Michael sat on the bench in the walkway, Jesselynn sitting beside her, as she soaked in the sun's warm rays. She was glad to be back outside again. She actually wished that they'd visit more around her hours when she did take her daily walk. Most of the time, they appeared after it or hours before it. This time, they happened to catch as she was halfway done. She was thrilled to see them since she never really had visitors before they started coming to her. She was rather lonesome before when she watched her "roommates" laugh and visit with their family, when she kept waiting and waiting for her little ones and her husband to appear through the door. It was rather heart breaking and she still wished to see them, but she was glad with their presence as well.
"So, what can I do you two for today? I've been trying to remember extra hard for you two this week since I know you like hearing my stories." Jesselynn said, reaching over and patting Michael's knee softly after their brief greeting.
Michael's eyes immediately glanced over to Jesselynn who was sitting on the ground in front of them, picking at the dead grass near the walkway. She knew that she could sit on the bench with the two, but she much preferred the ground. She was always like that, especially as a child.
Jessica shook the remaining dead grass from her fingers as she looked up at Jesselynn and sat up on her knees, giving Jesselynn her full attention. "Well, if you don't mind, I was wondering if we could take it down a notch. Just a little bit. I was thinking the other day that it'd be real nice to hear more about you and your husband's relationship. Also, the relationship with Roxanne and Justin. I realized I was going a little fast-paced and wanted to slow down a little and enjoy our visits more instead of rushing through them." Jessica said with a kind grin in response to her mother's patient, half-grin.
Jesselynn's half-grin stretched into a smile as she thought about the three the younger woman had in mind. "Well, I could go on for days about those three. My husband, damn, my husband. There's not even words to describe him sometimes, honestly. He was definitely one of a kind, something that I've always needed so bad. I tried dating a 'normal' man once before, but it never worked out. We had nothing to talk about and relate with. With Frank, it was very easy." Jesselynn said, giving them a brief introduction to the hidden stories she had in her mind.
Jessica grinned and sat back on her bottom on the grass, getting comfortable for the stories ahead. Melody was right; this was a lot simpler and honestly a little more relaxing. She didn't feel the need to rush her mother's failing memory with her specific questions and letting Jesselynn take control of which memory she wanted to tell was relaxing. She felt an ounce of the stress on her life lessen at the mere fact and she prayed that she was making the right decision about this.
November 20, 1967
Vietnam
Alex Mason, Roxanne Fischer, and Justin Thorne
"C'mon, just trust me. Instead of going and telling Jesse how things are doing with Justin, Woods is gonna start doing it. Trust me, I have the perfect plan and reason for doing all of this." Roxanne started as she reached out and pulled the larger man's arm back towards her, nearly pleading him to see things her way. She knew that she was probably being nosy and probably had no business in what she had in mind, knowing well that her good friend would try to murder her once and if she found out, but she told herself that she was doing this for her friend and even Woods, if what she heard about him was true. It was just too perfect not to even at least try!
Mason scratched the back of his neck, ready to be away from the obnoxious woman that was wasting time with her ridiculous idea. "I know Woods, lady. He ain't gonna take too kindly of the idea either, just like you said your friend wouldn't. He's mentioned her every once and a while, but I don't think there's nothing more. I think this match-makin' game is a waste of time." He stated bluntly, looking off into another direction.
Roxanne rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. Why was he being so difficult? She would say it was a man thing, but Justin was the one that even sparked the flame in her head. It was actually his idea in the first place; she was just going to act on it.
"Please, Mason, think about it. You and Jesse seem to be friends with all this because you started out complete strangers, but Woods and Jess are already pretty close. Well, I call them close. They've only talked every once in a blue moon, but I catch Jesselynn watching him and some of his men around base sometimes. She was being nonchalant and saying that she was just trying out the positivity thing, but when she said 'he does have a nice smile, though he don't do it much', I think she's hiding something. Both from me and maybe even herself. Who knows? I think there's somebody for everyone, even if it seems impossible." Roxanne said as she reached out to grab his arm, and his attention, when he tried to turn away and leave. Her eyes and voice were sincere with a glimmer of childlike excitement.
Mason arched a brow at her. He wasn't sure whether or not to believe her or to act on this ridiculous idea of hers. When all honesty, it was near impossible for him to think of Woods in that situation with those emotions...He guessed it was weird to think of Woods as any other human being since he was such a warhorse.
"I don't know, it doesn't seem like a spot Woods would be glad to get in. Don't you know we have better things to do than take part in your game?" He said a little accusingly.
Roxanne knew he had a point and she bit her tongue to keep a sarcastic rebuttal from slipping out. "I know, I know. I'm not asking you guys to lay down everything and force them together like some cheesy sitcom. This will take time since they're one of the two most stubborn people I've ever met. If we can't get anything serious out of them, then at least just a strong friendship. They've got a lot in common and they seem to get along when they're together. She asks a lot of questions about him and he her, but those questions are never answered and probably won't be. I think they want to secretly know each other, but don't wanna admit it." Roxanne explained, hoping he would finally see her reason behind the whole idea. She didn't just want to play some childish game, but she wanted to help her good friend and a good man. Well, she guessed he was. He could be very solitary with some people, but he seemed genuinely interested the night he went to have his stitches removed before Jesselynn joined them. Well, in her opinion he seemed interested.
Mason sighed, partially seeing her desire behind her plots. Maybe she was right; maybe this could be of use to them both. Whatever came out of it, he just hoped he was making the right idea. "Fine, fine, alright. I'll ask him when I have time to kill...Don't be expecting no quick answer though! You probably ain't gonna get it." Mason said, wagging a lazy finger at her with his piece of advice.
"Thank you, Mason. I really do appreciate it." Roxanne said with a smile, holding back the urge to roll her eyes.
Mason just nodded before turning and leaving. Roxanne felt her smile grow on her face when she thought about what this could lead to in the possible future. She felt giddy thinking about it, that is, if it ever happened. Jesselynn herself had even told her once that she could never date or whatever it was called. She had only been with Marcus because it was a relationship built on commitment or even wanting to be with someone. Yes, she had her childhood crushes over the years, but she had never had a relationship like that. It was actually foreign to her. Roxanne honestly felt sorry for her. She remembered every second she had with her husband, Jason, and the connection they had. Though it hurt her every day to think of him no longer with her, she never regretted knowing him and marrying him.
After all, he gave her the best thing in her life, Sonora. Her parents often teased her, even to this day, about her choice of naming her child. It was actually one that Jason himself had picked out when they were together and started making the longest list of baby names in the history of lists. She had names picked out since she was a small child, but Jason only had name in mind, should their child be a girl. He even picked her middle, after Roxanne's. Their daughter was their blessing and she loved her little girl more than life itself. She wished she could be there with her now that it seemed she would be a teenager just tomorrow. Sonora may have been a spitting image of her mother, but she was all Jason on the inside. Besides the fact that she was her daughter, that was one of the things that made her so perfect in Roxanne's eyes. Roxanne had her faults and she definitely didn't want to go through her mother's torture like she had with Roxanne. Roxanne was a very stubborn child and liked things her way or no way at all. That was probably coupled by the fact that she was just an only child. Either way, she was glad that Sonora had her father's calm, peaceful, and patient behavior. Jason had to have that to put up with her all those years.
"Boo!"
A deep, strong voice and a pair of equally strong hands that grasped her shoulders suddenly made her snap out of her thoughts. She knew who it was, over the years she had gotten very familiar with that voice. Taking the time to shove her old thoughts out of the way, she rolled her eyes with a grin as she turned over to him.
She was immediately met with a pair of light green eyes and a boyish face. She could see a lot of Jesselynn in him. There was definitely a family resemblance between the two. Dark specks of hair were beginning to grow around his chin and jaw and his upper lip and his dark hair was beginning to grow long again. Roxanne thought he looked adorable, just like the young boy that Jesselynn had shown her from old pictures.
"Justin, you keep doing that and I might just turn around and punch ya right in the nose one day!" She warned playfully with a sly look.
"Hey, I had the perfect target! You were just standing out here in the middle of the road. Good thing nobody happened to be driving by." He said defensively with a fake, over exaggerated, taken aback look on his face.
Roxanne just giggled and threw her straight hair from her eyes. "Well, for your information, I was thinking." She said with an equally defensive tone.
Justin's playful grin disappeared as he reached out and grabbed Roxanne's shoulder with a concerned look. "Thinking? Oh my God, are you alright? You didn't hurt yourself?" He said, checking her over as though he was expecting some terrible wound to come to his vision.
Roxanne scoffed and gently pushed him away from her, a grin sneaking up the corner of her mouth. "You're a total jerk, you know that right?" She said wishing she could be mad at him. With his sweet personality and childlike face it was really hard. She couldn't resist him, which she didn't have an explanation for that either.
Justin just laughed while Roxanne started to walk off, Justin walking right along beside her. It was obvious that he was now used to fast-pace when it came to moving around the base that Roxanne's strolling alongside the tents was almost difficult for him. He tried to watch her feet and keep in step with her instead of nearly jogging beside her.
"So, I stole your idea, in a sense." Roxanne started, looking forward to his reaction at her news.
Justin barely heard her words since he was too busy trying to keep in step with her, but he nodded his head. "Oh yeah?" He simply questioned, paying attention on her face this time around.
"Yeah, I asked Mason to let Woods take over his little job. Telling Jess about you, I mean." She said, watching his face for his reaction.
Justin arched a brow. "You seriously did that? I was just wishing, not really asking you to do that, you know?" He said, surprised that the woman actually acted on his verbal thoughts. He made a mental note of watching what he said around her from this point on.
Roxanne halted in her steps, turning around and stood in front of him so she could face him properly, well, as much as she could. She still had to crane her neck. "Justin, think about it. Like you said the other day, you'd kill to see your sister happy again. After that whole thing with Marcus in December-" She began as she stared up into his light green eyes.
"Wait, she was with Marcus recently? When? How?" Justin immediately questioned, leaning down and grabbing Roxanne's shoulders, forcing her to snap away from her previous thought.
"She didn't tell you?" Roxanne questioned back, brows furrowing as she looked up at his nearly frantic face. It honestly broke her heart to see that kind of fear and worry for his sister. Maybe there was more to Jesselynn's relationship with this man, Marcus, then what she let on. She knew he treated them awfully, but she didn't know exactly how.
"Why'd she go over there? What did he want? Is she alright?" He questioned again, staring down into her hazel eyes. Justin felt stupid for noting that they were a rather pretty shade of hazel. Almost a dark green.
"I don't know, exactly. She said that they just needed to settle some things and that she was fine…But, if it's alright to say, she had a scab on her lip. She didn't have that when she first went down there…Is everything alright, Justin?" She questioned as he loosened his grip on her shoulders.
Justin didn't say a word but straightened from his bent-over position, which he hadn't known he was in. He took in a deep breath and chewed on the inside of his lip, trying to keep his anger at bay. He knew what that meant. He remembered seeing his sister in the mornings with a new wound on her body, whether it be big or small. He knew that she tried so hard to act like nothing happened for his sake, but he wasn't stupid. He knew exactly what Marcus was doing to his sister. He still felt disgusted that that man was nearly his brother-in-law; though he never would have claimed him to be had she went through with the marriage with Justin gone.
"No…It's not, apparently. I thought she was done with him…She promised!" Justin said, mostly to himself, in an angry mutter.
"What're you talking about? Justin, what's wrong? Is she alright?" She questioned, honestly a little frightened about his sudden change in attitude.
"No, maybe physically, but there's something wrong with her…But first, I'm gonna kill him! I swear to God, I will bury him six feet under!" Justin said angrily, raising his tone slightly, as he began to storm away from him.
Roxanne was dumbfounded for a moment. She had never seen Justin like this. He was usually very calm and peaceful, but the mere name of this man made him change into a completely different person. She had no idea what he was talking about, but she knew that it probably wasn't the best thing for him to go stomping around threatening to kill somebody.
"Justin! Justin, wait! Calm down!" She called out as she ran after him. His long legs enabled him to travel longer distances than what she could so she nearly had to jog alongside him to keep in step. She had never seen him so angry before. She jokingly wondered if steam was going to flame out his ears.
Justin ignored the woman beside him, already set in his mind that he was going to pay this man a visit and murder him for even being in contact with his sister. Before, he had been a scrawny, little boy who was honestly afraid of what Marcus would do when he stood up for his sister, but he wasn't like that anymore. He wasn't going to sit idly by while Marcus still threatened his sister and threatened to make her life a living hell, again.
Roxanne knew that he was ignoring her, for he glanced over at her before staring straight ahead again, but that didn't mean that she was just going to give up. There was something obviously wrong with both he and his sister that included this man and she was intent on finding out. Jesselynn had told her some time ago that things were difficult and complicated before she became a surgeon and moved from base to base, but she had never gotten a clear, detailed explanation. She knew that things were rough and she didn't judge her for having a hard life. Roxanne never understood why people would do that anyway.
She quickly stepped in front of him the second she had her choice, though she honestly feared he'd just run her over. Thankfully, for her sake, he immediately halted in his steps though he rolled his eyes at her. He tried to step aside her and continue on his way, but she reached and placed a hand on his chest and pushed him back when she tried. She honestly believed that now he wasn't trying too hard to escape her presence since he could have easily thrown her aside on continued on his way. She was thankful he didn't.
"Justin, please, calm down and tell me what's going on. I want to help you guys, but you and Jesselynn practically talking in riddles isn't helping me do so one bit. That's all I'm trying to do…help." She said, demanding his attention. At her last sentence, her voice grew softer and she absentmindedly reached out and placed a hand on his rough lower jaw. It was almost instinct for her to do so since she had done it so many times with her husband and Sonora.
Justin looked down and immediately caught those brilliant hazel eyes. He looked down into her sincere face and knew that every word she just spoke was completely true. He was still surprised that this woman had such a peace about her that made him feel so calm. Not even Jesse's presence could make him feel almost…safe, like this woman's did. It was quite strange. Her hand was rather cold, considering the blistering heat around them, and though he could feel some callouses from days of labor, they were rather soft and delicate against his rough jaw.
He sighed, letting some of the anger roll out of him at the same time. Roxanne could see that he was calming down and removed her hand from his cheek. She immediately clasped it with the other, still feeling the slight tingles from her palm being pressed against his cheek. She nearly blushed when she noted that it was rather strong and warm.
"So, what do you want to know?" Justin began in a softer tone than what she just had. He nearly forgot about her question after marveling over her.
"What happened with you two? I mean, what's included in the whole Marcus situation that makes you two change so quickly?" She asked, arching a brow as she thought about Jesselynn's previous reaction when she had alerted her that she had received a letter from Marcus. There was such panic and even a small amount of fear in her face at her words.
Justin let out a small breath, readying himself for the speech he knew was going to happen. "When I was about ten, Jesselynn had moved out of our foster parents' home and she managed to bring me with her since she would never go anywhere without me. It was around that time that Jesselynn started practicing medicine. She was eighteen; we're eight years apart. Well, one day when she picked me up from school, she told me about her day. That was the day she met Marcus for the first time.
"She said that he was an intern for a law firm, studying to be a lawyer. He was about twenty, twenty-one, somewhere around that. Apparently his mentor had a heart attack and Jesselynn was in charge of checking up on him. She was an intern as well, at the time. It was one of the first times she was actually in a hospital. He was there in the room when she came in to do her normal check and she told me that he never took his eye off of her. We learned later that he was a ladies man and player from the very beginning. I just wish Jesse learned that before it was too late.
"Well, about a day later, Marcus called her and told him his name and everything and asked her if she would like to go out to a little restaurant with him at the end of the day. She did and she said that she had fun. He was a huge flirt and she thought that he was a nice guy. They started dating for a good long while and after about six months, they started living together. Of course, so did I.
"I had always been really wary of him and I think he honestly wasn't fond of me, though I could've cared less what he thought. Sometime after they moved in together, he started getting into drinking when some of his buddies took him out for his birthday one night. That was when his true colors started to show. I still remember sitting in the living room one night when Marcus came stumbling in and immediately came to Jesse, who was in the kitchen…I still remembered feeling scared when he kept pressing himself close to her and touching her. He kept messing with her dress and looking back on it now, I knew what he wanted. When he became more persistent and she glanced back at me, she reached out and gripped his neck with her fingers. She left long, deep marks in his skin from her nails and that was the night Marcus first hit her. I was in near tears when I saw Marcus lift his hand and slap her hard across the face. It knocked her off her feet a little bit and caused her stumble. When he saw that he wasn't going to get what he wanted from her, he just pushed her out of his way and stomped up the steps…
"I still remember the look on her face when I came into the kitchen after Marcus slammed his door. She was just sitting there on her knees in the middle of the kitchen, a hand against her cheek. She was obviously in shock that it had happened. I remember when I said her name and she looked up at me. I had never seen my sister so scared in my life. Of course, my first instinct was to ask if she was alright, but she couldn't even answer. I don't blame her though. The next thing she did was reach out and grab me, bringing me in a tight hug. I think that was the first and last time I ever saw or heard my sister cry. After that, she thought that she had to be strong for me. I honestly wish she hadn't…She was distant after that and you could tell that her trust was wearing thin. At the time, she only trusted me and surprisingly Marcus, though he treated her like shit." Justin explained, feeling sadness and sorrow strike his heart as the memory began playing in his mind.
Roxanne had a hand over her mouth and another over her heart. She had no idea that Marcus beat her like that. Had she known before, she never would have answered his letter. Matter of fact, she would've burned it. She honestly felt a little guilty now that she had greeted him and told Jesselynn that he wanted to speak with him. Her heart broke about Justin's story and her previous thoughts were wiped away when she looked up and saw sadness in his eyes. It was obvious that this past left an emotional toll on him than what he was leading on.
Without a second thought, Roxanne reached out and threw her arms around his neck. Her heart twitched uncomfortably when she felt him flinch underneath her arm and she knew that it was obvious that he was even still getting accustomed to being around other people besides Marcus and his sister. Though, Jesselynn was the worst about it. It was nearly like breaking the law to touch her.
Justin looked around, knowing there had to be one or two people that he knew who would tease him endlessly about this moment, but he honestly didn't care. At least it would move on from people treating him like a little kid. He honestly thought that he'd rather be teased about Roxanne than be called a child. Knowing that she was probably waiting for some kind of response from him, he slipped an arm around her shoulders and halfway hugged her against his chest.
Roxanne began to feel the awkward tension grow between them as she inhaled his scent. There was a tiny hint of what she knew was an attempt of cologne masked by a masculine, husky smell that she thought was a rather attractive odor. She also took note of how strong his arms seemed to be as they pressed against her shoulder blades. It didn't hurt, but it made her stomach turn and flutter with nervousness. It had been a long time since she had been embraced like that. She almost felt ashamed for enjoying it, for she could only think about her dear, deceased husband. Would he want her to be attracted to someone else?
Wait, attracted? Is that what it was that she was feeling? Surely not, right? She had just met the man and was still getting used to him. Besides, she was some years older than him. Wouldn't it be strange and awkward with the difference? Then again, she had known some elderly couples that were years apart, many times the woman was the oldest. Besides, Justin didn't act his age. He was rather mature, besides his rare outbursts of childlike energy. That was when they'd get another display of his dimpled grin that showed off the innocence in his face. It was amazing how a man could be grown, but still resemble his younger self in the same way.
Roxanne realized that they had been in an embrace for far too long and she didn't want to embarrass Justin any further, if she had. Finding the inner strength to get herself to break their embrace, she unwound her arms from his neck and dropped them at her sides, immediately folding her hands against her lap nervously and played with her fingers.
Justin looked down at the woman as she nervously twisted and pulled on her fingers and looked around her. He could see a slight tint of light pink in her cheeks when he kept looking down at her. He grinned and scratched the back of his neck. He really didn't know what to say about their moment together. He was still surprised that she had done so. The only woman to do that to him was his sister, and their foster mother. This woman was just different…He think he liked it though, this difference.
"So, um, you said you stole my idea?" Justin questioned, changing the subject before the tension between them could get any more awkward.
Roxanne forced her eyes away from the tent flap swirling in the wind in the background and found his eyes, almost surprised that he had spoken and nearly forgot what he was talking about. "Yeah, I kind of did. More like acted on it." She replied with a grin stretching across her mouth.
Justin grinned with her as they started walking alongside each other, not quite sure where they did desire to go. "What d'ya mean?" He questioned, interested to see what tricks this woman had up her sleeve.
"Well, basically, what I mean to say, before I was so rudely interrupted, "she paused for a moment to playfully bump her hip into his carefully before continuing, "after the whole incident with Marcus this past December, I figured that Jesse needed something better in her life. Then, I got the most brilliant idea in the history of brilliant ideas." She started with a sly, smug grin.
Justin chuckled at the woman at his side. "Now I think someone's just getting really cocky…"He said jokingly.
"Ha ha. Funny. Anyway, you know how Jesselynn pestered Mason into letting her know how you have been doing since he arrived here and started working with him rather than Woods? Well, I just went and pestered Mason into getting Woods to start telling her about the day and how you're doing. I'm gonna have to wait, but he finally gave in and said he'd ask. I think he'll say yes. I've been studying them for quite a while. I definitely see something good at the end of this idea. A light at the end of the tunnel!" She explained as she lifted her arms up as though she was giving orders to reposition something from far away.
"So, you're playing match-maker, is that it?" He asked with an arched brow and crooked grin.
Roxanne huffed with a grin playing on her mouth, "You and Mason keep saying that! It's not a game, this is for real. I wouldn't play around when it came to Jesse's possible future. She's like my sister and I care about her and when she's possibly lonely."
Justin picked up on that and grinned. "I know, I'm just messing with you. I know you care about her like I do. You know, I've never said it, but I wanted to thank you for that. There's no telling what could happen to me and I'm just glad she'll have someone if I don't make it out there." He stated simply as though they were pillow-talking like a couple of giddy, yet tired children.
Roxanne arched her brow and turned her upper body towards him while walking. At the same time, she balled her fist and slammed it against his upper arm, though it hurt her more than it had probably done him since he barely even flinched from her weak attempt of hurting him for his words.
Justin had an amused expression on his face as he looked down at the woman beside him, rubbing his arm for mostly her sake, though he felt no pain from it. "What was that for?" He questioned with a chuckle interrupting his words when he saw her upset face.
"My dad and my husband used to do that to me all the time I said something negative about myself. Guess that's why I'm optimistic now-a-days, they beat it into me!" She joked, a crooked grin pulling at her small, round lips.
"I heard about your husband…I'm real sorry about that. I know he would be really proud of you now, you know?" Justin said, remembering the story his sister told him when he first admitted that he thought Roxanne was interesting.
"Thanks…I try to think he would be and I know he would, but it's just hard being around here. All I can think about is him, running around base. Joking, laughing with the other men and forming bonds like you always hear about. I was proud of him, though I missed him every single second he was gone." She said, finding it easy to trust him with her true feelings with the situation. Then again, she'd bend anyone's ear about her husband should they be willing to listen.
"I know what you mean…I never really knew my parents, but I have a memory of my mother. At least, I think it's a memory. It was just the two of us and I think we were playing on the living room floor. I could my father and Jesse somewhere in the background, but I was focused on her. Of what I remember, she was beautiful and had a very kind face, though she looked almost sad or upset. Still, to this day, I wonder what could have possibly been worrying such a peaceful, care-free person like her. I try to ask Jesse about them, but she just gives me general information about them. The basics; so I barely know them….Sorry, I didn't mean to direct the conversation to me…I'll just shut up." Justin said hesitantly as he looked over at Roxanne, realizing that the situations weren't as common as he thought they were in his head.
She just smiled kindly and placed a hand on his upper arm, the place she had just hit him. "Don't worry. I think it's Jesse's way of coping, I suppose. We all have our ways of mourning and Jesse may take a while. You've probably already heard this a million times, but I'm sure, more than sure, certain that they would be proud of you right now. Just like you said about Jason." She said, hoping to comfort him in some way.
Justin just grinned. "Yeah, I suppose you're right…"
"When have I ever been wrong?" Roxanne said with a sly smile and bumped her shoulder against his arm softly.
Justin chuckled with her, marveling at her chiming giggle. She may have been a grown woman with her own child waiting for her back home, but she seemed to be a child herself sometimes. Maybe that was one of the things he was so fond about. She was easy to talk to and so care-free. She seemed impossible to hold bad word against anyone. In general, she was innocent, though she had seen many things in her lifetime. Innocence was something he hadn't seen or felt in a long time.
Roxanne heard her name being called by the surgeon that was mentoring her at the moment and turned back to Justin, almost wishing she could continue their short stroll along the base with him.
"I guess I should go. It was really nice chattin' with you, Justin. This may sound weird, but you're easy to talk to. You're like the little brother I never had, but always wanted." She said, complimenting him one last time.
"Guess that'd make you my sister…That'd make it weird if I wanted to ask you out or something…"Justin said shyly, immediately regretting his choice of words the second the spilled out of his mouth.
Roxanne furrowed her brows as she tried to figure out what he was saying. Justin spoke again before she could say a single word. "I, uh, I'm sorry…That was inappropriate…"He quickly apologized as he scratched the back of his neck once again. Roxanne was beginning to note that it was a nervous habit of his.
She just giggled at his uneasiness and rolled her eyes. "No, don't sweat it. It was actually kind of sweet," She paused for a moment as she turned to walk off, but when another thought came to her mind, she just had to voice though she was sure to regret it later, "Also, when I say brother, I don't mean brother-brother…Like, I-really-like-you-and-you're-a-sweet-guy-brother." She finished, peeking behind the tent she had nearly passed before turning back around towards him.
Justin felt some of the disappointment that he gained at her previous words disappear at the replacement. He just nodded his farewell to her as she scurried away, no longer wanting to keep her mentor waiting. The second he knew she was gone from his sight, he let the bright, wide smile that he had been keeping back loose. He didn't know why, but he felt like a teenager again when his first crush said he was a cool kid. He honestly wasn't sure which felt better, but at the moment, he was leaning towards this present emotion.
Justin looked around him, making sure no one he knew could see him, before curling a balled fist towards his chest, muttering a "yes" in victory. His body folded in a fetal-like position and he quickly recomposed himself from his victory move before anyone could get a glance of him. That was the last thing he needed since he was still somewhat new, though he had been here for years now. It was hard to earn a place around the base and he secretly wondered how his sister had done so. Then again, it wasn't like she was entirely popular herself. She was just now averaging.
Now, it didn't matter if the entire U.S. Military liked him, Roxanne was growing on him and she was having mutual feelings about the, at least, friendship. If he could have anything, it'd be friendship over nothing at all.
Don't have a lot to say, so...
Creative Question: Do you think there could be a possible relationship between these two? What are your opinions and thoughts of a Justin/Roxanne pairing?
Pretty please review! I would love to hear your thoughts and opinions and reviews help me update quicker! :P