If I Was Your Boyfriend

David Rixten, Justin's attorney lies silently in the hospital bed. Justin texts me for the umpteenth time from the hotel. When the ambulance arrived for David Justin was still in the back getting his personal belongings and signing piles of paperwork. I send him a quick update informing him that David was resting fine.

‘I would say it's pretty okay for me to leave now. I'm sure his family is nearly here.’

‘It was kind of you to stay with him.’ The nurse politely nods her head, ‘I'm sure he'd appreciate that.’

‘Tell him that we'll be in contact once he's feeling better.’

‘Of course.’

so you're coming back right? - Justin.

i just need to make a quick stop before we get on the plane. - Chrissy.

all right. hurry please want to get out of her as soon as possible. - Justin.

i will. - Chrissy.

I get into the car service's SUV and shield my face from the paps that awaited me. I knew that I needed to see Aiden. I just needed to sit him down and persuade him to drop the charges. I also knew that Justin would be beyond furious if he knew that I was meeting with the guy that put him behind bars.

‘I'll only be a minute.’ I say to the driver before rushing into the apartment before someone could get a picture.

I stand in the small hallway that separated Aiden's apartment from his neighbor's. I go to knock on the door before taking a small wimpy step back. I didn't know how this was going to go but I knew that I needed to do something. For Justin. Just as I go to knock on the door, it wildly swings open.

‘Chrissy? Jesus – I thought I was gonna have to use this on a pap’s camera!’ he exclaims tossing his wooden bat aside, ‘they’ve been out here all day long. The landlady has jumped down my throat three times already about the complaints.’

‘Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. Paparazzi have an unique way of destroying any ounce of privacy you have.’

‘What brings you by, exactly? Not that I don’t want you here or anything, you’re just the last person I’d expect to see on my door steps given what happened between me and your deranged boyfriend.’

‘That’s actually what I wanted to talk to you about…’ I breathe in, going over to sit down on the small sofa. ‘Look, neither of us expected the situation to escalate the way it did. I think everyone was heated in the moment and things got way out of hand.’

‘I don’t believe this! This is rich!’ Aiden lets out an amused long laugh placing a hand on his stomach, ‘your cowardly boyfriend sent you here to beg for my forgiveness?!’

‘No! Justin doesn’t even know that I’m here right now. Believe me, if he did-…’ I stop short unable to finish due to the shudder of fear that ran down my spine. If Justin knew I was here he probably wouldn't speak to me for days. It was a risk I was willing to take. ‘He’s not a bad guy, really.’

‘He’s not a bad guy.’ Aiden mimics shaking his head in disbelief, ‘Have you ever wondered what if he’s actually the problem? Didn’t something like this happen with your last costar? You must really love him to allow him to single-handily sabotage your career. If you keep this up you won’t be able to get a job cleaning the set let alone starring in the main role. I know that you’re a newbie in all of this but you have talent- serious, undeniable talent. If your boyfriend doesn’t respect what you do enough to control himself from throwing punches at anyone who gets close to you, why are you with him? I honestly do not believe that you would storm up to one of his models or whatever he uses and cause an enormous scene. It’s just sad you don’t get that same respect.’

‘Please don’t sit here and lecture me about a relationship you know nothing about. You don’t know Justin either, you’re wrong about him.’

‘Are you trying to convince me, or yourself?’

‘Aiden, I’m really looking forward to working with you. I am. I don’t want any weirdness that could jeopardize your job or mine. I don’t about you but I don’t want to give up this role anytime soon. Please – drop the charges.’

‘I’m sorry, Chrissy. I don’t think I could do that.’

‘Don’t do that to me or to yourself. You’re never going to get any peace with the paparazzi out here every single day the longer you drag this out.’

‘Somehow I think I will sleep just fine knowing that he’s behind a row of metal bars and using a piece of cardboard as a bed.’

‘Aiden…’ I sigh placing a hand to my forehead becoming more and more frustrated.

‘I tell you what- how about you and I hang out, just for one night with no interruptions from your irate boyfriend and I’ll drop the charges.’

‘You know I can’t do that. There has to be something else.’

‘Nope, there is nothing else. I’m not looking to hook up with you or anything. I just want a redo to the night he ruined.’

‘I have to go.’

‘Chrissy,’ Aiden grabs a gentle hold of my hand pulling me closer to him, ‘Just think about it. You know how to find me.’

‘Goodbye Aiden.’

Just as I step into the cool air, paparazzi flock the stoop beneath Aiden’s apartment. My stomach sinks to my feet knowing that these pictures would be everywhere in no time. Justin would know. Everyone would know. I manage to get into the car and the driver instantly pulls off.

‘You had a few missed calls ma’am.’ The driver speaks once we were away from all of the madness.

I retrieve my phone from the backseat and press the small circle button. I had four missed calls from Justin along with two text messages.

Chrissy, it’s all over the news. I’m freaking out.

Chris where are you?? I need you right now.

‘Where to now, ma’am.’

‘To the hotel, immediately.’

Once we make it to the hotel I practically run past the front desk and into one of the empty elevators. I pull the room key from my bag and shove down into the metal slot. Justin was sitting on the bed with his head in his hands and his back facing the door.

‘Babe.’ I mutter kneeling down in front of him, ‘I came as soon as I saw your messages. Do you want to talk about it?’

‘I tried so hard for months to keep everyone’s focus on the music, what actually matters but here I am again in headlines for some stupid decision.’

‘There will be something else to gossip about tomorrow I promise.’

‘I just want people to take me seriously as an artist, a musician, not some dumb kid that can’t stay out of trouble. I want to be better than that.’

‘You are better than that.’ I defend, ‘Just because the world is talking that doesn’t mean you down talk yourself. You can’t expect yourself to be perfect, that’s an unrealistic goal. I’m not going to sit here and tell you that it’s going to be easy or that you’re not going to be knocked down a couple of times. Life happens – we make mistakes, we learn from them, and we move on. You can’t move on if you’re sitting here feeling sorry for yourself. You’re going to get through this, maybe not today or tomorrow but you will get through this. I love you and your family loves you and your fans really love you just the way you are. The hell with anyone who doesn’t.’

‘How did I get such a smart, beautiful, talented girlfriend?’

‘You were yourself.’ I tilt his chin up bringing his deep brown eyes into mine, ‘I love you.’

‘I love you, so much.’ He mutters kissing my forehead, ‘Are you ready to go? I’ve gotten literally one hundred calls from my parents and Scooter.’

‘I have never been more ready.’ I nod in agreement grabbing my suitcase. ‘I just want to go to the apartment and hold Rocky.’

‘I think we can make that happen. Thanks to David for convincing the judge to let me wait in LA for the court information.’

have you given much thought to my proposal? – Aiden.

drop the charges, aiden. – Chrissy.

you know what to do for that to happen. safe travels. – Aiden.

‘Chris, you ok?’ Justin crashes into my thoughts with curious eyes.

‘Yeah I’m fine. I was just thinking about David.’

‘Me too. Remind me to call him when we make it back to the apartment.’

‘I will.’ I follow Justin out of the room and down to the lobby.

After checking out we get into the blacked out SUV that took us straight to the airstrip.

‘We’re flying private today?’ I gasp following Justin out of the SUV.

‘Yeah, I was feeling some much needed privacy.’ He places his hands on my shoulders leading me onto the private plane for just the two of us.

I look back at the busy, hectic city of New York. It wasn’t a long trip but yet it felt like an eternity. I had only a few hours to prep myself for an even busier Los Angeles. I had one of those unsettling feelings at the pit of my stomach that I often tried to ignore. I didn’t know what was in store for us up ahead but I knew it wasn’t going to be easy.