23

                                    

                                          
Simon's POV 
                          
I start pushing Josh and JJ when Josh makes his ridiculous promise. I can't believe he just promised he would kill JJ. How could he? And how could JJ even ask that of Josh?
                          
With all of my energy gone, I finally stop. Silent tears still stream down my cheeks. I love them both so much that it kills me to hear them say things like that. Why can't we just live a normal life. Oh yeah, that's right, we aren't normal.
                          
I turn myself invisible. I slowly make my way up to standing. I make my way over to the cave and sit myself down in the entrance. This way I can spy on the two in the clearing and the boys in the cave.
                          
Come back, please.
                          
Josh's voice desperately sounds in my head. I ignore him. They both fucked up. I wish I wouldn't have been there when they had that discussion.
                          
"What are they doing now?" Harry asks. He is sat near the middle of the cave with the other two. Ethan still lays limp close behind me. Vik stands and walks over near me, but they still have no idea that I am here. 
                          
"Josh and JJ are looking around for something. They are heading over here," Vik says as he runs back over to the two. He sits back down to look natural.
                          
Josh and JJ enter the cave and look upset once they look around. The three boys look over to them as if they had just noticed them there.
                          
"Simon isn't in here?" Josh asks. That's why they are upset. They thought I would have come here. Well I did, they just don't know that.
                          
"No. Where is he?" Tobi asks as he now looks around as well.
                          
"He kind of got mad at us. He went invisible and won't respond to us," JJ explains. His hand gently scratches the back of his neck as he speaks. He knows that they are all upset at him and scared of him already. 
                          
"So he ran away?" Vik questions sadly. 
                          
"He is just taking a break. He will be back, I promise," Josh tries to comfort the boy. I would never leave them, no matter how mad I ever get.
                          
I pull my knees up to my chest. My chin rests on my bent knees. Josh and JJ take a seat by the others. JJ sits slightly farther away from the group. I know that he is trying to distance himself. 
                          
"Have you eaten yet?" Josh asks. JJ stays quiet.  He doesn't want to make the boys anymore afraid of him. 
                          
"No," Harry answers for the group. Josh takes the initiative in handing out food from Tobi's bag. They eat in silence.
                          
"You guys need to go get settled for the night and sleep. It's been a long day," Josh directs the younger three. They nod and solemnly walk to the back of the cave. 
                          
"They hate me," JJ mumbles as he rubs at his forehead in stress. 
                          
"No they don't. They love you," Josh corrects him. He takes JJ's hand in his own and holds it tightly.
                          
"They won't even look at me, Josh," JJ points out. I had noticed, but I hoped that he wouldn't. 
                          
I mean, he hasn't done anything to anyone. All the boys are going off of is Harry's vision. That is in the future. Who knows when that is actually going to happen? Exactly. I just hope that we will be able to get through to the boys at some point. Seeing JJ like this is killing me. 
                          
"They just need some time to process everything. Just today Ethan self harmed, Vik broke down who knows how many times, Harry had his vision, and Simon disappeared. That's a lot for a group of 12 year olds," Josh comforts JJ. He is right.
                          
Josh stands up and pulls JJ to his feet with him. Josh directs JJ over to the wall and sits down. They sit side by side with their hands intertwined. 
                          
"I wish Simon was here. It just isn't right without him. It feels like when he was taken back at the lab. I hate it," JJ expresses his feelings. That breaks my heart. I'm still mad at them both, but I can't stand him saying stuff like that. 
                          
I quietly stand up. I carefully walk over to JJ. They have no idea that I am here. I sit beside him and wordlessly cuddle into his side. A look of confusion crosses his face before he realizes it's me. He tightly wraps his arm around me and holds me close to him. 
                          
"I'm still mad at you both though," I warn them. Sure I'm still mad, but I love them and really wanted a cuddle. While I'm still cuddled up to JJ, I allow myself to become visible once again.
                          
"I'm sorry, but it's what had to be done," Josh explains as he runs his hand through my hair. Just the mention of the earlier event brings tears to my eyes. I hold JJ tighter and burry my face into the fabric of his shirt. 
                          
"Shhh. Everything is going to be okay," JJ comforts me. I sniffle a few times. 
                          
"I can't lose either of you, I-I just c-can't," I start stuttering towards the end just thinking about it. Neither JJ nor Josh know what to say, so they stay quiet. They can't promise me that I won't lose them, and that hurts.
                          
I'm sorry. It's really late. I hope you enjoyed. Until next time, Ilya, bye.