Back to Himself

8. The Car Ride

I start to head inside of the house as Justin eyes me anxiously from a few feet away.

"Aren't you coming?" I ask, turning around and lifting an eyebrow.

"Actually, I thought we could go for a drive," he says nervously.

"Uh oh, are you going to bring me back?" I tease in an attempt to lighten the mood.

Visibly relaxing, his lips curve into a smile, and the familiar sparkle is back—dancing through his irises.

"We'll see," he smirks, reaching for my hand.

Justin guides me to the garage and keys in its code. When the door is fully open he stops and turns to me.

"Which car would you like to take?" he inquires looking down to meet my eyes.

I scan the garage slowly. Subtle he is not. I smile as one catches my eye before looking back up at him.

"Chrome?"

It comes out as more of a question. He smiles back.

"Chrome. So when the paps snap photos, they just see reflections of themselves," he chirps happily.

I can't help but laugh. He's always had a flair for the dramatics—I'm glad to see that hasn't changed.

"What they do should be illegal," I say, rolling my eyes as we head towards the car.

I'm not a car person so I have no idea what it's called but knowing Justin it's the best of the best.

"I agree; but I try not to let them get to me. I make light of it as much as I can because if I lash out or stand up for myself and they get it on camera it's like they win, you know?"

I see the pain behind his eyes when he glances down at me. I nod my understanding as he stops by the passenger door, motioning for me to wait before jogging over to the key rack. He scans it for a second before finding and selecting the correct ones. After unlocking the car, he swings my door open, then up.

"Okay fancy boy with your wing doors."

Justin chuckles. I raise an eyebrow.

"Butterfly doors," he clarifies.

"Butterflies have wings, don't they?"

"Well—"

"No further questions, your honor. I rest my case," I say confidently as I turn to get in the car.

He lets out a laugh and I remember how much I miss the sound.

"Watch your head, love," Justin says with a smile, helping me lower myself into the seat.

The moment we exit the driveway and leave the safety of his gated community, the car starts attracting a lot of attention. People are staring and pulling out their phones. Some have even abandoned whatever their plans were to follow after us. I look around anxiously. He's become a lot more recognizable since we've been apart. Why didn't I just pick something more subtle when he asked, like the Range Rover I saw before? As if reading my mind, Justin speaks.

"It's okay. You're safe. I won't let anyone get near you, I promise."

I look at Justin and he glances over briefly, offering a warm smile before turning back to the road. I look out the window again, wondering how he's put up with this all these years. He struggles with anxiety as much as I do, so I know it couldn't have been easy.

"Justin?" I whisper softly.

"Yeah?"

I look down at my lap before turning back to face him.