The Ocean Remembers | JJ Maybank

C H A P T E R 11

(tw: physical abuse)

I OWED YOU ONE

𝐈 𝐖𝐀𝐋𝐊𝐄𝐃 to JJ's house pretty anxious, actually. I couldn't take his words out of my mind, during our night call. Maybe he was finally ready to be friend with me. Maybe in the end he didn't hate me so much, and John B had been right, that night at the party.

I arrived near his house and waited a few meters away, for him to arrive. I looked all around me and I could tell JJ's family wasn't very rich. His house, seen from this angle, seemed even smaller than what I had seen the day before.

Living with an abusive parent for sure wasn't easy, so living in this small house with an abusive parent must've been even harder. As JJ wasn't coming and it was already past 11:45 am, I walked closer to the house and soon understood why he wasn't coming.

"Don't fucking lie to me did you bring someone home?!" his father's voice yelled.

"Dad I said no!" he responded.

"Where are these clothes from then, huh?" his dad yelled again but this time I heard a louder noise and JJ groaned.

"I don't know! It must be Kiara's," the blonde boy defended.

Then it came back, I had forgotten my clothes at his house, the precedent day, because I had left quickly not to be caught. I heard another loud noise as I kept coming closer, tears filling my eyes and JJ groaning in pain. How could I stay here listening to JJ taking punches when it was all because of me?

I didn't think of it twice and rang at the door. They stopped screaming and I heard footsteps coming before someone opened the door.

As JJ's father appeared in the door frame, I first was surprised on how he didn't look like his son at all. He looked tired, dirty, almost naturally agressive. So many things that JJ was not. Even if the boy wasn't easy to deal with, he was always radiant, energetic, as if it was his way to deal with what wasn't easy. Maybe humour was his way to escape sadness and troubles.

So I faced his father, acting as if I wasn't scared, which wasn't easy. I was much smaller than him, but I tried not to seem strange or afraid in any way. "Hi are you Mr Maybank?" I asked.

JJ stood behind him with wide eyes, shaking his head, as if he was telling me not to get into it. "Yes it's me," he rudely answered.

"I'm Kendall Foster, would you mind giving a little bit of your time for charity?" I asked, not knowing where to go with my lie next.

"Charity, do I look like a man who'd give to charity? I can't even pay taxes!" he yelled at me and I stepped back a little.

"Are you sure? maybe your son here w-"

"We're not interested," he snapped, "bye"

He started to close the door at my face but it re-opened immediately. "I'm interested actually, how can I help?" JJ spoke getting out of the house and slamming the door behind him.