As Long As You Love Me

Chapter 2

As me and Justin hurried through the woods I was still trying to justify what I was doing. But it was hopeless. I knew it was wrong, and I was doing it anyway.

When we reached his car I turned to him, “Justin, I know you think this is the right thing to do…but my dad…you know he’s going to come after you, and he won’t stop until he catches you, and when he does…” I trailed off.

His hand cupped my cheek. “I know, but don’t worry about that, or me, I’ll be fine.”

I slid in the car, putting my backpack in the backseat as Justin got in the drivers side and started the car.

We had been driving for only a couple of minutes when I noticed what kind of car was behind us. But I shook it off as paranoia, that could not be my dad’s car, it just wasn’t possible, so I ignored it.

But after half an hour of studiously denying it I couldn’t ignore it any longer. “Justin.”

“Yeah?” He glanced at me, “What's wrong Faith?”

“My dad…he found us, I don’t know how, but he’s following you.”

He nodded, then said calmly, “This is what's going to happen. I’m going to go face him, and I want you to stay in the car, no matter what happens. But if I am no longer able to keep him away, I have a gun in glove compartment, please, whatever happens don’t let him take you, okay Faith?”

“Why do you have a gun?” I asked, alarmed, and wondering what on earth was going on.

“Lets just say I wanted to be prepare, will you do it? Will you stay in the car, and not let him take you?”

“Justin…I can’t just leave you out there with him, you have no idea how bad he can be, and that’s with me, imagine what he's going to do to you, can’t we just…loose him?”

“If we run we’ll be running for the rest of our life, and that’s not what I want, please Faith, I don’t care how bad it gets, I need you to stay in the car, please,” Justin turned his beautiful brown eyes on me.

“Fine, but—” he never let me finish.

“Alright, I’m gonna park now so we can get this over with.” Pulling into an empty lot Justin parked the car and waited for my dad to stop also. When he did Justin looked at me, “I love you, remember that, no matter what happens.”

“Justin….you know I love you too, but you still don’t have to do this….”

“I know, but it’s the right thing to do,” he smiled and unbuckled himself, he leaned forward and kissed me. His hand cupped my face and I wrapped my arms around his neck.  “I’ll see you in a minute, okay?”

I nodded, disentangling myself, wishing that the kiss could last forever so he didn’t have to go out there with my father. I watched as Justin opened the car door and got out to face my dad. He walked forward, saying something to my father, my father didn’t respond, his face was pinched with rage, his eyes cold and calculating.

Justin continued to talk, but my father wasn’t having it, raising his fist he punched Justin in the jaw, I gasped, and fumbled with the door, trying to get out, but not before my father punched Justin again in the face, and again, and again, never once did Justin try and defend himself, even after he crumpled to the ground. It was then that I got out, screw my promise, I couldn’t watch Justin take punch after punch without trying to stop it.

“Stop it!” I screamed at my dad, rushing to where Justin had fallen.

“Go…” Justin gasped but I shushed him.