Strings Attached • JIARA•

22

thank you for all the love on the last chapter ❤️

Kie's POV:

JJ called me super late and he sounded like he was in a bad place mentally. As soon as he started talking, I immediately grabbed my roommate and told her to drive me to the airport. I had nothing with me but my small purse. I booked a flight to OBX and it left in ten minutes. I ran through security and right as I got on the plane JJ ended the phone call.

He told me that he loved me. It was exactly what I wanted him to say on New Year's Eve. I was so worried but the plane took off and there was nothing I could do. I couldn't help but think the worse.

I landed and I got to the Chateau as soon as possible. It had been about four hours in total since I last spoke to JJ. I saw blood everywhere and his body was laying on the floor. I broke down in tears. I leaned down and saw he was breathing, thank God.

I pulled his head into my lap as I whispered, "It's okay, I'm here"

He was way too heavy for me to move him so I went into the spare bedroom and I pulled the comforter off the bed along with the pillows and grabbed a spare blanket. I laid the comforter down and moved JJ onto that as I laid the blanket over him.

I laid down next to him and fell asleep. I woke up the next morning and JJ was still asleep. I laid there with him lightly playing with his hair.

"Am I dreaming? Am I dead? Or are you really here?" He asked still half asleep and hung over

"I'm really here" I replied as I placed my hand on his body

"I don't remember anything last night after the fight with my dad. So whatever I said to you, I didn't mean it" He said which made me think he regretted telling me he loved me

It didn't matter because I wasn't going to bring it up. I got up and grabbed him some Advil and water. I was going to start cleaning up all the blood, but JJ wanted me to lay back down with him.

"What happened last night?" He asked

"You called me really upset about your dad and I was worried so I got on a plane and found you passed out on the floor here. I couldn't move you, so I made us a bed on the floor"

"Shit, I must have been pretty wasted. I'm sorry"

"Don't apologize. I told you that I'm here for you and I meant it. I'm glad you called me so you didn't suffer alone"

JJ fell back asleep and I got to work cleaning up all the dried blood, beer cans and spilled alcohol. JJ woke up a few hours later and I made him some food as I washed the blankets we slept on last night.

JJ claimed that he was fine and that I should go back to Florida but I couldn't leave him. I knew he was lying.

"I'm not leaving today. Today, I am here with you"

Suddenly, the door opened and John B and Sarah appeared. They had a huge plumbing issue at their school and they shut it down for the next week. They had online classes so they decided to come back home for a bit.

We just said that JJ got into a fight with his dad. The four of us spent the day watching movies and playing video games. It took JJ's mind off things and that night, he went to take a shower. Once I heard the shower run, I told them why I came and how he sounded that night on the phone.

"He's been in there for almost forty minutes. Someone should go check on him" Sarah said

John B knocked on the door and said, "JJ, dude, you good?"

He got no response. We all got worried and John B said, "I'm not going in. I don't need to see him naked"

"Neither do I" Sarah immediately said

I got up and walked into the bathroom and shut the door behind me.

"J, it's just me" I said softly as I slowly opened the shower curtain

JJ was sitting on the floor and he was crying. I shut the water off and I handed him a towel. The water was freezing as there was no hot water left. He got up and wrapped the towel around his body. I hugged him and I know he was hiding the bruises from me with the towel.

He left the bathroom and went into his room to get dressed. I gave him a few minutes before I went in there too and laid down in bed with him. I held him as he was the little spoon and I just repeated comforting things over and over.

"Kie" He whispered

"Yeah"

"I'm sorry that I called you. I just didn't know who else to call. I know you didn't agree to this shit when we started our arrangement with no strings attached"

"The whole arrangement was never going to work out between us"

"Why not?" He asked as he rolled over to face me

"Because there were always strings attached," I said in almost a whisper

We both slowly leaned in. Our foreheads were touching. I could feel his warm breath. Our lips were inches apart. There was so much sexual tension between us. We both knew nothing could happen.

He pulled me into his arms and he wrapped his arms around me as my head rested on his shoulder/chest. He kissed my head and we eventually fell asleep and the next morning, he acted as if nothing had happened.

He was back to his old self making jokes and laughing. He kept telling me that he was fine and that I should go back to Florida as I was missing class.

"Kie, you should go. We'll be here for five more days and we can keep an eye on him" John B said

"Yeah, I promise that I will watch him"

I didn't want to leave but I knew my mom and dad would be pissed if they found out. Dylan is also worried as I left without telling anyone. I booked a flight back to Florida for later today.

I was taking JJ for a walk on the beach. We walked in silence and then I asked, "J, before I go back to school I need to know something. You wouldn't ever hurt yourself or commit suicide or anything like that would you?"

"No, last night was the first time something like that has ever happened. I didn't want to die. I was just in a shit ton of pain from the fight and I got drunk. When I passed out, the pain went away. I know that's not the way to solve my problems. I promise you that I won't do that again"

I hugged him and said, "Good because you scared me"

"I scared myself... I laid there pain free but all I wanted was you. Which is why I called you and I don't remember any of it. Thank you for coming and taking care of me"

We walked and talked and JJ was still in pain. When we got back to the Chateau, I asked him, "Do you want me to check to make sure your ribs aren't broken?"

"Nah, I'm good" He said as we went inside and I know he didn't want me to see his scars

The others came to say goodbye and they promised to watch JJ and he promised me he was okay. I told JJ to call me if he needs me. It was so hard leaving him but I knew I had to do it.

I got back to my dorm and I told Dylan that one of my friends really needed me. He knew I was talking about JJ. He was pretty upset but I promised him nothing happened and that JJ was just my best friend, nothing else. He was only upset because I didn't tell him anything else besides that he got into a bad fight.

Dylan got over it in a few hours and we were back to normal. JJ texted me every day for the next few days and John B and Sarah both told me he was fine. I worried about him all the time. It has been a week. Today, JJ was basically not responding to any calls or texts and I was worried after a few hours.

I was sitting on the couch in the small main area/living room with my roommates working on homework when JJ appeared.

"What are you doing here?" I asked in shock as I didn't expect to see him here