the middle ≫ jj maybank

xvii. the runaway

Slater woke up in an unfamiliar bed, looking up at a water stained ceiling. She quickly realized that the bed was John B's, and she was at the chateau. JJ slept soundly beside her, snoring off his hangover.

She hadn't meant to spend the night, but he'd been in such rough shape when she arrived that she couldn't leave him alone. It was beginning to scare her, a little, how much she cared about him. She'd never cared for another person in the way she cared about JJ. Her feelings for Rafe hadn't even come close.

She sat up and stretched, uncomfortable after having slept in a pair of jean shorts and a tight cropped tank top. She pulled her phone out of her pocket, seeing that it was almost dead. She also had two missed calls from her father, five from her mother, one from Maeve, and about twenty text messages.

Just as she was about to check the texts, her phone buzzed with a call from her mom. She sighed and slipped out of bed and out of the room before answering it.

"Hello?" she answered in a whisper, not wanting to wake up JJ. He clearly needed his sleep.

"Slater Althea Cambry!" The voice on the other end wasn't her mother. "Where the hell are you?" It was Victor Shoupe, and he was angry.

"I'm with Sar-"

"And don't you dare say you're at the Camerons, because I just got off the phone with Ward, and Sarah's asleep in her bed, alone."

Shit.

Slater's mind raced as she scrambled for an excuse. "I--"

"And your mother texted Mrs. Carrera, and she hasn't seen you either, so what gives?"

"I'm fine, Dad, okay? I'm safe."

Vic let out an annoyed laugh. "Well, I'm sure as hell glad to hear that, seeing as your mother and I haven't been able to get ahold of you for the last eight hours."

"Dad, it's okay, I just fell asleep at a friend's house."

"What friend, Slater?"

The door to John B's room opened, and JJ stumbled out, running a hand over his face. "Slater? Is everything okay?"

"Slater, who was that?" Shoupe's voice called through the phone. "Are you with a boy?"

Slater shook her head at JJ, urging him to go back into the room.

"Oh shit, is that your dad?" JJ asked.

"Slater," Vic spoke calmly, but Slater knew that was an indication of just how angry he was. "Is that JJ Maybank?"

"Yes," Slater said slowly, swallowing the lump in her throat. "I'm at John B's house, and JJ is here."

"What the hell are you doing?" JJ whispered, but it was already too late. Slater was out of excuses. She couldn't lie to her father any longer.

Vic sighed. "Well, at least I know you're not lying to me anymore. You're safe?"

"Yes."

"Do you have your car?"

"Yes."

Vic was silent for a few moments before he let out a long sigh. "Then I suggest you get in your car, and you come home. Immediately."

"Yes, sir."

Vic hung up, and Slater put her phone back in her pocket. She looked to JJ, who was watching her with a bewildered expression.