“Sunshine? You alright?” Justin looks up in surprise, “Huh? Oh, yeah, I’m fine, Deb…” He isn’t sure how he got to the diner. He didn’t remember walking here, but finds himself sitting on the stool by the counter. ”You look kind of pale,” she comments as she touches his forehead with her hand. Forcing a smile, Justin shakes his head, “I just have headache.” “Another one? Sunshine, this is the third time this week. Maybe you should see a doctor.” She suggests, the concern evident in her voice. “I’m okay, Deb,” he replies, his smile more genuine this time, “It feels like a tension headache.” “A tension headache? What the fuck are you tense about?” Justin pauses and realizes she’s right. There is no serious stress in his life. He has moved back into the loft after the Liberty Ride and is secure in his relationship with Brian. He isn’t in school since they had kicked him out, so he didn’t have any pressures of project deadlines. Since returning from California a few weeks earlier, Justin has been sleeping in, sketching, and occasionally helping out at the diner. Overall, his life is as stress-free as it possible can be. “Umm… not enough sex?” “Hmpfh,” she snorts, walking off to take the order from a costumer. Frowning, Justin looks down at the coffee in front of him and he knows that he didn’t order it. “Debbie, I didn’t order coffee,” he begins. She waves him off, “You need it, honey. You look exhausted!” Sighing, he takes a sip and forces himself to swallow it down. “Shit! Debbie.. this tastes like… shit!” He ducks before she smacks him on the head. Quickly taking the cup around to the other side of the counter, he dumps the coffee out and takes a lemon bar instead. “Thanks anyways, Deb. I gotta go,” smiling sweetly, he waves good bye and hurries out of the diner. He walks quickly, avoiding looking anyone in the eye as his headache grows stronger. Stopping, he leans against the wall and closes his eyes. Shaking his head, Justin forces his eyes to open and squints under the harsh light. I need to lie down. Taking a deep breath, he starts to walk over to the bus stop, determined to one day (very soon) own a car. His cell phone rings and Justin is surprised to see his mom on the caller id. “Mom?” “Hi, Sweetheart. Debbie just phoned, she said you looked sick.” Chuckling, Justin rolls his eyes. Leave it to Debbie to call his mother on him. “I’m fine, Mom. I just haven’t been sleeping well.” “How come? Is everything alright with you and Brian?” Of course she could think there was something wrong with Brian and I. “No, Mom. Brian and I are fine.” Sighing, he closes his eyes again. “I’ve just had some tension headaches…” frowning, he clarifies, “Well, not real tension headaches… I mean, they don’t feel like a tension headache, but they’re right in the base at the back of my head… it just starts hurting like a fuckin’…” he stops when he remembers he’s talking to his mother, “Um, it just hurts.” “At the back of your head?” He nods, “Yeah. It’s almost like a stabbing feeling… it’s weird. It hurts, but… it’s not like the headaches I used to get when I came home from the hospital… it’s different.” “The season is changing,” she suggests quickly, “it could be allergies.” Justin pauses, surprised at how quickly his mother rambled those words together. “Um, I guess so.” “Where are you?” “I was at the diner, but the coffee tasted weird and it just started to get too loud. I don’t know… I’m just feeling a little off today, I guess.” Justin admits as he reaches the bus stop. “Why don’t you head back home and take a nap?” “That’s the plan.” Justin replies with a sigh. “It’s a good plan, Honey. I’ll call you later to check up on you.” “You don’t have to, Mom. I’m okay.” “It’s a mother’s job,” she replies with a chuckle. “I’ll talk to you soon. Bye, Honey. I love you.” Justin is about to respond when he realizes she’s already hung up. Weird. Looking to his left, he sees the bus coming. Sighing, he hopes the nap works.