𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐬| 𝑅𝑎𝑓𝑒 𝐶𝑎𝑚𝑒𝑟𝑜𝑛

twenty-four

Banksie hadn't expected to see the chateau from so far away, but it was hard to miss with all the flashing disco lights.

She didn't even know where to begin.

"Banksie, come join the party!"

Banksie furrowed her brows as she stepped out of her car. "How long has this been going on?" she asked, wandering over to Pope and Kiara, not noticing the quick look Kiara gave her.

"Not long. We called you right after it started," Pope replied.

"I've got a jet going straight in my butt right now," he chuckled. "Banksie, get in. I know you love a hot tub." JJ smiled.

"Jay, where'd you get the money for this?" Banksie asked, eyebrow raised, her arms crossing over her chest.

"And how much did it even cost?" Pope added.

"Uh, well," JJ thought for a second. "With the generator, the petrol, express delivery..." he smirked. "Pretty much all of it," he nodded, looking pleased with himself.

Banksie's hand went to her face in disbelief. "All of it?" Pope asked, his mouth catching flies.

"Yeah, all of it," JJ replied, unfazed.

"You spent all the money in one day?"

"Yep. Burned a hole right through my pocket," he shrugged, grinning. "But, I mean, come on, look at this!" He gestured to the hot tub with pride. "Finest in jet-based massage therapy, that's what they told me."

Kiara crossed her arms.

"What Kie? can't a guy have a little luxury in life?" JJ asked, lifting his sunglasses. "Come on. All this scrimpin' and scrapin'... you only live once, right?"

"Enough of this emotional stuff. Get in the Cat's Ass! Come on," he beckoned.

"In the what?" Kiara asked.

"The Cat's Ass. That's what I named her," he said, grinning.

Banksie let a quick grin flash across her face before she straightened. Now was not the time.

"Oh, wait, almost forgot," he said, pressing a button. The lights switched to disco mode, casting colours across the water.

Banksie watched, feeling a pang of sadness in the midst of it all.

"Are you kidding me?" Pope said, voice rising.

"Pope—"

"You could've used that money for restitution!" Pope exclaimed.

"Or literally given it to any charity!"

Banksie rolled her eyes.

"Or better yet, you could've helped us get the supplies we need—"

"Guys," Banksie said, trying to calm them.

"—to get the rest of the gold out of the well!"

JJ's face fell. "Okay, well, you know what? I didn't do that!"

Everyone just seemed to stop.

JJ's torso was covered in bruises, some faded and yellowing from past injuries, while others were fresh and dark, hinting at recent events.

All she could think about was how he'd been hurt. Again. Just like all the other times.

JJ's voice shook a little as he continued, "I got this hot tub for my friends— no, screw friends, i got a hot tub for my family," his voice beginning to break.

"JJ—"

"What the hell?" Kiara murmured, her tone softening.

"I did this for you guys," he said, looking around at each of them. "Look what I did for you," he said, turning around, revealing more bruises on his back.

"JJ—" Banksie started, but he cut her off.

"No, stop getting emotional, all of you," he said, looking down, his voice hollow.

Banksie shook her head, stepping closer to him as he rambled.

"It's... it's nice, right? Just get in," he said, his voice trailing off.

Without a word, Banksie stepped into the hot tub and immediately pulled JJ into a hug. The tough front he'd kept up crumbled the second her arms wrapped around him, and he just...

cried.

"I couldn't do it," he mumbled into her shoulder. Banksie nodded, understanding without a word, pulling him closer.

"I can't take him anymore," he said, his voice breaking as he clung to her.

Pope and Kiara exchanged a look before Kiara stepped in, wrapping her arms around both of them, her face filled with sadness for her friend.

"I was going to kill him," JJ whispered as Banksie's arms tightened around him, with Pope joining seconds later.

"I just want to do the right thing."

"I know," Banksie reassured him softly.

This was the first time he'd shown the bruises like this. But there had been countless times he'd come to Banksie's house for comfort, making excuses—"Oh, my dad and I were just messing around" or "I walked into something." Even her parents knew something was off, but JJ always brushed off their offers of help.

After a few minutes, Pope and Kiara stepped out, leaving Banksie with JJ.

"Look," she whispered to him, "I'll stay with you tonight. I can grab some pizza or something, yeah?"

"Why don't we all go back to your place?" Kiara called out. Banksie wasn't as quiet as she thought.

"We can't," Banksie replied quickly, looking away. "My parents have been remodeling, and there's stuff everywhere."

"Right..." Kiara nodded, unconvinced.

"Pizza sound good, Jay?" Banksie asked, glancing at him.

"Maybe..."

"Alright, I'll get it," she smiled. "And I'll get 'Kook' pizza too, just for you."

JJ gave her a small smile. "I love Kook pizza."

Pizza 😝

HWLLO.

bro those random pains you get for no reason will be the bane of my existence because how do i be thinking im dying every 2 seconds.

i can hear someone hoovering and its doing my nuttin

ANYWAY.

Hello xx

bro i'm sorta hungry but i don't know what to eat.

ALSO YESTERDAY

MY NAN SAID TO BE NAH THIS WAS DIABOLICAL

she was like "are you losing weight?" and i was all like "no? not trying to anyway," AND SHE SIADIODSKA "don't. we don't want a scarecrow" WHAY DOES TJAY EVEN MEAN??

anyways...

LOOK AFTER YOURSELVES, SLEEP, DRINK YO WATER, TAKE UR MEDS, EAT.

Just.. rest.

AND ILL SEE ALL YOUS LATER.

TOODLEZ 😭😝🔥🤩🙏💔🤗🍕😏❤️🫵😛🤬😃🤷‍♀️🙂‍↕️😍😣🎅🏻👀🖕😆😂🥺👧🏻👶🥹☝️🦵🧎‍➡️