Nothing Like Us [1D/JB Fan Fiction] (Under Editing)

Chapter Twenty-Seven: "Nice dying llama sounds", Puffcorn, and Pill Canisters

I woke up the next morning, eyes heavy from the lack of sleep. The show was today. I knew I should’ve been more focused, but how could I? Last night I had gotten into bed with Justin, who looked like a totally different person to me. Why hadn’t he told me? I got up and stretched, not forgetting the weird llama noises I make whenever I stretch. I felt movement. I turned and saw that Justin was stretching as well. “Nice dying llama sounds,” he smiled and nudged me. I forced a smile. His smiled faded into a frown. He could tell the smile wasn’t real.

I grabbed my clothes and quickly went into the bathroom and shut the door. I locked it. You could never be too sure. I stripped down to nothing and stepped into the shower. Showers were my time for thinking. So Justin was crazy. It was unexpected, yes, but it explained all of the things that had been going on recently. Edge had told me one last thing before Chase came out and scolded me for making Edge come out. Justin ran out of the drugs that made him not crazy. That must have been who he was talking to on the phone the other day. Somebody with a connection to wherever he got those pills. He had said they didn’t work.

A quick fear entered my thoughts. What if he was to go completely insane and nobody would be able to help him? I didn’t know what they did to people in mental institutions when they got too crazy. And I didn’t want to find out. I turned off the shower and stepped out. I put on jeans and my Catching Fire t-shirt. I unlocked the door to see Justin right at the door. “Stalking me whilst I’m in the shower, are we?” I side-stepped him, but he blocked my way with his tattooed arm. Since when had he had a sleeve?

“What’s wrong?” His voice was rushed, like asking that question was a life or death situation. I suddenly felt nervous. He was acting like this because he didn’t have medicine. This was the real him. Did I like this version of him?

“Nothing…” I sighed and ducked under his arm. In one swift motion he grabbed my arm and pushed me against the wall. Pain shot up my spine. Why couldn’t I be chubbier? I saw my arm start to turn different shades of red and blue. I felt the familiar burning sensation behind my eyes. “Justin, what are you doing?” My pulse was unlikely to be normal now.  His jaw tensed and his eyes were cold, but caring at the same time. It was as if he were fighting the crazy side of him. The crazy side was winning the battle.

“I said,” he snapped, “What’s wrong?” I became more panicked. He was scaring me. Edge was right. I really didn’t know him.

“Justin, stop,” I croaked. His grip only tightened. I was starting to lose the feeling in my hand. He was cutting off my circulation. “Justin,” I said more firmly, “stop!” I twisted my arm around and I finally got my arm free. I looked and saw the imprint of Justin’s hand in red. I wasn’t really one for tattoos. I looked up at him, my eyes welling up with tears. I saw a flash of recognition on his face. The Justin I knew was back. His hands went up to his mouth and he started sobbing. I cautiously walked over to him. He backed away. I furrowed my eyebrows.

“No,” his voice cracked, “Stay away from me. I-I don’t want to hurt you…” His eyes went to my bruising arm. His crying became harder. There was a knocking on the door. I sighed angrily and opened the door. Chase barged in and stormed right passed me and up to Justin. By the look on Justin’s face, he was as shocked as I was.

“You’ve been with her in the same room,” he shouted, “without your medication? Are you fucking insane?!” I watched in horror as Chase’s fist met Justin’s jaw and Justin fell to the floor, leaning on the edge of the bed for support. I wanted to yell at Chase to stop, but I was in shock. The adrenaline hadn’t kicked in yet. Chase never cussed. And he had never been in any sort of fight in his lifetime. Unless you count our heated debate about who’s better: Annabeth Chase or Leo Valdez?