Everything's Changed - Sequel to The Same Janoskians/Luke and Jai Brooks Fanfic

Chapter 11 - FlashBacks

*1 Month Later*

Luke's POV

I stared at the ceiling in the dark, after countless hours of tossing and turning, finally realizing I couldn't sleep. It actually should have been obvious in the first couple of hours, but I was thinking about other things than that; meaning Jai. I still hated him for what he did, but that didn't mean I didn't miss him. I can't lie, he was my rock, he's helped me through all these tough months, but now i've just shoved it all in his face.

I sat up, rubbing my eyes, before letting my mind wander again.

*FlashBack*

I sat at the edge of the pool, watching everyone laughing, just enjoying themselves. I wasn't one of them for obvious reasons. Why? Well last time I checked, guys go swimming without shirts, and I know i'm a guy and all, it's just the 'other things' that get in the way.

"Coming in Luke?!" Tyla, one of my new mates shouted. I shook my head. "Nah, I don't feel well." He didn't know the truth, so he just shrugged and dunked Daniel again, Beau's intense glare now on me. He waded over to me, making me edge myself away from the pool, just in case he pulls me in. That's another thing I never really learnt to do; swim. I wasn't scared of the actual water, I was scared of drowning and dying.

"You can't avoid this your whole life." He said sadly, but I just shrugged it off. "I can try." He stayed quiet for a second, before looking like he had an idea. "Just wear your shirt in?" I shook my head. "People will get suspicious." Beau laughed, before grabbing my arm. "It's more suspicious sitting out, idiot." Without anymore words, he pulled me, thankfully it was kinda shallow.

Everyone cheered, but I just stayed still. Okay, maybe I was a little scared of the water, for a good reason though. "It won't bite," Jai said, swimming over to me. I nodded. "I know I just, dad he, he tried to-" It was so hard to say out loud. "He tried to drown me when I was 10, I have barely been near water since." Jai's eyes widened, muttering profanities under his breath.

"So you can't swim?" He asked, changing the subject. I nodded, looking up at everyone, who were all now out of the pool and walking to the house. "I'll teach you then." I laughed half heartedly. "That'll be like teaching Beau to remember the difference between their, and they're." He splashed water in my face, before pushing me off the step I was on, the water barely reaching my waist.

I gulped, his hand now on my shoulder. "I'm here Luke, you're not gonna drown. You've survived dad, you can survive anything." Jai said reasurringly, a genuine smile creeping on my face. "What do I do?" "Just get used to the water, so walk all the way up to the deep end." The other end of the pool was just higher than my head. I began to dread the thought.

I began walking, Jai just talking about the footy, and other random shit to keep my mind at bay. The water quickly rose, as the pool wasn't that long. It was already up to biceps, my throat closing up, as flashes of dad holding my head under water crossed my mind. "Luke?" I couldn't move, everything was just numb, it was like I was just there, reliving the memory, feeling everything I felt back on that day.

"Luke?!" Jai's voice was closer to me now, and was more panicked. With every second it got harder to breathe, a sudden wet hand on my head. I freaked out, as I thought it was dad trying to hold me under again, and spun around quickly, elbowing whoever was there in the face. "OW!" Jai cried, the world around me going normal again, me seeing Jai at the side of the pool holding his face, patches of blood lingering in the water.

"Shit i'm sorry!" I said, going over to him, me getting a face full off water instead. "Fuck off!" He hissed, moving away from me, sitting on the steps that lead into the pool. Worry and guilt set in my stomach. Where did I hit him? Is it bad? Does he hate me now? I would hate me too.