Torn ~ JJ Maybank

Chapter 12

I felt a body shifting beneath me, as I blinked my eyes open and sat up abruptly from my nap. 

"Sorry. I didn't mean to wake you." the boy next to me whispered. 

"Oh, it's okay." I made eye contact with JJ, who was still in the same position he was in when I had fallen asleep, as I gently lay back to my original position, cuddled softly into the side of him. He hesitated for a moment as I placed by body close to his, before he rested his arm around the side of my body again and began stroking my side. 

"How are you feeling?" he asked me gently. 

"Better." I whispered. 

"Still mad at me?" he chuckled slightly, causing me to smile. 

"Of course I am." I replied, not being able to hide the smile off of my face as I tried to remain serious. 

"Doesn't look like it." he teases. 

"Well I am." I smile back, before my look turns serious again, "JJ?"

"Mm." he hums. 

"Why didn't you come home last night?" I asked cautiously. I heard JJ sigh and take a gulp, as he pondered over his answer. 

"I just. I just wanted to be alone." he stuttered. 

I sighed at his closed-off response, and hesitated before daring to ask my next question, "But why, JJ?" 

"Well everyone was pretty pissed at me for the whole gun thing, so I figured I should just be alone." he reasoned. 

"I wasn't pissed at you JJ." I point out, "You could've come to me." 

"I know." he breathed out quietly. 

"I was just worried about you." I whispered. 

"You were worried about me?" he asks, almost shocked. 

"Yes JJ, I was so worried. I didn't know where you had gone for the night." I admitted, leaning onto my side further so I could face the boy more. 

"I just." he sighed, hesitating before continuing, "I went home" he glanced at me quickly, before looking away again, making me sceptical as to why he was so hesitant. 

I sighed and rolled onto my back, staring up at the ceiling before JJ spoke out again, "I'm sorry for storming off like that last night." 

I think about the events of our argument last night - how angry he was, how much he was pushing me away, and it made me shudder at the thought of how bipolar he was being recently. 

"It's okay." I turn my head and smile at the boy, hoping my forgiveness will begin to ease the tension between us. He opened his mouth to speak again, but he was interrupted by a knock at my door. 

"Come in." JJ called out, and I turned and frowned at him as if to remind him that this was my room and not his. He simply laughed at my reaction and shrugged his shoulders, as I rolled my eyes and turned my attention towards Pope who was now stood just inside my bedroom. 

"John B's got the tanks. You two coming or what?" he asked. JJ looked over at me intently, as if asking me what my decision was. He stuck his bottom lip out in a pout, desperate for me to give in to his pleading eyes - to be honest, how could I say no to him when he looked at me like that. 

"How could I say no to this face?" I put on a baby voice as I lightly squeeze JJ's cheeks with my hand, causing Pope to laugh and JJ to grimace. I turned back to Pope with a gentle smile on my face before I answered his question, "Yeah we're coming."