CASTAWAY ⚓ R.C, J.M

T W E N T Y F I V E

All she had to do was remember. And the closest she got to remembering was when she was underwater losing her breath.

Out in the living room John B was discussing the disappearance of his dad with JJ. He had been coming up with reasons why his dad would have disappeared for a little while, because he refused to believe his dad would abandon him the same way his mother had. John was not like that, so John B had to have faith in his dad. He would be coming back, and he would burst through the door holding up bizarre presents or something to make it up to him and Harley. Because he knew deep down, he wouldn't know what to do alone. He couldn't imagine his dad not being there, he had thought the exact same thing the day after Harley had arrived.

"Don't you worry, dude. Your dad will be back in no time, and this will all be something to laugh about. Don't stress."

"You're right." John B nodded trying to convince himself again. He went through strenuous cycles of belief and doubt. "You're right."

"When am I not?" JJ laughed holding out his arms. "Never. That's when. Right, I'm gonna go take a leak. When I get back, we're gonna order pizza and just chill out. I got a little cash donation from an unsuspecting member of the public."

John B shook his head knowing exactly what his friend had meant. "Knock first. I think Harley said she was going to take a shower or something."

"Aye aye captain." The last time he had bumped into Harley she had been wrapped in a towel, blushing profusely. He recalled getting lost in her eyes, then stupidly telling her the colour of her own eyes. Yes, she had amnesia, but she had been coming out of a room with mirrors, he had been an idiot. Sometimes her presence made him forget himself and how to think sensibly. His mind was usually chaotic, but her presence scattered all his thoughts.

He knocked on the door, staring at the bland wood waiting for a response. When he didn't hear a honey sweet voice chime out, he tried again. Nothing. JJ was oddly disappointed, but his urge to pee pushed that aside. Anyway, judging by how he had been treating Harley any interaction between the two wasn't bound to mimic friendship.

JJ swung the door open, hands going to his zipper prematurely, until he almost slipped on a splash of water. "Shit," he cursed under his breath.

He soon cursed much louder when he saw Harley's submerged body in the bathtub and a pill bottle on the floor. He instantly lost his mind. There was no way he had just walked into a suicide scene.

"Uh, John B!" Panic swarmed his being, leaking into his veins, frying his nerves, and causing his voice to tremble. He shot into action and leapt forward sinking his hands into the water to scoop Harley out. He was getting a sick sense of déjà vu. "John B!" JJ hollered in a blind fear. Even with all of the highs and lows, he did not want to see sweet, kind, beautiful Harley dead.

JJ was already trying to recite how to do CPR, before Harley could react to the sudden intrusion.

She squirmed gasping in shook at being yanked up out of the water. She blinked to clear her vision as water flooded over her eyes and poured over her lips. It took a moment for her hearing to dry out and the light to ease. Instinctively, she fidgeted more in the arms that had enveloped her, before flinching back at the wide blue eyes staring at her. JJ was so close to her face. So close she could feel his rushed, yet laboured breaths fan over her. If she moved forward in the slightest their noses would have touched. His moon river eyes were flooded with panic then pure bewilderment to match Harley's.

"What are you doing?" She spluttered wiping the water from her face and willing her heart rate to slow.

"What am I doing? What the hell are you doing?" He exclaimed. "What were you thinking? Why would you try and do that?" His racing heart had only slowed ever so slightly, he was still worried and shocked.