When Althea was safely returned home, her stomach filled to the brim with things her mother wouldn't be happy to know she'd eaten and was showered and in her pajamas, the two teens began the short walk to their temporary home.

"Can I ask you something?" Blink sighed.

Justin only nodded.

"Earlier today when I was upstairs with Althea...I'm assuming you talked with my mother." Blink's eyes squinted and her jaw tightened at having to call such a person her mother. "What did you guys talk about?"

"You," he was blunt. He was working at pulling his hoodie sleeves over his knuckles in attempts to keep his numbing hands just a little warm.

"Yeah, I guess that was a stupid question" she chuckled softly.

Justin didn't laugh along. He did look at her briefly though, and a second later when he turned to look somewhere else, Blink stopped walking.

"Let's not stop," Justin stopped too as he spun around to look at Blink. "I was thinking about staying in a hotel tonight because its just too damn cold for you to sleep out in some van."

"I'm not moving until we talk about this Justin." She didn't like the fact that he was trying to avoid the evident problem they had with each other. She didn't like the emotionless, careless air she was getting from him. He was too loving and caring to be acting like this. She'd been rejected her entire life by nearly everyone and for the first time in a long time, Justin showed her that she might actually have a purpose. She wouldn't be able to handle him giving her the cold shoulder.

"Don't do this here, Blink" his eyes rolled and his head dropped back in irritation.

Taking the steps needed to close the distance between them, Blink gripped either side of his face. Her hands were cold compared to the warm temperature of his cheeks, but he didn't seem to mind as she pulled his face down to meet hers. "I'm sorry, Justin."

Now that his eyes were steady on hers, she took a single step back to give him some space. "I'm sorry for doing that to Althea and then acting like an asshole just because I was mad at myself. I'm not trying to push you away...I'm just scared." She was looking at the ground then, her hands twisting together like they always did when she was nervous. "People push me away when they get bored and I've come to realize that I'm a very boring person" she laughed then.

"It happened with my parents and then Shane... and god, I'm sure one of these days Althea will realize it too. I'm rambling, but I'm trying to apologize because I can't handle you hating me either."

Reaching out to grip her hand, Justin brought it to his lips, where he placed a delicate kiss to the back of her hand. Pulling her in, he secured his arms around her shoulders where he set another kiss to the crook of her neck.

"You're not boring Blink. Thats a bunch of bullshit that your mother's made you believe over the years. You've got a group of people back at school that love you for who you are, including me and you're delusional if you think Althea hates you. She admires you and she looks up to you more than anyone else."

Blink giggled again for the happy feelings Justin's words were causing, but mostly for the tickle on her neck from Justin's repetitive pecks. She hadn't meant to spew such a sob story just to receive compliments, but it felt good to know that she wasn't considered shit to everyone she knew.

"Can we not stay in a hotel?" She question after they separated and began to walk hand-in-hand.

"Why not? You don't want to stay in one for our last night here?"

"I don't want to waste any more of your money." Blink shrugged when Justin looked over at her.

"It's hardly wasting it when it'll be a real place to sleep and heated not to mention." He had a point, but Blink still shrugged.

"Plus we'll get a California king bed," his eyebrows bounced in suggestion causing Blink to laugh loudly. Her breath fogging in thick clouds as she did so.

"I'm not doing anything with you" she swung their connected hands back and forth as they passed the middle school.

"You said that in the showers a couple of days ago and look at where that lead us" he snickered.

"Don't push your luck" she smiled over at him.

x x x x x x x 

Waking up with her head on an actual pillow and a slew of blankets wrapped around her body, Blink woke peacefully for once and didn't succumb to her usual jolt into consciousness when she slept in the van.

Carefully unwrapping the sheets from around her ankles and legs, she took extra caution so that she didn't risk waking the sleeping hottie beside her. As for anyone who laid asleep, his chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm and his flawless face was void of any stress or confusion.

The night before, after their sexual escapade, Blink had curled into Justin's side. Her head rested on his chest and Justin had pressed a kiss to her hair before pulling a protective arm around her torso. Like that in a picture perfect moment, they'd fallen asleep together in utter tranquility.

Thats why waking up on separate sides of the bed was bit of a let down. She didn't know if she was the first to move across the bed to her separate side or if Justin had, but she'd missed his warmth...she knew that much.

Climbing from the bed, she quickly slipped on her baggy ACDC t-shirt, treading across the room until she reached the bathroom. The bedroom was magnificent. It was just small enough to still be considered a single room, but the size was just as near to the penthouse suite a couple of floors up.

She didn't want to imagine the amount of money it cost per night, but after Justin insisted that they stay here instead of out in the cold, she kind of settled with the idea. Plus, she got to spend a night in with Justin, without worrying about all her stupid problems.

Turning on the shower, she set the nozzle just shy of scolding and jumped in. She was in and out in five minutes and when she returned to the room, shagging the towel throughout her hair to quell the drips, she spotted Justin sitting up on the bed. He looked refreshed and it was then she realized that she'd been making him sleep on the floor of an old van for a week straight, and maybe just maybe, the six foot tall boy needed an actual mattress for once.

Scolding herself mentally, she settled on the edge of the bed, gasping in surprise when she was suddenly being pulled backwards and all the way across the bed between Justin's legs. He wore his boxer briefs now, not that she minded when he wasn't, as he placed a chaste kiss to the back of her blazing neck.

"Good morning" he whispered.

Muttering the same back to him, she turned suddenly. Remaining in his lap, she quickly roped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck. Giving one measly peck to the nape of his neck, she spoke. "I know its officially your turn to take over this trip, but I was wondering if we could stop just one more place"

Loving the feeling of her lips against the sensitive skin on his neck, Justin nodded. "Can I ask where we're going?"

"The art show where I sell my paintings" she whispered before her lips attached to the soft spot just below his ear. Sucking gently, she relished at the throaty groan he released and the dig of his fingertips into her waist when her tongue left the seal of her lips and met the hot skin of his neck. When she was satisfied with the red mark she'd left, she pulled back just enough to gaze into his lust-filled eyes. "It's where I make most of my money and lucky for you it doesn't include walking around half naked"

"Yeah, lucky me" he quipped.

"The problem is I don't have any paintings." Justin couldn't help but kiss the tip of her nose as she pouted momentarily.

"Make some now" he offered earning a healthy eye roll from Blink who began to slide off of his lap.

"Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way. I usually take requests by the dozens and then they're expected within two weeks. I've been able to hold them off for three, but I literally have nothing now. I never found the ones I lost at school...god knows who has them on campus."

Gnawing unconsciously at her bottom lip, she stood from the bed entirely, starting at one end of the bed and striding to the other. Back and forth she paced while Justin sat watching the long-legged beauty in admiration. "Do you mind if I borrow your phone?"

As she spoke, her emerald orbs fluttered to the iPhone that sat on the mahogany nightstand. Since it had nearly died as soon as they arrived in the city, staying at the hotel with an outlet was the first opportunity he actually had to charge it. Nodding his head, she gently removed the charger, unlocking it slowly as she began to type.

It was the first time Justin had seen her interact with technology. He'd never actually seen her with a cell phone and even when they had to turn in school papers, he'd never seen her in the library typing her essays.

"9-4-0-2" she muttered the last of the ten-digit number.

It rang and rang and rang, and just when she'd given up hope and was in the midst of hanging up, Rellik's low barring voice was heard from the end of the line. "Who's calling?"

A smile immediately formed on the girl's face at the sound of such an unamused voice. "Who in the hell do you think, loser" her eyes rolled again.

"I'm busy right now, make it fast" he sighed.

"I'm on my way to the show and I have no paintings. I need you to call in the mock artist you know...Mary...Maddie...Margaret," she continued to list the girl's name until Rellik successfully stated the right name. "Right, her. I'm fresh out of paints this week, but I need the money. You're gunna help me out"

"I'm not gunna help you do anything" Rellik laughed. "I'm halfway across the fucking world. Please, darling oh Blink, explain to me how I could possibly help you right now"

"Call her"

"No way," his laugh was dry.

"Killer" she growled.

"Stop stressing so much. I'm going to hang up now because international call rates will have my dad up my ass in no time. Don't worry, I have a plan" he chuckled deeply. "Just show up and look...presentable."

With that, he hung up, alleviating a little bit of the stress from Blink's tight shoulders.