You Have To Choose |JJ Maybank|Topper Thornton

Chapter 2: You Could Never Mess Up In My Eyes

"Forgive you for what?" someone said behind the girls making them jump.

Evelyn turned to see JJ standing behind the two girls. She felt like she could cry and throw up all of the same time.

"JJ," Kiara said standing up, "Didn't see you there."

"Obviously," JJ said looking at Kiara and the back to Evelyn who had stood beside the girl, "What would I not forgive you for? And why have you been crying?"

Evelyn glanced over at Kiara who gave her a slight nod.

"I'm gonna go see what Pope is doing," Kiara said walking past JJ.

Evelyn watch curiously as Kie stopped and said something to JJ, his face twisted in confusion as she continued to walk up the dock.

"Do you want to sit?" JJ asked walking toward the girl.

"I'd actually rather stand," Evelyn said leaning against the railing of the dock.

"All right," JJ said leaning beside the girl.

Silence fell over the two as they both stared out at the water. JJ could sense that something was bothering the girl so he reached out and grabbed her hand. Evelyn almost jumped at the contact, not expecting JJ to touch her.

"Whatever it is, you can tell me," JJ said softly.

Evelyn squeezed her eyes shut and took a shaky breath as tears fell from her face.

"Hey, hey," JJ said as he stood in front of the girl and used his thumb to wipe away her tears, "Talk to me."

"You're gonna hate me," Evelyn cried.

"Babe I could never hate you," JJ said as he grabbed her hand.

Babe. This is not at all how Evelyn wanted to tell JJ about her and Topper. But now she really had no choice in the matter. She took another deep breath trying to prepare herself.

"Last night I stayed at Toppers house," Evelyn said.

"Yeah I know. You're parents aren't even here. I wouldn't have wanted you to go home alone," JJ said.

"Well I didn't want to be alone so I slept in Toppers room," Evelyn said as she was watching JJ's face for any signs of emotion.

"All right, why would I be mad at you for that?" JJ asked taking a step closer to the girl.

Here goes nothing.

"JJ, last night I slept with Topper," Evelyn blurted out.

The concern on JJ's face quickly turned to confusion and hurt. He let go of her hand and took a step back from the girl.

"You what?" he asked.

"It was a mistake. I was just trying push away my feeling and Topper was there..." Evelyn rambled.

"Unbelievable," JJ huffed as he turned to walk away.

"J wait," Evelyn said grabbing ahold on his wrist.

"No!" JJ yelled ripping his wrist out of her grip, "You can't just act like you want to be with me and then go and sleep with someone else because you were hurting. We were all hurting last night, you don't see me going around sleeping with people."

"We're not even together," Evelyn defended.

"Oh so all of that talk on the dock was just lies then. You said you'd be my girl, stupid of my to assume that meant we were basically together," JJ said, "You're just saying that to make yourself look better in this situation."

"No it wasn't lies. And I didn't even get to tell you I'd be your girl. I figured we were still in our weird limbo, remember, we weren't going to talk about all of until after John B was safe," Evelyn said.

"Yeah well now John B is dead and I guess whatever relationship or friendship we had died with him," JJ said turning to walk away again.

"JJ please, I'm sorry. It was an accident and didn't mean anything," Evelyn cried.

JJ stopped walking but stood to where his back was to the girl, "I'm sorry doesn't unfuck him, now does it?"

Evelyn watched with tears in her eyes as JJ walked away from her. She had not only lost someone she thought she could have a relationship with...but one of her best friends.

She wiped the tears from her face and started walking toward her car. She didn't know where she was going to go but she knew she needed to get out of here.

"Ev!" Kiara yelled as she got closer to her car, "Where are you going?"

"I don't know but I need to leave," Evelyn said.

"Come on stay," Kiara said, "JJ is just mad, he'll get over it."

"I don't think he will," Evelyn said.

"Well regardless you have just as much right to be here as he does. You lost a friend last night too," Kiara said.

"I'd rather just be alone right now," Evelyn said getting in her car and shutting the door before Kiara could say another word.

Tears streamed down her eyes as she drove back toward Figure Eight. She wasn't quite sure where to go. Kiara and Pope were back at the Chateau so there was no running to them. She could go home but no one would be there and despite what she told Kiara she really didn't want to be alone right now.

- -

Evelyn parked her car in front of an all too familiar house. A house where she'd spent so much of her childhood. She knew it was a mistake coming here but she was knocking on the front door before she could talk herself out of it. She needed someone right now and she didn't have anyone else to turn to. After a few moments the door swung open.

"Ev. What's wrong?" Topper asked looking at the girl crying in front of him.

"I've ruined everything," Evelyn cried.

"What do you mean?" Topper asked.

"JJ knows," Evenly said.

"What do you mean JJ knows? What does he..." Toppers face flashed with realization as he understood what she was talking about.

"He hates me now," Evelyn said between sobs.

"Come here," Topper said pulling the girl into his chest for a hug.

And for the second time in two days Evelyn cried her eyes out into Toppers chest while he held her. After her breathing started to regulate she pulled back from the boy.

"You wanna come in?" Topper asked.

Evelyn nodded her head as she walked into the Thornton house.

"Come on," Topper said grabbing her hand, "You look like you've had a long day."

Without any argument Evelyn let Topper lead her upstairs into his bedroom. She laid down on his bed as he tucked the blanket over her body. She felt the bed sink down behind her as Topper laid down.

"He's never going to speak to me again," Evelyn whispered.

"Maybe he just needs some time," Topper suggested.

"No. You didn't see the hurt on his face. He said whatever relationship or friendship we had died with John B," Evelyn said.

"Well he's stupid if he's going to throw away this friendship," Topper said.

"He didn't throw it away, I did," Evelyn admitted, "I always have to do something wrong to mess things up."

Evelyn closed her eyes and felt Topper start to play with her hair. The exhaustion from crying soon started to take over her body as her eyelids became heaving.

"You could never mess up in my eyes," she heard Topper whisper before she was completely asleep.

Ahhhh chapter 2, I hope you enjoy!! Don't forget to vote and comment! 💛
~A