When Wrong becomes Right

Chapter 22

We pulled up to the Chateau, and I stopped Pope and Kie before they got out.

"What the hell?" Pope asked, regarding all the lights that had now turned on.

"Who the hell is that?" Kie asked as we all started walking to the porch.

We saw JJ sitting in a hot tub, and I knew he hit bottom. He said something, but I was too zoned-out to hear it.

"How much did this cost?" I asked him.

"Well, with the generator, the petrol, and oh, hey, express delivery, pretty much all of it." He said, and I could tell he was drunk.

"All of it?" All 3 of us questioned.

"Guys can you..."

"Yeah, before I pull his brains out," Kie whispered to me, taking Pope and walking away.

Once they were a bit away I turned back to JJ. "You spent all the money in one day?" I asked, not being able to control my anger anymore.

"Yeah, burned a hole right through my pocket, but like come on look at this!" He said.

"Oh my god," I muttered, putting my hands on my head, and turning around, and taking a few small steps towards the house before turning back around.

"Finest in Jet-based massage therapy that's what they told me." He said, making me rub my forehead. "Layne what? Can't a man have a little luxury in life? Come on, all this scrimping and scraping" He said to me, slurring his words slightly.

"I mean like we only live once, right? Enough of this emotional shit, get in the cat's ass." 

"The what?" I asked.

"That cat's ass that's what I named her." He replied.

"Oh hey, yo, I almost forgot. Disco mode baby!"

I took a deep breath. "JJ you could have paid for restitution, or given it to charity, paid for supplies!" I shouted. "Okay well, I didn't do that!" He yelled, standing up and revealing the bruises all over his torso making me almost breakdown on the spot. "I got a hot tub. For us. I got a hot tub for us because I love you,"

"JJ what the hell?" I asked, tears already filling my eyes. 

"Look what I did for you!" 

"JJ"

"No stop being emotional, it's fine, okay?"

"I'm being sweet right?" He said, and I knew that this was rock bottom. I walked up the stairs and into the hot tub, and wrapped my arms around his neck, and pulled my chin onto his shoulder as he broke down. I rubbed his back, trying to comfort him.

"I just couldn't do it." He said as he leaned more into the hug, me holding onto him like my life depended on it. Tears rolled down my cheeks, and onto his shoulder as I held onto this poor broken boy. 

"I can't take him anymore!" He sobbed. "I was gonna kill him." He said as I rubbed his back with one hand, and his head with the other. 

"I just want to do the right thing." He said. "I know. I know. I've got you, no one can hurt you while I've got you." I replied, trying to comfort him, and myself.

His arms were wrapped around me like he thought if he let go, the whole world was going to crumble.

"I thought I lost you." He cried. "I'm not going anywhere okay JJ? We're going to have our moments, but in the end, I'm gonna be right back here, with you okay? I love you J I'm not ever going to leave you behind." I said before we both went silent. 

We stood there for close to an hour, and I comforted JJ in any way I could think.

Pope and Kie came and gave JJ hugs too before they left. Once he was pretty calmed down I asked him, "You wanna sleep on the roof tonight?" with a smile on my face and my hand on his shoulder. "Yeah." He said. We started walking, hand in hand to my house. We were silent most of the way there.

"Hey, Layne?" JJ asked right outside of my house. "Yeah?" I answered stopping and turning to him.  "We're you uh... were you crying? Back at JB's?" He asked me. "I mean yeah, why?" I answered, confused.

"Didn't think that would bring you to cry." He answered, smiling lightly. "Why not? JJ you're my best friend, we do everything together and I just saw you at the lowest point in your life, I mean, of course, I'm going to cry." He looked down at his feet. "I just didn't know anyone cared about me that much." He said, more tears running down his face.

"I don't think you could ever comprehend how much you mean to me. I probably wouldn't be standing here if you weren't here to save my ass a few times. You've saved me a few times without even noticing it. You know how many times I was in my room, thinking about just ending all of it when your happy little face flashed across my mind? You can never understand how much you mean to me,"

We stood there for a second, staring into each other's eyes. "I really want to kiss you right now," He said quietly. "What's stopping you?" I asked as we moved towards each other, our lips colliding. My arms went around his neck, as his went around my waist. I felt like everything that has been happening recently, just made sense again. "I told you you were falling for me," He said to me, pulling away for a second with that smirk on his face.

"Oh shut up," I said, before kissing him again.

We went up to the roof and looked at the stars, all cuddled up with each other. I was almost asleep when I heard JJ quietly say, "Thank you." I smiled and pulled myself closer to him before finally dozing off.