JJ and Ashley Ch. 00: Prologue

Ashley lay extra still beneath JJ, sensing a change in her friend. JJ's eyes were a beautifully dark liquid brown and as Ashley watched they darkened and the pupils expanded when they settled their intense gaze on Ashley's mouth. Ashley found she was suddenly breathing harder than their game of tag warranted, and her chest was full of heat that was rapidly spreading to her tummy.

JJ lowered her head and brushed her lips against Ashley's. Both girls were panting and JJ wasn't sure who moaned when she brought her lips back and pressed them firmly and more surely against Ashley's.

Ashley's cheeks were a cute pink when JJ finally raised her head, flushing darker under JJ's gaze. The tightness that had tried to form in JJ's chest vanished, replaced by a sudden and fierce desire to protect Ashley. She brushed a tangled curl away from Ashley's forehead with a trembling hand and rested her own forehead against Ashley's.

Neither girl felt the need to speak, their eyes communicating what the kiss had meant to each. The only movement for quite some time was when Ashley shyly rested her hands on JJ's waist.

Their peaceful moment was interrupted by the gleeful cheers of other kids who'd gotten out of school for summer and were rushing the park. JJ rolled off Ashley and sat next to her.

"You wanna go somewhere else?" JJ asked, not looking at Ashley, overwhelmed by a sudden shyness.

"Sure." Ashley sat up and touched JJ's elbow softly.

***

When JJ pulled her bike into the backyard that night she still couldn't wipe the smile off her face. She was riding high on a cloud of joy and for the first time in her life, felt that everything would be okay. She replayed over and over in her mind the way Ashley had kissed her in the seclusion of the tree house. They'd stuck to chaste kisses, neither brave enough to try French kissing. There was time for that, JJ was sure.

JJ rubbed her lips as she opened the back door, not sure if she was imagining the tingling or if it was real. She turned the corner to the hall and smacked right into her father, stumbling back and nearly falling in surprise.

"Where've you been? Your curfew is eight thirty." Mack grunted at her, not moving from the hallway.

"I lost track of time, sorry. I came straight home." JJ twisted the watch on her wrist, knowing she was in for it.

"Where were you?" Mack took a step forward and JJ reflexively took one back.

"Out with friends." JJ answered evasively, feeling a tinge of suspicion. Mack never questioned her like this.

"What were you doing with these friends? And tell me the truth or I'll beat the tar out of you." Mack growled, his bleary eyes narrowing.

JJ stiffened her spine and glared up at Mack. "Just hanging out. What's your problem?"

"I got a visit today from Garret Everwood today as I was leaving work. Can you guess what he'd have to tell me?" Mack took two more steps into JJ's space.

JJ knew exactly what Garret would have to tell Mack. Anger welled up, burning up the despair that sank in her stomach. "No, I don't know what he'd have to say, and I don't really care," she shouted.

Mack's hand whipped out and caught her cheek with enough force to twist her entire torso. "Don't get smart with me you little bitch. He told me what you do with those friends of yours. With girls. I won't have it, not in my house, not my daughter!" Mack thundered, pushing JJ up against the kitchen wall.

JJ blocked as many of the blows as she could, her legs dangling uselessly. Mack was too close to kick and held her off the floor with one beefy arm. Her head began to ring from the hits, spots appearing in her vision. A yelp escaped her clenched teeth when Mack slammed her into the wall, her head rapping hard against the sheet rock. She knew Mack was still yelling but she couldn't hear him anymore over the pain bursting through her skull. Her body was already aching from his blows and she felt something warm running down her face. Some part of her knew it was useless to fight back so she retreated into herself. JJ kept her arms up, but for all intents and purpose, she gave in.

Mack pummeled her, screaming and shouting how he'd beat the perversion out of her, that he wasn't raising a slut who'd kiss anyone in public, much less other girls. He finally dropped her to the floor, kicking her slumped form once for good measure before stalking away to his bedroom, slamming the door behind him.

JJ lay on the floor, tears mixing with snot and blood. Breathing was difficult and the pain radiating through her body made everything worse. When Mack had dropped her JJ had felt and heard her ankle crack alarmingly. Her entire body was a mess of pain and hurt.

She didn't know how long she laid there, but breathing finally became less of a struggle and she cracked an eye open to look around. The kitchen was dark, the small curtains still open on the back windows. Mack's bedroom door was closed and the light underneath was out. JJ swallowed and made up her mind. She was leaving, tonight. JJ had no idea where she'd go, but she knew she would die if she stayed any longer.

It took her a good hour to reach the bathroom and clean up. Her right eye was slowly swelling shut and JJ knew she'd be covered in bruises soon. She had a cut on her eyebrow and just inside her hairline, both oozing blood. Her nose was clearly broken and the blood had begun to congeal. Her bottom lip was split and swollen. Her arms were already a mess of bruises and ached almost as bad as her nose and ankle.

Another two hours passed before JJ was ready. She had her backpack and a small gym duffel packed with her clothing, a few books, some toiletries and the $600 she'd carefully saved and hidden from the last 6 years of birthday's and Christmas's. She sat on the bed to stuff her feet into shoes, her ankle throbbing dully, wrapped snuggly with a sock and tied carefully inside her worn out high tops. She needed food, then would be ready to leave.

She planned to bike to the bus station just outside town and get a ticket to the furthest destination. Her general plan was to get to Maine where she had an uncle from her mother's side. Tucked safely inside her backpack was the last birthday card he'd sent, with his address printed on the envelope. Maine was across the entire country, but the long trip would put enough distance between her and Mack to allow JJ to breathe easier.

JJ eased out of her room and into the kitchen where she silently snuck packs of ramen and the last two apples into her backpack. She found two bottles of booze, one nearly empty and the other full. She packed the full bottle and filled the empty one with bottled water from the fridge. She found the matches and a few other supplies to pack, then snuck out the back door. She limped to her bike and took the chain with her, wrapping it around the frame.

The night air was cool as she pedaled slowly off, a thin black hoodie zipped up and the hood pulled over her head. JJ made it to the end of the street and paused. She had to go right to leave town, but she couldn't leave without doing one last thing. Turning left JJ headed to the one person she'd miss in this town.

JJ laid her bike in the shadow of the Turner's house and crept to Ashley's bedroom window. She tapped three times then waited, her heart pounding from fear, exhaustion, and adrenaline. Ashley's face appeared in the window, the pane quietly lifting.

"JJ?" Ashley whispered, leaning out the window. JJ nodded and waited for Ashley to move before climbing inside her room.

"What are you doing?" Ashley whispered, turning on her desk lamp, the dim light enough to see by.

"I had to see you before I left. I'm leaving town tonight." JJ panted, the pain making it difficult to talk.

"Wait, what? You're leaving? But summer just started, we had so much stuff planned. What's going on JJ?" Ashley shook her head, blonde curls tumbling over her shoulders.

"Mack found out I'm gay. He beat me when I came home tonight. I'm not staying here to be beat to death." JJ knew she was being blunt to the point of being rude, but she didn't want to linger too long.

Ashley's face registered shock, then anger followed by concern. "Are you okay? Have you called the police? Where do you think you'll go? Why can't you just stay here? Mom and Dad will let you stay."

JJ shook her head, wincing at the pain that flared up. "It's no use. I'm a minor so they'd probably stick me in foster care, which will be worse. Plus Mack's friends with the sheriff. I'm fine, I've got an uncle who I can stay with."

"Your uncle lives in Maine! How the hell are you getting there?" Ashley asked, advancing on JJ as she sat heavily on the bed.

"I'll figure that out later. Right now I just gotta get out of here." JJ sighed.

Ashley sat next to JJ and pushed the hoodie back before JJ could stop her. Ashley's gasp twisted JJ's heart and had her standing to turn away. "JJ, you need to go to a hospital. Your nose..." Ashley didn't finish, but followed JJ across the room.

"I'm really sorry Ashie." JJ whispered, swallowing tears that she refused to shed. "I don't want to risk staying and Mack finding out about you."

"Don't worry about me!" Ashley hissed, turning JJ to face her. "You have clearly been abused. Go to the authorities and get help!"

"No!" JJ shook Ashley's hands off her arms angrily. "What good would that do? Mack's been doing this as long as I can remember. No one ever tried to stop him, nobody tried to help me. Why would I go to the people who ignored the signs now? I have to leave. It's the only solution."

Ashley swallowed noisily, tears falling from her eyes as she realized JJ was determined to go. "I don't want you to leave," she whispered.

JJ glared at Ashley out of her one good eye, her expression softening quickly. "I don't want to leave either, Ashie. If I stay, Mack will probably kill me, which isn't how I want to go."

Ashley nodded, leaning against her closed bedroom door and staring at the floor. JJ limped up to her, tugging on a wayward curl. "Hey, please don't cry over this." JJ whispered, her voice thick with unshed tears. Ashley raised her head and looked up at JJ, sniffing. JJ wiped the tears away and rested her forehead against Ashley's.

"If you're going to leave then you better promise you'll write to me and call me when you can." Ashley murmured, holding JJ's hand to her cheek.

"I promise." JJ grinned crookedly, her lip threatening to crack open again. She closed her eyes and soaked in Ashley's presence for a few precious minutes. JJ tipped her head enough to kiss Ashley quickly, then turned away and shuffled to the window.

"JJ...wait!" Ashley stopped JJ at the window, wrapping her in a tight hug. JJ made a weird sound in her throat and pulled Ashley up against her kissing her hard enough to re-split her lip.

"I love you, Ashie." JJ whispered, pulling away and swinging a leg over the sill. She had to leave before she lost all nerve.

Ashley ran to the window as JJ slipped out. "I love you too, Jordyn." She whispered, watching JJ limp to her bike, hauling two bags onto her back. JJ pulled her hood back up before slowly pedaling off into the dark.