𝚕𝚊𝚢 𝚖𝚎 𝚍𝚘𝚠𝚗 // 𝕁𝕁 𝕄𝕒𝕪𝕓𝕒𝕟𝕜

Chapter Thirteen// Retribution

13. Retribution

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"I paced around for hours on empty
I jumped at the slightest of sounds
And I couldn't stand the person inside me
I turned all the mirrors around"

~ Control by Halsey

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Trigger Warnings: Mentions of violence, Suicidal Thoughts, Mentions of Substance Abuse

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"Dude, would you relax? It's going to be fine." Pope sighed from his spot on the couch. He had his chin resting in his hands as he watched JJ pace back and forth across the living room floor, puffing nervously on a joint.

"You believe that, huh?" JJ murmured, smoke leaking from his mouth as he spoke.

"No." The other boy admitted, rubbing a tired hand across his good eye, wincing as he unintentionally bumped his nose. "But there isn't much we can do, so we really just need to try and remain calm. I mean, you're going to wear a freaking hole into the floor, Dude!"

JJ rolled his eyes, taking a break from his pacing to bounce slightly on his toes, the joint dangling from his lips as he shook his hands out nervously by his sides. He rolled his neck around, closing his eyes and trying to think of things that weren't immediately terrifying.

Looking out at the moon over the water, he thought back to the night before. The way Valerie's wide brown eyes had sparkled happily in the dim light as they passed a joint between them, the sound of her laugh when he nearly fell off the dock trying to do a backflip off the railing, the bright smile that broke across her face when he knew the words to her favorite song.

The feeling of her soft lips on his own. How they seemed to fit so perfectly together. The way she smelled ever so slightly of coconut and ocean air. But not a gross synthetic sunscreen scent, more like in a fresh pina-colada at the beach type of way...

She had mesmerized him.

And he had thought, possibly for the first time in his entire life, that there was someone out there who deserved the best of him. That maybe soulmates did exist and he wasn't destined to be sad and alone forever. He'd never been one to believe in love at first sight, but the connection between them had been instant.

Sure, they had history, and he would never tell her that she was his first crush, but people change over time. And change they had. They were like strangers now, only flashing each other the tiniest glimpses of their past selves.

Everything had seemed so completely perfect last night and then she'd gone and pulled a complete 180 and bailed on him. He still couldn't figure out what the hell he'd done wrong. Or maybe he hadn't. Maybe she was the crazy one.

Yet, here he was, feeling completely pussy-whipped and fighting the urge to do something.

He didn't know how Val had gotten herself involved with Barry, and he was well aware this wasn't her first time being mistreated by someone. But when she had shown up that afternoon looking like she'd gotten the shit beat out of her, he couldn't help feeling both guilty and fucking furious.

He was done allowing other people to get hurt because of his stupid ass decisions.

"Have you heard from Kie, yet?" He asked, tearing himself away from his own thoughts.