CASTAWAY ⚓ R.C, J.M

T W E L V E

Waking up had felt surreal to Harley. It didn't feel like the events of last night had actually occurred. Nor did waking up beside JJ in his bed feel real.

Tweeting birds perched outside the Maybank residence filling the dead, morning silence. The sound of JJ's heartbeat filled Harley's ears.

Harley had awoken first, her restless shifting waking JJ not too long after. Neither teen had spoken other than morning greetings. An easy quiet tied them together bringing peace they both needed. JJ's hand had found a way to Harley's cheek, the pad of his thumb ran soothing swipes over the tender skin. When her eyes had fluttered closed again, missing JJ's silly smile, they both melted together again.

Now they lay, Harley enveloped in JJ's warmth, breathing him in. Their bubble, filled with pink clouds, served a nice distraction. Though the ache in her stomach and the gnawing feeling of regret. 

"JJ," Harley mumbled.

"Mhmm."

"I'm sorry." Guilt flooded Harley's chest like a tidal wave.

Last night as Harley struggled to stay asleep, she had time to think. She had the minutes to replay the events of the night before and snippets of the past year. She found it astonishing how she had never looked much into JJ's father or how JJ didn't spend much time at home. She had asked questions at the start but they were mostly carefully dodged. And well, she assumed JJ preferred staying at his best friend's home, like any other teen would, and his parents were fine with it like John. If Harley could stay with Kiara more often then she would, of course she wouldn't want to leave JB; they were best friends, too.

Now, Harley figured maybe JJ didn't stay home often because his dad was very intense. His vehement tone and harsh body language could be overbearing to anybody. However, that was if he acted that way toward his son. Harley doubted it, why would he be that way to his own child?

JJ pulled back a little to peer down at Harley's saddened features. She looked riddled with remorse, but JJ couldn't understand why.

"Why are you sorry?" He chuckled a little, a teasing smile coming through.

Harley couldn't laugh. She kept staring at the dried cut on JJ's bottom lip. He hadn't mentioned how it happened, so she pondered if she had put more problems on his plate along with whoever hurt him. "I shouldn't have come to your home without checking with you. You've never really wanted me here before."

Harley took in her own words as she said them. What if JJ hadn't wanted her around, because he knew she would do something wrong and upset his dad?

"It's not that I never wanted you here. It was just..."

Harley's frown deepened. "I shouldn't have come here. I was just upset, and I wanted to see you. Instead, I got your dad angry."

JJ perked up at Harley's words. He propped himself up with his elbow and fixed Harley with his silvery, blue eyes. "Forget my dad for a second. Why were you upset?"

Of course JJ had showed he cared about Harley over the year, but that had only been in a jokey friendship way. The earnest way he stared down at her now, made her think back to the mindful and attentive behaviours he'd shown towards her in the last month or so, especially with all the square grouper drama going on. Harley's heart fluttered, if she was a cartoon character her eyes would have gone all gooey and heart shaped. 

"Those square groupers didn't show their faces, did they?"

Harley blinked back to reality and shook her head. "I... I went back to the garage to confront Billie."

"You did what?"

"You're not allowed to get mad at me," she insisted already working on her puppy eyes and pout.