If I Was Your Boyfriend

‘Justin.’ I repeat, getting worried. ‘Justin.’

I tug on my chains as Carter ties Justin’s unconscious body up with a thick rope. Carter takes Justin’s phone stomping it against the concrete. He goes through his pockets taking his wallet and his car keys. For some odd reason he takes Justin’s shoes from his feet as well as his gold necklace and watch.

‘Enjoy him while you can.’ Carter glares at me before locking the door leaving us there.

‘Justin!’ I call kicking my feet to make noise. ‘Justin, please wake up.’

Justin slowly opens his eyes looking around clearly confused. His brown eyes fall on me and somehow everything was better. He tries to sit up but struggles.

‘Chrissy, I found you.’ He says clearing his throat, ‘I just didn’t imagine it would be this way.’

‘How’d you find me?’ I wonder scooting as close to him as possible.

‘James helped me out.’ he informs me, ‘he had a guy tailing Carter for days and they finally spotted him out at the hardware store. I followed him here and I guess he got me when I was looking through the window for you.’

‘I can’t believe you’re actually here.’ I breathe.

‘I promised you.’ Justin says quietly, ‘now we just need to get out of here.’

‘I don’t know we possibly could.’

‘I just need to get out of this rope.’ Justin squirms underneath the rope. ‘I’ve been practicing with Mike again.’

‘The kick box trainer?’

‘That would be him. He helped my ribs and took the pain away some kind of way. I don’t know how but he did.’

‘Your ribs? What are you talking about Justin?’

‘Carter and I got into a bit of a fight. He kicked my ass, not gonna lie. In my defense, it was dark and I didn’t know the stairs were that close.’

‘Justin…’ I frown wanting to hold him. ‘I’m sorry I got you into all of this. It’s all my fault.’

‘Don’t say that again, I mean it Chris.’ Justin stares at me, ‘You are not to blame for this. It’s not your fault this guy is a complete psychopath that decided to prey on a girl years younger than him. You’ve never seen the guy before all of this started so please tell me how this is your fault.’

‘I just feel guilty about you being here right now.’

‘There is honestly no other place I would rather be than with you right now.’

‘I love you.’

‘I love you so much Chrissy. I love you.’ He smiles slightly, ‘I’ve missed your gorgeous face.’

‘I missed your voice so much.’

The door slams against the wall as Carter steps back through it.

‘Well wasn’t that just beautiful? I think I’ve waited long enough.’ Carter’s hand caresses my cheek, ‘I’m going to show you that I always get what I want and that I won’t let anyone come between us.’

‘I swear to God if you touch her…’ Justin harshly tugs on the rope.

Carter’s hand slowly works it way across my leg making me jump. I kick my legs but he uses his arm to keep me there. I involuntarily begin to cry as I attempt to move from under his grip.

‘Hey Carter.’ Justin calls hastily from behind him. ‘How does it feel knowing that she’ll never want you? No matter what you do, she’ll always want me. You could even kill me and dump my body somewhere and she’ll still want me. I’m the one she loves and you can never change that. No matter how hard you try, no matter how hard you fight, she’s mine. She’ll always be mine and knowing that has to kill you. I bet it eats you up insi-…’ Carter leaves me to hit Justin across the face in a quick movement. ‘You can’t get women your own age so you have to go after a young girl. Your life has got to be horrible. I feel sorry for you man.’ Justin continues to fuel the fire that was Carter.

I turn away as he repeatedly strikes Justin his face. Justin turns his head to spit out red, which I knew was blood.

‘At the end of the day I’m who she thinks about. Not you. She didn’t even know you existed. You had to leave her those pathetic little poems and stand in her backyard like some creep before she knew your name.’

‘Carter stop!’ I beg not able to watch anymore. ‘Please stop.’

I knew Justin was just trying to keep Carter away from me but I didn’t want him to become Carter’s punching bag in exchange. Justin’s nose and lips were bleeding from the brief assault.

‘We’re no longer in your privileged, perfect world. There are no yes men here for you. Your mom’s not tucking you in and patting your head. This my world and you’re going to abide by my rules if you’re going to stay in it. You’ve lost the game now watch me enjoy my prize.’ Carter crouches down to kiss my forehead before standing back to his feet.

‘She still doesn’t want you.’ Justin says as Carter locks the door.

‘Justin please.’ I plead wanting to clean his face up.

‘I’d take a thousand hits if that meant he never touched you again.’

‘You’re bleeding.’ I hear myself whine, feeling more and more guilty. ‘Badly.’

‘I’m fine Chris. He throws a pretty good punch but I’m fine.’

‘We really need to get out of here.’

‘I have an idea but I’m going to need you to be really brave, for me. Do you think you could do that Chrissy? It’s going to be a little dangerous but it’s worth a try.’

‘I’m listening.’

…

‘Carter.’ I call out as Carter comes back through the doorway with a white towel. ‘I really need to get to the bathroom. It’s a female issue.’

Carter throws Justin the towel and Justin attempts to clean his face off though his hands were bound with rope. I watch as the pure white towel becomes stained with the crimson color. The color and irony smell makes my stomach turn or maybe it was the nerves setting in. Carter studies my face with confusion before the realization set in.

‘Make it quick.’ He undoes the chains and helps me from the ground; ‘I don’t want you bleeding all over the place like your soon-to-be ex boyfriend over there.’

I feel sick from the crude comment but walk towards the door anyway.

‘It’ll be okay.’ Justin mouths to me as I walk past him, ‘You can do it.’

Once I get to the bathroom I close the door behind me and do as Justin told me. I quietly undo the pipes under the sink then hold the metal pipe in my hands. I open the door and hit Carter in the back of his head causing him to fall over. I step over his unconscious body and rush back to the warehouse.

‘You did it baby, I’m so proud of you.’ Justin compliments as I scramble to untie his ropes. ‘Just get me loose and we’re going to get out of here.’

Justin stands to his feet wrapping an arm around my waist tighter than ever before. I fall into his grip, finally feeling what I had been missing. Justin keeps me behind him as he grips the pipe in his hand. The door is kicked down and Carter charges us. Justin pushes me out of the way just before Carter tackles him to the ground. I watch as they roll on one another wrestling over the pipe. Justin uses his hand to punch Carter right in the face and kicks his body off of him. Carter flips his body into the air and was back on his feet within seconds. I couldn’t process what was going on in that moment. All I saw were fists being exchanged and heavy breathing. Justin ducks and dodges all of Carter’s attempts. I never saw him move with such quickness. I wanted to step in and help but Justin definitely seemed to be handling his own. Justin gets the best of him and Carter is down on the floor unable to move. Carter lays on the floor staring at the ceiling in some ort of daze.

‘Let’s go.’ Justin breathes wiping the blood from his mouth.

I look at his bloody knuckles as he hesitantly reaches out for my hand. I grab his hand easily and intertwine our fingers.

‘Are you okay?’ I ask once we got out onto the street.

‘I will feel it in the morning.’ He smiles tiredly. ‘But you’re here with me so I’m fine.’

‘There’s a mechanic’s shop somewhere around here. It shouldn’t be too much further.’

‘I just wonder what he did with my car.’ Justin sighs looking around at the empty field, ‘Just got that fixed.’

‘I don’t know where he could have put it. It can’t be too far either.’

‘Yeah once the police get out here I’m sure they’ll find it.’

‘I can’t believe that you’re actually here, right next to me after all of this.’

‘Listen to me carefully,’ Justin pauses looking down at me, ‘I am crazily in love with you and I would do honestly anything and everything in my power for you. You know that, right?’

‘Okay.’

‘Really. I honestly feel obligated to at least try to keep you safe as your boyfriend. I don’t know what I would do if anything happened to you. How could I live with myself knowing that there was something more that I could do to protect you or help you and I didn’t try my hardest.’

‘Well I hope I can return the favor one day.’

Justin opens his mouth as the gravel begins to rattle beneath us. Justin’s Range Rover was driving down the road faster than imaginable. From here I could see Carter’s bloody and bruised face behind the wheel. In a quick instance I shove Justin out of the way right before my body meets with the car. Everything suddenly turned black.

Justin’s Point of View

I watched stunned as my car peels down the unfamiliar gravel road. My girlfriend’s body lied before me, seeming lifeless. I scurry onto my feet and get down beside her.

‘Chrissy.’ I tap her soft cheeks. ‘Baby, get up.’

The wind blows harshly causing the trees around me to shake.

‘SOMEBODY HELP!’ I shout out to the empty air. ‘ANYBODY – HELP!’