Return to Mt Horizon

18

JJ's pov
On the final day of the hike, we woke up early and made our way to the mountain. Penelope had helped me make a nice little flag and I made Peter take my picture. We took a couple photos, with Emily and Sophie, then one of the whole group. Our hike back was easy, we stopped a couple miles from the school.

"So you guys did this for fun?" Emily asked. I laughed and wrapped an arm around her. "It was fun when we were younger. Plus Shelby found some magic mushrooms once, that was fun." Ezra smiled. "You said they were poisonous." I stated. He shrugged and I threw a stick at him. "I'm really proud of you Shelb. You put your flag on the mountain." Sophie said as we got ready to walk again.

I saw the spot in the lake we used to hang out and I just sat by the water while everyone packed their things. Daisy came to sit by me and I couldn't look at her. "Remember when we used to come here? The time we managed to get Sophie and Peter here with us?" She asked. I nodded. "Maybe we can come back here this week."

When we arrived back to the school, I could smell Rossi's cooking from outside. "I know that smell." Derek stated, following me to the dining hall. He had made enough pasta the students, counselors and us. "Welcome back!" Penelope yelled when we walked through the doors. "You didn't have to do all this." I smiled.

"Yes they did." Emily said, already grabbing me a plate of food. "Thank you all. For the food and the hike. It meant more than you could ever know." I smiled, joining everyone at a table. I told Penelope everything and she crossed it off the list. Everyone helped clean up and I joined Sophie at the docks.

"How's your brain?" She asked. I grabbed a cigarette from her hand. "It's quiet for once. I think I just needed to see that Shelby was still in here." I smiled. It was the truth. "She is. And when we can, we can go to that spot in the lake. I know you like it there." I nodded. "It was the only place I felt normal."

"I didn't feel like the abused prostitute. I was just Shelby, a high schooler." I gave her the almost burnt-out cigarette and brushed my hands off. "I think I needed it at the time." Sophie nodded. "That's understandable. Don't tell Peter, but we didn't do the best at giving you a normal childhood."

I laughed. "It was better than everything else I had." We stood up and said goodbye before I went to the cabin. The team was getting ready for bed and Spencer was on his bed. "Hey, Spence." I smiled. He looked up from his book and looked at me. "Hey Jenni-" He started but cut himself off. "Jennifer?" I asked.

"Last time you called me Jennifer, Emily just came back." Something's wrong. He just nodded. "If you have something to say to me, say it. I'm not playing this game." I stated, crossing my arms and facing him. I could feel the team looking at me but I stayed looking at Spencer. "You really want me to tell you?" I nodded. "I told you to tell me, didn't I?"

Spencer put his book down and looked at me. "I don't even know what to call you. JJ or Shelby?" I shrugged. "Who do you want? I'll be Shelby or I'll be JJ." He stared at me with a dumb look on his face. "It's not that easy." I shrugged again. "Pick." He didn't answer. "Pick." Still nothing. "Pick." I finally yelled. "Be Shelby."

"Fine." I stated. "I trusted you. You could have told me. We are friends and you should have told me." Emily stood up and tried to intervene. "Spencer." She started but I cut her off. "No. Let him talk. He has something to say so grow up and say it." I yelled at him. "I don't even recognize you." He said, standing up.

"I don't know who you are. We have been friends for almost 10 years and I don't know who you are." I scoffed and shook my head. I walked towards him and stood in his face. "Don't be a bitch and grow the hell up." I stared at him and I could tell he didn't know what to do. "You wanted Shelby, you fucking got her."

Nobody moved, they didn't know what to do. "You don't know what it felt like to wait for a man to come into your room every night for 7 years. I did things you couldn't imagine. You want to cry and complain that I didn't tell you. You couldn't handle it." I looked between his eyes and he just looked at me.

I could tell he had something to say. "Fucking say it." I whispered. "You know what I wanted to do when I found out?" I laughed. "Pulling the drug card again? Original." He pushed past me and I scoffed. "You think you're the only ex-addict? You think you are the only person that has had a drug problem?"