Together

34. Let's get started

I have been trying to fix my pride but that shits broken
That shit's broken
Lie, lie la-lie, I try to hide, but now you know it
That I'm at an all time low
-Jon Bellion

The next few days JJ continues to have nightmares. Shoupe is getting increasingly worried about the boy. He was waking up at least once a night to shouts from the boys room and the cries were heartbreaking. This was not normal.

He notices he's not the only one worried. On night two, upon hearing JJ's cries in the night, he walked into the room to wake him and finds the Carrera girl in his bed, trying to soothe him.

She isn't phased in the slightest by Shoupe's presence, only giving him a knowing look. He felt like they were communicating telepathically, their concern for the boy in her arms being shared in short eye contact.

He worried her being in JJ's room in the middle of the night was not going to end well for anyone. The memory of Mike Carrera barging up and into his home, talking about JJ being bad for her and demanding Shoupe keep them apart was still very fresh in his mind. Shoupe wasn't going to make any promises like that but allowing the Carrera girl in the house at night seemed like a line that he should probably draw.

When he spoke to JJ about it the boy told him that Anna had put Mike in his place, and they were fine with Kie and him seeing each other.

"Well," he corrected. "Not exactly fine, but like tolerating it. They aren't sending her away over it at least," JJ had said.

Shoupe made a note to check in with Anna on that claim but for the time being felt like it was a matter settled. Although if Mike stepped foot on his property again it definitely wouldn't be.

----------------------------------------------------

By the end of the week, JJ can barely function. He's anxious all the time, feeling panicked and on edge, though he's thankful he hasn't freaked out the way he did on Shoupe again. That was mortifying.

Kie's been spending almost every night with him, waking him from the nightmares. At first it was helping. He could look at her face and be pulled back. Over time that started to fade, just like it had with surfing.

He stopped going to the break at night, not finding it helpful. Instead, he just stared at the ceiling and pretended to be asleep when Kie stirred or woke to check on him. He didn't want to worry her. Which was laughable considering he needed her next to him to even feel the slightest amount of safety while he slept, and she knew it. It was a disaster. He couldn't go on like this.

"Hey," Kie whispers.

Shit. She knows he's awake. "Hey," he whispers back, staring at the ceiling.

"You're still not sleeping," she says, resting her head on his shoulder. It's not a question, it's a statement.

"No, I am, just thought I heard something," he lied.

"I know you're not sleeping, JJ, you aren't that good at pretending."

He huffs a short laugh, caught. Well. At least his girl knows him. He turns his face down to look at her, smirking.

"Don't need to be a smart ass about it," he quips. "That's my job."

"Well, don't lie to me about what's going on then," she throws back.

Her tone is playful, but he knows she's serious. She's been a fucking rock through this. Always checking up on him, telling him he'd get through it, comforting him through the nightmares. She wasn't going to let him go through this on his own.