Old Friends (Janet and Toni Fanfic)

Chapter 12

Janet

I didn't tell Jermaine that I had sex with Toni. I didn't tell him we were even attracted to one another. Our situation, as batshit crazy as it was, still seemed so sacred to me. Even though I still felt guilty, it was nice to vocalize it. I didn't want him to be on my side, I just wanted someone to listen.

"I think you need to go over there and apologize," he suggested after I'd explained everything to him. I looked him in his face.

"Right now? It's so late, and all of this just happened today."

"Yeah, okay, but you've been out the loop for so long, you need to show her you done going ghost on her."

"Maybe you're right. I'll text her now-"

"No, don't do that," he stopped me from grabbing my phone on the end table. "Surprise her. I'll even drive you over there."

"Thank you, Jermaine." I smiled at him. "For everything, truly."

"Don't worry bout it J, ain't nothing to me. Come on."

We headed out to his car, and as he drove, I fixed my blotchy, tear-stained face as best I could. I almost thought about leaving it there for dramatic effect, but decided against it and put some mascara on instead. I was going to fix this. And I was going to fix it tonight.

Toni

We were kissing. And we were touching. I was getting so hot, both physically and figuratively, that after a few moments we moved the party downstairs to my living room where all the windows were open, and a nice cross breeze billowed throughout the main floor.

Face found the couch and fell onto it with me in his lap. I'd always thought he would be the kind of man that wanted to take things slow and be gentle like the love interest in a bad chick flick. But my shirt was already unbuttoned and his torso was bare as his tongue danced a swift waltz with mine. His initiative was sexy, but not nearly as arousing as Janet...

Suddenly I didn't feel like kissing him or touching him like this. Suddenly I didn't want him to be holding my waist so tightly with his boyish hands. Suddenly I wished I never invited him and that he was out of my house. Suddenly, that fast, I wished he was her.

"Face, hold up," I gently pushed myself away from his chest.

"What, did I do something wrong?"

"No, this... this is all me. But I can't do this. Not now."

He furrowed his eyebrows, but still let me go. I felt bad for leading him on like this, but I wasn't in a good headspace. And I really didn't have feelings for him. Just like that, my buzz was killed, and I started to feel cold again. I got up to shut the window, and I see an unfamiliar car pull into my driveway. My house was hidden out of sight; how could anyone have found me back here if they hadn't been before? I panicked.

"Face," I said, my eyes still glued to the window. No one got out of the car immediately. "Go see who that is."

"Who?" He was now standing behind me, trying to see what I was talking about. "That car?"

"No, the bush. Yes! The car! Now go out there and see what they want." I nudged him.

He turned around and started slowly for the door. I watched through the window, gnawing nervously at my finger nails. As Face neared the car, the passenger door opened and he stopped dead in his tracks. When I saw who got out, a sigh of relief left my lungs, but my heart began to race once again when I recognized the short, curvy silhouette in the moonlight. Jan.

Janet

My heart pounded as Jermaine turned the corner to Toni's long driveway. What if she wasn't home? What if she didn't even want to see me? I sat in the car for a while before I got out, just taking deep breaths.

"Don't worry, J. Just make the apology sincere." He rested his hand on my shoulder. I wanted to hyperventilate.

"Yeah... Sincere..." When I finally picked my head up, I noticed a figure just inside the front window of her house. Looking closer, it was Toni, shirtless, looking so yummy. If I went in there to apologize, I'd definitely make this all up to her.

"Is that her?" Jermaine asked.

"I think so..."

"Damn," he said under his breath. I tightened up. "You sure you don't want me to come in there?"

"Yes, Jermaine, I'm sure." I rushed out of the car before I would get too defensive. He still didn't know.

Then another figure emerged from the house, but this time from the front door--a shirtless man--that stopped me in my tracks and made me jump a little. Kenny. Something sank low into the pit of my stomach, and I felt like throwing up.

"Janet?" Toni called, also coming outside. I looked between both of them multiple times; I knew instantly what they were doing just before I'd shown up.

"Jan, what's wrong?"

Toni and Kenny both got closer to me, but I backed up, looking like a deer in headlights. I didn't want to see them together. I didn't want them to see me like this. I was so embarrassed. Soon I was against the hood of the car, and I felt Jermaine open his door and step out.

"Aye, is everything alright?" He stood beside me. It made me feel a little better.

"Jermaine?" Toni said, now close enough that I could see her furrowed eyebrows and her smudged makeup. It only made me want to cry. "What are you guys doing here?"

"I-I-" Now I was stuttering, a tell-tale sign that I was uncomfortable.

"She came to talk to you, Toni, and I just tagged along for moral support." Jermaine chimed in. And supporting me, he was.

Toni shot me a look, and I could already sense her assuming that I told him everything about us. I shook my head subtly, but she still didn't take her eyes off of me. It made me upset that once again, she didn't trust me, of all people, to keep my love life private.

"Is this a bad time?" I asked after it became too silent. I glanced at Toni's chest, then at Kenny, and back at Toni, hoping she would see my disappointment. I think she did.

"Yes,"

"No,"

Both she and Kenny answered at the same time, as if this couldn't get anymore awkward.

"No," Toni finally said, shooting daggers at him. "He was just leaving."

"Y-yeah..." he turned to probably go get his clothes. I shuddered.

"Do you wanna come in and talk, Janet? I'll bring you home... if you don't mind, J.D..."

"Oh, uh... yeah. You straight J? You need anything else?" Jermaine scratched the back of his neck.

"I'm fine, thank you. I'll talk to you later." My eyes didn't leave Toni's as I responded. He handed me my purse silently and sped off like the 12 was after him.

Then Kenny was back, and in a similar fashion, got in his car (I didn't even notice it when we first came in) and left without a word to either of us. Toni and I remained, looking like a ghetto Mexican stand off, not saying anything to each other.