Heart at War // JJ Maybank

18

Lena Boggs

        I groan, rolling over onto my side as I wake up to banging on my front door once again. I tried covering my face with a pillow, but that didn't seem to work either as the banging just got louder the longer I didn't answer. My head started pounding as I pushed myself out of bed, grabbing a sweater and pulling it over top of my head before making my way downstairs.

"Lena Boggs, open this goddamn door!" I froze at the sound of Kiara's voice outside, realizing she was the one banging. I glanced at the clock to realize it was one in the afternoon, cursing to myself knowing my Mom was at work and I couldn't have her open the door and tell her I wasn't home.

"I know you're in there," Kiara shouts as she stops banging, "Please just let me in."

I inhale through my nose and exhale through my mouth as I slowly reach forward and place my hand on the lock.

My hand ran through every scenario that could happen, maybe she'll punch me, yell at me, tell me she never wants to see me again- And I couldn't blame her either. I knew that she was beginning to like him, even if she never told me personally I could see it on her face anytime she was with him... Yet I still slept with him, still prayed that he would be mine instead of hers. I was a bad friend.

As I turned the lock, I slowly pulled the door open. Kiara stood before me, one hand holding the opposite arm as she stared forward at me.

We don't move, we just stare at each other. My hand still holding onto the side of the door as I lean my body weight against it, a small frown on her face made anxiety spark inside of me. I wasn't ready to lose Kiara as a friend.

"We should talk." She says.

John B Routledge

An Hour Later

My arms are crossed over my chest as I stare down at where JJ was passed out on my couch. His one arm hung off the side, onto the floor with a blanket covering his waist. I cringe at the drool pooling at the side of his mouth before I look down at my coffee table and lift the cup.

There's some liquid at the bottom with no scent to it so I can only assume it to be water, so without a second thought, I dump the remaining liquid onto JJ's head. He gasps as he jumps wake, glancing around the room before his eyes fall onto me.

"What the hell, man?" He exclaimed, wiping the water off of his face as he sat up. I glare at him as he reaches forward and grabs his vape before taking a hit off of it and noticing the look on my face.

"What climbed up your ass bro?" He chuckled, slumping back into the couch as I scoffed. "Do you not have any recollection of last night? What you did?" JJ's eyebrows knitted in confusion for a second before his eyes widened in realization.

"Oh, fuck..." He runs a hand down his face, remembering what happened last night when he was drunk before looking back up at me. I grab a pillow and throw it at his chest, "You've been sleeping with Lena for a whole year you dumbass!" I exclaimed, making him flinch.

"Dude I have a killer hangover. Can you lower your voice?" His carefree tone makes me angrier, remembering the tears I saw in Lena's eyes last night.

"JJ! I'm fucking serious man, she's our best friend and you've been sleeping with her for a year without any of us knowing! And then suddenly you're all over Kie? What's that about?" JJ looks up at me, frowning. "Do you not even care that you hurt Lena?"

JJ throws his arms up. "Of course I care, John B! I never wanted to hurt her, I don't know what I was thinking alright man?"

I drop myself down onto the chair, pressing my fingers to my forehead. "Why did you even start sleeping with her? She's been our best friend for years." I couldn't fathom how it would have happened, and I can't believe I never saw how in love Lena was with JJ- Thinking about it made perfect sense, all the signs were there.