Sunshine in the Rain

88. Memories

JJ and I are sitting on the couch together, alone. Kie, Cleo, and Pope are in another room.

"So, how's it going?" JJ asks.

"It's going good." I say. "I think I might get a full night of sleep tonight." I say.

"Good." JJ says. "You need it."

"Yeah. I mean, we're all here." I say. "My whole family is here in my home." I say.

"Oh, and your fiancé." JJ says. I smile at him.

"Soon to be husband." I say. JJ smiles and we just lay there together. Then I smell smoke. "J, do you smell that?" I ask.

Then JJ's eyes snap to the window. "What's that light?" He asks. We go walk over to the window and see a raging fire. My eyes go wide and my heartbeat increases.

"Guys!" JJ yells. "Ash, go get JB and Sarah." I sprint to John B's room. I open the door and see Sarah in her bra and underwear. I'm even sure if JB is wearing underwear anymore.

"Guys!! There's a fire!!" I yell. Sarah starts to put her clothes back on and so does John B. I go over and open the door but fire is circled around the house. My home is burning. I swear I see a car drive away but I can't see that well.

"Fire!!" JJ yells.

Everyone starts getting out of the house quickly and I'm the last one. "Guys! Wait!" I say. I run back into the house and hear the others screaming at me. JJ and I'd bracelets are still on the bed. Plus I have a box full of pictures and items under my bed. I can't leave it. It has everything that I've ever known in it.

I run into my room and I cough from the smoke. I go to the ground and feel a burn on my arm. I ignore it and reach for the small box under the bed. Luckily, the fire hasn't gotten to it yet. Then I grab the bracelets and shove them in my pocket.

I grab the box and start running out. I see the open door and I throw the box outside of the house. Then I go and jump out of the house. I fall into the grass and I hear people yelling at me. My ears are ringing and I cough from the smoke. Sweat is dripping from everywhere. I feel someone drag me away from the house and I get dizzy.

"Ash, hey, baby, are you hurt? Can you hear me?" I slightly hear someone say. I can barely hear over the ringing.

A few seconds later, I feel a cold wet cloth on my face. I get less dizzy and the ringing starts to go away.

"Hey, Ash, can you hear me?" A soft voice asks. I look over to my right and see JJ.

"J?" I ask.

"Hey princess, are you hurt?" JJ asks. I shake my head no. "Use your words, baby." JJ says.

"No." I say. I go to get up but I put my arm on the grass to get up and it starts burning. "Ah fuck!" I say.

"So you are hurt?" JJ asks.

"Yeah." I say. JJ runs to the water. I get up and turn around and look at my house. It's in flames. My home filled with so many memories.

The thunder rumbles loudly at 2 am. I jolt out of bed and sit up. I start breathing harder. I hate thunder and lighting.

A few minutes later, I can barely breath. I start coughing but then I walk into the living room and see JJ asleep on the couch.

I go and lay next to him. I hear him groan.

"Hey Ash what are you doing up?" He asks. He turns over and sees tears in my eyes. Then he hears thunder and remembers that I'm afraid of thunder.

"JJ... I-I can't breath." I choke out.

JJ puts his arms around me and rubs my back. "Hey, I'm right here. You're safe."

I feel safe in JJ's arms and I bury my head into his chest as more thunder rumbles. I start to breath again and I fall back asleep in his warm, muscular arms.

——

There's a knock on the door. "Hey Ash." Kie says. "Cmon. Eat something." She says. "I know you miss John B. We all do. But please don't keep starving yourself." I sniffle and don't talk. Kie sighs. "We have the first day of school tomorrow. I hope you go. You know John B would've wanted you to go." Kie walks away.

——

"So my Dad quickly drove us to the hospital and I had to have a bunch of shots in my arm and they had to wrap it up and stuff." I say. I close my eyes from the pain.

"Tell me another story." JJ says. "We can talk about anything you want, Cupcake."

I smile a little at the nickname. I open my eyes and look into JJ's. "Me gustan tus ojos azules." I say in Spanish.

"Ash, I know like 2 words in Spanish. Bon Voyage and uhh, that's it." JJ says.

I laugh a little and smile. "That's not the right language." I say. I feel another pain in my calf and I squeeze JJ's hand. I squeeze my eyes and tense up a little bit from the pain. JJ notices a tear slip from my eye.

"Princess, hey, don't cry." JJ says. "She's almost done. Right Sarah?" JJ asks.

"Yep! Two more to go." Sarah says.

——

I wake up in the Chateau. JJ is looking at me with worry. My head starts hurting super bad and I close my eyes because of the light. I groan in pain. I hear JJ close the blinds a little.

"Hey princess." JJ says softly, to not make my head hurt more. I open my eyes and look at him. Even though the blinds are closed, I can see him perfectly. He looks like he's been crying. He puts his hand on my forehead. "Your temperature is still a little warm."

"Hey J." I say. JJ gently hugs me. "What happened after that fat bastard punched me?" I ask.

——

I notice tears falling down my face and I just sit down on the grass and watch my home burn to the ground.

JB comes and sits next to me. Even he's teary eyed. I hug him and he hugs me back. We both start crying.

"JB, w-we don't have a home anymore." I say.

JB and I stay with each other for the rest of the night and neither of us get sleep. No matter how many times JJ comes over and begs me to go to sleep, I can't.