Writing

by >>Jae

Justin learned it from his grandmother.

She had come out to visit him, to see the show, to hear him sing. Lots of people had flown in that weekend. It was like a huge family reunion, a bright still happiness like the eye of the dark churning storm that was the lawsuit. She was sitting next to him on the couch, talking to Lance. He had twisted around so he could see Chris and Dani behind them.

He had been watching Chris and Dani all weekend, marking the way Chris dipped his face down to her hair and closed his eyes, the way she'd bump lightly against him when they walked down the hallway together. Justin liked Dani, a lot, everyone liked her. Chris did. He wasn't exactly sure why he couldn't take his eyes off them. He thought at first it was because Dani was so pretty, thought maybe he had a crush, but he didn't act like he had a crush. He wasn't nervous around her, didn't blush, didn't even want to look at her when Chris wasn't around. He thought maybe he was studying, trying to learn how you acted with a girl. With a girlfriend.

Justin turned all the way around on the couch, knelt up and leaned on his elbows. Chris had his hands up in front of him, palms out, crouching in a mock defensive stance. Dani was dancing on the balls of her feet, throwing light punches that Chris blocked. Chris grabbed her wrists and pulled her in. She laughed, and kissed him. Justin clenched his fists. He felt something, watching them. It wasn't pain, although it left him short of breath, with a lump in his throat. It wasn't joy, despite the flutter in his stomach and the tingling in his fingertips. He watched Chris run a light hand down Dani's back.

Justin felt fingers on his own back and jumped. "That'll be you, soon," his grandmother said gently, smiling at him.

Yes, Justin thought, not in discovery but in recognition. Yes.

It was a moment before he looked at his grandmother in confusion. Did she really ... She cupped his chin in her hand. "You'll have all the girls too, it won't be long now. You'll be even worse than your friend there. A real heartbreaker. It's written all over your face."

He didn't watch Chris and Dani any more after that. He tried to avoid them as much as he could.

He knew what was written on his face.