Sweetheart - JJ Maybank

Chapter twenty five

Aurora rose early in the morning, determined to be up before JJ. Knowing that Kiara and Pope had also stayed the night, occupying the couch, she moved quietly to avoid waking them. Stepping into the kitchen, she opened the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of water to quench her thirst.

As Aurora turned around, a tap on her shoulder caused her to startle. It was Kiara. Concern etched on her features, Kiara asked how JJ was doing. Aurora reassured her, saying he was doing fine, which visibly eased Kiara's worries. Kiara asked about how both JJ and Aurora were doing in general, she knew how awkward the situation was for Aurora.

"Kie, I wish I had an answer for you," Aurora replied with a sigh. "Things have been complicated lately, and I'm still trying to figure it all out myself."

"Did you two have a chance to talk last night?" Kiara inquired, her curiosity evident in her voice.

"No, he was completely wasted. Trying to have a conversation with him would have been futile," Aurora replied, her chuckle lacking any hint of amusement. It was a dry, bitter sound tinged with anger.

"Drunk words speak sober thoughts," Kiara echoed, her voice carrying a mix of understanding and concern. She reached out a hand to gently touch Aurora's arm, conveying support in her gesture.

"Yeah, maybe for some people. But you heard JJ last night. He was in no state to think clearly, and I don't want him to say something he might regret," Aurora explained, her voice filled with a mix of caution and patience. Feeling the need for some physical support, she hopped up onto the counter, seeking a moment of respite.

"You know, you don't seem very eager to talk to him."

Aurora remained silent, her gaze fixed on the water in her hand, lost in her thoughts. She swallowed, though there was nothing to swallow, as conflicting emotions swirled within her. Part of her resented the idea of talking to JJ, harboring a reluctance to engage with him for an extended period. Yet, another part of her grappled with uncertainty, unsure of what she would do if they didn't talk. Amidst the turmoil, one thing was clear: she no longer trusted him. Maybe she had never truly trusted him, merely assuming she did because there was no reason not to. However, now he had shattered that trust. She questioned if her reaction was an exaggeration, but one thing was certain: she didn't want to be in a relationship with someone who lashed out and hurled hurtful words every time they were upset.

"Ror, babe, please tell me you're going to talk to him."

"I will, I will. I just don't know when, okay," she sighed, rubbing her forehead. "Right now this is not what we need to be focusing on. We need to get that gold up."

"You're right, but you're only using the gold as an excuse to not talk about this," Kiara pointed out. "Look, I know you don't like talking to people, but this is something you need to talk about. This doesn't just affect you, it affects everyone in the group because if you guys are in a big argument then shit is gonna be awkward. No one wants that."

Aurora's voice grew softer as she responded, her tone filled with a mix of resignation and sadness. "Kiara, I understand your concern, and I appreciate your perspective. But right now, I need some time to process everything. It's difficult for me to confront this issue because deep down, I realize that we were never truly together. And that realization hurts. For now, let's focus on the tasks ahead and deal with this when the time feels right. I promise, I won't keep avoiding it forever." Aurora's words carried a sense of emotional weight, reflecting the complexity of her feelings.

Kiara rolled her eyes and jumped up on the counter next to Aurora. "Just because it wasn't official doesn't mean it wasn't there. You would have to be blind to not see that something was going on between you two."