Jax x Reader ~Enemies to Lovers~

Chapter Twenty Two: A newfound understanding.

A huge wave suddenly rolled over to us, yet neither of us saw it. Not until we were both fully submerged underwater, salt water rushed its way into my nose and lungs, making my entire body sting and suffocate underneath the icy cold blanket that encapsulated my body. I tried escaping, trying to claw my way out of the bright blue abyss I seemed to be stuck in.

Finally making my way to the top, I started gasping, clawing at the air, anything to keep me afloat as I tried gaining enough strength to swim my way back to the shore. Once I finally caught my breath, coughing up any remaining salt water that was in my lungs. I glanced around the sandy shore, my eyes stung as I tried to regather my surroundings...trying to remember what was even going on around me.

Then I remembered something...and it made my heart sink. F/N. I couldn't find them anywhere on the shore, which meant...they were still in the water. My eyes darted hastily over the vast ocean, the waves were crashing down on the sand, yet...I couldn't see F/N anywhere. In blind panic, I dove down into the ocean once more, trying to find my friend out of pure desperation.

But to no avail. They were gone.

And it was my fault.

***

After I finished explaining the story, my grip on his shoulders loosened a bit, almost like I was afraid to hold onto him after explaining something that felt so traumatic at the time...and it still haunts me to this very day. I was a kid back then, but even now as I get older, I still wish I did something. Even if it was reaching the bottom of the ocean floor to search for confirmation that F/N was definitely dead. I was a coward, and it was completely my fault for their disappearance and inevitable death.

The silence surrounding us was deafening. The only thing I could hear for a long time was the humming of the ocean surrounding us, and my own fast-paced breathing after recollecting something that broke me when I was younger. Hell, it still haunts me to this very day, and his silence was NOT helping my head and how prone I am to overthinking the littlest of things.

However, after a vast amount of silence, Jax cleared his throat, and finally began speaking. "Oh my God...you should've told me it was literally something petrifying and I would've shut up about it instantly. Or...maybe not, but still! What the hell?"

I swallowed the bile that was lumping in my throat, trying to keep my voice level to stop the tears from overflowing right then and there. He can't see me fucking cry...that would be pathetic. I was better than that. Sometimes. "Just don't tell the others about this, okay? Make fun of me all you want but...don't bring the other circus members into this story."

He turned his head to look at me, shock was written on his features for a second, before he finally regained his composure, a sly grin was on his face. "I wouldn't make fun of you for that. Not yet, anyway. Maybe in the next year or so, who knows."

I rolled my eyes, my grip on him tightening once again, sarcasm lacing my tone as I replied. "Wow. Thanks for that. You're so generous."

"You're welcome, I know, I'm awesome," he retorted. Even though he deviated from the sudden story, I was glad things felt more lighthearted, since I was worried that confiding to him would've been a bad idea, but...it doesn't seem that bad. Not yet, anyway.

Suddenly, Delfine lowered herself onto the ground, and in front of us was Callie's castle. Finally...this adventure can FINALLY be over and I can sleep or something after this hellscape. Without warning, I jumped off of Del and grabbed onto the pearl that was in her wing pocket. Jax followed my lead and jumped off of Del as well, though he stole the pearl from my hands.