Vapour (Krii7y)

Y.O.L.O | Chapter 11

Jaren's POV

I was scared. Not for me, but for him.

He was content with dying, he had already made his peace with the fact.

"I just want to live the rest of my life the best I can. I want to be happy, I want to finish high school, I want to be remembered by my friends and peers as a cool person. Someone who's chill, but also popular." John rants, as I pace in front of him.

"So you're not worried about dying?" I whisper, my eyes trailing up to his face as I come to a halt in front of him.

"Everyone dies eventually, Jaren." He points out, but that's not the point!

"Nobody should die this young!" I hiss, my eyes watering at the thought of Johns funeral. He'd probably ask to be buried with his vape in his will, because the motherfucker would want to go out funny.

I hated the thought. No, I despised it.

"Jaren? Don't cry, please." John whispers, standing up and wrapping his arms around me. "I'm not in any pain yet and I've still got a few months left. Don't cry because of this, please?" He whispers into my hair, his arms wrapped around me tightly.

"Why does your dad beat you?" I ask quietly, still trying to piece together what he's told me before now and now with this new information.

"My dad loved me. But as soon as I rejected chemo and he found out I was going to die, he lost his shit. A month before he had found out my mother was sleeping around for the hell of it, so he only has me left. He turned to drinking, like I did, but my fathers rage only increased the more he drank. Eventually he stopped calling me son, instead he calls me corpse and says that if I'm going to die I might as well look like I should die." John explains, and I feel a few hot tears stream down my face.

"Stay with me, John. Please. You can come live with me and Eri and Josh." I whisper, hugging him tighter.

"I don't want to trouble y—."

"Shut up. Lets go get your things, you can even bring your guard turtle." I whisper, burying my head in his chest.

"You really mean it?" John whispers, and for the first time I can actually tell that he's super relieved.

"Yes. Eri and Josh won't mind. Just, please. Please, I can't watch you live the rest of your life in an abusive household." I whisper, finally pulling away from him.

That's when he kisses me. Right then and there, his lips press to mine. And even though I feel like I'm being stabbed because of his revelation, I kiss him back.

And so we stand there, our arms around each other as we kiss, our lips moving against each other softly as I let a few more tears fall.

When he finally pulls away, I see the tears on his own face.

"YOLO." He whispers, causing me to laugh sadly and nod my head.

"You only live once. What a 2015 thing to say." I joke, sniffling as I wipe my eyes and move back from him.

"Come on, lets go grab my stuff while my dads still out." He whispers, grabbing my hand and leading me outside.

As soon as I get in the car, I pull out my phone and text Eri the news. Eri texts back and says that she's already on her way to the police station to file a report for John, and that neither of us can stop her.

She gives the all clear for John to move in and I find myself smiling at the text.

"So, is she ok with it?" He whispers, sounding nervous.