, when it's all said and done. How could I be losing you forever, after all the time we spent together? I have to know why, I, had to lose you. Now you just become, like everything I'll never find again, at the bottom of the ocean."

There's a vibration by my thigh as I lay in my soft, white single bed. I scramble to pull the earphones – that were still in my ears from last night – out and find the phone hidden under the covers. I rub my eyes a few times and squint at the sudden burst of light in my room.

Message from "Justin Bieber": Its cool about earlier. Girls get like tht sometimes lol how r u?

I have to shake my head a few times before I actually soak in what I just read. Does he really remember me? I struggle to sit up as I hear my parents talking loudly underneath me. I glance over at the time – 10:48 A.M. The message was sent at eight. "He's probably doing something by now… I shouldn't bother him," I tell myself. Sadly, that doesn't stop me from trying to get him to reply to me again. This isn't the 'Justin Bieber' I had on my phone before – not 40404, – this is the real one. I type a few words quickly then hop out of bed, stumbling down the steps.

My mom's black hair shines as she washed dishes over the sink. The sleeves to her plaid flannel are rolled up and her shorts make her look like she might be twenty-five, not thirty-nine. Her body sways as she moves to the soft beat of the radio. My dad is sitting in his usual spot at our kitchen table, drinking coffee and reading the newspaper.

"Hey," I sigh as I slide into the chair beside my father's.

"Good morning, Taylor!" Mom's cheerful mood lifts the entire room.

"I broke up with Danny last night," I bite my lip, letting the news out right away.

She looks over at me and practically drops the plate she's holding in her hand as Kristina walks in the room, "What? Why?"

My sister sits next to me and rubs her eyes, yawning, "You broke up with Danny, for real?"

I look at them, "Yeah, I just didn't think we should be together."

Mom nods and continues to cover the dishes with millions of tiny bubbles. "Good morning, Kristina."

"Good morning, Mom; good morning, Dad!"

He looks over the paper and takes a quick sip of coffee, "You teenage girls are a real pain in the ass."

I look at him, confused, "What are you talking about?"

"Look," he shows me the picture of crowds of girls around a parking lot, "apparently Beaver was there and girls filled up the whole damn lot."

Kristina rolls her eyes, "He's so gay."

"Shut the hell up, Kristayla!" I blink at the picture a few more times until I finally realize that the building in the background was Teen Vogue's. "Dad! I was there yesterday! That's where my internship is!"

"Oh really? Loads of fun, right?" My sister sarcastically says.

"Totally! I got to meet and talk to him, I, like, died."

Mom shook her head as she dried off her hands, "Please, no more Justin Bieber! I'm tired of his name! Aren't you Jack?"

My father nodded, pouring coffee into his mouth.

"I'm going you guys," Kristina slams her head down on the table.

I laugh, "Hey, you know he's hotter in person?"

"He looks like a fucking girl."

"He does not!" My phone starts vibrating inside of my hoodie.

"Relax, relax," Dad calms us both from behind his article.

I pull out the phone and answer the call, "Hello?"

"Taylor?" I could tell from the voice that it's Havana.

"Hi, what's up?"

"Could you come in today? We'd like to see you write a sample article with the Justin Bieber interview."

"Yeah, totally. What time?"

"Anytime before noon is fine. Thanks so much!"

"No problem! See you then!"

"Bye." I hang up right after she speaks.

"Who was that?" my mom has to question me right away.

"I have to go downtown again to write a sample article for the magazine, is that okay?"

She nodded, "Be sure to eat something before you go, okay? And come home soon! Today is family day, we all have off!"

I walk up the steps and get ready with a quick shower. I blow dry my hair and let it keep its natural light waves. My makeup takes no time at all, and I pick out my outfit. I slip on my favorite pair of white Old Navy flip flops to match my American Eagle jean shorts and a random purple tank top. Soon after I'm off in my car, stuck in the annoying Los Angeles traffic. After waiting for at least forty-five minutes, I pull into the parking lot my dad was staring at earlier today.

I walk into the building and wave lightly at the receptionist. She tells me to go into a room in the back. I nod towards her and skip down the hallway. I knock on the door three times then let myself in. Right when I get in, I'm shocked. I'm shaking as I sit down in the chair in front of Havana, terrified.