Ksimon

Chapter 19

Ethan

I sit beside JJ as Tobi goes back out to the garden to get the other boys. "I'm not that drunk I don't need a babysitter" He slurs. "Yes you are, just stay put for now" he makes a winy sound burying his head in the sofa. "Don't let Simon see me" he says as he sits up. "Why not?" "Because I don't want to be a disappointment to him too" I hear the tone in his voice change as he says it. "Jiddle your not a disappointment" "Im sorry you have to see me like this, I know I disappoint you too" He slurs. Before I have a chance to respond Simon comes running in, followed by the rest of the boys shortly behind. "What happened?" Simon looks at me and asks. "Nothing I'm alright" JJ says, getting up from the sofa. "He's been drinking" I say, concern spreading across his face. "Simon, take JJ upstairs, I'll talk to this lot" Josh says. "Ethan could you help me take him to the lift?" he asks. "Yeah sure" we both put one of JJ's arms around our neck and help him walk to the lift. "Join the others, you should know what's been going on" I nod and walk back to the room with the other boys.

Simon

We finally finish collecting the cameras and equipment, tidying up the rest of the mess we made during filming. "Boys, you need to come inside" Tobi shouts from the door. He makes his way over to us "Why what's going on?" Josh asks. "Wait where's Ethan and JJ?" Harry says. We all look around and notice they aren't out here with us. "Its about JJ, their inside" Tobi says, concerned. I run inside and look around, noticing Ethan sitting with JJ on the sofa. "What happened?" I ask. "Nothing I'm alright" JJ says, barely standing up from the sofa. "He's been drinking" Ethan says. I feel my face drop as guilt fills me, the fact that I didn't even realise. "Simon, take JJ upstairs, I'll talk to this lot" Josh says, the hint in his eyes telling me he was going to tell the boys about this morning's events. "Ethan could you help me take him to the lift?" I ask. "Yeah sure" we each put an arm over our neck and support him to the lift. "Join the others, you should know what's been going on" He nods and goes back to the others. I press the button up to JJ's room, looking at the glum look spread across his face. The door opens to his room and I help him walk over to his bed. He sits down and I sit beside him. Neither of us say anything for a few moments. "I'm sorry Simon" he says, bursting into tears afterwards. "Ssssh it's okay" I pull him into a hug, his head resting on my shoulder. "I didn't want you to see me like this" I wipe his tears away. "JJ, it doesn't matter, I just wish you'd have told me" he sits up, taking both my hands in his. "I want to tell you everything" he says, I feel his hand shake slightly. "Okay" I say. He takes a deep breath and keeps his focus on our hands. "My family have been having issues for a while, when I ran out on you it wasn't just because what you said hurt me, it was because you were the one person I needed and to hear that from you made me feel like you were like them. "When you guys went to record the football videos I asked Josh to stay home as I would be no use injured and he allowed me. As soon as you left I got an uber and drove an hour to my parents, when I got there it was horrible. My brother controlled everything our parents did and said to me, he threatened to call the police if I didn't leave so I went to leave. As I went to my brother punched me in the face, catching my eye, so I walked out and didn't look back. When you saw me awake, I had just messaged my mum and she told me she would see me I just didn't know it would be today. As you saw they were fine until Deji was involved, its been complicated but that's it pretty much summed up, I'll show you the messages" I listen contently to everything he says. He takes his phone out of his hoodie and opens it, he presses on his mums contact and hands me his phone.

JJ

I pass Simon my phone and fiddle with my hands as I watch his eyes scan the screen, reading each word of the messages. I wait patiently for him to read, uncertain of his response. He turns my phone off and puts in back in my hoodie pocket, taking my hands back in his. "You may be going through a difficult time, but look around you. You surround yourself with 6 other people who love you unconditionally, and no matter what you do right or wrong we will always be here for you" "I know" I say, a small smile appearing on my face. I lean forward and place a kiss on his lips. "Now let me go get you some water" "I'll come down with you" "No you stay here" I pout at him and stay sitting on my bed. "I'll be right back" he walks out my room, closing the door behind him. I sit on my bed feeling two very different emotions. I don't feel myself but I feel happy, every time I'm with him he just brightens my mood. I don't really know what we are, but I definitely want to be more. I just don't know when is the right time to have that talk.