10th November 1987
Chrissie's POV
The pounding of my head ripping me from my dream, causing me to groan out in pain. My eyes far too heavy to open just yet, I shuffled my body around, my fingers pushing through what feels like sand. Confusion instantly set in, why am I lying on sand? Where even am I? How did I get here?. So many questions running round in my groggy mind, my fingers gripped the bridge of my nose. I strained in hopes of remembering what happened last night when suddenly memories flashed through my mind. I remember, we were on our second double date, having fun, we were all dancing. We had went bowling then to the bar for a drink, we finished the night completely out of our minds drunk. Pained gasps and splutters burst from my dry, cracked lips when I try to move, I hadn't broken anything seeing as I can move everything but I am so hungover that everything hurts. My face was squished up against the sand so I knew I was face down. My mind strained for more memories then suddenly that's when I remember it. Jon and I got into a fight last night, I can't even remember what it was about but I know it was something stupid and pointless. I remember screaming at him then ran off down the street. A deep feeling of dread and guilt washed over me, he looked so hurt, what have I done? he's probably done with me for good now. Finally my ears started to work again, focusing on the sounds that surrounded me. Cars were whizzing by but nobody even bothered to stop to check if I was okay. The whipping and splashing of the waves coming from behind me and the chirping of the birds above me. All of a sudden I heard a loud screech of car wheels as if someone slammed on the breaks hard. The car doors slammed shut and my heart began to race "JONNYY....SHE'S HERE!!!" I recognised the voice to be Richie's.
The night before.....
Jon and I are screaming at each other outside the bar, or I'm mainly screaming and he's shouting the odd thing in between my outbursts. I'm so drunk, I can't even think straight and my vision is severely blurred, I'd honestly say or do anything right now but it's all utter nonsense. "YOU'REE NOT THERE FOR....ME....I'M ALWAYS THERE FOR YOU JOOONNY" Screaming out my words between sobs. "What are you talking about? who sat by your side in hospital? who's the one that looks after you, huh? oh right, yeah.... ME!!" Shouting back at me which only added to my anger. "YOU KNOW I DON'T MEAN IT LIKE THAT!! YOU'VE GOT YOUR HEAD SO FAR IN THE CLOUDS YOU DON'T SEE ME RUNNING ROUND AFTER YOU, PICKING UP THE PIECES.... YOU DON'T SEE ME CRYING AT NIGHT BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT THERE....I'VE CRIED A THOUSAND TEARS FOR YOU JONNY" Pointing at him with such anger and emotion. "You know I'm a busy guy babe, you know what you got into with me but I try to be there for you as much as I can honey but I can't be there for you every minute of the day and you know that" I know what he was saying made sense and I should agree with him then we'd make up and go home, everything would be dandy but that's not what happened. "I NEVER ASKED FOR A BABY SITTER.....YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND JONNY, YOU'LL NEVER UNDERSTAND" Screaming out my words at him. "Please baby.... Let's just go home and we can talk.... I want to ask you something" His eyes were pleading with him while he took my hand in mine, planting a soft kiss on my knuckles. It did melt my heart that he was trying but in my drunken angry state "I WOULDN'T MARRY YOU EVEN IF YOU DID ASK!!" My words spitting out like venom. A look of utter shock was plastered across his face as he dropped my hand. He looks so hurt and it did make me feel bad but before he had another chance to say anything I turned round and belted off down the street, not taking a single look back at him. I kept on running through the pitch black streets until I reached the beach. My feet stumbling across the damp sand, looking out onto the blurry waves. It was rather cold but I can't seem to feel it as much because of the alcohol. My head started to throb and my head begun to spin round in circles until I collapsed onto the sand face first.
Jon's POV
"CHRISSIEEE WHERE YA GOIN?!!!!!" Screaming at her as she sprints off down the street. I know I should run after her but somehow I can't bring myself to move. I'm still in shock over what she said, that I wasn't there for her? what did she mean about my head being in the clouds? and the most hurtful of it all, that she wouldn't marry me. I never knew I could feel so useless in all my life, who knew I'd be such a shitty boyfriend. I aimlessly wandered back into the bar, slumping down on a random empty seat, my head falling into my hands. "Hey kidd what's goin on? Where's Chrissie?" Richie shouting over the music while patting my shoulder. My head reluctantly lifted up from my hands, my eyes brimming with tears "She ran off..... we had an argument and she ran off.... I have no idea where she is Rich" Sniffling up my tears as I trail off. "What? What the hell were you guys arguing about? How do you not know where she is?" His lips were full of questions ready to burst out. "BECAUSE I DIDN'T GO AFTER HER!! I LET HER RUN OFF TO GOD KNOWS WHERE AND I DON'T KNOW WHERE SHE IS RICH.... SHE COULD BE FUCKING DEAD IN A DITCH SOMEWHERE FOR ALL I KNOW" My word coming out as agitated yells. A deep breath burst from my mouth "I'm sorry..." Dropping my head back into my hands. Suddenly a feeling of dread, guilt, anger, hurt and realisation hit me like a fist to the gut "I- I need to go look for her... I need to get out there". "It's alright Jon, we can help you look.... We can call the guys to help as well" Gesturing to Lizzie before looking back to me. "Yeah, Give everyone a call" Nodding my head slowly.
Soon enough we were out on the streets looking for Chrissie. Richie and I were looking together, Tico and Alec were together somewhere, Dave and Lizzie and my parents were all off looking round New Jersey desperately searching for her. We did check my house before we started but she wasn't there and I can't use my car just yet seeing as I'm fairly drunk still. It was totally pitch black and it was so hard to see anything but we searched all of her favourite places, all the places we think she would go to but she wasn't there. Richie and I were stood on a bridge, looking out onto the water "I hope she didn't come up here.... she might have fallen in" My voice breaking as I trail off. "Don't think like that Jon.... you know she knows better than that" Shaking his head through his words, in an attempt to reassure me and sway me from the bad thoughts that plagued my mind. We walked along the pier, walked through the park, we were all over New Jersey and still nothing. "What if she got a cab to her dad's ?" Richie's suggestion sparked my interest, if she did go there, she'd be there by now. We quickly scarpered back to the house and thankfully I have her dad's number jotted down on a note book.
About 10 minutes later, I slam the phone down, my anger growing by the second. "What did he say?" Richie quizzing me with concern in his eyes, "He said she's not there and to call him when we find her and he said he'd call if she does show up" Talking through gritted teeth. "Come on we better keep looking" Ushering me off to the front door. Seeing as it's been hours now and the sun is starting to come up and I'm certainly sober now, we decide to take my car, to cover more ground more quickly.
It's now a bright new morning and still no Chrissie, we haven't slept all night. We've been looking all over, going to all the places I thought she'd go to. A surge of anger electrified my body then before I knew it, my fists were punching the wall, nearly putting a hole through it. "Hey Jonny, It's alright, we're gonna find her" Richie giving my shoulder a gentle squeeze "I'm so scared Rich....I should have gone after her". "What were you guys even arguing about?" A deep sigh slips from my lips as my mind goes back to our argument "She says she's cried a thousand tears for me but I don't see it coz I'm not there for her the way she's there for me"......"She said I'd never marry you even if you asked then ran off" Growling as my fists punched the wall again, feeling so much anger at myself when repeating her words. "She didn't mean it kidd, trust me...Lizzie tells me the things she tells her about you and honestly Jon, she wants to marry you, she loves you, you guys are so perfect for each other it's annoying" His words make me hesitantly giggle. "Now you need to pull yourself together and keep looking" Giving me another shake. "But we've looked everywhere Rich....What if she isn't in New Jersey anymore?" My gaze dropping to my feet. "Well she hasn't went to her dad's because we've already called him and a part from him, she'd go to Lizzie and she hasn't....Now think....Where would she go, if she's upset and she's got a lot on her mind" His words knock the realisation into me like a fist to the gut. "A good place to think or just get out the house.....That's it" ......... "I know where she is".
We got to the beach and I slammed my breaks on causing my wheels to screech across the road. I started at one end of the beach and Richie went to the other side, there was visibly nothing to see which annoyed me. My feet were kicking pebbles when I thought all hope was gone when suddenly Richie shouted from across the beach "JONNY....SHE'S HERE!!". My feet sprinted so fast up the beach in a desperate attempt to see her, dropping to my knees when I reach her body. We roll her over carefully, quiet groans escape her lips when her back hits the sand. A layer of sand smothering every inch of her, she has clearly been here all night. We softly brushed as much sand from her as we could, her complexion was pale and she looked ill. "Richie...." Her croaky, weak voice filling the silence followed by deep breaths. "Yeah honey It's me" Giving her a gentle pat on the arm "Is Jonny angry at me" Considering I haven't spoken a single word, she didn't know I was there. "No honey....I think he's more angry at himself" It's true, I was so angry at myself for not being there for her the way I should be. Quiet sobs escape her mouth "I didn't mean it....", "Hey....Hey...It's alright baby" My voice soft and gentle as I caress her sandy cheek. "Jon...." Gasping out her words whilst her cold hand covers mine "Yeah baby It's me" She sighs sweetly against my hand. I gently scoop her up into my arms and carry her off the beach, gently sliding her in the backseat of my car.
As promised I gave her dad a call as soon as we got back and as suspected he asked to speak to her. I watched intensely as she spoke with her dad on the phone, her expression changing about 20 times so I imagine he was probably giving her a peace of his mind. The whole conversation was in Italian, so I couldn't understand a word. She placed the phone back down on the holder with a deep sigh "What did he say?". A sob burst from her mouth and before I knew it, I sprinted across the room to comfort her "Shhh It's alright... It's okay" Whispering sweet nothings to her while caressing her sandy hair. "He said I was reckless, thoughtless and he can't bare to lose me after losing my mom and brother.... He said he's glad I'm okay but he's not happy with me.." Sobbing into my chest as she trails off. "I'm sorry, I had to call him, I had no idea where you were... I was worried" Squeezing her closer to me in hopes it would ease her sobs. "It's okay I understand... I just hate disappointing him..." Her voice was weak and croaky because of her crying.
After about an hour or so, a bath and some food, she was feeling much better. She hasn't looked me in the eyes yet and it's only making me feel worse "I'm so sorry" Her voice just above a whisper. "Why are you sorry?" Grasping her hand with mine "I didn't mean what I said....I shouldn't have run off". "You were right....I'm not there for you the way I should be.....If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't know what day of the year it is and god knows how many stupid things I would have agreed to if you weren't there to tell me otherwise. I know I don't call you often enough when you're not with me on tour and I know I've missed birthdays.....and you never complain......But just know, I love you so much....you're everything" She was now looking me right in the eyes, tears slipping from the corners. "Oh Jonny..." She whispered off as she threw her arms round me, nuzzling her head into the crook of my neck "I love you too". She sniffled up her tears, nuzzling her head further into my neck, cooing as she melted into my arms. It feels so good to have her back in my arms again, taking in her scent and her touch. She brought one of her hands round and slipped it inside my shirt, caressing her fingers across my nipple. "You're so warm" Cooing as she whispers off, trailing soft feather light kisses up my neck and along my jaw, stopping when she comes to my lips. Seeing she had been in the bath, she only had a towel wrapped round her. While I muffle her sweet moans with my kisses, I unwrap the towel from her body, tossing it to the floor before pulling her onto my lap.
Another hour later and after some great, steaming hot make up sex, we were snuggled up on the sofa watching a movie, with nothing but a blanket over us. All of a sudden the front door burst open followed by a rabble of people. Richie, Lizzie, Dave, Tico, Alec and even my parents came bounding into the living room, disturbing our peaceful moment. "What are you guys doin here?" A look of utter confusion settled on my face. "We thought we'd get together and have a family night.... we brought pizzas and beer" Chrissie and I looked at each other with intrigue before looking back at them. "Alright you're allowed in.... Just don't move the blanket coz we ain't got nothin on" My comment earned a slap on the chest from Chrissie and a scowl from my mom "John Francis" My mom scolding me with her tone. So after Chrissie begged me to go get ready, we scurried into the bedroom with the blanket wrapped round us both. I threw on my sweatpants while she put on one of my baggy t-shirts and a pair of leggings. Soon enough we were back on the sofa, snuggled up with the blanket on us with the addition of Richie and Lizzie next to us under the blanket. My mom and Dad were on the other sofa and the rest were sitting on the chairs, seeing it is a big living room, it can easily fit everyone in a lot better than my apartment. This is actually a really great idea, I'm glad they just turned up because if they asked us, we probably would have said no. We broke into the pizza boxes like a bunch of hungry apes, groaning with pleasure as we stuff our faces with the steaming hot pizza. A short while later and all that remained of the pizza was a few lonely, neglected crumbs in the boxes. We were left clutching our swollen stomachs with beer bottles latched to our hands, burping and belching off our food.
After a few movies, my parents decided to go home seeing as it was getting late. Dave immediately Dove onto the sofa, wriggling round and making himself comfortable. Meanwhile, Richie, Lizzie, Chrissie and I are all warm and cosy on the other sofa. We've had a few bottles by this point but not quite feeling the affects of it. We're all sitting watching a horror movie that's on tv which caused Chrissie to snuggle further into me, she always gets scared watching these films. Richie and I looked at each other with devilish smirks, the same idea coming to our heads. A jump scare was coming up in the movie, so Richie and I both prepared ourselves. Richie and I brought our hands round, giving them a shake, scaring Lizzie and Chrissie just as the jump scare came on, causing them both to elicit deafening squeals. "JONNYY!!" Slapping my chest, she was clearly agitated for a moment before she let out a giggle when she noticed me desperately forcing back a laugh. She cooed as she wriggled back into my arms, getting herself all comfy on my chest. None of us actually ended up getting drunk seeing as we were all so engrossed with watching the films which I'm certainly glad about. After last night, I'll be happy if we never look at another bottle of beer, running all round New Jersey while I'm out of my mind drunk, certainly made me nauseous, I think I puked about 10 times. We all continued watching films until we drifted off to sleep in the living room. I think I heard Richie and Lizzie disappear upstairs, so I already know what their planning on doing. Chrissie wriggled round on top of me a few times before she settled, letting us drift back off to sleep again.