𝘯𝘶𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘴 ☼ 𝘳𝘢𝘧𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘯

𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘦〔 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 〕

𝘈𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘥𝘦'𝘴 𝘗𝘖𝘝

I wake up with a wicked hangover, my head pounding in pain and I groan, rolling out of bed. After washing up and changing into a clean bikini, baby pink in colour, I brush through my hair and pull it into two dutch braids. I then slip on a white halter neck top and a pair of black running shorts with my white chucks. I exit my room quietly and when I hear talking, I pause in the hallway.

"You're a good boy, JJ" My father slurs drunkenly and my heart aches "You remind me of myself when I was young. Little troublemaker"

The sound of my father laughing breaks my heart, knowing that he'll never laugh like that because of me.

"You should lay down, Dad" JJ advises the man.

"I love you, son. You know that, right?" The man tells my little brother and a tear slips down my cheek.

"I'm sorry if I lose my temper" He apologises, something I've never personally heard "I get that from my old man"

"It's okay" JJ's small voice replies.

"I'm glad you're around" Our dad sighs tiredly "What would I do without you, JJ?"

"You'd have Addy" JJ replies and Dad scoffs loudly, causing more tears to run down my face.

"She's useless" The man declares "Just like your mother"

"Don't say that" JJ snaps.

"It's true. You'll realise it one day too" Dad assures him and I stand in the doorway with a frown on my face, tears rolling down my red tinted cheeks.

I watch as my father passes out on the sofa and JJ shakes his head, shoving his hands into his pockets. A sniffle escapes him and I silently make my way over to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. He turns to me with tear stained cheeks, much like my own, and frowns deeply.

"How much did you hear?" He asks worriedly.

"Enough" I answer, pasting on a weak smile.

"It's not true, Addy. He's a liar" My little brother is quick to assure me.

"It's okay, J" I sigh, pulling him into a warm hug.

I stoke his hair as he lets out a sob, kissing his head lightly and he clings to me tightly, his tears falling onto my shoulder.

"He's not lying. JJ, he does love you. He's just ill" I assure the boy and he gently pulls away from. me.

"No he doesn't. He only tells us that when he's high" JJ scoffs, wiping his nose on my wrist.

"You" I correct and he looks at me in confusion.

"What do you mean?" He asks me.

"JJ, he only tells you that" I reveal and he frowns.

"I thought he did it to you too" He says and I smile through my tears, brushing his hair out of his face.

"I haven't heard a nice word from that man in my 19 years on this earth, shit faced or sober" I admit truthfully.

"I love you" JJ reminds me.

"I know, J. I love you too" I cry, pulling him in for another hug.

He holds me tightly as I cry onto his shoulder, letting my walls tumble down for once as my brother consoles my broken heart.

☼ ☼ ☼

"Look, I'm callin it off. All right?" John B announces.

"Peterkin said, if I stay out of the marsh, she'll help me with DCS" He adds making my eyes widen.

"And you believed her?" JJ scoffs.

"Yes, I believe her, JJ" John B retorts.

"An actual cop, John B. You believed a cop" JJ says in disbelief, throwing stones into the water.

"All I gotta do is stay out of the marsh for a couple days, and she'll help me out. It doesn't help that your ass was the one shooting a gun" John B argues, looking at me and I look down at my feet, not in the mood to fight today.

"You know what she should have done? Just let Topper drown your ass" JJ snaps, jumping to my defence.

"Yeah, because Topper was gonna drown me" John B scoffs and I look at him in disbelief.

"Sure looked like it" JJ retorts.

"That's really funny" John B laughs sarcastically.

"Have you looked in the mirror recently?" JJ asks, walking towards the Routledge boy.

"Come on, man, tell me some more. Come on" John B encourages the blonde, looking angry.

"They always win, don't they, man? Kooks versus Pogues. They always, always win! Goddamn!" JJ shouts, punching a buoy.

"Look, it's okay, JJ!" I tell him.

"No, it's not okay! It's not! They don't want us to go down into the marsh! That means there's something valuable down there, and you know it! I know you do" JJ rants, pointing at John B.

"And I understand why you don't wanna go. You're the golden boy. You got way too much to risk" He tells Pope.

"And you- I mean, you're already rich as fuck anyway. Why would you bother?" He scoffs at Kiara.

She looks at him in disbelief and I roll my eyes, laying my head on the girl's shoulder.

"But you, me and Addy, man, we got nothin to lose! We really don't, all right?!" JJ exclaims.

"JJ" John B sighs.

"And I know it didn't use to be that way for you" JJ continues.

"I don't wanna talk about this" John B shakes his head "I don't wanna talk about it"

"So that's it?" JJ scoffs.

"Just get out of my way, bro!" John B shouts, pushing JJ to storm past him.

"John B, listen to me! I have a plan! You got the key to Cameron's big boat, right?" JJ calls out after him.

"No, JJ" John B groans.

"There's scuba gear inside, man. We borrow that, and then we go down to the wreck this afternoon, and that is what's gonna save you, man. You don't see rich kids going into foster care, do you?" JJ asks.

John B hesitantly looks towards me and I smile warmly, sitting up.

"If that's your way of asking if I'm down, then the answer is yes" I assure the brunette "There's nothing I wouldn't do for you, Booker"