CASTAWAY ⚓ R.C, J.M

T W E N T Y O N E

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E Y E S   O F   A   P S Y C H O

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Apparently, John B had gone to the shop and so JJ took it upon himself to stay at the Château and keep watch like some kind of guard dog. When Harley slunk through the doorway, not seeing John's car, she assumed she was home alone. Until, JJ sprung up from one of the chairs.

"You're back early."

"And you're... here." Harley stared blankly at JJ, her tears kept at bay for now.

JJ flung out his arms nonchalantly as if it was obvious he would be here. It kind of was. "This is my best friend's home."

"Yeah. Whatever, JJ." Harley brushed passed him intending to get to her bedroom, but JJ clearly had other plans.

He held onto her hand and tugged her back softly, so that he could stare at her.

Harley could see that he had been smoking. His eyes were tinged pink, yet the warm intensity of his stare still remained and continued to faze Harley. His eyes searched hers trying to see what she saw in her mind. His stare dropped as he scanned over her face, lower and lower. Eyes, cheekbones, nose, soft lips and a sore looking neck.

JJ reached out to brush his finger along Harley's throat and she let him with a nervous swallow.

"What happened to your neck?" His hateful demeanour had faded, behind a billow of jaded smoke.

My boyfriend almost strangled me outside of his house, she thought. That didn't sound right and it wasn't the kind of thing you said about your boyfriend to people that already hated him.

"An allergic reaction."

JJ looked doubtful. "It looks like it's bruising."

Harley slowly pulled JJ's hand off her neck and used her other to subtly hide the skin. "It is. That's why I'm back so soon. I ate something and my skin got all blotchy."

Maybe if JJ wasn't high he would have read the situation differently. Maybe he would have realised how familiar the marks looked. Maybe he would have realised what had happened and put his hate aside for a minute. Instead he fell back into his seat and said, "Wow. Not only are you a big walking liability and disappointment, you're also one big walking medical issue."

"Great. Thanks for that, Jackass junior."

"Anytime, Eight Bait. I'll always be honest with you."

Harley scoffed and strutted away flipping him off on her way. JJ could go shrivel up in a barrel with Rafe and Sarah along with everybody else who wasn't a Routledge, Billie or Topper.

⚓

No matter how long or how deep below the water, still nothing became clear to Harley. Images were still half painted or warped. It was so horrifying and mind darkening, yet addictive. She wanted to know what the cracked mosaics in her mind were. She had to know. Otherwise she was just stagnant.

She surfaced clinging onto the boardwalk whilst she caught her breath, then pulled herself up to sit on the edge. The sun was shrinking behind clouds, the day itself cooling off and dulling down. In the near distance, the sound of a boat caught Harley's attention which was strange as all of the Pogues were inside the château hanging out. Harley had come outside to be out of their way despite John B's protest.