Falling ➳ Hennig [4]

➳ 42

New Message to JJ.

 Jack💕

JJ, I'm so sorry. I didn't know.

I swear, if I'd known they were doing an article on you, I would've done

everything in my power to stop it.

Fucking hell.

JJ

It's fine, Jack. I'm a big girl.

I deserved it, anyway. For what I've done to you.

For everything I've done.

Jack💕

You don't deserve this, Jasmine.

I forgave you, and that should have been the end of it.

You shouldn't have to dwell on this anymore. Neither of us should.

E!News is a piece of shit "news" site that only cares about getting clicks.

They don't care about the people they hurt. They don't care about me, or you.

I, however, do care about you, and fuck, I hate that this is happening to you.

Why didn't you tell me they approached you?

INCOMING CALL FROM JJ

ANSWER | DECLINE

"Because I deserve it," were the first real world Jackson Bryant had heard from JJ in weeks, her voice coming out to small, so hoarse. "I deserve it, Jack. Because now... now people know what kind of... monster I am. Who would cheat on the one person that would ever love me?"

         "Don't say that," Jack whispered, tightening his grip on his phone. "JJ, don't say that."

         "My Mom won't look at me."

          Jack's heart broke at those words, because he knew the true weight behind them. Because he knew that Diane was the one person JJ couldn't bear to have disappointed in her, because as long as JJ had her Momma, she had everything. She was her best friend, her saving grace, and now... now she wouldn't look at her.

         "I can't tell if it's because she's guilty― we found out Aunt Lynn was the one to talk to the journalist, she told Mom that she was a bad mother for letting me whore myself out like that― or if it's because she's... because she's disappointed in who I am― in who I was. But― but I deserve this, Jack. This is my punishment for hurting you..."

          "Fuck that," Jack scoffed, shaking his head. "Jasmine, you don't deserve any of this shit― why should they get to decide how you're 'punished' when they're not the people you hurt? You hurt me, JJ. Me, not them. Just me, and I say you don't deserve punishment, not when I've forgiven you, not when you've proven to me that you've changed for the better. You're better now than you were before. It took me one look at your little girl to decide that, because she's so happy around you, and she loves you so much, and she doesn't see you bringing in random men every night because there are no random men! You're a good person, JJ, that's all that should matter now."

          "Eli's Mom said I'm a bad mother." There was a sniffle on the other end, followed by the shifting of JJ's mattress as she moved. "Stopped me on the street the other day, when I was taking Aniyah out for lunch. She said... she said he'd have raised her right, said he would have fixed me, too. It's stupid... I know I'm a better parent than Eli Nix, but I don't know if that means I'm good enough for her..."

          "You are plenty good enough, JJ. Hey― how about you and Aniyah come out here for a few days? As friends, of course. Just to get away from it all."

          "I can't―."

          "It's the least I can do. It's my fault you're getting all this hate, anyway."

          "It's not your fault."

         "Yeah, well, it's not yours, either. I'll book you tickets for this weekend, how does that sound?"

         "That sounds... it sounds lovely, Jack. Thank you."

          "Anything for a friend, Jasmine. You know that."

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we're moving on, i swear