If I Was Your Boyfriend

Justin's Point of View

It was already after three in the morning. The night was warm and dark; streets were fairly empty besides the people finally dragging themselves out of clubs and parties. Beside me, Chrissy was fast asleep with Rocky curled in her lap. Her lips were formed into a tiny pout and her forehead had tiny lines across it. She used her hand to grip my free arm, which rested on the middle console. I wanted to wake her up but I'm sure she hasn't slept all that well lately. Rocky repositioned himself in her arms, his eyes were still closed. Both of them were protecting each other. Half an hour later we were finally outside of Alfredo's condo. The black Range Rover sat beside Alfredo's car. I kill the engine and quietly open the passenger’s door. I pry Rocky from her lap before lifting her out of the car. She doesn't move so that's how I know just how tired she must be. I carry her up the stairs and knock on the door with the tip of my sneaker. Alfredo opens the door with his phone in his hand.

‘Where can I lay her?’

‘Please tell me she's just asleep.’ Fredo jokes closing the door behind me.

‘Of course she is.’ I laugh back hiking her up into my arms.

‘Y'all can take the back room.’ He points, ‘I already pulled out the sofa.’

‘Thanks man.’ I walk into the back room and tug on the white sheets before laying Chrissy down.

‘Just let me know if you need anything.’

‘Okay.’ I pull off Chrissy's shoes and cover her with the sheets.

After flicking the light off I climb into the bed beside her wrapping a protective arm around her frame.

‘I love you.’ with a kiss of her forehead I fall asleep myself.

When I wake Chrissy's arms and legs are draped over me. I carefully roll out of the bed and head to the kitchen. Alfredo and Ryan sat at the table looking at the TV that sat in the other room.

‘What's going on?’ Alfredo wonders.

‘Good morning to you too.’ I joke taking a seat at the table.

‘Yeah yeah. I think you owe us an explanation on why you've been so weird lately.’

‘Things have been a little off lately because there's the guy who writes Chrissy these notes, creepy rhymes really.’

‘Did you call the police?’

‘Yeah, and I got her mom's fiancé drug in for questioning. It wasn't him.’

‘So you have no idea who it is?’

‘Nope. They took the gift she got me for my birthday and they took so that's why I ran out of the apartment last night. The police had to track his tag to the broken down shack.’

‘Wow. What do they want?’

A cold shiver ran down my spine in that moment. They wanted Chrissy. They wanted to have her. To be with her. Just the thought of that made my blood boil and my stomach turn.

‘I just want to keep her safe.’

‘There are ways.’

‘I'm listening.’

Chrissy's Point of View

I wake up in an unfamiliar room beside Rocky. Justin's black high-tops were beside my shoes so he wasn't far. I roll out of the bed and walk towards the front of the house realizing I was at Alfredo’s. Justin, Alfredo, and Ryan were all sitting around the kitchen table talking in low voices. Ryan unsubtly clears his throat shooting Justin a look that I caught. Justin immediately stands to his feet and walks over to me.

‘Good morning beautiful.’ Justin pecks my cheek with a small kiss.

‘Good morning. What are you guys talking about?’

‘Nothing.’ Justin quickly shakes his head from side to side.

Alfredo and Ryan make it an effort to avoid any form of eye contact with me.

‘How did you sleep?’ Justin asks eyeing me closely.

‘I slept okay.’ I reply touching his arm. ‘I just don’t remember getting here last night.’

‘Yeah you passed out on the way. You and Rocky actually. I guess you were pretty tired.’

‘Yeah I guess so.’

‘Hey baby, how about you go get Nichole and tell her we just ordered a pizza.’

‘Pizza?’ I raise an eyebrow before looking at the digital clock on the oven.

1:27 P.M. Just how long was I asleep?

‘You know where the guest room is.’ Justin urges giving me a small push, ‘I’ll take Rocky out.’

‘Is everything okay?’

‘Everything’s great.’

‘Okay.’ I leave his embrace and walk up the spiral staircase to the wide hallway.

I lightly knock on the door as I try to listen to the whispering coming from down stairs.

‘Hey Chrissy.’ Nichole opens the door and sits back down on the bed. ‘Ryan says you found Rocky?’

‘Yeah, we found him pretty late last night.’ I nod joining her on the bed.

‘Where was he?’

‘It’s pretty complicated.’ I sigh running a hand through my hair, ‘really long story.’

‘I have nowhere to be.’

>>>>

‘I don’t see how you’re going day to day.’ Nichole shakes her head, astonished. ‘I don’t what I’d do if I were in that situation.’

‘I don’t know how I am either but Justin definitely helps.’

‘Side note: you guys are so cute together. That song and the speech last night were perfect.’

‘He’s full of surprises.’ I stand up from the bed, ‘the guys ordered a pizza so they wanted me to tell you.’

‘Great, I’ll come down with you.’

‘Are you and Ryan headed back to Canada any time soon?’

‘We should be around for just a few more days.’

‘You, Danielle, and I should definitely get together then before you leave.’

‘Sounds like a plan. Ryan’s been trying to convince Justin to come back with us for a week or so.’

‘He has?’ I pause on the stairway to glance back at her.

‘Yeah, I don’t know whether or not he will though.’

‘Me neither.’ I skip the last few steps and walk over to Justin.

‘Hey there.’ He smiles softly. ‘I thought you got lost up there.’

‘Are you going to Canada?’ I ask quietly.

‘Not anymore.’ He shrugs as the doorbell rings.

‘Why not?’

‘I don’t know. It’s not a good time to go. You know, the police still don’t have any leads on the person tailing you. I still need to call the security company. Figure out why this person managed to get past the system. Have someone come out and install some cameras. Change the locks.’

I open my mouth to respond when the front door closes. Alfredo walks through the living room with several boxes of pizza in his hands.

‘PIZZA’S HERE.’

‘We’ll finish this later.’ I pull Justin along with me finding a seat beside Nichole.

Once Justin and I finish eating we go into the backroom to clean the area up. Rocky stretches out on the floor with a whiny yawn. I check my phone to see I had tons of missed calls from both Jeff and my mom. My dad has left numerous text messages.

‘Do you think you can drop me off at home?’

‘Drop you off?’ Justin questions from across the sofa.

‘I just need to take care of some things. Talk to my mom.’

‘Alright.’ He agrees with a nod as he grabs the keys from the floor. ‘But will I see you later?’

‘Of course you will. We still need talk about Canada.’

‘We’ll see you guys later?’ Justin says as we walk through the living room, ‘thanks again Fredo.’

‘Anytime bro.’

‘How about if you go to Canada with me?’ he asks once we were inside of the car.

‘I’m in. It’ll be good to get away.’

‘Like our trip to Verona.’

‘Can we just go back?’ I smile reminiscing our recent trip to Italy.

‘Just let me know when and we’ll blow this city.’

‘Any day?’

‘Any day we’ll go anywhere.’ Justin confirms holding my hand. ‘I love you.’

‘I love you.’ I repeat looking down at our intertwined hands.

‘I’m going to meet up with the guys for a few. Call me if you need anything.’

‘Go out and have fun with your friends.’

‘I’ll see you tonight.’

‘See you.’ I sneak a quick kiss before carrying Rocky through the yard.

Justin protectively watches from the car. He waits as I knock on the front door. The door swings open and my mom pulls me inside. I wave Justin off before closing the door.

‘Chrissy!’ she exclaims, sadly yet happily. ‘Sweetheart.’

‘Hey mom.’ I return her embrace. ‘I missed you so much.’

‘I missed you too. I’m so sorry I wasn’t here for you.’

‘I’m sorry about, Jeff.’ I awkwardly look around the room that lacked his presence, ‘where is he?’

‘At his place. He wanted to keep his distance.’

‘I didn’t mean for any of this to happen.’

‘He knows. He isn’t mad, he doesn’t blame you.’

‘Did you call dad?’

‘Yes. I had to. This is serious Chrissy and he is your father, I think he has a right to know what’s going on. Last I heard he and Isabelle were boarding the plane.’

‘Wait, what? Isabelle’s coming with him?’

‘Of course. She sounded very worried on the phone.’

‘I have to shower.’ I hurry up the stairs and into my room closing the door behind me. I pull my phone out to send Justin a text.

Isabelle’s coming w. my dad – Chrissy.

Within a minute Justin was calling me.

‘Hello?’

‘What do you mean she’s coming with your dad? When?’

‘They’re flying in today. My mom called him and filled him on everything.’

‘You’ll be out of there by then.’ Justin says as a car honks in the background. ‘Go around!’ Justin shouts causing me to let out a laugh.

‘I’ll just talk to you later since you’re driving.’

‘Alright baby. I love you.’ I could just see the smile on his face right now.

‘I love you more.’

‘Doubt it.’ Justin replies, ‘you seriously have no idea how much I love you.’

‘How much?’

‘You’re stuck with me for the rest of our lives – that’s how much.’

‘Well you’re stuck with me then.’

‘I would consider that an honor.’

‘Bye Jay.’

‘Bye Chris.’

There were handfuls of men in the backyard working on a new fence, which was much higher. I take my shower then head downstairs to join my mom in the kitchen.

‘What’s that?’ I nod my head towards the backyard.

‘I don’t want anyone making any surprise visits in the middle of the night. You’ll be seeing a few people here and there for the next few days. Just a few precautions.’

‘Okay.’ I excuse myself as the doorbell rings.

Justin wasn’t finished with his friends yet. He hadn’t even made it there yet because of the Los Angeles traffic. I walk over to the door expecting to see my dad and Isabelle but instead it was Chloe, Nikki, and Paul.

‘We’ve been so worried since your mom called us yesterday.’

‘She’s been calling everyone, huh?’ I glance back at my mom who was outside talking to the workers.

‘She has a reason to.’ Paul’s low voice chimes in.

‘Nice to see you.’ I look up at Paul’s large frame.

I hadn’t seen Paul since the MTV Movie Awards; I almost forget how big he was.

‘We just came by to see how you were doing and making sure everything was okay.’

‘Everything’s fine.’ I half-lie.

‘Well Paul’s going to be around for a while.’ Nikki informs me.

‘Of course he is.’

‘Hey I talked them out of hiring six more men to tower over you.’

‘I owe you.’

‘Call us if you need to?’

With that Nikki and Chloe left after hugging me. Paul sat on the sofa drinking from his water bottle.

‘How long are you going to sit there?’

‘Until you need to go somewhere.’

‘They told you not to let me out of your sight, didn’t they?’

‘Possibly.’

Half an hour later the doorbell rings again and I walk over to it. There stood my dad with Isabelle closely behind him. A smile was widely spread across her face but her eyes spelled out something completely different.