"June I came- I came to see you." Zach said, answering her question at the same time as he spoke. June furrowed her eyebrows as he stumbled past her, stopping to stand behind her.
"Zach I-I don't want you here." June said, steadying him as he started to stumble a bit. He sighed as June remembered JJ who was upstairs, hoping that he wasn't listening. She didn't want anymore trouble tonight.
"Fuck I know. I'm- I'm sorry I just didn't know who to come to . You and Adam have always been my only real friends, and he's not here so I- I just didn't know who to come to. So I got drunk and then I worked up the courage to come to you. I need to vent June. Fuck. I really need to fucking talk." The tears that we're gathering in his eyes are what shocked her as she pulled a seat out beside him as he started to sniffle.
"What happened Zach?" June said, shushing him as a tear rolled down his cheek. She'd only ever seen him upset like this when his parents fought, so she assumed that's what it was.
"My dad . He-he hit me after I tried to defend my mom and I- June I couldn't help myself. I punched the fucker back until he was unconscious." It was then that June noticed his bruises and bloody knuckles, along with his busted lip. June's eyes widened as Zach fell into her, sobbing into her shoulder. She just sat there for a moment before finally giving in, wrapping her arms around him and holding his head to her chest. She shushed him as he cried into her, tears staining her shirt. She would always care about Zach, he was her first love and there was nothing she could do to change that. They knew everything about each other, every secret and there was nothing either of them could do to forget it. Before they were dating they were friends for years and that part of June gave in. After a few minutes June heard a sound from upstairs, Zach seeming to ignore it as he continued to sob in her arms.
"June?" Zach said a moment later, pulling back and wiping his eyes. June furrowed her eyebrows at him, letting out a small ' hm'.
"What do I do? What if my dad does something else?" Zach said, sniffling a bit.
"I don't know Zach. You've gotta be careful. We know what your dads capable of and he's gonna have it out for you now." June replied, furrowing her eyebrows and nodding her head. It seemed to go in one ear and out the other as he just settled on staring at her, trying to grab her face in his hands. She turned her head away from his hand, trying not to make him feel like she was reciprocating. He pushed a hair behind her ear and then sighed.
"I love you. I love you so much. I need you June. I'm going fucking crazy without you. I can't live without you. Please just give me another chance." Zach grabbed her hands, gripping them in his as he tried to catch her eye. June sighed, shaking her head and trying to figure out what to say so that she wouldn't worsen the situation. Her heart started to ache as she looked at the broken boy in front of her, begging her to take him back.
Meanwhile JJ was sat on the stairs, his head in his hands as he listened in on the moment between the two of them. He was worried, so worried that the girl that he loved, was still in love with Zach. He waited on her response, his heart rate quickening.
"Zach I love you..."Zachs face lit up as she said it, his eyes widening as he reached to grab her face. JJ stood from the steps at that, walking back up to June's room and shutting the door. His head fell back into his hands as he realized he was losing the one person who made everything better. "...but I can't- I can't take you back." She pulled her face out of his hand, shaking her head.
"What? Why? If you love me then why can't you be with me? Is it because of JJ?" Zach said, pulling back from her.
"I love you Zach. I probably always will. But I'm not in love with you. I'm in love with.... I'm in love with someone else." Zachs face turned red as she finished her sentence. He knew exactly who she was talking about but he didn't want to believe it.
"Right." He said, running a hand through his hair. "I should probably get home." He said, standing from the table and starting to stumble towards the door.
"No no. Zach you're in no state to get yourself home. I'll drive you." June said, following after him. She pulled his arm, stopping him from opening the front door and following him out. She helped him into the car, buckling his seat for him as he fiddled with it. Soon enough they were on their way to Zachs house, his head in his hands as he dreaded going back home. They pulled up outside of his house and he sighed, unclicking his seatbelt.
"June I'm sorry okay? I just love you. But you can be happy okay? I just want to know that you're happy." Zach said, leaning over the arm rest between them. June looked at him in shock as he slurred words, wondering why he had said that. She had never in a million years expected Zach to say something like that. He had always been selfish with her. "It's okay June. I can wait. I'll wait for you. You're the love of my life. I know you are." He finished, sending her a watery smile. June nodded, not really knowing what to say. Before she could stop him though he leaned over the arm rest, pressing a kiss on her lips. She jerked her head back after a moment, shaking it in the process. He apologized, looking away from her and out the window.
"Zach. You're drunk. You need to go to bed." June said, her hands gripping the wheel as he nodded and got out of the car. She watched him until he got inside, and then she let out a huff. She shook her head again, pressing her forehead against the steering wheel and taking a second. This day had been too much for her and she honestly could not take any more problems. Just as she finished that thought her phone rang, making her furrow her eyebrows as she searched the car for it. She hadn't used it in a while, and she was surprised it was still charged. She looked at her phone, seeing that she had 12 missed calls from her mom. She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion and pressed her moms contact, listening to the ringing. Her mother picked up on the third ring.
"Hello?" Mrs. March said, her voice hoarse and slow.
"Hey mom. What's up?" June asked, sensing something was wrong.
"Baby...your dad is in the hospital here. He had an-an episode and his heart gave up on him. He's stable right now and they think he might recover but...it's not 100%. You don't need to come though. I don't want you to have to drive too far." June was surprised at her mother's words, shocking coursing through her veins as she listened to her speak. She opened her mouth to reply but nothing came out, she was just silent. "Anyways honey...I'll let you go get some sleep. I'll update you tomorrow."
