❝𝐬𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬❞。𝐣𝐣 𝐦𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐤

n̶i̶n̶e̶

On the Cut, Caroline stepped out of the car, nerves fluttering in her stomach as she approached John B's house. She was determined to confront him about the secrets he'd been hiding. As she entered the house, a familiar voice called out from the backyard, beckoning her closer. Making her way through the house, she couldn't help but admire the cozy atmosphere of her old pen pal's home.

In the backyard, she found a guy tinkering with his bike. It was JJ, unmistakably recognizable from the photos she'd seen. "You must be JJ." she said with a smile. "I'm Caroline. I'm here to meet John B. Where is he?"

As JJ looked up at her, his expression unreadable, he replied, "I know who you are, Caroline." Her heart skipped a beat at his words, but before she could respond, he continued. "John B isn't coming."

Confusion clouded Caroline's features. "What do you mean?" she asked, her voice tinged with disappointment. "I was supposed to meet him here."

But JJ held up a hand, interrupting her. "Let me finish, Liney." he said softly, using her nickname. The pieces of the puzzle began to slot into place in Caroline's mind, realization dawning on her. She suspected that it was JJ who had been texting her all along, not John B. But she remained silent, eager to hear the truth from him.

Caroline's mind was racing with questions and uncertainty as JJ approached her calmly. His steady manner was both reassuring and unsettling at the same time. Taking a cautious step back, she watched him closely as he spoke.

"I'm not going to hurt you, Caroline." JJ said softly, his eyes meeting hers with sincerity. "I just want to explain."

Caroline nodded, still unsure of what to make of the situation. "Okay." she replied tentatively, her voice barely above a whisper.

JJ took a deep breath before continuing. "The reason John B isn't coming is because he doesn't even know you're here." he confessed, his tone tinged with regret. "I've been texting you all this time, pretending to be him."

Caroline's eyes widened in disbelief, a mix of shock and hurt washing over her. "What?" she exclaimed, unable to comprehend what she was hearing. "But... why?"

JJ sighed, his gaze dropping to the ground for a moment before meeting hers again. "It started as a prank." he admitted, his voice tinged with remorse. "But then... I don't know, Caroline. Talking to you felt... different. I didn't mean to lead you on, but I couldn't bring myself to stop."

Caroline felt a surge of conflicting emotions coursing through her veins—anger, betrayal, and a tinge of sadness. She couldn't believe she had been fooled like this, but she also couldn't deny the connection she had felt with JJ during their conversations. As she processed his words, she couldn't help but wonder what else he might be hiding.

As Caroline processed JJ's confession, a wave of emotions crashed over her like a tidal wave. Hurt and betrayal mingled with anger as she struggled to come to terms with what he had just revealed. She felt a lump forming in her throat as tears threatened to spill from her eyes.

"You knew I was a troublemaker." JJ began, his voice tinged with remorse. "But I never meant to hurt you, Caroline. I'm so sorry."

Caroline's anger boiled over, her voice rising in pitch as she lashed out at him. "Sorry? That's all you have to say?" she exclaimed, her fists clenched at her sides. "You lied to me, JJ! You pretended to be someone else and played with my feelings!"

JJ reached out to her, his expression pleading. "Caroline, please—"

But Caroline wasn't finished. "Do you have any idea how much you've hurt me?" she cried, her voice trembling with emotion. "I thought I was talking to John B, sharing my deepest thoughts and secrets with him, and all along it was you! How could you do this to me?"

Tears welled up in Caroline's eyes, blurring her vision as she struggled to contain her emotions. She felt a mix of anger, betrayal, and profound sadness wash over her, leaving her feeling raw and exposed. As JJ reached out to comfort her, she pulled away, unable to bear the sight of him in that moment. She turned and ran away, her heart heavy with the weight of his betrayl.

As Caroline stormed off, her words echoing in his mind, JJ felt a crushing wave of guilt wash over him. He watched her retreating figure, his heart sinking with every step she took away from him. Anger, disappointment, and regret were boiling inside him, mingling with the sting of betrayal that gnawed at his conscience.

With trembling hands, he clenched his fists, the urge to run after her, but he knew he had to give her space, to let her process what had just happened, even though every fiber of his being wanted to chase after her and beg for forgiveness.

As she disappeared from sight, JJ sank to the ground, his chest tight with emotion. He felt the weight of his actions bearing down on him, the realization of the hurt he had inflicted hitting him like a sledgehammer. He wanted to scream, to rage against the unfairness of it all, but all he could do was just sit there, consumed by the enormity of his mistake.

As JJ sat there, grappling with the aftermath of his deception, his phone buzzed in his hand, interrupting the loud thoughts swirling in his mind. With a heavy heart, he glanced at the screen and saw the name "Johnny" flashing back at him. Taking a deep breath, he answered the call, steeling himself for the conversation that was about to unfold.

JJ's heart pounded in his chest as he stared at the incoming call from John B, his mind racing with anxiety. With a shaky hand, he answered the call, bracing himself for what was to come. "Seriously man?" John B's voice came through the line, cutting through the silence like a knife. JJ feigned confusion, attempting to buy himself some time to gather his thoughts.

But John B wasn't fooled. "I know the girl you were supposed to meet at my house was Caroline." he continued, his tone firm and unforgiving. 

JJ's heart sank as he realized the extent of his secrecy had been exposed. He swallowed hard, struggling to find the right words to respond.

John B's voice softened slightly as he continued, "I'm coming back to the house. We need to talk about this face to face."

Before JJ could muster a reply, Rachel's anxious voice chimed in from the background, asking about how Caroline was. JJ's stomach twisted with guilt as he realized the gravity of the situation.

"Caroline ran away." he admitted, his voice heavy with remorse. "I don't know where she is." There was a tense silence on the other end of the line as John B processed this information.

Then, after a moment, he spoke again, his voice tinged with urgency. "We need to find her." he said firmly. "We will be there soon and you will fix this situation."