If I Was Your Boyfriend

The next morning I go downstairs to an empty house. My mom was gone to Texas for some conference slash workshop. I make myself a bowl of Frosted Flakes and take a seat at the table.

Chrissy don’t worry about dinner. I’ll pick up some Thai for you. Mom will call when she lands. – Jeff.

Knock Knock

I walk to the door but no one was there. On the first step was a bouquet of roses and a card hanging from the bouquet. With a shaking hand I bring the note to my eyes to see exactly what it said.

Roses are red.

Police wear blue.

Remember that I’m watching you.

With one swift movement I rip up the note and throw the bouquet into the trashcan. As I go to close the lid I hear the glass shatter. This could not be happening to me. This had to be a bad dream that I haven’t woken up from yet, it had to be. I go back into the house and make sure every door was locked as well as every window. The house was too quiet so I begin to keep myself busy. Justin's birthday was tomorrow and I still had to get with Ryan, Garrett, and Alfredo to make sure everything was set up. I decided to throw Justin a surprise party and got the guys in on it. I texted just about everyone Justin is actually good friends with and told them when and where to show up. Pattie just finished her book tour and Scooter was flying in tonight as well as Jeremy, Jazzy, and Jaxon along with some of Justin’s friends from Canada. Planning a party for Justin wasn't easy because he claims to always catch on to surprises and pranks. I call up the club I rented out for the party to tell them they could start putting up the decorations. There was a slight knock on the door. I peek through the white curtains to see the Bat mobile out front.

‘I'll call you later on.’ I say to the manager of the club before hanging up the phone.

Justin stood on the steps with Rocky in his arms. He lets Rocky down and comes through the doorway. I wrap my arms around him giving him a tight squeeze.

‘Happy early Birthday!’

‘Thank you.’ He smiles walking over to the sofa to sit down, ‘would you want to do something together tomorrow?’

‘I don't know Ryan mentioned that he was going to borrow you with Garrett and Fredo tomorrow night.’ I hint sitting beside him.

‘Oh yeah. Do you want to do something after that then?’

‘Sure.’

‘Alright so when I'm done with the guys, we can go out to eat or something.’

‘Sounds like a dat- plan. That sounds like a plan.’

‘Subtle.’ Justin teases, ‘you were just about to say date.’

‘Yes I was. But it's not a date, two friends having dinner.’

‘We can make it a date, if you want.’

‘Are you asking me out Justin?’

‘Speaking completely hypothetical here - if I were to ask you out on a date, what would you say?’

‘I guess you would have to ask to find out, wouldn't you?’

Just as Justin opens his mouth my phone starts to ring. It was the cake store.

‘I will be right back.’

‘Take your time.’

When I come back Justin has turned the TV on and is watching a basketball game. Rocky sat at his feet and Justin’s fingers absentmindedly stroke his head.

‘Who was that?’

‘My mom, just checking in on me.’ I shrug looking at the TV.

‘Yeah I thought I’d stop by since you were probably here alone.’

‘Where are Nichole and Ryan?’

‘They went on a date this morning. They’ve been inseparable since he finally asked her out last night.’ He answers, ‘I didn’t want to tag along and be the third wheel.’

‘Do you want to do something then?’ I suggest, ‘or you just going to sit here and watch the game?’

‘I’m recording it at my house, we can do something.’ Justin stands from the sofa, ‘what did you have in mind?’

We ended up walking to a park around my house waiting on the bench while Rocky chased after birds.

‘Any sign of the creep?’ Justin asks all of sudden.

‘No.’ I lie feeling a rush of guilt wave over me.

Tomorrow was Justin’s birthday and the last thing he needed to be worried about was me. He deserved a day just for him that was all about him.

‘Good. Maybe it wasn’t Jeff after all.’

‘I guess not.’ I go along with Justin’s new theory of just some random pap waiting for an embarrassing picture or something scandalous.

‘Is everything okay? You’re acting distant today.’

‘I’m just thinking about a lot of different things.’

‘Like what? Maybe I can help.’

‘I really don’t want to talk about it right now.’

‘I’m here whenever you do.’ Justin promises squeezing my hand.

‘Thanks.’

Justin and I walk Rocky back to my house after spending nearly two hours at the park. When we get home Jeff’s car still wasn’t in the driveway but he was bound to be home any minute now. Justin chews on his fingers following me up the stairs to my room.

‘Justin.’ I hold his bloody thumb in my hands, ‘I’m surprised you haven’t chewed all your nails away.’

‘Do you have a Band-Aid for this?’

‘Yeah. My mom keeps them in her office drawer.’ I take his hand leading him into my mom’s office. ‘This way.’

Justin makes himself at home and sits in the large office chair behind the desk while I rummage through it for the box of Band-Aids.

‘Whose briefcase?’

‘That’s Jeff’s.’ I answer bending down to the lowest drawer. ‘I’m surprised he doesn’t have it with him. He always takes it.’

‘Why does he have a picture of you in here?’

‘Well he is engaged to my mom. I’m sure he’s bound to have a picture of me somewhere.’

‘This many pictures?’ Justin holds up a red folder with images of me sticking out of it.

‘Why would he have these?’ I use my fingers to quickly swipe all of the pictures.

‘This is past weird Chrissy.’ Justin says looking into the briefcase.

As I begin to reply the front door opens and closes. In a rush I knock over the pictures scattering them around the desk.

‘Chrissy? Are you home?’ Jeff’s voice calls out.

‘Justin help me.’ I get down on the floor grabbing every last picture.

‘Chris?’ Jeff’s voice echoes in the hall.

‘He’s coming!’

‘Calm down.’ Justin advises carefully laying the pictures on one another and closing the briefcase. I grab a Band-Aid and pull Justin in the hall.

‘There you are.’

‘We were in the office getting a Band-Aid.’ I blurt out keeping my distance.

‘Okay. I was just going to tell you that the food’s in the kitchen. I’m going to my house to get a few things done tonight. Are you going to be okay here for a few hours?’

‘Actually Chrissy was going with me to see a movie.’ Justin answers on my behalf, ‘we’re going with a few of my friends.’

‘Oh, cool. Have fun. Just make sure you lock up the house Chris.’

Jeff walks into the office and comes back out with his briefcase. He waves at Justin and I before heading back out of the front door and into his car.

‘Come on.’ Justin fishes his keys from his pocket and hurries down the stairs.

‘Where are we going?’

‘We’re going to follow him.’ He answers picking up Rocky and walking out of the front door.

I get my purse and lock up the front door before following Justin to his Bat mobile. Justin starts the car up and peels away from the curb. He manages to drive two or three cars behind Jeff at all times.

‘I can’t believe we’re doing this. It feels wrong.’

‘Well I want to see what he’s up to and why did he have all those pictures of you.’ Justin cuts off into the other lane just as Jeff did a few seconds ago. ‘Can you stay at my place or Danielle’s or something? Just for the night. I don’t want him watching over you while you sleep with a pair of scissors snipping off pieces of your hair.’

A cold shiver snakes its way up my spine causing me to shudder in the seat.

‘Sorry.’ Justin mutters looking over at me. ‘That came out, wrong.’

‘Why does this keeping happening? Isabelle, Tracey, Jess, and now Jeff.’

‘Because you’re too kind. You always give people the benefit of the doubt. You always want to believe there’s good in everyone and everyone isn’t like that unfortunately. In this industry you can’t trust everyone Chris. They’re looking out for number one and are willing to knock you down to get to it. It’s sad but its true in this town. Tracey, Jess and Selena will probably turn against each other before it’s all over that’s just how it goes. As for Isabelle – it’s not your fault that your dad is unknowingly with some obsessive psychopath.’

‘I wouldn’t say she’s a psychopath.’

‘There’s that believing everyone is good thing I just mentioned.’

Justin’s tone was serious but there was a small smile on his face when he glanced over to look at me.

‘He doesn’t live around here, does he?’ Justin questions still tailing Jeff who had now turned into a residential area.

‘No. He lives about twenty minutes away from here actually.’

‘Keeps getting weirder and weirder.’

‘I wonder where he’s going.’

‘I guess we’re about to find out.’ Justin pulls off to the side of the road half a block away from where Jeff stopped his car. ‘Wait here.’

Before I could protest Justin was already out of the car and walking toward the house. I watch in anticipation as Justin grows closer and closer. He looks over into Jeff’s car before easing his way across their lawn. My phone chimes causing me to jump in the seat. Rocky briefly looks around before closing his eyes again.

‘Justin?’

‘I don’t see him.’ His voice is quiet, ‘I guess he went into a backroom or something and I think he’s the only one here.’

‘Just come back.’ I plead shifting uncomfortably in my seat, ‘you don’t know when he’ll come out.’

‘I’m coming back to the car now.’

Justin cuts through the green grass and hurries to the car. He doesn’t waste time getting off this street before Jeff recognized the familiar car.

‘Like I said I didn’t see much. The house definitely looked empty though so maybe that’s where he keeps his Chrissy Thorton merch. He probably has the wall plastered with posters of you and who knows what else.’

‘What are we going to do?’

‘Call the police.’ Justin immediately says looking at me.

‘No.’ I shake my head causing him to pull over on the side of the road and cut the engine.

‘What do you mean no?’

‘One my mom is in a different state right now so how nice would it be if she came home to find her fiancé in jail. Two we don’t really have any proof besides a weird about of pictures. Three we can’t just accuse someone of something as serious as this.’

Justin huffs and mutters in his seat, annoyed and contemplating. He doesn’t say anything as he starts the car up again and gets into the line of traffic. I study his expression as he literally glares out of the windshield. His jaw clenched so hard I swear I could hear his teeth cracking.

‘You’re not staying there tonight.’ He mumbles quietly, his tone softened. ‘You can stay at the apartment with me.’

‘I really don’t want to intrude.’

‘Please.’ Justin scoffs through a friendly grin, ‘we’ll figure it out.’

I really didn’t feel like arguing with Justin on this right now. He wasn’t going to back down especially after me convincing him not to call the police yet. Secondly, I didn’t want to be at the house all by myself tonight. I don’t know what to think about all of the pictures and didn’t want to run into Jeff anymore tonight. Justin’s apartment felt like a much better option.

‘Okay.’ I nod agreeing with him.

‘Look,’ he sighs after a while, ‘I’m not trying to be a jerk about all of this.’

‘I know.’

‘I’m just really protective over you and you know that. Always have, always will be. I nearly got into a fight at the awards the other n-…’

‘What?’ I cut him off turning completely in my seat, ‘a fight? With who?’

‘The douche from London.’

‘That’s why you were so tense backstage when I found you waiting there?’

‘That would be the reason.’ He answers with a slow nod. ‘I should’ve knocked some sense into him back at the costume party.’

I giggle in my seat pulling on the seat belt. Justin looks over at me with his brows furrowed in confusion.

‘What?’

‘You were going to knock some sense into him?’

‘Yeah, I was.’ Justin holds back his laughter. ‘He just caught me when I was feeling compassionate.’

‘Like your tiger.’

‘What was that?’

‘I said like your tiger. Remember when I told you why I loved your tiger tattoo the most?’

‘Yeah.’ A smile grows across his face, ‘you said you loved the tiger the most because it reminded you of me the most. Because like a tiger I’m strong and sensitive. I’m courageous and passionate. Confident without being cocky. And I don’t mess about when it comes to something of mine.’

‘And I meant every word.’