Nothing Like Us

chapter 27

"I should get up..." I sigh, rolling over in bed to avoid looking at her side, which remains empty...a glaring reminder that I'm alone.

"What the fuck for though?" I ask. I find myself doing this a lot lately. Not really talking to myself, just thinking out loud because I've grown so used to sharing every stupid thing with b, and now there's no one to listen to my ridiculous and often boring random thoughts.

I lay for a while with my eyes closed, willing myself to slip back into sleep until my cell begins to ring. I almost don't bother looking to see who it is, the only person I feel like talking to is her, and I know that isn't who's calling. But when I angle it against the table to look, its Scooter and he'll just continue to call until I pick up.

"Yo Scoot," I rasp in a still slightly sleep filled voice "What's up?"

"How you doin' kid?" he questions with concern, but he also sounds nervous.

"I'm alright. I lie, waiting for him to go on. This is something else I've been doing lately...not holding up my end of conversations. I notice it, and I know its rude, but I'm so deep in my own self hatred and pity I can't be bothered to care.

"Talked to Bobbi?" he asks tentatively.

"What do you think Scooter?" I snap needlessly, he's only asking because cares.

He clears his throat and waits a second or two too long before continuing "Well, uh...you might want to make a special effort to get in touch with her. There's something she should know...actually, there's something you both should know."

I sit up and lean back against the headboard, plucking at a loose thread on the comforter "I should get a new one."

"What?" he sounds confused "A new what?"

"Blanket." I clarify "Sorry I was just...anyway Scooter, what is it that we need to know?"

"I'm guessing you haven't been on twitter or watched the television at all today then?"

Fuck, this is becoming extremely annoying extremely fast "No. Just woke up, so what the fuck is it Scooter? I hate when you act like this."

"Well listen, we've know about this for the last 24 hours or so, but ah...given the current situation with Bobbi we thought it best to keep you un-involved. We thought we could get a handle on this and nip it in the bud before it hit the media, but..." he pauses "Guess that wasn't the case."

Again, I remain quiet and wait. I should probably be alarmed...his tone sounds grave and serious, but I can't seem to muster any real emotion.

"There's a tape..." he rushes through the revelation anxiously "Of..." another uncomfortable clear of his throat "Of Bobbi and yourself, and..." he grows quiet as if I'll connect the dots.

"Yeah? So?"

He sighs deeply, obviously irritated with my lack of concern "It's a sex tape Justin...and it's gotten out."

I shake my head "Its fake...we've never..." I stop suddenly, remembering the morning of the day of the party. Flashes of me waking her up with the camera just to mess around with her, her laughing and asking me to put it down to kiss her good morning. Didn't I shut it off? I race through the memory, focusing on the moment I set it aside over and over until I'm 100% positive that I didn't.

"Are you fucking serious?" I yell, finally giving him a reaction that proves I understand the severity of what has happened.

"I wish I wasn't...but yes, I'm serious. Now, you should know that given the angle of the lens, there's a lot that can't be seen...sound on the other hand. Well, that's a different story."