CHAPTER TWO
Memories
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(SIX MONTHS AGO)
The old black camcorder sat on the counter, staring back at him.
While attempting to clean the Chateau that he had neglected over the past few months, John B rediscovered Avery's old camcorder. At had taken him two days to pick it up and move it from its spot in the spare room. The last five minutes the brunet had tried to build up his courage to look through it. He hadn't got further than holding it while hovering the pad of his thumb over the power button.
About three summers ago, Avery's father gave her the camcorder. He had used it through a large portion of her childhood and recorded memories throughout her life, over time the time gaps grew longer. She loved it when she was younger, adoring the idea of moving memories that you can easily play back.
His thumb hovered over the power button again, this time having the courage to press it. A faint chirpy tune played as the small screen lit up, showing the wooden surface in front of it. He was leaned over the kitchen counter with the camcorder tightly in his hands, moving forward a little more as he pressed the gallery button.
A selection of videos popped up with little thumbnails. If he squinted, he could make out a few familiar faces and moments. There was a lot features of the Pogues, they brought the camcorder around with them when they were out, or just whenever they remembered to. John B couldn't remember the last time they did though, thinking back, he was growing convinced that they hadn't used it since Kiara left the group to take a Kook year.
"Hey, losers, I'm Avery!" Her voice came from the camcorder, a sound he hadn't heard a while. "It's the twenty first of June, two thousand and seventeen. I am fourteen, nearly fifteen"
"What are you doing?" His own voice spoke up. John B internally cringed at the sound of his young voice as he appear behind the blonde. In the video, he rested his chin on her shoulder and smiled up at the lens.
"I'm documenting memories" She beamed, her smile lighting up her whole face. He chuckled at her and gave the camera a wave.
Pope popped onto frame, leaning over Avery's shoulder on the opposite side and poked the lens, "this thing is so old, I'm surprised it's still working"
"Come on, I want to surf now," JJ appeared over John B's shoulder. The blond spotted the camera and wiggled himself past the brunet, making John B shuffle to the side as JJ took his spot next to her. "Hello, I'm JJ, the superior best friend. Okay, memory made. Can we surf now?"
"Fine, yes, alright–" Avery scoffed, a smile tugging at her lips.
"Hey wait, look! I found a crab!" Kiara barged past the boys, shoving her hand in front of the lens to show off the tiny crab she had caught. It was so close, the old camera had a hard time focusing.
"Ahh!" JJ abruptly yelled, making the two girls squeal. Pope and John B snickered. Kiara dropped the crab as she flinched, pouting as she looked down in hopes to find the sea creature again.
"I hope you step on the crab and it hurts" Avery playfully said, making JJ chuckle and wrap his arm around her shoulders, pulling her into his side. They both smiled up at the lens before the blond palmed it, eventually stopping it recording after a fumble.
The thumbnail of the video, which was a frame of Avery, appeared again. John B felt his chest tighten as he stared down at his old friend's face. His lips were curved ever so slightly, a bittersweet smile wanting to stretch across his face.
It was a bad quality picture but enough to make his heart ache, wishing that she was with him, laughing about the dumb clips they had collected over the years. John B wished he could hold onto the memory of her that as long as he possibly could, afraid to let her slip away.
"What are you doing?" A voice spoke up.
JJ stepped into the house, his boots scuffing over the wooden panels as he wandered closer. His blue eyes dropped to the item in his friend's hands, immediately softening as he recognised it.
"I, uh, I found her old camera in the spare room and wanted to look through it" John B gently set the camcorder back down on the surface as he straightened up his posture and looked up at the blond.
"Why would you want to do that?" JJ asked, avoiding the brunet's eyes, knowing that he would search his eyes and find every ounce of weakness he owned.
"Why wouldn't you?" He shot back slowly, pushing himself away from the counter as JJ dropped himself onto the couch.
The answer was obvious, John B knew why JJ didn't want to look back or talk about anything that included Avery, it hurt him immensely, it always will. Although a part of John B would admit that he wanted to crack the blond because he didn't know how to be there for him if he was constantly being shut out. They were going through it together but were constantly going against each other.
"Because she's gone," His tone was bitter and stern, the boy glanced up to meet John B's gaze. "And I don't need to be reminded"
"But she might not be, J–"
"– Just shut up! Shut up, alright?" The blond sprung to his feet, pointing an accusing finger at his friend. "I get that you've lost more but stop with that bullshit, John. It's not going to help"
"There is still a possibility, for both of them, especially Avery!" John B stood his ground.
For once, JJ didn't feel like arguing. Especially when he was against his best friend, when both of them were grieving over someone they cared about. The boy simply stared back at John B for a moment longer before turning on his heels and quickly walking out in the direction he came in from.
Shamefully, the two best friends had been this way for the last few weeks. Since Avery's disappearance, they haven't been able to stick together, persistently starting arguments and saying things they don't mean. Neither of them knew how to comfort the other when they were both breaking the same way, like two wrong puzzle pieces trying to fit together. They were coming undone, and Kie and Pope could only do so much, carrying their own sadness, to keep the two together.
If they come undone, who knows what was to happen, and if it could be fixed.
AUTHORS NOTE!
will admit this one was a spontaneous idea that i got and just wrote but ended up working better than i expected it too.
honestly, jb is underrated and deserves more recognition so i'm going to include and centre him as well. jovery is the superior brotp! unfortunately there's trouble in paradise for jj & john b. poor babies are hurting :(