Nothing is hidden under the sunlight // JJ

Chapter 12

The sunshines were falling onto JJ's blonde hair making them look golden. The light breeze was entering from the windows was passing through them. His blue eyes were open staring at the ceiling either really sceptical or really lost. He was lying on the couch waiting for Pope to come. He had said that he wanted to tell him something. He took a deep breath and then let it out.

He didn't want to see Pope at the moment. He had lied to him and if there was a person he didn't want to lie to that was Pope. But now he had... Well of course for a good reason, it was a white lie, but.. that couldn't change the fact that he had lied to him. Even if it was for his own safety.

JJ was used to that now. When it wasn't his father it was the kooks and when it wasn't the kooks it was his father. It was a circle. There wasn't an end and a beginning. It was the same story over and over again. And the funny thing is that most of the times he wasn't the one who was causing that.

And now there was this other thing. Half of the bottles he was delivering must have been broken from the fall, and he had to pay the damage. Oh and also Rafe hadn't paid him so if he wanted Heyward to believe that everything went fine he had to pay from his pocket. Unfortunately the only way he could do that was either stealing from someone or visiting his father. But there was no way walking back there.

This period of the year his father acted way worse than he used to act during the school year. Probably because he had to work for buying his drinks. In summer he didn't have to buy his drinks. Almost ever night there was a party held on the beach and most of the heavy drinks were shield. Making it easy for him to take them and drink them without any guilt.

He stood up from the couch. He was going to go surfing. He would try to clean his mind from all these bullshit. He couldn't stand thinking about his father. Thinking about his friends. Thinking about the kooks. Thinking about all the things he had done wrong. Thinking about all the things he had to do correctly in the future.

~~

Sophie was standing on Heyward's threshold deciding if she was going to knock or back off as there was still time. "No" she said loud enough but just for her to hear it "There's no going back now!"

She took a deep breath gathered as much courage as she had and knocked the door. After a few minutes a sympathetic man showed up opening his door. He looked confused seeing her. She immediately took of her sun glasses no that that would have made any difference but it was better communicating with someone without something covering your face.

"Hello, you're Mr. Heyward right?" She raised her hand for him to shake it. "The same, how can I help you?" The man replied taking her hand.

"I'm really sorry if I'm bothering you sir. I'm Sophie Green, do you by any chance have a moment? I want to take care of the things my brother caused..."

Heyward look didn't change he was still confused "Enter, maybe you'll have to enlighten me about what has happened but I more than willing to help." She smiled and he waved her to walk inside.

"Maybe if my son was here would have helped us" he paused "or maybe not... He didn't tell me that something occured. Quite the opposite..."

Now it was Sophie's turn to look at Heyward with curiosity "Well if everything was fine wouldn't that mean that you would have been paid?" She knew pretty well that for Rafe and the others paying for the order wasn't their first priority since the fight began. And she knew that she hadn't paid JJ in order to give the money to him.

"Well that's not always the case. Wasn't JJ the one who delivered the order?" She nodded in agreement. "Yes don't worry about it we have the money."

Sophie looked at Heyward. She didn't know what the man was trying to do. Why he was trying to convince her otherwise. Maybe he knew something she didn't. Anyway she decided to tell him the truth. "I'm afraid that this's not possible sir. You see we never paid JJ for delivering our order."

"What do you mean?"

"Well didn't you saw JJ?" Heyward replied that he had with a wave "He was beaten up to death how did that escaped your mind? Sorry if I'm being too forward. What I mean is that how could he return beaten up like that and having the money?"

"My girl JJ is used to this kind of stuff so it came to no surprise." Heyward had almost given her the truth but he stopped before getting too specific. Not that if she knew it would changed anything. Everyone here knew what was going on "As it seems there are lots of things that I'm not aware of. Can you please explain what happened?"

The girl for a minute thought that she actually didn't know anything about JJ. Maybe her brother knew what this man was talking about. But this thought didn't last for long.

"Well Mr. Heyward, last day Rafe ordered from you some drinks. JJ delivered the order but then he got into a fight with my brother. I don't know what the reason was but I can assure you that it wasn't JJ's fault. Yes he attacked -judging from the way the boxes were fallen- but seeing how my brother was I can definitely assure you that he caused it." She paused and looked at Heyward who was secretly smiling "without wanting to offend you. What is so funny?"

"Nothing just the observation. And the fact that you standing up for a stranger. Continue..."

"From now on you can imagine the rest of the story. Now I'm here to pay for the order and for the damage caused from my brother."

The man shook his head "there's no need to pay for the damage my girl. Seriously"

"No! I insist! I'll never be able to sleep again. I have to clear my consciousness. It's the only way I can apologize not only from you but from JJ too."

Heyward looked at the girl again and tapped her on her shoulder. He didn't know why she was hanging out with Rafe but he wished he would start acting like her one day.