Chapter 1 note- This story takes place in the future. Like 2001 or so.
Kim walked into the familiar coffee shop. She got her usual chocolate flavored coffee, and she made her way to the area she sat every morning. A guy then walked into her and her coffee spilled all over her.
"I'm so sorry." He pleaded. He grabbed napkins and started wiping at her shirt.
"It's okay." She told him quietly.
"Here. Sit down." The man knelt down and told her; coincidence he sat her at her usual table. He continued to wipe at her shirt, but he unconsciously stopped when he looked into her blue eyes. He was breath taken by her innocent beauty. He never saw anything like her before. Her face flawless and tan. Her eyes sparkling. She was perfect. The most perfect creature he had ever saw. He stared at her in shock. Kim was too shy to say anything, she just looked away uncomforted.
"I'm so sorry for staring, but I'm going to be honest with you. You are one of the most beautiful women I've ever saw." He shook his head. "God, you are just beautiful."
She looked down at her hands. "Beautiful? I don't think so."
"You must be crazy if you believe that. You don't have much confidence do you?" He took a chair that was exactly across from her. She didn't reply to his question. "I usually don't mess with girls that don't have confidence...but I'm so attracted to you for some reason." He scratched his head "You seem very nice. Considering you didn't like freak out when I spilled coffee on you."
"Why? Why are you attracted to me? I'm not a very interesting person."
"Tell me something about yourself, and I'll tell you if your interesting or not." She didn't say anything but lowered her head even more and looked at the floor. "Don't be so shy! Well, let me tell you about me then. I'm twenty, and a month ago I got back from touring. I've been coming here every morning since I've been on vacation, but I never saw you here before."
"Touring?"
"Yeah, I'm in the musical group Nsync." He whispered. "But don't tell anyone or I'll get KILLED out here." He laughed.
She laughed and her eyes lit up, and his words caught her attention. She looked up and looked into his eyes. She couldn't recognize him, but he was amazingly beautiful. "That's really cool." She said with a smile.
"So, you are a fan of the music?" He asked perkily happy because he finally got her to talk.
She thought before she talked. "Sorry, but not really. I have the newest Nsync CD but I wouldn't be able to name every guy in the group or anything like that."
"Oh." Her lips. Something about her lips was hypnotizing him.
"I come here everyday also. You probably haven't saw me before because I am here an hour later than usual. I woke up late this morning." She said very softly.
He shivered her lips were so hypnotizing. "Yeah that's probably why...hey, would you like to go out to dinner with me tonight?"
"I don't think so." She replied quickly.
"Why? Come on! Are you a minor or something?"
"No, I'm eighteen. I just graduated from high school." She almost laughed
"Then please, please, please, go out with me tonight!" He hit her with a polite and convincing smile. His eyes twinkled in the light of the day.
"I'm sorry, I can't. Actually, I better go now." She said rising to her feet.
"Will you at least join me for coffee tomorrow at nine?" He asked. She nodded and turned to walk away. "Wait!" He told her. "We didn't even get to exchange names. I'm Justin Timberlake."
"And I'm Kim Miller." She told him shaking his hand. Then she vanished.
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A month later.
"Kim, I've been meeting you here for the past month. It wouldn't be fair if you didn't go out to dinner with me tonight."
Kim started to laugh. "I don't know." She said hesitantly.
"Or how about you come to my house? I live right on the beach. I could cook for you. And we could walk on the beach. That would be nice and romantic."
"Justin, you are too much. I guess I don't have a choice now do I?" She asked playfully.
He stared at her deeply. "There is something special about you. My heart tells me that. You are a very special person." He said surely.
She almost blushed. "Well, thank you. I like you a lot also, Justin. In a way you've opened me up."
He smiled at the sound of her words and threw his neck back. "I'm happy I've opened you up. Great then, so you are coming over..."
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Justin's doorbell rang. He was expecting it to ring and opened the door of his home quickly. "Hey, Kim. Did you have trouble with the directions I gave you?"
She smiled and looked inside. "Not at all." He opened the door wider and used his hand to tell her to come in. She stepped inside the large, mansion-like house.
"You look absolutely great." He told her taking off her jacket and glaring at her strapless dress. "The dining room is this way." He took her hand and led her into the very formal dining room.
"I made spaghetti for you." He told her proudly, pulling out her chair for her.
Kim sat down and covered her mouth with her hand. She was stunned at the effort he had put into the dinner. From the China to the candles. Everything was gorgeous. "WHOA!"
"So, is this romantic enough?" Justin asked, taking his seat.
"More than you will ever know." She told him starting to eat at her meal.
They ate their meals with minimal talk.
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"That was an amazing dinner." Kim told Justin. "I never had red wine before."
"Well, I'm glad you liked everything." He said observing her beauty. He got out of his seat and walked towards her. He then knelt down beside her and took her hand in his hand. "Come with me. I have something to show you."
They held hands as they walked out the front door. Soon they came across an empty beach.
"What a beautiful night it is." Kim said taking a seat in the cold sand, Justin took a seat next to her. She looked out into the ocean. "Justin, thank you. I really needed this! It is SO beautiful out here."
"Yes, but not quiet as beautiful as you." He told her infatuated with her. She smiled and closed her eyes at the great feeling she felt while with him. "Kim, would it be okay if I kissed you?" Before she could answer he pressed his lips against hers. He deepened the kiss with his tongue. After a few more seconds Kim broke away. "Did you feel that?" He asked. "The magic in that kiss?"
"Yes." She replied smiling. "I never had that kind of kiss before. I never had a guy kiss me at all."
"Really? WOW, so I'm the first. I'm guessing that your a..." He ran his hands through his hair.
"Virgin, yes." She told him already knowing his question.
"Your even more innocent than I thought. That only makes you more beautiful." They started to kiss again.
Everything seemed perfect, but then Kim broke away once again. "Justin, what time is it?" She asked.
"Only nine thirty-five. Why? It's early." He told said, reaching in to kiss her again.
"Oh no!" She yelled. She shot up and started to run back to his house.
"What's wrong?" He asked running behind her.
"I have to go!" She replied running in his house and grabbing her coat.
"But it's early! PLEASE don't leave so soon."
"Justin, I'll see you later." She told him, accidentally slamming the door behind her.
She drove home as fast as she could. With all of the traffic, it seemed to take forever. She entered the driveway of her large home. She shook with fear as her hand turned the knob on the door. Her eyes widened and she froze in shock when she saw her mom standing before her.
"Your LATE! It is passed your curfew!" She shouted at her.
"But mom I'm only three minutes over. It's three after ten." She started to cry. Her father then came into view.
"No EXCUSE! You KNOW the rules." She spat loudly.
"Gee, Mom. What do we do with kids who don't know how to come in on time?" Her father asked. Kim saw the leather strap in her mothers hand. It was waiting for her.
"Mom, please. I'm too old to be treated like this!" She cried harder. "PLEASE! I'm not ten."
"It doesn't matter. Rules are rules! Your going to get it worse than last time." She raised her arm in the air and was about to hit her.
"No!" She yelled. "Your not going to hit me again." She started to run up the stairs. Just when she made it to the top, her mother grabbed her by the leg and started to hit her with the strap. The pain was unbearable.
Kim fell to her knees and covered her head with her arms trying to protect it. She continuously hit her across the back.
"Please mother." She begged. "I'll never do it again...I'LL NEVER DO IT AGAIN!" She didn't realized she was screaming to the top of her lungs. She knew her back had begun to bleed at this point. She struck her violently, endless times. "PLEASE HAD MERCY ON ME! I'LL NEVER DO IT AGAIN! NEVER!" Then all of a sudden, everything stopped. Kim looked up. Her mother then grabbed her by her long blond hair, and drug her into her room. Kim tried to prevent her from closing the door, but she was simply kicked in the stomach.
"And as punishment you will be locked in your room for one day without food." She said as she locked the door with a key.
Kim climbed herself on to her large canopy bed and cried against her pillow, which became soaked with tears. Her hands trembled as she unzipped her strapless dress. She struggled to pull it off but she knew her wounds had to breath. She touched her bare back and observed her hand after she did so. Her fingers had blood on them. "Oh God! Why me?" She mumbled into her pillow as she cried harder.
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She woke up dazed. And was happy her back only hurt badly when she touched it. She sat up and was a little light-headed but she knew she had to take a shower and get cleaned up. She pulled off her underwear and walked into the steamy shower.
"GOD HELP ME!" She screamed as the water drenched into her wounds. The pain was indescribable. "HELP ME PLEASE." She slowly fell to her knees and cried against the shower wall. Nothing could describe the mental and physical pain.
After about fifteen minutes of crying in the shower Kim threw on a long-sleeved t-shirt and flannel bottoms.
When she looked at the clock it was nine-thirteen. She realized Justin was waiting for her but there was nothing she could do. She didn't even have a phone she could call him on. She was already getting hungry, but she knew she had no way of getting food. She also knew she was alone in the house; her parents left for work at six AM. As helpless as she was she began to cry because of the pathetic-ness of the situation. Sure she lived in a mansion and got everything she ever wanted and more. Her father owned a successful internet company and he had hundreds of millions. But she HATED her parents. They abused her, her entire life. This wasn't the first time she was beaten down. It was a continuous occurrence. She felt if she told someone about the abuse, she would end up with nothing or her father would kill her. He said he would. Then she began to think about Justin. He gave her happiness. And even though she only knew him for a month, she knew their relationship would grow. She needed him. She needed him BAD. He was the only support she felt she had.
Justin waited until ten o'clock and when Kim didn't show, he left in worry. He just told himself she probably had to take care of something important.
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It was about five AM the next morning when Kim heard her door being unlocked. She cringed at the sound of it. Her first reaction was to get something to eat but she forced herself to sleep another hour, until she was sure her parents were gone. She woke up about six-thirty. She immediately went to get something to eat, she grabbed the first thing she saw. Chips. Then she had a sandwich and some cereal. Then she ate a bagel with cream cheese. She ate until it was eight-thirty. She then changed into clothes more fit for the public, but which covered her scars.
She went to meet Justin at the coffee shop. She stopped at Mc Donald's first. By the time she got to the coffee shop, Justin was there already.
"Hey!" He said standing up to greet her. She instantly kissed his lips using a little tongue on him. "Ummm. I like that. You teach someone something, and they take it run with it." He laughed.
"Yeah. Hey, Babe."
"Babe? When did I become babe? What's gotten into you?" His eyes were searching the outside of her.
"I don't know!" She shrugged.
"I don't know either, but I like it." He hugged her tight.
She yelled in pain drawing even more attention to them. "I'm sorry." She told him looking into his eyes, "It's just that, that is a STRONG grip you got there."
They sat down at the table they always did.
"So, why did you ditch me yesterday?" Justin asked nicely.
"Oh I was...SICK yesterday...and...yeah, I was SICK." She knew that didn't make sense.
"Well, you could have called me. I mean, you have my number. And it's not like I can call you, because you won't give me your number."
"I'm sorry, next time I'll call!" Kim smiled at him. She was so happy to see him.
Justin held her hand. "What brought on this surge of affection? I mean, you came in here and kissed me for the first time."
"What's wrong with kissing my boyfriend?"
"Humm, I see." She was smiling so brightly at him. "I have one more question. Would it be okay if I kissed my girlfriend?" He leaned over and passionately kissed her on the lips.
"So what do you want to do today?" Kim asked.
Justin noticed the flare for a sparkle in her eyes. "Well, we could go to a park. I'll just slip a hat and some shades on."
"That sounds nice. I'll meet you there in a hour." She said, rising out of her seat gradually.
"Wait. I could pick you up. So, you won't have to drive."
"That's not really a good idea." She said sitting back down.
"Why not?" He turned his head to the side and licked his lips.
"Because....you will see my house..." She couldn't think of the right words to say.
"And?" He said holding her hand again.
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"Oh my GOD! YOU LIVE HERE? IN THIS MANSION?" Kim shook her head yes. "I had no idea your folks were this rich."
She closed the front door and jumped into the passenger side of Justin's BMW. "Let's go!" She commanded.
"Maybe you should introduce me to your parents." He told her as he pulled out of the drive way.
"No! I don't want you to meet them." She told him simply.
"Why not?" He asked almost hurt by her words.
"Because I just don't." She looked out of the window.
He didn't say anything back.
After about a ten minute drive they arrived at the park. Justin grabbed a blanket he had brought to sit on.
"Man, it's such a nice day today! Where do you wanna sit?" Justin asked, his pure face hidden by sunglasses.
"I want to sit somewhere quiet, where there isn't many people. Like right over there." She said pointing to a spot near a tree. Justin spread the blanket out. They sat on it and began to talk.
"So you know what it's like to be in the spotlight all the time. Having to do with the wealth of your family."
"Actually, we are one of those families where my father is a millionaire but no one really knows him. So it's not that big of a problem."
"I see." Justin stared at how great she looked in her shorts. She was a short and petite girl. His guess was she was about one hundred and five pounds.
"Kim, take that hoodie off. It is too hot out here for you to have that thing on." He then tugged at it, it revealed some of her lashes. "What the.....?" He gazed at the cuts.
"What are you doing?" She asked pulling it back up on her shoulders.
"What happened to you?" He asked swallowing hard. She didn't say anything. "Come here. Talk to me." He said putting his arms out to hold her.
"No!" She said pushing him away. "You had no right to pull my hoodie off!"
She stormed back to the area of the car. Justin quickly grabbed the blanket. "Oh my God." He mumbled to himself.
When he reached Kim she was crying, and would not face him. Justin tossed the blanket and in the car.
"Kim, please. What happened to you?" He cautiously put his hand on her shoulder. She rapidly turned around. Her mascara had smudged. He used his thumb to wipe the black tears away.
"Take me home." She demanded looking at the ground.
"Okay." He whispered softly.
The car ride was completely silent and tension was in the air. Justin stopped at a red light. Silently tears crept down his face. He sniffed once and wiped his face trying to hide his emotions. The sniff caught Kim's attention she looked over at him.
"Justin...look I didn't mean to hurt you." She said placing her hands in her lap.
"How am I suppose to be NOT hurt? You can't even tell me how you got such horrid injuries. We can't have a relationship if you don't trust me!"
"I DO TRUST YOU." She shouted.
"NO YOU DON'T!" He shouted back.
"I DO! I DO! IF YOU WANT TO KNOW, MY MOTHER DID IT! SHE BEAT ME! THAT'S WHY I COULDN'T MEET YOU YESTERDAY! ARE YOU HAPPY?"
Justin's jaw dropped and he almost lost control as he attempted to make a turn.
"Your mother abuses you?" He asked astonished. He entered her drive way and cut the car off. He never thought he would be dating someone who once suffered from abuse.
"You cannot tell anyone about it, Justin."
"Your eighteen years old. Why would she do such a thing?"
"Because I bought ten thousand dollars worth of clothes this month." She lied.
"Oh, that is still no excuse to have beaten you so badly." He couldn't keep his eyes off the area of her back.
"Don't tell anyone, Justin. I'm not kidding." She raised one of her eyebrows. Her tone was very serious.
"I won't." He shook his head in sadness.