𝗠𝘆 𝗘𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗲 ⇉ 𝗝𝗝 𝗠𝗮𝘆𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗸

𝗜-𝗜 𝗰𝗮𝗻'𝘁

*Play song. Only if you want to, I say do it. I will tell you when to pause it if the song is not done.*

It was 3:00 in the morning and JJ sat on the floor against Ari's bed in the Château. Noah and Isabella sat at the end of the bed, all of them waiting for the girl to wake. None of them getting sleep.

JJ explained to them what had happened and they weren't mad at him as he expected. They told him it wasn't his fault and that Ari just had a lot on her mind and it was a lot for her to handle.

JJ kept the part about Ward out of it knowing Ari would end up telling Noah on her own. JJ hated himself. Why did he have to be so stupid?! Why did he allow Kie to kiss him?! Why didn't he push her off right away?! It was the shock he told himself.

And that was the reason. He was shocked that the girl had the nerve to kiss him despite knowing how in love he was with the Cameron girl and how happy they were together.

JJ's head snaps up when he hear a small groan. He quickly stands and sees Ari slowly sitting up rubbing her eyes. Ari looks around confused when suddenly repeats of yesterday
night hit her.

"Hey, sweetheart." Noah calls to her softly, getting up and going next to her.

"Uncle Noah." Ari chokes out immediately cuddling into his side not daring to look in JJ's direction.

Noah looks up towards his wife and the teenager next to her. "Give us a minute."

Isabella nods gently taking JJ's arm and pulling him out the room. Once they left, Noah turned his attention fully back on Ari.

Ari sobs. "T-They kissed, Uncle Noah. How could they do this? Af-After everything? I don't know what I did to deserve this."

"Nothing." Noah states rubbing her back. "Absolutely nothing. You don't deserve any of this bullshit that has been happening in your life."

"I don't understand." Ari cries. "Why would they do this? I don't know why."

Outside, JJ leans his head back against the wall hearing his girlfriend's cries. "I hate myself."

"You did nothing." Isabella leans against the wall across from him.

"Do you not hear her?!" JJ snaps. "I did that! I made her cry like that. I'm so fucking stupid."

"It's because she doesn't know the truth, JJ." Isabella tells him. "Of course she's gonna be hurt, you kissed her best friend."

"I didn't kiss her. She kissed me." JJ corrects.

"See, your not in the wrong. You just have to tell her that. All she knows is that you guys kissed and she's hurt. Hurt isn't even the word."

"I can't explain it to her without hurting her anymore than I already have. I-I just can't." JJ shakes his head.

"You can, JJ." Isabella nods. "The truth sometimes isn't what we want to hear, but it's what we need to hear especially in this case. You need to tell her the truth and she needs to hear it."

Back in the room, Noah sighs. "What I do know is that you need to hear him out. You deserve the truth and he deserves to explain himself and tell you what actually happened."

"I don't know if I want to hear it anymore." Ari lifts her head out of her Uncle's side.

"I know, but you have to. The truth may hurt, but at least you know what really happened and if you don't know it, you might regret it later." Noah informs her.

Ari nods slowly and takes a breath in, calming herself down. "Can you bring him in?"

"Of course." Noah presses a kiss to the top of her head. He gets up and opens the door signaling for JJ to come in, as he does Ari brings her knees up to her chest, resting her chin on her knees.