Written. (JB//Complete)

Chapter 21.

I feel embarrassed of my answer, but hide it. Who knew that would have slipped out sooner or later?

"Me, huh?" he says. His expression is unreadable.

I nod, biting my lip and looking at the ground. "I don't know, it's just kind of important to me, to remember you, I mean..." I look up at him to see if his appearance has changed. Still nothing. "It's stupid. Nevermind. I don't even care about it anymore."

Justin's shoulders slouch as he rests his elbows on his knees. "You should care about it. Doesn't your future rely on that thing or something?" He looks a bit uneasy and almost uncomfortable. Why would he be?

"It does. But it's only causing a bunch of trouble." I sigh. "I just don't think it's worth it anymore."

Justin sits up straight now, alarming me at the sudden action. "No, it is worth it. All that shit in there about me, about whatever else you write about, it's all worthwhile." He rests a hand on my thigh. This time, I don't move it away. "We are going to get that damn journal back whether it's the last thing we do."

That hit me. I sit up, looking at him in confusion. "What do you mean? You don't have it?"

His expression turns back to edgy. He looks ashamed and I'm starting to think that he should be. I'm scared to hear what he's got to explain to me.

"Look, it wasn't my fault. I didn't see anything happen, it was just there one minute, then when I came back, it was gone-"

"Hold on, who has it?" I try my best to keep my voice down, then I remind Justin to do the same also. We both whisper-yell.

He doesn't answer after a moment. He avoids my anxious and upset gaze.

"Justin."

"James. James has it."

I'm appalled, with this whole thing altogether really. Justin has failed to keep my trust in him. I refuse to look at him now, my eyes concentrating on nothing but the thin, febreezed air around us.

"Scarlett," he tries getting my attention.

"I think you should leave now, Justin," I suggest, more like demand. "My mother could come in here any moment."

I can see through the corner of my eye that he opens my mouth and is about to say something, but he groans and jumps up from the bed, tugging at his hair while making his way over to the window. I stay in my position, not looking at him at all as he hops back out the window, slamming it shut.

I don't think I have the courage to be able to trust him anymore, but I know I have to since he'd promised to keep me safe. And I take promises seriously.

I'm broken out of my thoughts when I hear a doorbell. I don't even think twice before knowing who it is, knowing that Justin doesn't know how to use a front door. I'm pretty sure Ryan is here; I wouldn't doubt it since it's been about and hour since he'd told me he'd stop by later. I'm not quite sure if I want company at the moment, but things can never go wrong when Ryan is here. So I get up from my bed and rush to the living room, seeing my mother has already welcomed Ryan inside. I hear her tell him that I'm not allowed to come out, but she invites him in to stay in the house with me instead.

"Hey," I breathe out, walking up to Ryan. He still wears the spotless white t-shirt and jeans cuffed at the bottom that he wore at school today. He still manages to look amazing after a full six hours of a day at school.

My mother walks away with a smile, reminding me to stay in the house before leaving Ryan and I in the room, even though I already know the rules. We go to my bedroom and I immediately fall onto the duvet, sighing in frustration.