MIA’S P.O.V

“Come on Mia. You need to focus.” Scooter said through the microphone very clearly frustrated.

“Okay. I’m sorry.” I said my voice growing hoarse.

A few months had passed since Harry and I broke up and the whole time I had spent in the recording studio belting out my lyrics. The first month and half was great but my voice was starting to feel the pressure now.

“Don’t you think you’ve been pushing me a little too hard? I’ve been in the studio almost every day since we landed in LA.” I could feel my voice slowly becoming worse.

Scooter sighed. “Sorry Mia. This is the last song on the album, once we’ve perfected this last bit were are done recording and you can take a break.”

I nodded at him and the music started. I began to belt out my lyrics:

“It seems that lately, everything reminds me of you baby. Going back to the places, where we created my favourite memories.”

The music shut off and Scooters face relaxed and she let out a long sigh.

“That was great Mia. Really good. Now you can relax.” I smiled and walked into the other room where Scooter and Justin sat. I stole the spot on the couch next to Justin tucking my knees up to my chest.

He leaned into my ear so only I would hear. “The first few months are always the hardest. It gets better I promise.” He put a comforting hand on my knee and smiled.

“I’m glad I have someone like you around who understands this whole process. It makes things a lot easier.”

We were both caught up in a conversation when the door flew open and Selena walked in.

“Oops. Sorry guys. It wasn’t meant to open that hard.” She had an apologetic look on her face and she sat on the arm of the chair placing her hand on Justin’s shoulder.

“Hey Mia! How’s it going?” She said gesturing at the recording studio.

“Great! We just finished the last one.” My voice sounded croaky and horrible so I took a swig of water before breaking into a coughing fit.

“Whoa. You don’t sound well. Here, let me feel your head.” I leaned my head back on the couch and she felt my forehead with the back of her hand.

“Crap! Mia, your face is burning.” Her voice became muffled and I felt my eyes closing as everything turned blurry.

“Mia. Mia.” I heard Scooters worried voice.

Everything went black.

---

My eyes fluttered open and I was outside my face on the concrete steps that lead up to the studio.

“Oh Mia. Thank goodness. You’re okay.” I sat up and my fuzzy vision turned the silhouette in front of me into Scooters face.

“What happened?” I looked around as people stopped to stare at me before being shoo’ed by Selena.

“You fainted. Your face was on fire Mia.” Selena spoke looking at me concerned.

“How do you feel now?” Justin asked passing me a bottle of water.

“Better. My throat still feels horrible though, but that’s just from recording so much.” I smiled to reassure them I was and their faces slowly softened and all creases in their foreheads disappeared.

They took me for a walk around the park and after an hour I had almost fully recovered. Justin, Selena and I went for an ice-cream and Scooter headed back to the studio.

I was caught up in a laughing fit at something Justin did when I bumped into someone.

“Oh my gosh, I am so sorry...” A huge smile crept onto my face as I looked up to see Connor staring at me smiling.

We never really had the time to speak once I had landed in LA because of my hectic work schedule but when I apologised for it he was more understanding then I deserved.

I was still in shock from seeing him that a touch as light as a feather on my arm made me jump.

“Selena and I are going to head off. I hope you don’t mind.” Said Justin, excusing them politely.

“I hope you feel better sweetie.” Selena kissed me on the cheek and I thanked her for her help before turning back to Connor.

“Feel better? What happened?” I smiled at his concern.

“I passed out in the recording studio before. I feel better now though so it’s okay.”

“Must’ve been working awfully hard.” He said smiling when I heard a familiar squeal and the little girl latched herself onto my leg.

“Hey Lydia.” I picked her up and she kissed my cheek.

“She kept asking about you.” Connor said and I blushed.

“Really? How sweet.” I smiled and a boy that looked the same age as Connor popped up behind him causing Lydia to squeal again and bury her head into my shoulder.

His eyes went from Lydia up to my face and he smiled.

“Who’s the babe?” He asked Connor winking at me in a more perverted way than necessary.

Connor rolled his eyes. “Mia, this is Blake, Blake this is Mia.”

“Oh. You mean the hottie you couldn’t stop talking about since you got back to LA? Dude, she’s smoking. I’d tap that.” The last part was a whisper but I still managed to hear what he said.

“Blake!” Connor hit him in the leg, just missing his balls & I groaned disgusted.

“Honestly. Jake was it?” He was caught off guard and he gritted his teeth.

“It’s Blake.”

“Whatever. You don’t really know how to make a good first impression do you? Look, this constantly talking about how ‘hot’ a girl you’ve just met is might work on other girls but not me. So you can stop now with the ‘trying to pick a girl up’ thing because I sure as hell am not easy.”

Connor stifled a laugh and I smiled sarcastically at Blake before putting Lydia down and walking off.

Connor chased after me calling out my name. “Mia wait!” I stopped and crossed my arms.

“Charming friend you’ve got there.” Connor laughed and it made my anger disappear.

“Sorry. He’s kind of a player and he likes to be a dick sometimes just to piss people off.”

I scoffed, “well it’s working. I am definitely pissed off. I’m not one who likes to be objectified.”

He laughed again. “Sorry. Anyway, before you left I just wanted to know if you could take some time out of your busy schedule and let me take you out somewhere.”

I smiled. Although I still wasn’t over Harry completely I agreed, “Sure. That would be nice.”

He smiled. “Cool! Well, we already have each others numbers so I guess i’ll call you.”

I bit my lip. “Okay. Bye Connor.”

He kissed my cheek. “Bye Mia.”

Blake called out after me as he took my spot next to Connor. “Bye sexy lady.” He bit his lip and slightly thrust his hips in my direction.

“Bye Jake.” He yelled out after me. “It’s Blake!” I then heard him turn to Connor and speak, “oh yeah. She’s totally into me.” Which was followed by an outburst of laughter from Connor.

---

I continued walking around until the sun began to set and I headed back Justin’s house where I was staying.

During my walk home I was stopped a couple of times by fans. It felt weird thinking I had fans when I hadn’t really been in the spotlight for my music much. I had a song playing on radio stations all around America but I didn’t even know people listened to it and liked it.

I walked in the front door to the aroma of some sort of pasta cooking. The TV was on mute and Justin was wandering around the kitchen cooking and singing to himself while Selena was outside on the phone.

“Hey Mia! How’s your boyfriend?” He winked at me and scooped me up in a hug.

I laughed. “Whoa. Slow down there Justin. We barely know each other.”

Justin shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know, he looked like he was pretty into you. He didn’t notice Selena and I until we left.”

I bumped his shoulder as I stood next to him to assist him in the cooking. “We’re just friends.”

He smiled. “Okay. ‘Just friends.’ I’ll play along.” He laughed and I playfully hit his arm with the tea towel he had over his shoulder.

He went to hit me back but I slid out of the way onto the other side counter when something caught my eye.

Justin’s face all of a sudden turned serious and tried to snatch the magazine away but I managed to grab it before he could.

My face dropped as did my heart when I saw dark photos of Harry holding a girls hand in one and kissing her in another.

I wiped away the one tear that escaped and Justin stood in front of me.

“I’m so sorry Mia. We didn’t want you to see...” I cut him off and smiled.

“It’s okay. He’s found someone else. She’s beautiful and she’s probably much better for him than I ever was. She’s stunning. I see why he’s dating her.”

Justin hugged me. “Hey! You are more beautiful than her. You are perfect for him, no one else could ever replace what you two had.”

I held the magazine up right in Justin’s face, now frustrated. “LOOK AT HIM JUSTIN! Look how big his smile is. He’s moved on. He’s already forgotten about me.” I slammed the magazine down on the table and Justin wrapped an arm around my shoulder rubbing it to calm me down.

“I’m sorry Justin. I shouldn’t have taken that out on you. It’s not your fault.” I grabbed his hand and quickly let it go as Selena walked in.

She groaned. “Justin. Dinner smells great but unfortunately I can’t stay. I have to fly out to see my family. There’s some emergency but i’ll be back in a week. I love you.” She kissed him on the lips and headed out the door quickly but her voice hid something that Justin obviously hadn’t picked up on.

Justin’s bottom lips stuck out in a pout. “Looks like we can be miserable together.” I said with a grimace on my face.

He smiled. “At least we have each others company.” He slid over to the stereo to turn the music up and shook his butt while he did.

I giggled at his dance moves and joined him belting out the lyrics to Call Me Maybe as we cooked and ate dinner.

A while later I went to the fridge and pulled out an unopened bottle of wine and poured it into two glasses. I danced my way over to Justin handing him the glass when I noticed him staring down at his phone unmoving.

I shut the music off and walked to where he stood, reading the message over his shoulder.

It was from Selena: “Hey Justin. I’ve been thinking, and I really didn’t want to do this via text message but I really need to say it. I think we should break up. We’ve become different people. I don’t want the fame anymore, that’s why i’ve left the recording company. That’s why I left, not because of a family emergency. I can’t handle the fame anymore and as long as you’re in the spotlight I can’t have the life I really want and I don’t want to hold you back from being the best ‘you’ that you can be. I’m so sorry. I love you and I hope one day you find happiness with someone that loves you more than I ever could.”

I wrapped my arms around his waist from behind still holding the glasses of wine in my hands and he rested his head on mine. He kissed my forehead and spun around grabbing one of the drinks out of my hands. “To being single!” he shouted and clinked his glass to mine before sculling it and refilling it.

“Whoa, slow down there Justin.” I said grabbing the bottle from his hands.

The whole night consisted of us drinking a little too much, dancing, singing and somehow us ending up on the beach chairs that were pushed together to make a two person seat on his bedrooms balcony at 1 in the morning.

The world that surrounded us was quiet and it was a comforting and comfortable silence that I could lie in forever.

Justin kept the serenity of the quiet with a whisper, “I’ve never noticed how beautiful the night sky is. The stars are beautiful. So beautiful” He let out a sigh and I felt his hand brush slightly over mine.

I felt my face turn hot and as I turned my head I noticed Justin wasn’t staring at the stars anymore.

I felt him shift his weight to press his body even closer to mine and he propped himself up on his elbow.

I turned on my side and rested my head on my hand.

He ran his hand up the side of my body, brushing along my legs and then my arms that were bare due to the dress I wore.

His hand eventually made its way up to my neck and I felt his hand slide around to the back of it pulling my face closer to his.

“You’re beautiful.” He whispered before closing the gap between us and gently pressing his lips to mine, the pressure gradually growing deeper and our bodies pressing together.

I would have stopped him and pushed him off of me if I wasn’t a little intoxicated; but as I kissed him the image of Harry popped up in my mind and I craved what I no longer had. I felt horrible as if I was using Justin for a brief moment of satisfaction but as I thought more I realised he was probably doing the same.

We were both still hung up on the people we had loved and lost, and in a time of weakness we gave in to the temptation. So we wouldn’t feel lonely anymore.

Then for a brief moment Harrys face wasn’t the one I saw anymore and one name rang in head over and over; Connor.

---

The next morning I woke up still fully clothed but in Justin’s bed. The sun was pouring through the window and hitting my bare skin causing me to sigh.

A door opened and closed and I groaned as it sounded way too loud in my head. My head was throbbing.

I had just sat up when Justin walked through the door in nothing but a towel.

“Morning.” He said, sounding skeptical no smile present on his face.

“Hi.” He looked at me carefully as I pressed my hands to my temples. The bed moved as Justin sat in front of me.

“Do you remember anything from last night? I remember something but it’s a strange memory because I think, no, I know it didn’t happen.” He looked at me, eyes flickering around my face looking for something.

I had a small flashback of the night before but something was definitely out of place and I nodded.

“I remember lying on those chairs kissing um... well Harry then Connor.” I looked up at him and he just nodded.

“But you were actually kissing me.” I nodded at the statement as he continued, “I remember kissing Selena, I mean, I remember kissing you for a second then it was Selena.”

I sighed. “Look, last night was uh...” I fumbled for the right word “...nice, but I feel like it should stay as a one time thing. We were both intoxicated and we were both still very clearly hung up on out ex’s and trying to find an outlet to make ourselves feel better.”

Justin agreed. “I don’t think we should tell anybody either. Just keep it between me and you.”

“I agree.” I tried forcing a smile when a wave of sickness hit me and I sprinted to the bathroom just making it to the toilet to vomit.

Justin followed after me holding my hair out of my face. “You know what? I think you should get cleaned up and we’ll go for a walk to get some fresh air. I’ll buy you lunch.”

---

I showered and changed my clothes into high waisted shorts and a singlet with a boob tube under it as it was a hot day, paired with my converse.

Justin and I sat down and he bought us both lunch at a little café along the beach.

I stared at Justin watching him as he laughed, smiled, as he smoothed his hair making sure it looked perfect. I had a weird feeling in my stomach. It felt like the same feeling I had when I realised I was falling in love with Harry but somehow, different.

I didn’t think I was falling in love with Justin, but I was definitely in love with the thought of him.

I hadn’t noticed he had asked me a question until he waved his hands in front of my face.

“Mia? You okay?” I shook my head and lied so I wouldn’t look stupid.

“Oh, um no. I’m starting to feel a little sick again. Can you please take me home?”

He nodded. “Oh, of course. I don’t want you out if you still feel sick.”

The drive home was nice and peaceful as we had the radio on a low volume due the headache we both had. I had never experienced a hangover to the point where I felt sick and I vowed that I would never do that again.

We got home and I went and lay out beside the pool soaking up the sun when my phone rang.

My face lit up at the voice at the end of the phone and for the first time I felt butterflies in my stomach. “Connor?”