FORCE | topper thornton

SIXTEEN

"You alright, honey?" My dad asked as I silently ate dinner, I was hardly hungry, the thought of Zoe and the baby eating away at me. I didn't want to tell my dad, I didn't want him to hurt even more than he already does, but at the same time it was killing me to not tell him. "I saw Zoe today." His breathing hitched, a knowing look across his face, I grew confused as he nodded slowly. "She told you about the baby?" He asked and I gasped, dropping my fork on the table, "you knew!" I whisper shouted, like I was hiding a secret from someone, but we were the only two in the house. "She told me, she told me at the funeral." My dad admitted and I swear I thought I was going to pass out, "and you're just going to let her give him away like that!" I shouted at him, why was I the only one angry about this? "Sweetie, it's her choice. We can't do anything, there's no way to prove he's Logan's." He explained, and it hurt, it hurt like all hell to think of that. "But he's family." I whispered, allowing myself to cry, and for the first time since my mom died, I saw my dad cry. "I know, I want him too, I'd do anything to take that baby, but we just can't." The words stung, I nodded, but we would be able to give him the life he needed, he would be taken care of, and raised properly and-uh-I just can't think of the what if's anymore. "Why can't you adopt him?" I couldn't keep the words from coming out of my mouth, my dad stared at me, "she would have to choose me, and she's not going to do that." He looked remorseful, he must've already thought of that. "I already asked her." I gasped at his words, briefly choking on the air I sucked in. "You what?!" I shrieked, my eyes wide. "When were you planning on telling me this?" I crossed my arms, never losing his gaze. "I wasn't." He admitted, "what the hell, dad! How could you not tell me?" My words were harsh, my tone cold. "I didn't want to hurt you even more." I softened at his response, the same reason I wasn't going to tell him about Zoe being pregnant either. "Okay." I muttered, chewing on the tip of my thumb, a nervous habit I've picked up over the years. "Can I go to my room?" I added after an awkward silence, my dad nodded, "I'll clean up."

I threw myself down onto my bed, a groan pushing passed my lips in the process, how is this happening? Why is this happening? That's all I could think as I laid there with my eyes shut, my mind began to wonder, back to a simpler time, when Topper and I had first really started falling in love, when my parents were both happy and healthy, and when Logan was away at college, oblivious to the heartache that he would encounter. Because, at least then I knew I could call my brother and get his comforting words, but now all I can do is look at a picture and talk to myself. I let a tear fall from my shut eyes, I wasn't going to start crying, not again. "Kenzie! I need you to come down here, now." My dad shouted and I could tell by the sound of his voice that there was no debate about this, I wiped the single tear from my cheek and rushed down the stairs. Panic rising in my chest when I saw Sheriff Peterkin standing by the front door, having just walked in. "Hi, Sheriff." I smiled, hesitantly walking up beside my dad, he wrapped a reassuring arm over my shoulder. "We matched the finger prints we got in your house to a suspect." She started off, I pulled my lip into my mouth, chewing it anxiously. "Luke Maybank." My head started spinning at her words, JJ's dad, no, I know he was horrible but could he really have-he knew my name, the voice, it all came back to me. "Holy shit." The words fell from my mouth but I didn't care, "JJ, does he know yet? I mean did you arrest his dad?" I rambled, my dad looking at me worriedly. "We just took him into custody, and that's the other reason why I was coming here, we can't seem to find JJ anywhere. Any ideas where he could be?" I went stiff, "why? Are you going to take him away? He's a minor, but he can be on his own, I swear." I pleaded, they couldn't take JJ away from us, I refused to let it happen. "We need to at least be able to touch base with him, until this goes to court, then depending on the ruling, permanent changes may be made, will you help me find him?" She gave me a pointed look, I trusted Peterkin, she tried to do good by us, but I was terrified deep down that she would take JJ away. Against my better judgement, I agreed. "Fine." I slid my phone out of my pocket, dialing JJ's number, he answered almost instantly, I ran a shaky hand through my hair, "hey, J." I smiled although he couldn't see me, it helped me fake my voice. "Hey, Kenzie, you coming to the-" I cut him off as Peterkin was listening in, "no! I mean, no I don't think so, hey, listen, sheriff Peterkin has been trying to get a hold of you. Why aren't you answering?" I cut straight to the point. "How do you know about that?" His voice became distant as Peterkin took the phone from me, beginning to talk to him, I could hear him mumbling his explanations.

Where are you going to stay?
With the Heyward's, of course.
If I go talk to them, will they know what I'm talking about?
Most definitely, I'm no liar Sheriff.
Hmm, alright JJ, stay out of trouble.
No guarantees.

I took the phone from her grip quickly, "JJ I'm sorry I-" "it's alright, Kenzie. She would've found me eventually, now I have to go convince Pope's parents to lie for me, bye." He hung up, I took a shaky breath, but plastered a fake smile on my face, "happy, Sheriff?" I questioned, earning a light glare from my dad. "Yes, I'll see you two around." She walked back out the door like it was nothing, I began trying to process everything that had just happened. Luke Maybank, robbed my house, but what I needed to know is if he shot my mother. Then JJ's reaction hit me, he already knew what I was talking about, but Peterkin hadn't found him yet, my mind twisted with emotion. I called him again, but I knew he wouldn't answer, I groaned in annoyance when it went to his voicemail. "Dad, can I go out? I need some fresh air." I called, already heading towards the door. Normally he would fight me on this but he can tell I'm having a rough go today. "Fine, don't do anything stupid!" He shouted as I shut the door.

I pulled up to the familiar chateau, I knew they were here, I could just tell, so I stomped my way up the steps before swinging the door open. Anger bubbling through me until I saw JJ sitting there anxiously, his knee bouncing up and down vigorously. I softened at the sight, "JJ?" I called forcing him to look up, he hadn't even noticed I had walked in, everyone else had stared at me in shock. "We need to talk." I told him, my voice soft, not wanting to work him up more. Everyone took that as their cue and practically flew out of the house. I hesitantly sat next to him, I placed my hand on his knee, "tell me what happened." I demanded gently. "A few weeks ago," he paused, clearing his throat, a nervous habit, "after your moms funeral, I went back to my place to grab some stuff to stay at John B's. My dad was passed out on the couch, I looked on the table and in between all the empty beer bottles, I saw your moms jewelry box." He spoke the words, I could feel the color drain from my face. "Okay, I'm not mad at you. I promise, you didn't know he would do something like that." He stared at me as I spoke, I could tell there was more, I could see it in his eyes, he looked terrified, disgusted with the words he was about to say. "When I was leaving, he woke up for a minute and cried, saying 'I killed her' over and over before he passed out again." I swear I stopped breathing when he spoke those words. I saw spots as I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to stand up, but that wasn't a good idea as I fell back, landing on the couch with a thud, I passed out.

"Kenzie, come on." I heard Kie's voice above me, someone gently patting my face, my eyes shot open and relief filled them, I took a long deep breath, looking around to see all my friends staring at me, JJ the most concerned, feeling responsible. "Were you going to tell the police?" I snapped, Kie gently pushed me back when I tried to stand up, wanting to yell at JJ. I know I shouldn't, but I was angry, I was hurt, he had known that his dad might've possibly killed my mom, and yet he spoke nothing of it. "I don't know." His answer angered me more, "Jesus JJ! How could you keep this to yourself!" I shouted, then it hit me, another revelation, he's been so distant, not really hanging around me as much, even as a group he's been staying away from me. "It was killing me, Kenzie! You gotta believe that!" He finally snapped, tears running down his face, I tried to stand and Kie was still hesitant, "let me go." I assured her. I stood to my feet and approached JJ, wrapping my arms around his neck, lowering his head down to be on my shoulder as he cried, I followed his actions, crying into the back of his head, soaking his hair. "I'm sorry." He almost shouted against me, shaking us with his anger, "it's okay, J. You didn't do anything wrong." I told him, I was still angry, but he was just a kid, he didn't know what to do, that's what my mom would say, so that's how I decided to look at it.