strawberries & cigarettes ➸ johayden

XV. riley

STRAWBERRIES
& CIGARETTES

IT HAD BEEN TWO DAYS since Hayden had broken up with Jessie and he hadn't heard from her since. He felt like shit knowing he broke her heart but he knew it was better than lying and cheating on her. Hayden hated the feelings he was feeling, it felt so off to him and he didn't like that feeling at all, it pissed him off.

Johnny and his sister, Lauren, were at the their family home doing homework. John often helped his littler sister with schoolwork, he enjoyed helping. It made him feel needed, I think everyone likes to feel needed.

"Ugh I'm gonna fail this test Jesus" Lauren sighed as her eyes scanned the paper of math problems

"It's bullshit, I know, but if you just focus you can do good enough to get a C" The older brother replied

"A C? Really? You don't think your very own sister is better than a C?" Lauren replied with a playfully offended tone as she dramatically put her hand on her chest

Johnny laughed and soon after so did his sister "Okay, okay, okay so—" John started but was interrupted by his phone suddenly ringing

"Who is it?"

"Um..." Johnny looked at the phone and saw a familiar name "Just a friend. I need to take this, practice by yourself for a sec" He finished and got up from his seat at the table as he accepted the call

"Hey" Johnny greeted "What's up?"

"I... Can I come over? I really need someone right now" The voice said as their voice cracked through the speaker

"Of course Riley, I'm here"

"Th-Thank you... do you still live in the same house?"

"Yeah I do but I only have a few hours until I have to go practice"

"That's f-fine"

"Okay... I'll see you" Johnny said

"Bye"

Before Johnny could say bye back he heard the sound of her hanging up. Confused, he walked back to the table where his sister was writing answers down on her notebook

"Lets get back to it" Johnny said with a small smile

About twenty minutes later a knock on the door startled the siblings for just a second. Johnny set his pencil down "I'll get it" he volunteered because he knew who it was anyway. John opened the door to, of course, see his old friend. She looked different, she'd grown up.

"Hey" She greeted with a smile

"Hi" Johnny smiled back "It's good to see you Riles"

"You too John-o-lantern"

"I told you not to call me that" Johnny said with a chuckle

"Sorry not sorry" Riley smiled as she playfully nudged his arm

"Who is it John!?" Lauren shouted from the kitchen

"Oh my god is that Lauren?" Riley asked

"Yeah I'm help—"

"Lauren!" Riley happily shouted as she ran into where she heard the voice coming from

"Riley? Um h-hi"

"You look... different than the last time I saw you" Riley said as she took a seat around the table

"Well it's been like a year or two right?"

"Yeah bu—"

"Well Lauren you can probably finish that on your own. Come on Riles let's go upstairs" Johnny interrupted

"Uh okay... good seeing you Riley" Lauren said with the smallest fakest smile she could give

Riley didn't reply she just nodded and followed John up the stairs. They two teens got to Johnny's bedroom door and entered, John sat on his bed and Riley placed herself on a soft chair in the corner

"So what's up Riles?" Johnny asked with genuine concern

Riley let out a stressful sigh "It's my parents... they- I just I can't be there anymore. It's awful" The brunette said looking down at the ground with sadness in her face and eyes that Johnny couldn't see but he knew that if he looked he would see it. That broke his heart. They were so close and he just left her all alone.

"Do they know you're here?"

"No."

STRAWBERRIES
& CIGARETTES

authors note
so this didn't have
any johayden but
there will be plenty
don't worry. plots
can't just be about one
thing the entire time ya
know