Torn ~ JJ Maybank

Chapter 11

I groaned as I felt sunlight begin to light up my bedroom. I sat up in bed and squinted my eyes, slowly adjusting them to the brightness of the sun beaming in through the window. I roll back over in bed and pull my head over the covers, my head thumping from the day before. My head was pounding with a hangover, and I don't think the fact that John B and I both almost drowned yesterday was helping soothe my headache. 

The memories of the hectic day before flood my mind: from JJ and I's sexual encounter - twice - to John B almost getting drowned by Topper at the Kegger, all the way to the argument between my best friend and I before he stormed off. 

Then I remembered, JJ didn't come home last night. Technically, he didn't actually live here, but this is where he spent most of his time, and John B and I even let him stay in Big John's old room, so at least he has somewhere to put his stuff. His dad was an abusive alcoholic, who treated JJ like shit - JJ hated him, so spent pretty much all of his time at the chateau. Even though he is known to go off on his own a lot, something about the anger in him when he stormed off of the beach last night worried me about where he had gone. There was no way JJ had gone home to his dad - he never goes home. I tried to push the worried images out of my brain, but the effort was useless.

A knock on the front door shook me from my negative thoughts, and I slid out of my bed and headed to see who was at the door. 

"John B!" I called out, but I was met with no response, presumably meaning he was still asleep. I tiptoed through the chateau, and peered my head through the front door, for my gaze to be met with Sheriff Peterkin's on the other side. My mouth drops slightly in shock and the first thing that pops into my head is JJ. Is he okay? Is she here about the gun? Or did something happen to him? Sheriff Peterkin cocked her head to the side and nodded at the door handle, shaking me from my thoughts as I realised I must've looked suspicious just staring at her and not opening the door. I shoot her a gentle smile as I pull open the door. 

"Hello Sweetie." she speaks to me lowly, with a blank expression on her face. "Your cousin around? I need to talk to you both." 

I gulp anxiously and nod my head, before signalling for her to come inside. She accepts my offer and steps into the chateau, looking around the place as she did so, and closed the door shut behind her. As my eyes followed her gaze, I realised what the chateau actually looked like - empty beer bottles were scattered everywhere, and food litter and empty plates covered all the worktops. I make a mental note telling myself to keep the chateau clean, in the event that any police officers decide to make unexpected visits again. 

I turn and head towards John B's room to wake him up. I knock lightly on the door, but as expected I am met with no response, so I twist the door handle and step into his bedroom. He was passed out face-down on the bed, still in the same clothes as last night. I shook his shoulders a few times, causing him to stir slightly. 

"John B, wake up!" I spoke into his ear, causing him to groan, and open one of his eyes to peer out to me. He groaned in response at me. "Get up. Sheriff Peterkin is here and wants to speak to us." I told him. 

"What?" he asked in shock, leaning up so I could see his face properly for the first time. As I looked at his face, a gasp fell from my lips at his appearance. 

"Oh shit." I mumbled staring at the colossal black ring that lay around his left eye. He looked at me in confusion, as I pointed at his eye, "Your face." 

He sat up properly this time and rushed over to the mirror on the other side of his room. "Shit." he swore as he blinked at the large bruise on his face. 

"Great. Now Peterkin's gonna be against us more." I rub my hands across my face. 

"Why is she here?" he asks, still admiring the dark colour around his eye.