alternate universe: in which jc’s parents are not famous, and he comes home after leaving juvenile detention.
The sound of a buzzer, much like the kind you’d hear a at a basketball game, radiates in the background as the gates of the juvenile detention center closed behind him. It was safe to say that J.C. had never imagined his eighteenth birthday would pan out like this in the past. Then again, he hadn’t ever really planned for any of this to happen. The brunette pulled his beanie over the medium length tresses to shield his ears from the cold as he padded through the snow. The snowfall was thin, which made his walk just a little bit easier.
Even though his parents would have been more than happy to come and get him, J.C. opted to make his way to his house alone. After all, it was the day before Christmas Eve and all the male to envision was his mother running around the house, attempting to gather everything in time for their regular festivities. He would want to interfere, considering he hadn’t been home for the holidays in over two years. The bus seemed like a better option. Waiting for the its arrival was the worst part, surrounded by others who had their cell phones to keep them company, dressed in clothes that weren’t as outdated as the ones he donned from the day in which he was dropped off for his extended stay in the corrections center. Luckily, once he finally got on the bus, the ride seemed to fly by as he lost himself in the admiration of the scenery that he passed.
From the nearest bus stop, his house was still a fair distance. He contemplated his options, although he wasn’t sure how he would get a hold of anyone if he tried. It wasn’t like payphones were exactly a commonality anymore. Also, with walking there was the added advantage of keeping to himself and soaking in his freedom rather than subjecting himself to the endless amounts of questions from either of his family members in the car.
As his footprints crunched into the soft layer of snow, for a moment he pondered whether he was certain how to get home. The old landmarks J.C. had once used to judgement were no longer there. Although he’d been locked way for some time, he didn’t anticipate what, to him at least, would be such substantial changes to happen in his quaint, little town. He couldn’t help but wonder what else may be gone. Only time would tell.
It wasn’t quite lunchtime, but the roads seemed especially empty for that time of day. There had only been a handful of cars pass since he’d departed on his excursion. It made him feel out of place in somewhere he’d lived for his entire life. As he continued his path, J.C. began to more and more of his neighborhood. Turning down the street, he could even see what looked to be the end of his driveway. Anticipation filled him as he got closer and closer, unsure what to expect when his parents finally laid their eyes on him. For many months, he’d been refusing their visits.
By his philosophy, J.C. felt that if he didn’t know what he was missing, he couldn’t miss it. Therefore, he’d decided that he didn’t want to see his parents, nor did he want to hear about all the life experiences he was missing out on. His mother was almost as bad as any other high school aged teen, telling him all the gossip. If he didn’t care whether Megan Kent was dating currently dating Rhys Isaacs while he was attending high school, why would he care if they’d broken up? In short, he didn’t.
Inhaling deeply, J.C. needed to compose himself before the pressed his knuckles to the dense wood of his front door. He waited patiently as he heard scrambling from inside the door and muffled voice until his mother appeared in place of the door. Her blonde hair was tied back and he could see his father from the door way, along with what seemed to be the silhouette of another person.
“Jordan?” His mom replied in shock as she looked him over. J.C. cringed at the sound of his full name on her tongue. “What are you doing here?” Her question irritated him as he pushed his way past her and into what was his home for most of his life. His mother tried to stammer out a few more words as he walked down the hallway towards his dad who looked like he’d possibly seen a ghost.
It only took J.C. a minute to realize that the other person – the silhouette he’d seen from the doorway – looked oddly like him. In fact, almost exactly like him. He looked at both of his parents, both of their jaws hanging open. No words were exchanged until finally his mother spoke up. “J.C., this is your brother Thomas,” she stated very plainly as if it had been obvious. “You’re twins.” The words hit him hard, but as he considered the face of someone he barely knew, he felt as though a piece of him made sense in that moment; a piece of him that hadn’t been there before. But how was that possibly? How could he miss something he never knew was there to begin with?
