EVERYTHING I WANTED | JJ MAYBANK ✓

iii. | the first red light

By some odd reason Elena couldn't sleep, she tossed and turned in her bed, she kept groaning and just stared at her ceiling. She just couldn't sleep. Her hands placed on her stomach and eyes wide open, she tried to listen to her breathing, maybe that could help her out, but that wasn't useful. She sat up on her bed and massaged the sides of her head, there was no pain but something was bothering her, peeking outside her window she only saw the outside lights turned on from JJ's house.

She tried to lay back down and sleep but the sudden piercing noise of things falling off made Elena sat right back up, she looked back at her window and noticed that the sound came from JJ's house, the noise kept on growing, Elena first thought was that someone was trying to break into his home, she grabbed her cellphone and snuck out her bedroom window, setting her feet on a wooden box that had been set there since the moment they moved in.

She sat down on the wooden box and unlocked her phone, the sound of the door being slammed attracted her attention, noticing and angered JJ leave his home, kicking boxes and tools out of his way, he paced side to side and got down on his knees, he brought his hands to his head and Elena could hear the soft whimpers from him.

Elena didn't know what to do as she saw this, she imagined he needed some space but maybe he needed someone to talk to as well. Elena hopped off the wooden box and walked slowly towards him, carefully and quietly trying not to scare him in any way.

"JJ?" she whispered a few times to get his attention, the blonde stood up quickly and wiped away his tears before he could turn around and force a smile into his red and puffy face.

"Elena, what, what are you doing up at this time?" He commented placing both of his hands on his waist and looking away from her. Elena could see his face even at the absence of light there was, she noticed the dried blood on the corner of his lip, the bruise on his cheek and jaw.

"I couldn't sleep," she answered his question and took another step forward, keeping the space between them, but close enough for her to notice the damage his face had. "Who did this to you JJ?" Elena didn't know what answer to expect but she could clearly see that he was in pain.

"Oh this?" he pointed out at his face and shook his head "Don't worry about it princess, you should've seen the other guy, he ended up worse." There was a cheeky grin plastered on his lips as he looked at her eyes, filled with worry and a hint of being scared.

"Where else are you hurt?" Elena looked at him completely trying to locate another area of him body bruised, she could figure out that maybe under his shirt she would find some bruises.

"Really Elena, don't worry about me, it isn't the first time this has happened to me." The way he said it made Elena feel a bit anger, there was a tone of proudness in it, how could someone be "glad" about getting hurt.

Elena grabbed JJ by his wrist and pulled him away from his home towards hers, JJ asked her what she was doing but there was no response coming from her, as she reached her bedroom windows she motioned him to get in.

"What? What are you talking about?" JJ scoffed and shook his head, Elena wasn't laughing or anything at this moment, JJ cleared his throat and looked at the window and back at her. "You are serious?"

"Yeah, if your face looks like that probably the rest of you looks worse." Elena has such a straight face, no expression on her as she looked at him with crossed arms waiting for him to enter.

JJ stood on the box and carefully entered through her bedroom window, laying on her bed before stepping on the ground, Elena entered behind him and closed the window.

"Stay here and let me help you JJ." Elena said tucking a piece of her hair behind her ear and left the bedroom as closed the door behind her to not show anyone there was someone in there.

JJ placed both hands up in surrender as he watched her leave her bedroom, he noticed the room had boxes in the corner and clothes were folded in the floor.

There was a lamp and a picture frame on her night stand, JJ picked it up and saw what he imagined as her family, he saw her father in an army uniform hugging his wife who stood in front of him, on his left Melissa stood happily and on the right side, there was a younger Elena.  All of them were smiling, probably receiving their father from a war, JJ could see that they were a happy family, how he wished he could have that.

"Okay, here we go." Elena entered her room making JJ leave the frame back on her night stand, the brunette came with a small box filled with little boxes and a bottle of water. "Sit down and take off your shirt." Elena ordered him as she set the box on the nights stand moving aside her lamp and picture frame.

"Jeez El, I imagined this escenario in another direction and probably not so soon." JJ chuckled at her order and did as told, groaning as he lifted up his shirt, showing the bruises on his ribs and hips.

Elena noticed that not only his front was damaged but his back had bruises as well, she cleaned up the cloth she has brought from the kitchen with water, to clean any dirt if it had.

JJ sat on her bed and leaned his head back letting out a deep sigh. "You really don't have to do this you know." he began an shifted on bed to make himself more comfortable.

"Just shut up" Elena responded and walked towards him, standing in front of him, she gently grabbed his chin and carefully cleaned up the dried blood on his face, he winced at the touch of the cloth and Elena stopped, giving him a moment before staring again.

There was silence in the room, it calmed both of them as they continued the process of being treated. Elena tried her best to not harm JJ any more, succeeding her best to clean his face up. From sitting on the bed to laying, JJ had moved to make it easier for Elena to clean him up and she sat down on her bed crossed legs and besides him.

"You can stay the night if you want, but you would have to leave first thing in the morning" She suggested as she passed the cloth on his ribs carefully. "I mean, just for you to be safe from whoever did this to you in your home." Elena added and looked at JJ's eyes as she spoke.

JJ didn't say anything but just a sincere smile. All done, Elena threw away the cloth from her and hopped off her bed to organize the things back in the box, grabbing the band aid and handing it to him.

"Sleep in my bed, I'll be at my sister's." Staring to walk away towards the door, Elena was interrupted by the voice of JJ.

"It was my dad," he said as he sat up on her bed, both of his arms stretched behind him "I'm telling you this, because, this might not be the only time I could come here and ask for your help. If you do not mind, of course." there were moments his voice started breaking, he knew he just opened up too fast but he knew he could count on her for help, help like this.

JJ never cleaned up his wounds after a beat up from his father, he never saw his bruises being taken care of and especially never received a band aid from a friend. Mostly he got hugs, which he obviously needed and wanted but, having someone who cleaned him up, well he was certainly grateful.

Elena returned to her spot that was standing in front of him, she left the box on the bed and looked at him. "May I ask, why haven't you called the cops on him?"

JJ let out a deep sigh and looked up to her "Maybe the reason is that, if I do, I would end up worse than I am right now once he's left of out jail or something." a light sniff came from him and he slowly laid back on her bed, just on the side next to the wall "Can you just stay here for a moment? Or is that just weird to ask?" laying on his back, he searched for her with eyes.

Elena took the box off the bed, placing it again on her nightstand, she carefully climbed back in her bed and laid on her back next to him.

"If you do come, just knock on my window please." Elena added shifting her head to her side to look at him.

JJ nodded at her, he closed his eyes as his hands stood on his chest, tapping slightly with his fingers before he fell asleep.