Just Another Love Story

Chappie 19

Chapter 19: When Did I Get So Soft ?

**Justin**

I thought my story worked. I wish my story worked. But at 2:23 in the morning I heard Belle screaming bloody murder.
I kicked off my blanket and got out of bed.
I crossed the hall and went into her room.
You probably think I'm like a pervert or something for just going in her room, but first off, its 2 am, and second of all, she is screaming and kicking with her eyes closed so I know she's still asleep. Therefore I have to wake her up, so I don't have time to knock on the door.
Waking her up is the part I hate the most. One time she kicked me and it was not pretty.
I go over to her bed and take control of her legs by sitting on them. Then I take her arms and give her a little shake.
"Belle. Belle!" I call.
"NO DON'T LEAVE." She yells.
"Belle!"
She stops, her eyes shoot open and she is breathing fast, looking at me and all around the room.
"Belle, relax. Its okay, its just me." I reassure her.
"Justin." She tries to sit up but I push her back down.
"No, take a moment. Breathe." I tell her.
Realizing that I'm still on top of her, I get off apologizing, and sitting next to her. She doesn't respond as she is crying and struggling to breathe.
"Okay. Try this." I move my arms under her back and legs and pick her up and put her in my lap. I lean her body against my chest. It seems she has stopped breathing completely !
Odd.
"Breath with me." I whisper.
I take two breaths, before she catches my rhythm.
I go nice and slow, taking deep breaths and she follows. She tucks her head under my chin and I look down. Seeing her cradled in my arms made my heart do a fucking backflip. She's so, small. Its like the last perfect piece to the puzzle.
Oh my god. When did I get so damn soft?
I put my chin on her head, "do you want to try to go back to sleep?" I ask her.
She panics, grabs my chest, and looks at me, scaring the shit out of me.
"No. No. I um, I want to stay with you. I want you t-to stay." She looks down.
I bite my lip trying to hide a smile that is growing on my face, "okay. Then come with me." I stand up picking her up with me. I put her on the ground and take her hand.
We go down stairs quickly and quietly as my parents were up.
I take her down to the garage and we slipped on some shoes and go out the side door.
We walk two blocks before I am asked where we are going.
"Don't you worry. I'm not going to kill you and dump your body in the woods or anything." I said.
She looked terrified. I laughed.
"Relax, its nice you're going to like it." I squeeze her hand.
I take her a couple more blocks, then on a dirt path and around a corner.
"Here we are!" I say, with a proud smile on my face.
What you see here is a large, dark, almost black but its gray, barn; that just looms in the back of everything.
I start walking to the door of the barn. I turn and see Belle frozen to her spot.
I go back for her, telling her its okay and pull her along.
We enter the barn and Belle looks around.
"It smells like old socks." She sniffs.
"I know right." I say smiling.
She looks at me, "okay, tell me the story."
I know she is referring to the story as to why I love this old barn so much, but she'll have to wait.
"Hold on." I pull a ladder down from the ceiling. "By the way, its not what's inside. Its what's on top." I wink. "After you."
She climbs up the ladder to the roof of the barn. I go after her.
"Whoa." She breathes. The sight you see from the top of this building is honestly breathtaking.
The roof overlooks the neighborhood and part of the city; including the night sky. The stars burn bright tonight which is my favorite part.
"You like?" I ask.
"Its beautiful. Look at that!" She points as shooting star rushes past. I walk past her and sit on the floor.
She comes and sits next to me.
"This here old ass barn used to belong to some farmer man who died like two years ago. I actually didn't know that until very recently though. I come here to clear my head when I get really upset, or when I just need a break. I started coming when I was 12 and I've been coming ever since. And no, Luke and Damien and Kyle do not know about this place and I would honestly like to keep it that way. This barn, well more so the roof, has been my safe haven for years now." I smile. She looks at me with a sparkle in her eye.
This girl.
"Remember the story?" I ask her. She nods.
"I really did like it. Very adorable." She smiles.
"Good. Do you know who the dragon was?" She shakes her head.
"He was your nightmare." She looks away.
"Do you know who the manservant was?"
"No."
"That was me." I beat my chest. She smiles, still looking away.
"Do you know who the princess was?" I take her hands in mine.
"No."
"You. She was you."
She looked at me then turned away, her face red. I gently turned her face back to mine to look at her eyes.
"The princess, you, were able to solve your problem with love. So why don't you give your manservant here a little love, and tell me, what is going on." I look at her.
She seemed to understand what I was saying but I could fully tell that it was hard for her to work up the courage to tell me what is wrong. Whatever it is, I need to hear it because if we're going to be living together, I can't be up all night, every night because of this thing that is haunting her.
And quite frankly, I don't think its very healthy.
"Okay." She began.
I sit up straight and begin listening.

***
Mwahahahaha cliffhanger
-E