Heated Lies (Jiara)

Breakdown at the Beach

A plane ticket. For all of them to go, he could spend over a thousand dollars. He didn't even have the slightest clue why they were going, or how he'd get that kind of money.

He was angered that it had come to this point. To save his own ass, he was bargaining with his son. This was not the way it should work. Why didn't JJ just go with him? Why wasn't JJ scared?!

His grip on the boy was loosening. That couldn't happen. If JJ thought he could blatantly disobey his father, he had another thing coming. But for now, playing nice was Luke's only option.

***

"Let her out!!" It was extremely loud. Ms. Jenkins voice sent shivers down Kiara's spine. The door opened, and she was faced with the erie hallways of the makeshift asylum.

She stepped forward, letting the door shut behind her. Then she walked toward the main halls, where everyone else was going about their day. No one questioned her.

Well, except for the four eyed girl she'd spoken to before. "Kie!"

"Yeah..." Kiara sighed. "I thought it was over for me."

"You thought? Girl, I was digging your grave!" Nora laughed, shoving her shoulder. "Don't ever do that again! I don't know anyone else here."

"All that back and forth and you don't know anyone else?" Kie laughed. "Guess I'm the lucky one."

"You could say that." Nora sat down in one of the big red chairs by the wall. A security guard glared at her and she rolled her eyes.

"I have some news actually." Kiara brought her voice to whisper, making Nora lean forward to hear her. "I'll be leaving soon. I can't talk about it."

"Really?" She sounded disappointed. "I wish I could go with you. You'd think my parents would trust me by now. They can't possibly need that extra house. At my big age I could be there all on my
own."

"Extra house?!" Kiara practically yelled. "You have spare houses just laying around?!"

"I thought I told you they're rich." Nora groaned. "Do you know how much this place costs for one semester? I've been here almost my whole life."

***

The Heyward house was quiet. JJ still hadn't left his room, and John B was beyond guilty. Sarah was cuddling close to him on Pope's house. It was an awkward situation for them all, but no one truly knew what was going through JJ's brain.

Not only had he gone through game over, but he hadn't even known his secret had been given up. He wondered how long they knew. Then the little things would click into place.

Like why they barely touched him anymore. Even if it hurt, those rough pats on the back let him know he was locked in with his friends. He needed that like he needed air to breathe.

It was a complete and total betrayal, and the worst part was that it was Kiara that told them. He couldn't even be mad because she was out in a camp a million miles away.

But he was mad. He was incredibly pissed. He'd had too much trust in her, and it let him down. She promised. Even if she thought she was doing the right thing, she lied in that promise.

"JJ, bud..." John B knocked quietly on the door. "You alright in there?"

JJ didn't know Pope and Sarah were waiting for a response too. The blonde boy finally opened the door.

"Is that what you all talked about? When Kiara came over here and I wasn't invited? Y'all were talking about me?"

John B stepped in front of JJ, putting two hands on his shoulders. For some reason, that physical touch made the blonde boy want to cry. He hated his best friend in that moment.

"We're really sorry." He says, trying to look him in the eyes. His words are enough to send the boy over the edge.

"Man, fuck you guys!" And with that, he packing his things all over again, and kicking the door open.

His friends call to him, but none of them run afterward. They know he needs his own time to work through it.

When JJ left, he'd never been more upset. It was a mixture of anger and sadness he almost couldn't bear. He found himself at the dock, screaming into deepened darkness.

Then he was running, panting and sweating, back to the lighthouse where he'd hidden times before. On the way there, he'd passed the chateau, where he saw John B's broken mirror out near the trash can.

He ran faster, until the lights became a blur and he was way past out of breath. His hair had become stringy and matted, but he managed to run his fingers back through it anyway.

By the time he stopped, he was near the beach, staring at rocks and the small area filled with seashells and glass near the water. He sat down, taking off his shoes and socks to feel the sand.

His shirt came off next, and it was the first time he didn't give two fucks who was watching. The scars were prominent, but the more he stretched, the less he cared.

It came in waves; his anger. He'd punch the sand, feeling some sort of release when the eroded rocks flew everywhere. Then he was chucking dry sand into the waves until the moon came out and forced him to accept the truth.

For everything he'd ever been through, this was his lowest. He wouldn't go home to his father, he couldn't go back to his friends, and his girlfriend was gone in California.

He hated himself for it, but he let himself cry. No one was looking, but he knew he didn't care if they were. He was past caring about anything, and that should've been scary, but it wasn't.

Once he was finally able to breathe again, he felt at peace. His tears dried in the breeze, and he fell asleep to the waves, using his backpack as a pillow.

Author- you knew this was coming, it's unedited.