penny.

12; It's not eavesdropping, it's observing

My hair was dripping onto the clean sheets covering Jays bed. I was glad to see none of my things had moved since the last time I was here and I was able to take a shower without issue.

    Jay was sitting across from me, shirtless might I add, his back leaning against the headboard. I had gotten out of the shower and sat down a few minutes ago but neither of us had said a word. I would've just gone to bed but there's things I want to know, need to know.

    "Why aren't you and Mari dating?" I said quietly. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. I wanted to slap it.

    "Dad came back," His eyes were filled with anger, fire in his vision. I was shocked to say the least. Jay's father was never the nicest man, I knew that from the second I met him. Jay didn't let me come over when he was home and I never understood why. Not until he came to school with a black eye halfway through seventh grade.

    I thought it was just from a fight, he always liked to start them for no reason, but more bruises started showing up and he started spending more time at my house than his own. Papa realized what his father was doing to him and threatened to turn him into the police. He was gone before Jay could go home. He hasn't seen him for nearly five years. Well, not until now I guess.

    "Oh my god," Was all I could say. Why would he come back? Jay could probably take him now if he wanted to hit him again but his Mom? She's weak enough as it is.

    "He looks so bad now, Isa. He's addicted to drugs I think, he came begging to let him move back in but I kicked him out," He stopped and took a breath.

    "When?" I asked. I felt like I already knew the answer but too many things have been surprising me lately.

    "He was sitting on the porch after my game," He mumbled. In other words, the night I caught him with Marisol. "I kicked him out and I was so pissed off and sad, Isa, I needed to feel something and Mari came over to get me out of bed like you guys would always do and it just happened," He was rambling but at least an explanation was finally coming out.

    "But that doesn't explain what you said at my house, or the next few days. And that wasn't your first time screwing her, Jay," I pressed. I need to know everything, not bits and pieces of this.

    "I know what I said was wrong, and I'm so sorry Isa. You were never just sex to me, Mari was just there and I needed something. During Summer you were so out of it and I dealt with everything in such a bad way. I never should have done it and I stopped when you started training again, I told Mari that we couldn't do it anymore. It wasn't fair to you and I meant it." He put a hand on my knee and made me look at him.

    "What about at the compound?" I inwardly cringed at the amount of times I had seen them swapping spit.

    "I was going to explain everything but I saw you with those pendejos and I got jealous, I wanted to make you jealous too I guess. Mari said it was wrong and that's why we went to talk to you after," He looked pained to say it but I laughed. He wanted to make me jealous? That's ironic.

    "You're an idiot," I choked out between wheezes. He looked at me like I was crazy but eventually joined in.

    "Mari wants to talk to you, she misses you," He said once we had calmed down. I missed her too, but I needed a little bit of time before I buried that hatchet.

    "I'll talk to her on Saturday," Papa's birthday would be a good time to make amends.

    "What's on Saturday?" I glared at him and he raised an eyebrow before realizing it was in fact a very important day. "Mateo's birthday?"