Hello :P It is Wednesday and I am back with a new chapter. It feels as though I wrote this one not too long ago but it turns out to be three months ago! I think everybody goes through things in life and all they really need is a friend and someone to listen and reassure. That happens for Justin in this chapter. After dealing with the aftermath of what happened between he and Katie, Jessie's mother, Melissa, comes down from "up there" to be there for him. I hope you enjoy. I think their similarities start to be seen in this one!
Disclaimer: I own the story and the OCs mentioned :P
As yet another one of Justin's songs and performances came to an end, just like always; he pulled away from the microphone and showed off a subtle bow. He held a hand over his heart while his guitar strap balanced his beloved instrument over his chest and he showed his gratitude. He showed his gratitude for the audience. He showed his gratitude for the crowd. And once their supportive cheers faded down, he and his band prepared to begin the next song.
It had been a little while since he had performed for anybody after taking a bit of time off but it wasn't strange for the deep purple haired male to be grateful. It wasn't strange for the deep purple haired male to feel humbled. However, it was strange how intensely he was drawn to looking at the crowd.
While the rest of his band mates continued preparing for the next song and the backdrop softly changed colour and the spotlight moved away from him and the lights went up, he took even more time to look. He took even more time to look out at the masses of people in front of him. He was drawn to staring right at the crowd. But in the same breath, it was hard for him to do so.
He felt as though there was someone out there, waiting for him. And yet at the same time, there was someone missing. Justin swallowed. From watching near the stage side, I got the impression that even he was starting to think about his actions and if the crowd – let alone his good musical friends – were going to spot his extra thoughtfulness during that particular night.
I knew Justin Morgan to be a captive and sincere yet loud and enthusiastic performer. But on that particular occasion, his hushed moments and prolonged gazes appeared to scream louder than when he thrashed at his guitar.
While the rest of the band cracked on with it and began the introduction to one of the songs – for they knew the set list just as well as the main performer – Justin took one last look. He took one last look out into the crowd and his breath hitched in his throat as his eyes looked at one particular spot. But his brain couldn't work out why. To his eyes, there was seemingly nothing there. But to the hairs standing up on the back of his neck, he just knew that there had to be someone.
Even so, he decided to trust his eyes. His breath hitched all the more in his throat. There seemed to be nobody standing in the wing of the hall that he was drawn to. Yes, that was the problem. With a final but subtle shake of the head, he decided to pull himself together.
Everything had taken place in just a few seconds. Justin decided to get right back to it. As well as being a captive, sincere, loud and enthusiastic, he was also a dedicated one too. So without another hesitation, he got right back to his show. And once he stopped staring out into the crowd so hard, he became lost in his world of music and performing and the rest of the night went down without a hitch.
The rest of it passed quickly for me while I watched from the special guest area. I had gone along and joined the eldest Morgan son for his musical dates in a good few cities from our home towns and this was different for me. I never normally accompanied just him. But I quickly began to enjoy it! The reason for my new experience was that because I couldn't be there to watch over the usual Morgan son, Misty had asked me to stick around for the other one. And stick around I did. I enjoyed myself thoroughly but I knew I mustn't forget why I was actually there.
At the end of the show when Justin finished his performance and called the rest of the band away from their instruments to join him for a bow, his eyes searched the audience just one more time, though he promised himself he couldn't. However, his relapse lasted for just a flicker of a second. He soon went back to maintaining that healthy distance. And after he waved goodbye to his adoring crowd for the very last time, it became obvious that a distance was going to remain an ongoing attitude.
All of the members of the band trotted off stage with Justin and headed off backstage. Needless to say, they were loud. They were loud and they were elated after yet another successful performance. The deep purple haired male grinned and patted them on the back and nodded at them towards their enthusiasm but he didn't join them in the same way as he usually did. I gave him and myself the chance of me not overthinking as I left the audience myself and moved backstage to join them.
The rest of his band got louder when I joined them. I was rather flattered when they included me in their whooping and cheers but I was definitely glad that they didn't pick me up on their shoulders! I didn't want to lose sight of Justin who was still quieter than usual.
Even so, he commented on his favourite parts of the show and the special moments while he got his microphone pack taken off and got unwired for the night. And though he was being softer than usual, he proved he was still Justin and took the time to thank each and every one of his friends. He did it all individually and sincerely; he knew that he couldn't have done it without him.
They were grateful back. But I wondered if they finally started to pick up on something when he let his very best friend know that he was going to head to his dressing room to wind down before their tour bus was ready to take them back to their hotel.
I heard mutterings of them commenting that it would only be a short wait and they were wondering why he didn't join them for the rest of their elation. But after they saw me smile nonchalantly and head off to follow him, they just shrugged and let it go. After all, it wasn't too peculiar. Performing was stimulating. Everybody needed time to wind down occasionally. And in Justin's case, everybody needed time to wind down from performing when you secretly weren't feeling your best.
The deep purple haired male's dressing room was quite far down the bright and vibrant halls of the music arena. It was amazing how truthfully it listened to the loudness of cheers and joy and enthusiasm when there was music playing. But it was even more amazing how quiet and almost eerie it was when the show was over.
Justin's dressing room was naturally shut when I finally went and joined him but I pushed my way in. As soon as I saw him, he looked as though he really did need time to wind down. He was just making his way over to the dressing table and mirror when I entered and shut the door behind me. He gave me the tiny greeting of an even tinier smile as he took his stage jacket up and left it on the floor but he didn't do much else. He was far too focused in going over to the mirror. He pushed his growing locks from his eyes. And he sat down. He breathed out.
As soon as he first arrived at venues in the early afternoon and long before sound check, he always made himself at home in his dressing room. He made sure that his favourite foods were there and made sure to show gratitude when they were. He made sure that his guitars were all there on their stands. And on top of that, he took the time to stick the photo magnets that he always carried with them and placed them on the mirror. That night, however, as he breathed out, he reached out too. But they were not there. Photo memories were not looking back at him. Only he was.
He quickly shut his eyes when he began to see how weary he was looking. I swallowed softly at the same time that he did. It would have been naïve to put it down to being drained after yet another performance. The truth was he was hurting. And that had been one of the top reasons as to why Misty had quietly encouraged me to go with him.
It had been strange when he hadn't done his usual ritual of putting his photo memories all around his mirror. And even from my point of view, it was strange to not see his friend's pictures looking back at us both. His friends. His parents. His siblings. Jordan. Misty. Sammy.
I didn't have the time to think of another name. I saw his brow furrow as he thought of the same one and just for a second, his face looked as though it was going to crumple. But instead, he swallowed and opened his eyes. When he looked back at the mirror, he showed off even more of a frown – a determined one. He showed off a frown that was determined to be okay. He looked right back at himself.
And then, all of a sudden, I hadn't even noticed someone sneaking in the door behind me. And out of nowhere, they were looking right back at Justin's reflection in the mirror as they stood behind him. Their hand reached out and squeezed the younger male's shoulder. His breath instantly hitched in his throat. If his eyes had been deceiving him then his skin absolutely was not. He had felt it. He had felt the touch of a family member.
The deep purple haired male didn't hesitate to slowly turn around on his chair and look up at the fellow purple hair coloured person as they stood sturdily yet softly beside him. He swallowed and his eyes took in the face of the actual woman rather than her reflection. His eyes prepared to fill with tears. It was Jessie's mother.
"Missy…" he breathed out and though his reactions had been rather slow up until that point, all of them seemed to speedily and clumsily hurry up. He shook his head a fraction as he didn't believe what he was seeing and then he stood up, his long arms reaching out to her. And then he didn't stop himself from embracing her. He frowned in disbelief. "Missy…"
"Justin…" was all the amethyst hair coloured woman responded as after just a second of pausing, she didn't refrain from hugging him back either. Her own eyes shut as her arms went around his stomach and pulled him closer to her. She patted his lower back softly. And then her arm squeezed him tighter. This caused the deep purple haired male to gulp. And it wasn't due to uncomfortable pain. He was finally beginning to react to everything. He needed a sit down.
"Missy…" he uttered and that seemed to be the only word that he could manage. Melissa opened her eyes and chuckled and I did too and from sitting on the comfy two seated sofa in the middle of the room, my eyes weakened with tears. Greetings and long distance reunions never failed to feel tremendously good. Justin's arm stayed around his grandmother as he sat back down at his dressing table chair and looked up at her. He emotionally blinked. "What… What are you doing here? Does my Mum know?"
The amethyst hair coloured woman's eyes twinkled a fraction at him being as caring as ever but she didn't address it with words. She focused on the first part of his questions. She couldn't stop herself from grinning slightly, her hand going back to his shoulder. She shrugged.
"I came to see you of course! I came to see the show." She informed him and as she grinned honestly at him, it was natural for him to have the same grin back for a few seconds. Both of their eyes were sparkling. Their tears had since dried up. Needless to say, Justin had a lot of questions on his mind as to why she was allowed to visit from 'up there' but first and foremost, he was just glad to see her. Her fingers tapped nearer to his collar bone. "I was right there in the audience watching you. They are all a little enthralled with you, aren't they?"
While I silently watched a reunion that (to tell you the truth) felt even better than hearing the live music, I noted to myself that one thing I had noticed about Jessie's mother was how her eyes always said everything, even if she didn't address it with words. And after she complimented her grandson in her own way, her eyes came to life all the more. That was how she showed her pride.
The deep purple haired male just ducked his head shyly automatically but after her words sunk in and he could feel her squeezing his shoulder all the more, he looked right back at her. His nostrils flared subtly as he put two and two together. His arm slid away from being around her and briefly his hand went over his heart. He replied to her, his brow furrowing with realisation.
"I… I could feel that. I knew that someone was out there…" he began to say but then at the feeling of Melissa looking right at him as her own touch finally slid away from him, he looked down at his lap. I tilted my head on one side as I watched. But even so, the words couldn't stop themselves from tumbling out of his mouth. Justin mumbled to himself. "But I thought…"
However, they couldn't come all of the way out. While his eyes misted over before fluttering shut and his cheekbone became all the more prominent as his jaw clenched, Melissa eyes didn't miss a beat. As well as revealing everything, everything was revealed to them; clear as day. She simply let out a quiet breath and sat down on the seat next to him. She pushed her hair out of her eyes and shrugged. She didn't have a problem with saying it.
"You thought it was that friend of yours, didn't you?" she asked but she spoke in a tone that showed she believed that she was already correct in her observation. And to heavily contrast her quiet seriousness, after saying these words, she stood back up from her seat and couldn't stop herself from tidying Justin's jacket up that he had left on the floor. And after doing so, she gave me a stroke on the cheek. I of course smiled. Meanwhile the deep purple haired male frowned. He was caught off guard by her instincts but then went along with her honesty also.
"You… know…?" he slipped out with and that left Melissa's enjoyable cheek stroke being only the second thing that was making me smile. Then the first and foremost reason was him having a little bit of honesty and vulnerability all in one. While the amethyst hair coloured woman didn't stop herself from turning her head knowingly, Justin tried again. He changed his words. "You know – you remember her…?"
It became gracefully clear to me that the eldest Morgan son got his adaptability from his maternal grandmother. She changed her actions and her demeanour all over and she breathed out rather seriously once more as she came back over to sit with Justin, still holding his jacket in her hands. Her eyes focused on him as she sat back down. Yet again, her eyes told all.
He had grown so much since she had last saw him. His height and build had stayed the same and though his hair was starting to fall down his neck all over again - it wasn't that that had changed about him. It was something different. It was something else. It was something unexplainable. I knew what it was from my own perspective. But Melissa needed a minute to think about it.
Nevertheless, she pushed this to the back of her mind and just nodded her head while holding his black leather jacket in her fingers. She breathed out seriously. Her eyes danced on her face. They didn't twirl pityingly. They twinkled with a sincerity that was more unique to Jessie's family rather than the Morgan's.
"Of course, Justin. Of course I remember her." She told him and straight away, this was enough for the deep purple haired male. He just nodded his head and looked down at his lap, his hand going to the back of his growing locks. Melissa knew that it was okay to continue so she did exactly that. In fact, she knew it was important. Her own eyes moved to look at the stitching on his jacket as she spoke but her honesty never ceased. "Lovely girl… Very, very smart. Very understanding. Intuitive. Yes. Yes, I understand why you would miss Katie."
I felt an underlying pang in my stomach when I witnessed Justin swallowing. He agreed with her words – especially her last few ones – wholeheartedly. Yes, he did miss her. As well as so many other things.
The deep purple haired male revealed everything to Melissa. Without saying anything at all and without doing anything, everything was clear to her. The way his eyes flickered to each of his knees. The way that his fingers slowly fell out of the back of his hair. The way that his mouth pursed.
The amethyst hair coloured woman leaned back in her chair. She didn't touch her grandson at first. Instead, her arm rested on his dressing table and the palm of her hand rested in her own hair. Then, her foot softly nudged against his leg. And she said just a few more words.
"Tell me everything, Justin. I want to hear it from you." She asked of him and after the eldest Morgan male looked over at his mother's mother and he felt – like how it was when he was with the orange haired female – his guard slowly edging down – he breathed out. At first, he didn't know where to begin. And then, it all came tumbling out. He looked down as he explained. And this was because for many nights prior to that one, he had begged for someone to understand. And it even crossed his mind that perhaps Melissa was the one who could – if only they could reach one and other.
I listened as, in his own words; the deep purple haired male recounted it all. How over a month ago he had broken up with his boyfriend because things suddenly got very serious and questions got asked that he felt that he couldn't answer. And instead of having faith in his own responses and his own wants, he shut down instead.
And at the same time that this was going on, Katie was having slow oncoming but similar problems with Jayden also. She felt like things were going swimmingly for them on their travels and that they were both happy being young and in love and making no solid plans. Apparently not. Things suddenly got very serious very fast and plans got bought up that she felt as though she wasn't ready to commit to. She broke up with her own boyfriend as well. And that was how Justin and Katie found one and other.
They met up in a city that they both happened to be at and this resulted in them spending a long weekend together, talking and figuring each other out and falling closer and in a whole new way. It was wonderful. To them, it was wonderful. When they were in their bubble of a whole new experience for them, it was wonderful. However, it was less wonderful when people found out about it.
Jayden for one found out about it unintentionally and before Justin and Katie themselves even had a chance to talk through their own time together, let alone him or Sammy. But a few days later in a dramatic and yet romantic turn of events, the dual haired Morgan son knew in his heart that he wanted to be with Katie and regretted breaking up with her. They went back to travelling together. Justin was left behind and though he wanted her to get back with his brother, he couldn't help but feel like he had been forgotten also.
And so, he hadn't heard from his best friend for days. Their last texts to each other were agreeing to take a step away from each other to make sure their (ex) significant others knew that they were serious about them if they felt the same way and they were wanting to move on from their silly break ups.
Neither of them had had the guts to contact one and other since. They didn't want to hurt their loved ones. They didn't want to hurt each other. They didn't want to hurt themselves. Justin got hurt when Katie left with Jayden without so much as a note or a message to him at the time that it happened, let alone since. But what had been aching in recent days was the realisation of how disloyal in his own mind he had been towards his flesh and blood brother. And the frustrating determination that he wasn't ever going to do that ever again. As well as so many other things.
Melissa let out a quiet breath and finally looked over at Justin when he looked over at her himself, his eyes full of not regret but rather vulnerability and nervousness too. She didn't touch him – she didn't touch her grandson – but she moved closer to him on her chair. Her hand played with her own hair. Her silence was more understanding than anything she could have said. And her flicker of a smile was the same way too.
"Missing her is really hurting you…" the amethyst hair coloured woman observed and straight away, Justin couldn't prevent himself from slowly nodding. But after the two of them remained silent and he had even more time to think things through himself, his brow suddenly furrowed. He rubbed his own forehead to soothe it but understandably, this didn't help. Once again, his head fell down towards his lap but that time, he looked as though it would need a crane to lift back up once more.
"It isn't just that… It's everything else as well." He admitted to her but he couldn't look at his grandmother. However, he could surely feel that when, after her own eyes flickered with a silent kind of worry and that faded away with being ready to listen, he swallowed and got ready to explain. And he surprised me for once by not only looking back over at Melissa after a few seconds but having tears in his eyes. They were almost bitter tears. "Nobody understands. Everybody keeps giving me a really hard time like that's helping at all. Nobody knows how I feel. Nobody cares."
I remained observing. I really had gotten to know Melissa during the handful of times that she had come down to us all and I knew her to be a humorous and intelligent and empathetic woman. But Jessie absolutely got her fiery streak from somewhere and it was her!
So because of this fact, as Justin's eyes pricked with bitter tears and he stubbornly blinked them back, Melissa couldn't stop her expression from changing and she raised an eyebrow instead. She looked at him. She looked right at him.
"Everybody? Nobody?" she repeated just two of his words and it took him a second or two to understand. I guessed right away. I breathed out. One of the things that she admired her grandson deeply for was his sheer honesty. But in that moment in time and right in front of her, he was shielding the truth out of hurt and defensiveness.
It took him a second or two to understand her words but after he looked back over at her, pushing his hair from his face, he understood her expression. It wasn't excessively sharp but it got right through to him. He swallowed. And then he groaned. At himself or at the situation, I couldn't tell. He forced himself to admit.
"Lynne… Lynne especially…" he spoke of his father's long-term girlfriend also from "up there" and as I continued sitting in the same position of the sofa and trying not to think of cheek scratches once more, I glanced over at Melissa and hoped that her smirking expression would fade away. I understood that she was glad Justin was being honest. But I didn't want him to mistake it for invalidating his feelings. Thankfully, that didn't seem to be happening. He explained rather sadly. "I don't get it… She thinks that I used Katie and made the wrong choice. Doesn't she know me at all? She's being unfair. She won't listen. And that's made it hard for me to come here sometimes… It's made it hard for me to perform. I normally go on stage and know that that's a version of myself I enjoy very much. But now I just think that nobody knows me at all. Clearly."
The amethyst hair coloured woman's expression finally softened to silent sympathy when she heard these words coming from her grandson. She moved her elbow off his dressing table and encouraged her fingers away from her hair. And she breathed out. She looked over at Justin and thought long and hard.
If she was honest with the both of us, then she knew most of what happened anyway. She was an intuitive lady to begin with but she had spent a lot of time up there as well. And though even her eyes didn't show it all that much, I knew in my heart that Justin's truthfulness to her was adding a good deal of sympathy to her own heart.
Once more and for a few seconds longer, she played with her hair as she sat opposite her grandson. And then following that, she did something that she did best. She showed off the adaptability and dual-natured side that they both shared by sitting back up once again and absentmindedly bustling around his dressing room, tidying it up while she replied to him. Her energy, however, didn't take away from the sincerity of her response.
"People are going to see things from their own point of view, Justin, and you can't do anything about that." She offered matter of factly and after she took an interest in his spare guitar picks that he left discarded on one of the shelves, she turned back around to him. She was still being rather blunt. But she was trying to be helpful, too. "That's what makes the world go round, isn't it? After all, if people all thought exactly the same way then we wouldn't have people like you who create the way they do, would we?"
Justin breathed out at the same time that I did. He most certainly couldn't deny himself from being grateful that she seemingly complimented him but then after he spotted her picking up one particular guitar pick, he finally stood up off the chair himself and wordlessly took it back from her. Once more, she gave him that slightly sharpened look but it was airy as well. And Justin seemingly respected this. He gave her a polite, close mouthed smile and after he sat back down again, he had more words for her.
"I agree but I'm still hurt by it… I don't know. I guess it's not everybody who has a dad with a girlfriend as well as a wife. And I've always thought I've done pretty well in accepting that and being happy for him. I'm not saying that she should agree with everything I do because I accepted her but… It's just a bit of a slap of a face to love someone as a step mother and then for them to turn around and not only doubt you but think the worst in you."
My own shoulders quite obviously slumped. I tried to keep things unbiased pretty much at all times but at that point; I most certainly did see things from Justin's point of view. And I understood how that could very much affect his stage performance. His music and his creations and his stage presence all stemmed from himself. And if he felt that himself wasn't good enough or was being perceived wrong then of course, his energy was all off. It was a shame that it had to be that way. But it was understandable. And Melissa most definitely understood.
Her eyes couldn't deny any of that that time. As she remained lingering by the shelf but no longer picking up any of his precious guitar picks, her eyes flickered. She nodded. She breathed out. She didn't say anything but she quietly understood with her whole heart. And perhaps – no, it was – it was this silence and this space and this freedom that allowed Justin to open up even more.
His guard began to momentarily cease. He locked eyes with his grandmother. He asked with rather a lot of rawness.
"Why do people just never understand? Either… Either I'm hiding away and I'm hiding my true self from them because I'm so convinced that I won't fit in - that I won't be accepted. Or I'm finally comfortable and free and away from all my emotional armour yet everybody starts thinking I've hurt someone instead of celebrating alongside me how damn great it is that I finally let my guard down… It's just… never enough. I can never win…"
"Justin…" Melissa listened to everything that her grandson was saying to her and after his eyes didn't well up – they simply dropped down and this explained far more of how he was feeling – she breathed out and held her arms out to him. She shook her head but it wasn't at him. It was the situation that was in. She firmly encouraged him. "Just come and sit with me."
The deep purple haired male didn't like being told what to do. That was something I'd grown to learn about that particular Morgan male. However, not only was Missy his grandmother and he hadn't seen her in quite a long time, she was secretly a person who had crossed his mind over and over again following his situation with Katie.
And so, as his eyes actually did prick with slight tears, he didn't stop himself from clumsily clambering up and moving over to join Melissa as she sat on the sofa next to me. She didn't hug him when he came to sit with her but she wrapped one arm around him. And her other hand went to his wrist. She looked right at him.
"Justin…" she uttered and she gave herself more time to think. The hand on his wrist briefly moved up to his face and brushed some of his hair from his eyes as she looked right at him. I noticed that she had to stop herself from swallowing. He really had grown a lot since she had been away. She continued once her hand travelled down to stroke his wrist all over. "I find it easy to admit that I very much judged your father for needing someone else other than my daughter, but I let that aside… So I would very much bloody well have hoped that he would pick someone who didn't give you a hard time!"
And despite it all, Justin couldn't stop himself from letting out a few chuckles in between sniffs as he heard this. Melissa chuckled alongside with him. The deep purple haired male knew that there was far more to come. He was right. The amethyst hair coloured lady from "up there" couldn't stop herself from touching his hair once more as she continued seriously but with a smile.
"Either way… I know she's not a bad person. And don't blame her for seeing things the way that she sees them. You can't do anything to change it. But you can most definitely stop giving a damn about what people think of you… For good."
I for one breathed out and I didn't even notice if Justin did or not. I shook my head silently yet admirably in disbelief. It was amazing how (for most of the part) people who weren't even with us all of the time somehow knew so much about us as well. Melissa had most definitely figured out a good chunk of what were her grandson's hidden struggles. Whether she had watched them or whether she had sensed them, it didn't matter. From all of our points of view, they were true. It was something he had battled with for a long time. And he needed to learn that lesson once and for all.
Justin listened to Melissa. Really, he did. He listened to her with all of his attention and an open heart too. But for once, when he heard them, his face almost crumpled. He breathed out. He shook his head rather forlornly. He explained while shutting his eyes.
"I can't… I can't… I secretly do care what people think about me…" he came very close to whispering and this side of the deep purple haired male was vastly different to the innovative, musical, creative and confident Justin. Yet I knew that they were all parts of him. He managed to open his eyes and look over at his youthful grandmother as he explained unguardedly. "I… I don't care if people think I'm camp or flamboyant or whatever… I don't care if people think I'm moody or stubborn… I don't care if people think I'm over-friendly… But I care if people think that I would hurt anybody… And most of all, I care – I deeply, deeply care – if people think I would hurt my best friend or my brother on purpose… Especially the person I trust more than anybody…"
And upon hearing this, the amethyst hair coloured lady breathed out. She understood. She stroked Justin's hair softly. Perhaps she hadn't been there for his birth – she didn't even been on earth for his birth – but in that moment, she was certain that he had become a man once and for all in front of her very eyes. And she had been there for that.
She grew a little misty eyed herself. She swallowed. However, she didn't nod her head. Though she very much understood his words and appreciated and respected how he felt, she wanted him to feel better too.
So she gave him a smile that was warm and supportive yet was rather mischievous as well. Her hand slid away from his hair and poked his nose instead. He looked right back at her, his slightly rounding orbs showing that, yes, though he was very much a man at that point, there was a child-likeness to him that I was certain would never fade away. Or at the very least, I hoped that it wouldn't.
Justin looked right back at Melissa while she continued to smile at him. Then, she actually did wrap her arms around his shoulders.
"Some people like to overthink a great deal, don't they? I am certain that you are one of these people." She told him and while Justin couldn't stop himself from pursing his lips slightly, his dimple starting to show, Melissa laughed quietly all the more to show that it was all light-hearted. She squeezed him some more. "You're exactly like your grandfather in that way. He cares too much about what people think as well. But the funny thing is if he was here right now, then he would tell you not to. And the even funnier thing is that you would probably have the same advice! So maybe you should stop giving yourself a hard time, yes? You know who you are now. To hell with what anybody else assumes; even loved ones. Lift your chin up, Justin. You've got a great deal of people looking out for you in all kinds of places and knowing the real you. And she's out there as well…"
And upon hearing this, the deep purple haired male's eyes properly pooled with tears and it was almost good to see. I knew him as only a man who cried when he felt properly released or properly passionate about something. I knew that he felt released because of Melissa. And he felt passionate about his own genuineness. Even though his confidence had been knocked a little and needed some reassuring.
And for once as well, Justin didn't know exactly what to say as he looked over at his grandmother. He breathed out tearfully, his eyes flickering. He looked between her and the sofa. He looked between her and me. He seemed to look everywhere! Melissa caught on. She really did know him. He was family. He was her family. And the more I saw them together, the more I saw each other in one and other.
The amethyst hair coloured woman stretched her arms out for him even more. She simply gestured with her head.
"You just need a cuddle, don't you?" she asked and before the deep purple haired male could even nod, though he did after a couple of seconds, Melissa wrapped her arms around him and held his tall and slim frame close to hers. He didn't hesitate to breathe out almost in relief and sink against her, shutting his eyes as her hands went back to his hair. But even so, he couldn't stop himself from opening one eye and mumbling.
"I thought you were like me? I thought you didn't like to cuddle…?" he asked quietly but not too seriously, and after not much time at all, he got the response that he was hoping for. In fact, it was one that made him slightly grin. That made up for the fact that I wasn't invited into the hug.
"Oh hush, Justin. You should know that I don't offer something if I don't want to do it…" she told him firmly and this caused him to smirk. He nodded his head, agreeing, and rested his head further against her. He shut his eyes once more. Yes. That was most certainly where Jessie got it from. Because he had his eyes shut, he couldn't see her smirk that formed in return. I did. And that made up for the non-hug invitation also. Melissa then couldn't help but add. "You've changed though… It's good. You can pretend all you want that you put up guards and don't do cuddles… But you do. You've changed because of her… Katie relaxed you… And it's lovely to see… You think that you know everything about love at my age but my daughter's children have definitely changed some things for me too…"
And with that, Melissa shook her head slightly before planting a kiss to her grandson's forehead. I believed that Justin was thinking about these things before. I knew that he was thinking about these things before. But after her previous words, though he appreciated them and they humbled him, they filled him with silent emotion too.
So because of this, he opened one eye once again and looked up at Missy. Maybe Katie really had opened him up emotionally with her friendship. And maybe Melissa had helped as well. He communicated his feelings.
"Do you mind if we just cuddle…? My head had a lot of things to think about anyway without your wisdom…" he asked of her and as I curled around in a ball on the sofa and got ready to listen from an even comfier spot, I noticed that they were the same in that way too. They slipped in off-hand compliments in the moments of seriousness.
Part of me thought that I didn't know the amethyst hair coloured lady enough to know exactly how she was going to react. I watched. I waited. At first, she just subtly blinked. But after not much time at all, she suddenly chuckled and nodded her head. She pulled Justin closer and she pressed a second kiss to his forehead with whizzing thoughts inside. Straight away, he shut his eyes and relaxed all over. He didn't need an audible answer. However, he got one.
"Certainly." she told him precisely and this was proof that, yes, she could be known as quite a bossy character. Yet the only person that could boss her around and accepted being bossed around by was Justin! They were quite a duo. They were quite a duo indeed. "Come here."
And with that, the woman from "up there's" hands went to her grandson's face like her daughter often did to him and she directed him towards her lap. He didn't hesitate to rest it there and snuggle closer. And she didn't hesitate to stroke his hair either.
I breathed out. It was funny. It was sweet. It was funny yet sweet how, no, those two most certainly didn't get the time together that they would have liked because of life and passing and situation and distance. But even so, they seemed to know one and other a great deal.
And I knew one thing that was absolutely certain. It didn't matter how old you were. It didn't matter how much you went through. It didn't matter what you were feeling. A lap was always the most comfortable place in the world. And a cuddle was the most comforting.
Justin just needed both of these things. And he needed both of these things from Melissa. He had absentmindedly wished for her to be around when he was lost. And she came to him when he needed her the most. He came to her when he needed a friend. He felt like he had lost a friend but that wasn't the case at all.
In fact, he should have just remembered all of the lessons that he learnt from Melissa. She was never too far out of reach and neither was Katie. And one day he would realise that. And most importantly, he would realise and acknowledge and appreciate too just how much those two freed him. In very different but both in equally loving ways.
The End.
There you go! Thanks so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed :3 So yeah, unlike Jordan and Lynne, because of Melissa's Team Rocket past, she doesn't get to come down and be there as much. Though as she can see, in this instance, she pays a visit when it really counts. Justin would've normally gone to Lynne here in this situation but unfortunately for him, she's one of the people getting him down. On top of Katie leaving and processing what actually happened, it's a lot for him. But thankfully, Melissa is there to listen and I hope that he starts to believe in his sincerity after this! Perhaps what went on with he and Katie was reckless and disloyal but people see things from different angles. And it really needed to happen for everybody to get to where they're meant to be :3 Thanks again and I will be back next Wednesday with another chapter so see you then!
AmyBieberKetchum signing out :P