someone to stay, ⁹¹¹

𝟎𝟐𝟐.

JJ walked into the cafeteria with a heavy weight on her shoulders. She was miserable, and she had every right to be, but it didn't mean she didn't hate the pit in her stomach.

She'd seen her best friend when they walked into the building this morning. Sophia had given her a sad look but continued walking, not sparing JJ another glance. It was safe to say JJ was ready to climb back into bed and never leave again.

She'd left that note for her father this morning, sticking to the promise they'd made years ago. She wasn't mad at him anymore, she was just sad. However, she had now directed her anger towards Bobby.

He had been the one to hold her father back from what he loved. He held him back despite him being fully cleared to go back. This wasn't Buck's fault. It was Bobby's.

She knew it was cruel to switch her anger from her Dad to Bobby, but if she had to point the blame to anyone, her finger would go in his direction.

She sat down in the corner of the cafeteria, pulling her phone out of her pocket, seeing many missed calls from her Dad.

As she went to call back, it buzzed in her hands, Buck's incoming call flashing on the screen.

"Hey." He breathed out when she answered. "Are you on lunch?" He asked. "Yeah," JJ answered quietly. "Okay, good. I have to tell you something and it can't wait."

"What is it?" She rushed out. "I dropped the lawsuit. It was wrong, and I'm sorry baby, I really am." JJ sighed.

"I just wanted my job back. And I didn't think of you, and I'll regret that forever." He admitted. "Dad, it's okay. I get why you did it, and I forgive you."

She heard him let out a big sigh. "That's good. I love you, baby. I'll see you at home." JJ smiled. "I Love you, Dad."

JJ looked around the cafeteria silently after she'd hung up the phone. She spotted Sophia on the other side of the room, Kiara sat on her left. Sophia had her phone up to her ear, a smile taking over her face.

They soon connected eyes across the busy room, and Sophia launched from her seat and rushed over to JJ. Which for some reason, JJ wasn't happy about.

"JJ!" Sophia exclaimed, rushing over to her best friend. She went to pull JJ into a hug, but her friend took a step back, crossing her arms over her chest. "What's wrong?" Sophia asked.

JJ didn't answer her, only shaking her head before walking away. Sophia stood dumbfounded as she watched JJ walk away. She'd seen JJ on the phone seconds before Eddie had called her, so she knew that JJ knew the lawsuit was dropped.

So why wasn't she happy? More importantly, why wasn't she happy to see Sophia?

Sophia wasn't sure why she didn't follow after JJ. A voice inside her head screamed at her to do so, but her feet were stuck on the ground as she watched JJ walk away.

She didn't miss the tear that slipped down JJ's cheek as she turned around. Her face mirrored JJ's as a tear slipped from her eye.

When did everything become so fucked up?

JJ sat on her bed, staring at the pill bottle in her hand. She knew it was wrong, and that she should probably cut back on the amount she was taking, but they'd helped her get through these last three days.

She knew it wouldn't end well if any of her family found out, but at least she wasn't an addict. Her biological parents were addicts. Not her. She'd never be them.

She just used them to numb the pain, that's what they were for after all. They were meant for physical pain, but they helped with the pain that she felt inside.