Skates Out // a Luis Mendoza Fan Fic

16. Trouble

JJ. 

I was sitting up in the juicebar overlooking the ice rink when Igor approached me, he was limping which was a good sign. "A word."He gritted oout gesturing to the door.

I made a patronizing face stirring my straw around in my milkshake, "sorry, I'm currently not making it a habit to talk to meddling, janky-ass dickheads." 

He glared at me, "you could have done some serious damage!" Igor hissed. 

I shot him a pointed look, "well that was kind of the point you idiot. I didn't just do it for fun, and if you listen to what I told you in the room you'll avoid becoming sterile for real. But right now you're teetering on the edge of a very dangerous line." 

He grabbed my arm, "I'm done playing games with you Julia." 

"Me too. And tread carefully because my boyfriend and his friends just walked holding hockeysticks, and I would be more than happy to give them a demonstration of what went down  in your room if you don't let go and leave me alone right now." I told him icily. 

Igor shot me a warning look, "you'll regret this." 

I made a purposefully aloof face, "somehow I really doubt that."

The boys sat down with me frowns of my faces, "what was that all about?"m

I smiled, "apparently I could have done some serious damage."

Mendoza snickered, "what an idiot. I wish I could have seen the look on his face when you did it." 

That look could only have been described as priceless, "that is a shame because it was extremely satisfying." I agreed. He passed me a letter over the table, "I found this pinned to your locker room door." 

It had Julia-Josephine Jerome scrawled on it in thick black pen, I frowned taking it from him, no really called me that anymore. And the letter must have been hand delivered because there was no stamp or post mark on it. Not even an adress. I shoved my finger under the flap tearing across the envelope to rip it open. 

I pulled out the picture inside my heart stopping at the sight of it, the picture was of Jess, standing in front of the anaheim arena, and I could see the date in windos of the arena. They had a massive calander counting down to the match for people to see. She had been there, only a couple days ago. 

The colour must have drained from my face, my entire body actually because I suddenly felt freezing. "JJ?" Charlie asked snapping me out of it. 

I got up leaving a bill on the table for my milkshake, "I have to go." With that I started running off down the hall. To my surprise Mendoza chased after me, "what the hell was in that letter." 

I shook my head, "nothing that concerns you, go away." I could already feel the shortness of breath starting. Mention of my sister usually elicited this sort of reaction, I had developed anxiety after she left. 

"JJ, come on, you look awful, maybe I can help." He started. 

I shook my head, clasping my hands firmly together so he wouldn't see them shake, "trust me you can't, please leave me alone." 

Luis.

I clocked pretty quickly what was happening, Banks was a pretty nervous guys so he got panic attacks sometimes and so did my mother which was why I was now an expert at helping people suffering from one to calm down. The only question was would she let me. 

"JJ you're having a pain attack le-." I started

She shot me a glare, "yes I can see that you moron." 

I rolled my eyes, "if you'd let me finish I was going to say let me help you." 

"I don't need your help." she forced out, but she. was laready hyperventilating and I could see her hands were shaking even though she was holding them together, in fact her whole body was shaking and I could see her start to sweat lightly. 

I sat down on the floor next to her, "JJ, you need to slow your breathing okay? I'll help you." 

This time she didn't argue clearly realising she was in no position to help herself, "I'm going to count four beats and you breathe in, then hold your breath for another four and breathe out for another four okay?" 

JJ nodded, "alright," I started, "breathe in one... two... three... four, now hold your breath, one... two... three... four, and now breathe out, one... two... three... four..." 

I said it a coule more time as she started to calm down a little, once her breathing was back to normal I could see her start to cry. I picked up the picture that had fallen out of the envelope. It was a girl, not much older than JJ, she looked exactly like her too. She was standing outside of the arena.

"Who is she?" I asked her gently. 

She looked up at me her face tearstreaked, "my sister, Jess. The one that ran away." 

I vaguely remembered her telling me about this, she'd been thirteen at the time and devastated. Well that explained a lot, "and she's back now?" 

JJ shrugged, "I don't really know. The photo is recent, but she hasn't reached out to me or anything. I thought she was dead, or at least in another state. But she isn't, that bitch is alive and in LA and she hasn't even bothered to come look for me." 

"Well she was standing in front of the arena, maybe she tried and chickened out." I offered. 

JJ scowled, "then not only is she a stupid asshole but she's a coward too." 

"Maybe she's in trouble, and that's why she's keeping her distance to keep you out of it." I suggested making her glare at me. "Mendoza, if you defend my sister one more time I'm going to show you exactly what I did to Igor the other night, got it?"

Clearly this was a little sensetive for her, "okay, okay, geez. There's no need for that I'll shut up. But if you ever want help looking for her, I'll do it." 

She shot me a confused look, "why?" 

"Chalk it up to common decency." I replied helping her to her feet. 

"Thanks. I don't know if I want to find her, but I'll let you know if i do. Vi would worry to much if I went after her, she thinks it would put me back into my depression spiral." JJ told me as we walked down the hallway. 

"Let's hope she's wrong." I muttered.

JJ rolled her eyes, "have a little faith Mendoza. She is."