STREET RAT, jj [ON HIATUS]

thc and trauma .

14]  THC AND TRAUMA

SYNLEY WASN'T SURE WHAT WAS WORSE. The awkward tension on the way over to her sisters or the awkward opening-line J decided to lead with when they got inside.

"So are we gonna talk about earlier or...?" JJ decided to stay with Synley that night. He was worried about her. Plus, his dad was on a bender again.

Synley placed her bag on the table and tied her hair into a quick ponytail before giving him an answer. She placed her index finger on her chin, pretending to think about it before gleaming with a fake smile "Nope!"

The boy sighed, following her down the hallway. "Of course not." He didn't bother trying to be private with the conversation, Selena and Asher were on a trip visiting Asher's family before it's too far into the pregnancy to travel. So they had the apartment to themselves for a few nights.

"It's not a big deal. I had a moment. I got over it" Synley flashed J yet another sarcastic grin before collapsing on her bed. She was lying. She knew it. J knew it. Hell, the rest of the pogues don't even know about that side of her story and they knew it. But Synley wasn't one to talk about her feelings. Not anymore.

"Synley." J returned her sarcastic smile before lying on the bed himself. They both stared up at the ceiling. "Stop the bullshit. We don't have to sit here and hug it out, but you're not gonna lie to me either."

The girl let out a dramatic sigh before looking over at him. From this distance, she could pinpoint every speck of color in his eyes that wasn't blue. Hidden little fragments of gray and yellow surround his pupil. She almost found herself getting lost in them. But she broke her own gaze and looked back up at the ceiling.

"Do you have your juul?" she simply asked. JJ was thrown off, having been in a daze himself. "Uh, yea." He pat down his pockets before he found the thc filled vape.

"Thanks." She mumbled before taking a long drag. She needed guidance if she was gonna have this conversation. J fumbled with the white strings that were hanging loosely from his jeans as he waited for her to find the high she was looking for.

"I thought I was over it, ya know." she breathed out, a line of white smoke following her words. She laughed, as if to respond to her own opening, "I guess not, huh."

"He was your dad, Syn.."

She cut him off before he could finish whatever bullshit he was about to say, "No. He was a man who put his family at danger for his own selfish needs. And ended up 6 feet under because of it." J brought his gaze up from his hands and to the girls profile.

"You're right. He was an asshole and you were left with nothing but trauma." J turned to his side, as if to get a better look at the beautiful mess before him.

Synley laughed, almost sadly, before turning to her side as well, matching his gaze.

"We're basket cases aren't we, J?" she whispered, gently pushing back a strand of sandy blond hair away from his eyes. She let her hand gently rest on the side of his face when she was done and brought her eyes back down to meet his.