Bring Me Back to You

IIII

Pj's POV:

I sat there for a little while thinking about what I had just lost. But then I realized that I was wallowing in my own self pity. Which wasn't the best idea, because Chris was somewhere out there, hungover, sad and homeless.
Remind me again why I kicked him out?

I'm not a horrible person, I did this for his own good, right? If I really did, why does it feel so horrible? I need to talk to someone... That's when I decide to call Dan.

"Hello?" He says, answering his phone.

"Hey, Dan. It's Pj," I tell him.

"Oh hey. What's up, mate?" He asks.

"C-can I come over? I need some advice," I say.

"Yeah, of course. Is everything okay?" He asks me. I decide to be honest.

"No... Not really."

"Come right over," He says. He can tell it's urgent.

"I'll be there in 10 minutes," I tell him, and then hang up.

Just like I said, 10 minutes later I'm at Dan and Phil's flat. I knock on the door, even though I know if I wanted to I could just walk in.

"Come in!" I hear a voice yell. So I do.

"Hi, Peej," Phil says.

"Hey Phil."

"So, you can sit down if you want. I have to run, but Dan should be right in," He says. I nod and thank him, and he walks out. A few minutes later Dan walks out of his room.

"Hi Peej. Sorry I took so long," He says. I just shrug. Dan clears his throat.

"So, what's going on?" He asks.

"I kicked Chris out today," I respond, without letting a pause happen after he speaks.

"You did? Why?" Dan asks, his eyes widening.

"I had to. I've been wanting to for months... Have you noticed him being... Distant at all lately?" I ask him. He shrugs.

"I mean, maybe a little bit. I thought he'd just been busy," He says. I smile and laugh dryly.

"Oh yeah, he's been busy. Busy drinking," I inform my friend.

"He has?" Dan asks. I nod.

"Yeah. And that's why I'm here. Dan, I need some advice," I tell him. He nods.

"Okay. With what?" He asks.

"Well, he was really hurt when he left. And I'm not sure what he's capable of, and I'm just really worried about him. I'm not sure what to do," I explain. He nods thoughtfully.

"Have you thought about following him?" Dan asks.

"What?" I respond. Why would I follow him. Isn't that a little... stalkerish?

"Following him. It might seem a little weird, but really, Peej, you would be protecting him. Like you said, we don't know what he might do, and what he's thinking and stuff. Maybe you should just follow him for the day and see what he's doing," He tells me. I nod.

"Maybe. I mean, if you think it's a good idea," I say.

"Do you know where he is right now?" He asks. I shake my head.

"No, but I can find out. I have an app that I used for the nights he didn't come home," I explain. After chatting for a little while I decide that it might actually be a good idea to follow him for a little while. Dan and I chat for a little while, and then I decide I should get going.

After finishing up with him and leaving the apartment, I pull my phone out of my pocket and click on the special app that I downloaded so I would know where Chris was at all times. He didn't know but, I had a chip put in his phone so I could track him down if he didn't come home one night. After pin-pointing where he was, I made a mental route to the road he was walking along and I run there as fast as my long, lanky legs can carry me.

I spot  Chris and make my way to the opposing side walk and trot about two steps behind his pace. He took a turn down a shady looking alley way, causing my mind to go into panic mode. What is he doing back here? It certainly doesn't look like the most safe place he could be going to.

I dash across the road and stand at the end of the alley and watch as Chris enters a door that leads into a buildings with a large amount of burnt bricks that also had boarded up windows. I run down the alley way and press my ear to the door.

"Ah, Chris Kendall, the last person I'd expect to see here. I thought you were clean for the past five years now?" A mysterious voice asks from the dark. I don't think I have ever heard this voice before but, at the same time it feels so familiar.

"You know Charlie, I just lost my best friend. I need something to take the edge off. Maybe if I'm lucky, I may accidentally overdose on this crystallized gold."  Chris spoke. The thing was... he wasn't exactly speaking. He was crying. I feel tears pricking at the back of my eyes, threatening to spill over. He didn't lose me. I offered to help him find a new apartment, for crying out loud! He's never going to lose me, right?

"Ah, Chris don't overdose yet, buddy. At least not until you pay me," Charlie says, laughing dryly. I can't this. I can't take listening to this anymore. I take my ear away from the door and wipe the tears that had managed to escape from the corners of my eyes.

I bolt down the alley and down the streets of London, run up the stairs and slam my key into the lock of my apartment door. My apartment. I will never again be able to say it's "our" apartment, the apartment that I share with my best friend Chris. No, it's my apartment.

Opening the door and swinging it closed with all my might, letting it slam into place. I run into my bedroom and dive into my bed, burying my face into my pillows and just letting out loud shouts and cries of anger and pure sadness. This is so not my day...