underwater || outer banks- jj maybank

twenty-four - trust issues

twenty-four - trust issues

Layla woke up in her bed on top of sheets, still wearing the outfit she had dawned the previous night.

She stretched, rolling over from facing the window to facing the door. On the floor, JJ slept with a pillow barely under his head. He was halfway hugging it.

She grabbed the pillow from above her head and put it over her face aggressively. Layla was mad at herself. She had allowed JJ to slip back into her life. Did she not have enough self-worth to separate herself from him? Why did she allow a boy who had hurt her to remain in her life?

Because he was JJ Maybank. And she had no self-control when it came to the boy, as much as she wanted to.

Now she would have to talk to the boy. And interact with him. She didn't know if she had it in her with the massive hangover she was experiencing.

And she really had to pee. But the last thing she wanted at the moment was to wake up the boy and start the few hours she was going to have to deal with him for.

Her thoughts were interrupted by her cell phone ringing as loudly as possible in her ears, the sound reverberating through her head.

She glanced at the device that she had just noticed was next to her, and JJ began to stir next to her. She elected to pick it up, holding it to her ear. "Hello?" she questioned to the number she didn't recognize.

"Hello, I was calling for Ms. Layla Arden," a male voice spoke over the phone. Layla's eyebrows pulled together.

"This is she."

"I was calling on behalf of William Arden," the voice spoke. She didn't recognize it, but the name caused her to visibly cringe.

She laughed, it full of nothing but dryness and bitterness. "Well, I'm not sure why you would be doing that." Irritation laced her tone. She wasn't sure why anyone would be calling her in regards to the man. Frankly, it was the last thing she needed.

The man took a pause, most likely not expecting her words. She sounded generally disgusted. "My name is Michael Karges. I'm a private investigator doing a favor for you father. He asked me to find and contact you."

She pieced it all together. This was probably a man her father had established some sort of relationship with. He was still in prison as far as she knew, and he lacked the funds to hire a private investigator. Besides, he said it was a favor. If this man had found her phone number though, it was highly probable that he had found her address.

That was the last thing she needed.

"Contact me about what?" she asked sharply. While the man probably did not know all of the conditions of the relationship the pair had, he was causing more trouble by finding her.

"Your father said he wanted me to speak to you for him about potentially seeing him."

Layla laughed the same bitter laugh. "I appreciate you taking time out of your day to call me, but please," she began, "Never do. Ever again."

"I'm sorry-"

"For what? Contacting me?" she questioned rhetorically. "Good, you should be. Please, never do it again."

JJ sat up from his position on the floor as Layla ended the call and tossed it onto the bed. "Is everything okay?"

"You know you're a fucking dick, right?" Layla said to him and she faced her ceiling.

JJ took a sharp breath, not quite expecting her attitude this early. "Wow. Okay. Um, thanks?"

"I just needed to remind you. Want to go get breakfast?"

He simply glanced at her, confusion being present throughout his entire being. Once he realized she was serious, he shrugged and nodded.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

The pair ended up at a small diner that Layla had been to before but JJ had never seen. It was cute in the inside, having a slight beach theme like everything else on the island.

JJ was in the mood for eggs, and Layla wanted nothing more than blueberry pancakes.

After placing their orders, barely acknowledging each other, JJ began the conversation in a serious tone.

"I've been meaning to talk to you about something."

"Oh?" Layla replied, obviously confused at what the boy had suddenly gotten so uptight about.

"You, um," he began, pausing as if he was unsure if he really wanted to ask. He elected to. "You've lost weight."

Layla's brows scrunched and her eyes came together. "Have I?" she questioned, as if she hadn't noticed.

She seemed to have a perpetual stomachache that didn't seem to ever go away, therefore curbing her appetite and causing her to eat less.

"Seriously, Layla, I've noticed. And I'm worried."

She laughed lightly to play it off. "I don't think you have any reason to worry. I'm fine, JJ."

"You're always fine," JJ remarked in reply.

Layla's face contorted. "What's that supposed to mean?" she challenged.

He shook his head, shrugging.

"JJ," she called.

"You always act like everything is okay," he replied. "And it's why you have trust issues. And built up anger."

"Trust issues." All Layla could do was laugh that same, bitter laugh.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───