Joe Keery Imagines Vol. 2

Protective Best Friend - Joe Keery

"Joe," I sighed, my breath getting caught in my throat. "I can't do that to you. I can't use you like that."

"Of course you can," he chuckled. "I'm your best friend. That's what I'm here for. "

"But. . ."

"But nothing," he instantly said. "Y/N, my job as your best friend is to help you. To stand by your side. To protect you. To hold your hand and wait until you're ready. Then, once you're ready, I pull you with me and we run like hell."

I studied his eyes, finally realizing that he wasn't going to let this go. "Okay," I whispered. "So, what do we do?"

"Simple," he soothed. "If Alex ever starts to get angry, you come to me."

"But. . ."

"Straight to me," he gently cut me off. "I don't care where you are or where I am. I especially don't care what I'm doing. I want you to interrupt me, Y/N. I want you to run to me. Can you do that?"

"Yes," I said a slow smile spreading across my face. "I think I can do that."

"Good," Joe chuckled. "And I mean it. No matter what, where, or when. If something happens, if he threatens you, run to me. Promise me that you come straight to me."

"I promise."

Joe called me every day after work that week. He would be leaving for set or driving home and he'd call me to ask about my day. He'd then offer to pick up dinner and bring it over. Most times I turned him down and told him I was fine.

Any day when Alex would yell at me or be rude or get close to hurting me, I'd beg Joe to come over as soon as he called me. On those days, Joe would bring food and we'd stay up most of the night watching movies.

Friday night, I was in the middle of trying to stay awake during our third movie of the night. Right as I was about to give in and let sleep take over, Joe whispered something that gave me enough courage to finally leave Alex.

"I wish you knew how much it kills me to watch you waste your time on a loser like Alex," Joe whispered. "I wish you knew how incredible and amazing and awesome you are. If I was lucky enough to have you the way he has you, I'd never let you go."

* * * * *

Saturday, I was supposed to go over and "help" Alex clean his apartment. I got there on time, but he wasn't home. I waited in the hallway instead of letting myself in and starting without him. When he finally got home and found me, he wasn't happy.

"What the hell are you doing?!" He snapped.

"I was waiting for you," I said softly, any motivation I received from Joe evaporating.

"You could've gone in and started," he said through clenched teeth. I gasped when he roughly pushed me away from the door so he could unlock it. I regained my footing and wrapped my arms tightly around myself.

Throughout the night, I cleaned Alex's apartment while he yelled at me for doing it wrong. It escalated. His words got harsher and louder. He didn't get abusive until I was mopping his kitchen floor.

My entire body froze when Alex walked in and slipped on a spot I just mopped. I slowly turned around, holding my breath in fear of seeing him on the ground. I would've let out a sigh of relief when I realized he wasn't on the floor but his furious glare stopped me.

"What. . . the. . . hell?"

I gasped and fell to the ground as he hit me. My jaw instantly started throbbing. I looked up at him through the tears in my eyes.