Life is Strange (EreJean)

Honesty

I didn't even bother asking Jean where we were heading as he drove us there, deciding that I didn't really mind. I stared out of the window as he drove us in the direction of the coast, stopping at the entrance to a small woodland area.

I followed him out of the car, looking around the familiar area as we walked together. My eyes widened slightly when I realised it was the same place from my dream - well, nightmare - in class.

"It's weird being here again, isn't it?" Jean asked, and I looked up at him in confusion at the question, my eyes still wide.

"W-what?"

"We used to come here when we were kids," he said, chuckling a little after. "Do you really not remember?"

"I, uh, I do... I guess I just got confused for a moment," I mumbled, walking up the slope to the top and going over to sit on a bench at the edge of the cliff. Jean sat down beside me, the both of us staring out at the ocean.

"Hey, uh, I was gonna ask you earlier but I guess I never really got the chance," Jean started, keeping his gaze set forward. "I know Nile works at your school and everything, but it seemed like he knew you as more than just a random student."

"Well he did know me as some random student before today," I said, sighing softly and shaking my head a bit. "He was hassling one of my friends and I stepped in to defend her. I guess I got a little too mouthy and now he hates me."

"Seriously?" He said, smiling a little and looking over at me. "Oh, dude, you're like my hero today."

"I try," I said jokingly, chuckling a little as I met his gaze. "So, you know why Nile hates me, what about you and Oluo? Why were you asking him for money?"

Jean opened his mouth to say something before shutting it again, chewing on his lower lip for a few moments as he seemed to be thinking what to say. "He... He dosed me with some drug in his room. I thought I could blackmail him for keeping quiet about it."

"Wait, what? He dosed you?"

"That's what I said. I met him in a bar and we ended up going back to his room for more drinks. I thought that he'd get drunk enough for me to steal some cash but he was one step ahead and ended up putting something in my drink."

"Fuck, Jean... What happened? Did he...?" I wasn't sure how to finish the sentence, not exactly wanting to say what I was thinking.

Jean was quick to shake his head. "No, no. Don't worry it wasn't anything like that. I mean, I'm pretty sure nothing like that happened. I don't know, all I remember is him taking photos of me with his damn camera. I tried to kick him but ended up knocking something off his desk onto him and I was able to get out the room," he explained, looking away as he spoke.

"That's so fucked up," I breathed, not sure else how to respond. I never knew that Oluo was actually that bad. Sure, he's an asshole but this... God, that must have been awful for Jaen. 

"Yeah, well, I tried to make the best of it by making him pay me to keep quiet, but we both know how well that turned out."

"Did you need money that bad?"

"Yeah. I still do," he said, slumping back in his seat and dragging his fingers through his hair. "I... I borrowed some money so I could leave town with Marco. It hadn't even been 24 hours since he went missing so at the time so I just thought he was clearing his head and didn't want to answer any calls or texts because of it. The thought that he was missing didn't even cross my mind... Time went on after that, though, and..." He sighed, and I could tell he didn't want to talk about Marco much more.

"How much do you owe?" I asked after a few moments of silence, thinking that maybe there was a way I'd be able to help.

"Three grand."