✧*̥˚ITS ALWAYS YOU! *̥˚✧ J.M 2

046

𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗙𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗬-𝗦𝗜𝗫
𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙠𝙚𝙙.

𝗔𝗥𝗜𝗔 𝗙𝗟𝗜𝗖𝗞𝗘𝗥𝗘𝗗 𝗛𝗘𝗥 𝗘𝗬𝗘𝗦 between the photo and the key.

The photo had been a few months old, taken in her fathers office of her mother and her, They stood beside each other, fake smiles plastered on their faces as they hugged.

In the background hung a portrait, a perfectly painted key hung by his desk. It matched identically with the Hayward boys key.

"Look." She handed him her phone, his lips parting as he zoomed in on the picture.

"No way." He muttered in disbelief, his eyes seeming to be glued on the painted picture.

Aria darted her tongue out, "It's still there. I can grab it for you?"

"Really? That would be perfect." Pope raised his brows, sliding her phone back to her,

She smiled gently, nodding slightly before glancing at the blonde beside her, "I should probably check on my mom."

"You really wanna go back there?" JJ asked, tilting his head to the side.

"Not really. But she needs me, J. I can't leave her by herself after her husband just died." Aria swallowed.

His face softened, his gaze drawn to her as he couldn't bare to take his eyes off her delicate features, "alone? What if she-"

"She won't." Aria interrupted, her small hands coming to hold his larger ones as she attempted to soothe his bad thoughts.

JJ shook his head, his eyes finally falling to his lip as she cradled his hands, "I don't trust her."

"Neither do I. She's in her own headspace right now. She'll be more mad at me if I don't come home." She bargained, sighing out of exhaustion as her headache began to return.

"Okay." Was all he managed to muster up, giving up on begging her to stay right by his side where he had been able to protect her. But maybe she didn't need it.

Aria stood, her knees wobbly as she stumbled back onto the couch, JJ's hands holding her upright as she had fell back into the same position.

A groan left her mouth as her body felt weak, her eyes nearly fluttering shut as she breathed out in distress.

"You have to rest." He pleaded, his hand resting on the small of her back.

She felt the warmth of his comforting touch, the deja vu making her head spin, knowing that this was only temporary made her nauseous.

Aria shrugged his hand off as she placed her palms flat against the couch, helping herself up once more.

Instead of falling back into the couch she had stayed upright, her legs barely stable as she slowly took steps forwards.

"You shouldn't go alone." JJ hesitated, shaking his head in worry.

"I'll be fine. Pope can you drive me?" She tore her eyes off the blonde, her gaze falling on the boy before her.

He nodded, grabbing the keys off the side table as he slipped the key into his back pocket.

"Just be careful, alight?" He called out as she opened the screen door.

Aria glanced at him over her shoulder, smiling lightly, "yea."

The two teens wondered out into the darkness, the only light being the headlights of the Twinkie as she stood parked on a slope.

She pulled herself up onto the passenger seat, her body still aching as she strapped herself against the seat.

Pope started the car, the engine roaring as the AC came blasting on.

He pulled out in reverse, moving the stick as he began to drive.

The car ride was relatively silent, Aria had her hands folded in her lap as she stared out of the window, Pope keeping his eyes glued on the road.

Once they had pulled up to her home, she finally turned to look at him.

"I'm gonna get you the picture. Pick me up tomorrow at noon. Don't be early and don't be late. Love ya!" Aria grasped his hand before opening the door, her hands grabbing onto the door handle as she helped herself down.

"Gotchu. Love you!" He blew her a kiss playfully, his foot pressing down onto the gas as the car disappeared.

Aria turned to look at her house, nothing had changed on the outside, but the inside was full of a crumbling family.

She slowly began to walk up to her front door, swallowing in regret as her fingertips pressed in the code.

The door unlocked, creaking open a tad as she pushed it open further, stepping inside of her half empty house.

This was going to be a long night.