HTSAL-Sell Your Soul

"Jennifer discovers JC's terrible addictions, but is it too late for him to stop? Meanwhile, Jennifer realizes she must keep JC a secret from her mother."


Over the following days, JC and Jennifer were on the trampoline one day while Jennifer's mother was at work and her father was out.

"So how's it feel not having Jamie to push you around anymore?" JC asks.
"It actually feels really good. I realized I only stuck by Katie all those years because I wanted a friend, and never really knew what a true friend was," Jennifer replies.

JC bounces Jennifer high on the trampoline and she goes flying. She laughs and falls down on her butt.
JC stops bouncing and lands next to her.
He takes out his cell phone when it vibrates. JC says it is a text message.
"You have a cell?" Jennifer asks.
"Yeah, only good thing my dad ever did for me. And I still use up the minutes and charge him for it," JC laughs.
Jennifer smiles.
"Who texted you?"
"My best friend, Kevin," JC says and starts pressing buttons rapidly.
"Oh..."
JC closes his phone and looks at Jenn.
"What?"
"Nothing, hah."
"Well, your mom's probably going to get home soon, so I should get up in the attic. See ya later," JC says and hops off the trampoline.
Jennifer sits silently. Inside, she feels hurt as she considered herself JC's best friend. And after hearing she wasn't, she felt unwanted.

When Jennifer's mother came home, Jennifer was doing her homework down in the kitchen.
"Hey sweetie," Jennifer's mother says sweetly and sets her bags down beside her. She hugs Jennifer.
"Hey Mom," Jennifer smiles. "When's Dad getting home?"
"Oh, who cares?" Her mother, Bonnie, chuckles.
"Oh, hah," Jennifer replies, trying not to make it obvious she has a problem with her mother not caring when her own husband will come home.

"So how was your day?" Jennifer asks.
"Good. Oh! I have a question, who was that boy the neighbors saw here earlier today?" Bonnie pops the question.
Jennifer's eyes go wide.
"They saw him?"
"Yeah, just asking who he is."
"Oh, he's one of my friends older brothers. He got in a fight with his parents and needed somebody to talk to," Jennifer lies through her teeth.
"Older brother? How old...?"
"Fifteen," Jennifer replies.
"Fifteen??" Bonnie shoots back. "You're not even eleven!"
"I know mom! But I've known him for a long time!"
"He could have raped you! Being alone with him...what a god damn stupid thing of you to do!"
"I'm not stupid! And he wouldn't do that!" Jennifer yells.
Jennifer's mother grabs Jennifer's face and holds it.
"DON'T...talk to me like that young lady," she says firmly.
"I'm sorry!" Jennifer says. Her mother lets her go and stares at her.
"I don't want you hanging around with that boy again," she suddenly says.
"But why not?"
Bonnie raises a hand, about to slap Jennifer. Jennifer flinches.
"Just don't."
"Alright Mom, I won't."

The following morning, Jennifer's mother went to work.
Jennifer goes up to the attic to find JC with another boy, also about fifteen years old.
"JC! Whose that??" Jennifer shouts.
JC and the other boy are cracking up.
"This is Kevin, I told you about him remember?"
"You had him here all night long??" Jennifer shouts, louder.
"Yeahhhhhh, I snuck him in at like twleve," JC says and continues laughing. "Can you stop moving???"
Jennifer grabs Kevin and he keeps laughing. Jennifer shoves him towards the stairs and suddenly a bag of marijuana falls out of his back pocket.
Jennifer gasps. She picks it up and looks at JC.

Later that day, after Kevin left and JC had chilled out, Jennifer sat with him on the bed in the attic.
"So you do drugs?"
"Well...once in a while...but I'm not addicted," JC says.
"Drug Addict Cliche Number One," Jennifer rolls her eyes. "JC, you need help. And I'm beginning to wonder if I can even help you anymore."
Jennifer shakes her head and gets up and walks toward the stairs. JC hurries after her and grabs her arm.
"No, no, no, no, please, don't give up on me," he begs.
"JC! Either you stop doing all of this stuff NOW, or I kick you out," Jennifer threatens.
She walks downstairs, leaving JC with the decision all on his own. JC stands quietly for a moment, then pulls out the bag of marijuana and stares at it.
"Jennifer or weed?" he asks himself.


Jennifer hurries downstairs into her room and slams her door shut. Tears roll down her face in fear she will lose her only friend.
A knock on the door is heard.
She opens the door, and JC is standing there.
"Hi," he says solemnly.
"You chose fast, I'm guessing you didn't chose me," Jennifer figures and starts to close the door again.
JC sticks his hand out and stops the door from closing.
"Well, acutally..."

A minute later, the two are outside by a large can Jennifer's father uses for burning papers and such.
JC throws his bag of marijuana into the can and burns it.
Jennifer smiles at him. JC smiles back.
"Regret anything?" she asks.
"Nah," JC replies and breaths deeply. "It actually feels better that I burned it."
"WHAT?" A voice, Kevin suddenly shouts.
JC and Jennifer turn around to see Kevin standing a few feet beside them.
"You burned our weed because of that little snob?!" he screams.
"Hah, Kevin. You're addicted to that stuff, grow up, then you can be my friend again," JC suddenly says, shocking Jennifer.
"Dude, what the hell are you talking about?"
"Get outta here, man," JC says.
"Yo, screw you!" Kevin says and grabs JC by the shirt and raises a fist. JC elbows Kevin in the gut and pushes him down. JC lands two punches in Kevin's face before Kevin rolls him over and punches him back.
"STOP IT!" Jennifer screams and tries to pull Kevin off of JC.
"Get outta here!" Kevin yells and shoves Jennifer backwards. She gasps and falls hard onto the ground.
Kevin turns back to JC and JC suddenly throws a punch at Kevin and hits him hard. Kevin falls down. JC gets up and starts kicking him.
"Don't you ever touch her!" JC screams and continues kicking.
"JC!" Jennifer yells and pulls him away.
Kevin lays on the ground in pain.
Jennifer hugs JC for saving her. Kevin eventually stands up and limps away from the two of them.
"So, do I still have a place to stay?" JC asks and chuckles.
"Of course you do," Jennifer smiles.
The two put their arm around one another and walk into the house.


End.