Prologue

“Flight 1030 to Tampa Florida is now boarding in Gate 10. Please proceed to the boarding Gate with your pass and make sure that you have all your belongings with you. Thank you” the woman in the speaker said loudly.

Here we go Gabby thought when she heard the announcement of her boarding. She checked all her belongings and made sure that she didn’t forget anything behind. New life in a new country, this should be fun she rolled her eyes when she thought that. If she’s going to describe her life fun is not the word that she’s going to use. She’ll use interesting or fast paced but certainly not fun. No, if she’ll be honest in describing her life, there’s only one word that come to mind… dangerous. That’s also the reason why she had to move- no not move­- hide, why she had to hide in Florida. That’s why she had to change her hair colour and why she can’t contact her family in Italy.

 -------------

Justin Timberlake is tired. He has been away from home for far too long. All he wanted to do now is go home and disappear from the media for the duration of his vacation. He has at least three months before he has to start recording his new album. Now hearing his boarding call, he quickly gathered all his belongings and made his way to gate 10. He likes taking the late flight, even though it’s not the red eye, but it’s late enough to avoid the airport rush hour where there’s a lot of people that could recognise him.

He made his way towards his first class seat after boarding the plane. But he was shock to see that beside his seat sat a girl looking through the plane magazine that they put behind your seat. Normally at this time first class is fairly empty and he always have the seat next to him empty, not tonight though. He sat beside her and he half expected that she’s going to recognize him and start making a scene but she didn’t even looked up when he sat beside her. Interesting.

Gabby was getting anxious. The plane is taking too long to take off; she keeps on waiting for something bad to happen. She was nervous when someone sat beside her but through the corner of her eye she found out that there’s nothing to be nervous about. She looked closely to the guy sitting beside her and she recognised him as none other than Justin Timberlake. She should be happy that she’s sitting next to a superstar but she just looks at him and relax in her sit to wait for the plane to take off.

She slept through the whole flight which is good for Justin since he’s tired and doesn’t really wanna talk to anyone. When the food came, he deliberated whether to wake her up or let her sleep but since he doesn’t know her he chose the latter. She didn’t wake up until 20 minutes before their landing. She heard the captain announcing Florida’s weather and the current time before wishing everyone good evening.

Justin saw the girl beside him finally waking up. “You missed dinner” he told her when she sat up straight in her chair.

“That’s ok, I don’t like plane food anyway” she stretched a little to get all the kinks out of her body for sleeping side ways. She looked out of the window and saw some of the buildings and houses on the ground with their lights on. “So this is Florida”

“This is your first time in Florida?” he asked when he heard what she just said.

“Yea”

“What made you move here?” he asked curiously.

“Work, new life, you know” she shrugged not really answering his questions.

“So where are you from?”

“London but born in Italy” Justin heard her accent this time and he doesn’t know why he didn’t recognised it in the first place.

“Yea now I hear the accent” he laughed. “So where are you going to leave here?”

“I just bought a house in Parker road near Apollo beach. It’s a three bedroom house but I’m only one person so it’s okay for me”

“Wow, really? I leave a block from that road. We’re practically neighbours” he smiled at her.

“Great”

“Don’t sound so happy about it or anything” he rolled his eyes at her.

“I’m kidding” she laughed

The airport was a little quieter around this time of the night which is good for Justin. “Do you want a lift?” he asked her before they started walking towards the baggage claim.

“I was going to rent a car but if that’s not a trouble, I would gladly appreciate it” she accepted graciously. “But do you have your car here? I thought you just arrived”

“No JC is picking me up” they got their bag and Justin took a trolley from the side to put their luggage in. He then led her to the waiting area and tried to spot JC from the people waiting just outside the baggage claim.

Justin spotted him leaning by the row of chairs on the left side. He approached him pushing the trolley full of luggage and when JC saw him coming towards him he met them half way. They did their manly hug and JC took some of the luggage from the trolley. Before they made their way to the parking lot, JC saw the girl standing behind Justin looking around her. Noticing JC’s confused look Justin grab her attention and introduced her to JC.  But before he could do it, he remembered that he still doesn’t know her name. Fortunately, she took the initiative and introduced herself.

“Hi I’m Gabby” she extended her hand so that JC could shake it.

“I’m JC” he shook her hand and looked at Justin for explanation.

“I met her in the plane. She just move here in Florida from London and she leaves a block away from me”

“Cool, nice meeting you Gabby, the car is this way” he led them to the parking lot where the car is parked. When they reached the car they saw Chris talking on his phone. When he saw them he hung up and walk towards them.

Instead of greeting Justin, he went straight to Gabby with a big smile on his face. “Who might you be?” he extended his hand to her so she could shake it.

“I’m Gabby” she shook his hand and laugh at Justin’s face when Chris just walked past him without so much as hello. They all went inside the car when the entire luggages are in the trunk.

As soon as they got inside, Gabby’s phone rings from her bag. She started searching for it at the same time she’s going through her mind on who’s supposed to be calling her. When she found it, the caller withheld their number and that made her nervous but she had to know who it is.

“Hello?” she answered shakily.

“Lei pensa che si potrebbe nascondere da me? (Do you think you could hide from me?)” the caller on the other line said.

“Chi è questo? (Who is this?)” She asked quietly, careful that the other passenger of the car can’t hear her.

“È possibile nascondere mai da me, si ricordi che. (You can never hide from me, remeber that)” the caller threatened.

“Sono stanco di nascondersi in modo tutto ciò che posso dire è che mettono in. (I'm tired of hiding so all I can say is bring it on) she finally said to the caller and then hung up.

“Who was that?” Justin asked when he saw that she’s finished talking on the phone.

“Uhm just my landlord from my old apartment” she lied. She knows she can’t tell them the truth because first she doesn’t know them that well and second she might get them in danger. One thing she knows, this is the last. She’s never gonna run again, if they find her here this time she’ll be ready. I’m getting my life back.

“What’s your house number?” JC asked when they reached the village.

“530, the one with a brown gate” she was also looking around to spot her house from the car window.  It was Chris who saw the house and he got everyone’s attention by jumping up and down his sit and screaming like a loon. JC stopped just in front of her house and they helped her took her luggage out of the trunk and placed it in front of her gate.

“Thank you so much for bringing me home. I’d invite you in but I still don’t have furniture or cutlery” she joked making the guy smile.

“It’s okay; we’re tired anyway maybe next time. But here’s my number you can call me anytime” Justin wrote his number on the paper that he found in his pocket together with his address. JC and Chris also wrote their number on the paper before giving it to Gabby.

She in return gave her landline number to the guys and thanked them again for helping her. Before the guys drove off, Chris called to her from the car.

“When are you free? We’ll show you Florida” he shouted at her.

“Call me tomorrow; I’d have to check my schedule. I still have to decorate my house” she called back. She finally went inside after the guys drove off.

She entered the house with her luggage in her hand. The first thing she saw when she came in is the mahogany staircase that leads to the second floor of the house. On her left side is the big living room which is bare at the moment and on her right is the wall that separates the foyer and the kitchen. Beside the staircase is the door that opens towards the den which she will turn to an entertainment room complete with a big screen TV, DVD player, Playstation and X-box.

She locked the door and set up the alarm before continuing up the stairs. There are three bedrooms upstairs; the biggest room is of course the master’s bedroom. She already bought a queen size white poster bed that she put in the middle of the room so that she has a place to sleep in. Then she’ll make the smallest room in to a library/office to put her computer and books. She has a lot of plan for this house and she’s excited for everything but for now it’s time for bed.