My Lover Boy| JJ Maybank

Chapter 4

The next thing she knew, Evelyn was in a hospital bed. It took a second to remember what happened and how she got there, but once she did, she opened her eyes in shock.

She couldn't believe what had happened.

"You're awake," a voice said. She looked around the room, not realizing she hadn't been alone. Sitting next to her was JJ, the blonde boy who had carried her.

"JJ?" she asked. She noticed his eye. He had a black eye where she had punched him. "I forgot I punched you."

"Well I didn't," he laughed. "You've got a gnarly punch there."

She chuckled. They fell into silence. The two hadn't really spoken to each other for almost ten years. Evelyn couldn't believe that the same boy she had cared for all those times was caring for her now.

"I didn't know you and my brother were friends," she said.

JJ nodded. "Yeah, uh, for like a long time now."

Evelyn looked away. She wished she had paid more attention to her brother's friends. She hadn't ever cared before, but she wondered when they became friends now.

"How have you been?" she asked. "You've gotten away from your father?"

He sighed. Evelyn could tell it was still a sensitive topic. "Well, the old man's still around, just don't go home if I can help it."

"Oh," she said. "I'm sorry. Have you been staying with John then?"

"Most of the time."

Evelyn nodded again. She had never thought that other people might be staying at the Château like she was staying at Sarah's. It upset her that her former friend had to go through that.

A loud crash was heard in the hallway causing the two teenagers to look up. JJ stood, prepared to fight whoever it was. It was clear they were both still on edge from the experience. But when the door opened, it wasn't the two men from before, but rather it was Ward.

"Oh sweetie," he said, concern all over his face. "I'm so sorry. I'm going to make sure they're found, okay?"

Evelyn smiled at him. Ward was kind to her and treated her like his own daughter. She was thankful to have someone to take care of her. She had hoped that her brother would find someone as well, but the closest he had gotten was a job with Ward.

"Thank you," she said. 

"Of course," he smiled. "I'm going to talk to the doctors. Sarah is heading over here and the rest of your friends are at home. We'll get you back as soon as we can."

Evelyn nodded. Ward turned around and left to find the doctor, ignoring JJ sitting in the corner of the room.

"He's so nice to you," JJ observed.

"I would hope so," Evelyn replied, nervous to admit the next part. "He's basically adopted me. The paperwork is getting signed soon."

The look on JJ's face told Evelyn everything she needed to know. He wasn't happy with her and her brother wasn't going to like it either. As much as they complained about the Kook's treating them like trash, they also treated the Kook's differently.

"You've gotta be fucking joking, chica."

Evelyn smiled. It'd been awhile since she'd been called that. "I'm not. He's not giving me any rules, it's just so I have someone with legal guardianship. It helps with college, and residency, and stuff like that. Plus, I'd like to be able to have a family again."

He grunted. "It's just like John B said, you have a family, but you refuse to believe your dad's alive and you push away your brother."

JJ was standing up now, pacing around the room. She didn't know why he was so upset about this because he wasn't her brother, and he had always said he wanted what was best for her.

"My dad has been missing for nine months, he was mentally gone before that too," Evelyn explained. "I'm sorry, but he wasn't my father for long before that anyways. John, on the other hand, pushed me away first. I made friends and he hated them, and from then on he started pushing me away. He doesn't accept that I am not like him. I don't want to look for this treasure, I love school, and I love the Kooks. Some of them really are nice people."

He was looking at her with an emotion she couldn't decipher. It was strange to her, how the boy she once knew could be so different now. He used to never be this angry.

"Even now, after those men pointed the gun at your head yesterday, you still don't believe it?" JJ raised his voice.

The mention of yesterday caused Evelyn to flinch and a few tears to appear in her eyes. It was too early to talk about it. She could've died, and he just brought it up so casually? JJ apparently saw the change in her face, because he immediately bent down next to her and wiped the tears off her cheeks.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I'm sorry, angel. I shouldn't have brought it up."

Her breath hitched. He'd only called her that a few times, but he had never said it like that before. He'd never said it so softly, with so much concern or emotion. It was only ever jokingly, or when they used to pretend they were on a date when someone would ask.

"It's okay," Evelyn replied. "I need to hear it at some point."

He only nodded. There wasn't much he could say to make her feel any better about the situation. Evelyn couldn't help but notice his ocean-blue eyes hadn't changed since the last time she saw them. 

"JJ?" she asked. "Do you really think he could be alive?"

He opened his mouth to speak, but the door opened again before he could say anything. Sarah threw open the door and rushed over to Evelyn. As Rafe followed in behind her, JJ quickly backed away. She didn't think that having Rafe and JJ in the same room was going to end well, but there was nothing she could do about it.

"Oh my god!" Sarah exclaimed, wrapping Evelyn in a hug. "I cannot believe this happened. I'm so sorry. I hope those men die brutally."

Evelyn giggled. "Thanks Sarah, but I don't think they are going to get a brutal death."

Sarah shrugged, "Oh well, I tried."

Evelyn looked past her other see the two boys just staring at each other.

"I'm assuming you are the reason why Ev got attacked?" Rafe accused.

JJ put his hands up, and started to explain himself, but Evelyn interrupted. "No, Rafe. He brought me here. So did my brother and his other friends. I got attacked by two random people who broke into the house. It wasn't his fault."

She conveninetly left out the part about the compass. Evelyn decided she would tell Sarah later, and maybe Ward, but Rafe didn't need a reason to hurt JJ, or his friends. Rafe eyed her with suspicion. He was just like John B. He didn't trust the Pogues, and he did everything he could to get them into trouble. Eventually, he gave up and broke eye contact. She always won their arguments.

"Nat and Kay are at home waiting for you," Sarah said. "They're so worried about you."

"Sorry, I would've called or texted, but my phone's smashed."

"Don't worry about it, Dad's already gonna get you a new one. It's time to come home, though. Dad's finishing the paperwork, and he'll get your medicine or whatever you need from the doctors."

Evelyn nodded, and let Sarah and Rafe help her out of the bed. She looked back at JJ, wanting to talk to him more, but she knew it wasn't going to happen. They were different now, their friendship would never be the same as it had been. As she left, she thought she had seen a glimpse of longing in his eyes, like he wanted to keep talking to her too.

Sarah must've noticed her watching him, because once Rafe was ahead of them, she said, "I'll make sure he comes to the party."