Heated Lies (Jiara)

Make Up

Sarah didn't even let him knock. She beckoned for him to join her inside, and he followed, awkwardly twisting the golden colored door handle.

She was incredibly kind, offering him a drink and even a hug. It took him by surprise, but he didn't dare deny the affection even if she brushed by a particularly nasty bruise.

"Sarah, I came over because I had something important to say." Her hug almost made him forget. Physical touch was already so scarce in his life, not that he couldn't get it if he asked for it, but he hadn't... and he wouldn't.

"So I'm told." She nodded, sitting with him at the kitchen table. "Is everything okay?"

He didn't want to tell her about Luke. That was too much. An apology, though, felt in order.

"I'm really sorry." Her jaw dropped. He quickly continued, ignoring the voice telling him to shut up. "...about the way I treated you on our last phone call. I didn't mean to, like, blow up on you. There's just a lot going on in my life right now. In any case, you didn't deserve it."

She might've been late to figure this out, because JJ usually acted clueless and careless, but now she could tell something was wrong. He spoke formally, almost like it was rehearsed.

"Okay." She mumbled. Then, louder, "Thank you, JJ."

"Yeah..."

There was a short silence as they both conveniently sipped the tea she provided.

"You can talk to me if you need. Door is usually open."

He smiled a little, starting to realize just that. Of course, that would take time if it ever happened at all. Telling Kiara took all he had, and she was his girlfriend.

He smiled to himself at the thought of that word.

"Thanks, Sarah."

That was around when Kiara honked from her dad's truck. JJ chuckled.

"Alright, I gotta go. I'll see you next time the gang hangs out." He turned to the door.

"Hey, before you go, do you know when that'll be?" Sarah wondered. "Us all hanging out again. Feels like everyone fell off."

JJ sighed. "I'm not sure. I'll let you know."

With that, he left the Cameron house. Kiara was grinning at him from the driver's seat.

"How'd it go?"

"Good, good." He settled into a comfortable position. "Why'd you honk the horn?"

"Maybe I missed you." She looked away. "I can do that, right?"

"Yes." He swiftly turned her jaw back to face him and kissed her cheek. "Yes, you can."

With the new butterflies in her stomach, she didn't have the heart to tell him she'd gotten a message from her mother. She wouldn't tell anyone yet, even if it felt selfish. JJ had enough of his plate, and she'd already decided that.

Her phone buzzed a second time, and JJ waited for her to pick it up. She didn't touch it for well over a minute, which made JJ wonder, but not worry.

Of course, she eventually lifted it to stifle any issue before it started. It was only Sarah, commenting on what she'd just seen.

Sarah- AM I CRAZY OR DID JJ JUST KISS YOU

JJ watched her reaction as she typed back an eager response.

***

She kept the forced smile and drove them to their next destination- John B's house. Pope was also there, as they saw by the yellow backpack out front.

"JB!" Both Kiara and JJ said in unison. "Pope!"

John B could've tripped over his own feet rushing to the door. Kiara watched them squeeze him in a hug. JJ did wince, but he was extremely good at hiding it. The floorboards on the porch creaked as they reconnected.

Kiara, though, wasn't so great. She couldn't look at any of them until the hug was over.

"God, we missed you, man!" John B patted his back roughly, though he was smiling.

Kiara had to remind herself that this was normal. John B didn't know, and JJ wanted to keep it that way. But it felt so wrong.

"Yeah, but the police are on your ass, J." Pope interjected. "Who are the three minors you assaulted?"

"And a major." JJ added. "Rafe, Topper, Kelce, and Barry."

"Barry?!" Pope blurted out. "As in the drug dealer?"

"As in yes."

JJ looked unbothered while Kiara wondered how he was going to tell the story this time.

"Just a scuffle." He looked down,
miraculously avoiding looking at his stomach. "I called the cops on Barry. Figured it would take out four birds with one fentanyl laced stone."

Everyone sort of trailed off as that thought went through. Kiara could've been scared, but she was a lot more shocked at how well he pulled it off. It should've made her happy, because he definitely knew what he was doing...

Except it only made her wonder how many times he did it to her.

"Oh, smart! We probably have at least a day till they get out via bail money." Pope said. "But where does that leave you?"

"Oh, I ran."

Everyone groaned. "How are you gonna do this?"

"Maybe I'll go to Yucatán till it blows over."

There was the JJ they knew. It was unbelievably relieving as much as it was the usual level of concerning. It eased everyone back into regular conversation, which made both JJ and Kiara release a breath they'd been holding. Someone said something about the hot tub, and everyone quickly agreed, even JJ. Of course, he'd had a plan to keep up his lie.

Who was going to deny him a swim shirt?

"Since when do you wear a swim shirt?" John B asked, stepping into the jetted water.

Kiara snapped her head in their direction, nails impossibly chipped. JJ was still calm.

"Felt like it."

That was that. John B didn't bat an eye. It made her furious. But she couldn't show that. The rest of the night went on like that, JJ selling so much bullshit it was becoming ridiculous. Kiara wasn't mad, or maybe she was, but it was starting to feel morbid.

Why had she agreed to keep quiet? Why would JJ even want to keep quiet? Didn't he want it to stop? The hiding, the bruises, the deflection?? She wondered if she could ask him. Would it cross a line? She didn't want him to stop trusting her.

Then came another question. If he was lying all the time, how could she trust him?