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He turns on the stool away from the keyboard and towards me.

“June,” he says my name in barely a whisper. I press my forehead to his

“I see you,” I tell him responding to the words in his song, “I thought it could be you. I hoped it was, but you’re older and I thought I was just imagining all the resemblances because I wanted it to be true.

A loud banging at the door silences me.

“Jake Daniels. Police.”

His eyes dart to me in a panic. “June, I know you have questions. Shit, I wanted to tell you, but we don’t have time.” My heart is pounding hard. It feels like it’s going to strum right out of my chest. “I need you to promise me something.”

Another loud banging on the door, “Jake, open the door, or we will be forced to open it. We have a warrant.”

“Promise me that you won’t tell them how you know me. Promise you won’t talk to them. As far as they’re concerned, we met the other night for the first time and you thought my name was Lucas.”

“Jake I don’t understand?”

A loud bang on the door sounds, followed by another.

“Promise me, June!” he says frantically

“I promise,” I yell. Suddenly, the apartment is charged with a small team of police officers. It’s a blur of blue uniforms, and Jake is slammed to the ground. His Miranda rights are being read. He remains quiet and my eyes are locked on his.

“Do you understand each of these rights I’ve explained to you?” the officer finishes. An officer moves into his room and grabs a pair of jeans, “Put these on,” he instructs Jake and then he's handcuffed sitting on the couch. I’m standing in the middle of the room clutching my sheet. I’m stunned, the last few minutes seem unreal. Lucas is my Jake and he’s being arrested.

“Miss, can you please get dressed? We have a few questions for you.” I don't want to take my eyes off of Jake, even to get dressed. He pleads with his eyes for me to do as they ask, and so I do.

An officer follows me into the room, “Miss, grab your clothes. Get dressed in the bathroom. We need to search this room for evidence and can't leave you in it.”

I dress on autopilot and hurry back to the living room. Jake doesn't seem surprised by the arrival of the police, but there must be some mistake. There has to be, right?

Two officers, one wearing a visible bullet proof vest and the other in uniform, are walking Jake to the door. My heart feels like it’s breaking all over again. I can't lose him, I only just found him. Jake’s eyes are still fixed on me when an officer asks me, “Miss, how do you know Jake Daniels?” I think about my promise to Jake and know I have to do as promised. I need to lie.

“Who’s Jake? His name is Lucas. What’s going on?” I play dumb the best I can and see the slightest nod of approval from Jake.

“Miss, this man’s name is Jake Daniels and he‘s wanted in connection with the disappearance of his father Mike Daniels.” I look shocked when I hear the officer’s words. I know Jake isn't responsible for the disappearance of his dad. I know without a shadow of a doubt. And the reason I know this with complete certainty is because I killed Mike Daniels.

Chapter Six

Past

Jake Daniels fell in love with his sweet Juniper the moment he laid eyes on her. She was only fifteen and far too innocent for his seventeen-year-old self. He fought his attraction to the tiny auburn haired girl with the biggest blue eyes he ever saw, watching her from far away. He figured the summer would go by quickly enough with all the work his old man had been making him do and she would leave the summer vacation home without much thought to him. He never figured that she would take an interest in him, and even when she did and she had witnessed his dad calling him a useless piece of shit, she would realize right away that he wasn't good enough for her. Jake never thought that when he was swimming in the river by himself right before sunset that she would join him by jumping in the murky water and for once he was grateful that the current wasn’t that fast. He didn’t know what kind of swimmer June was and he didn't want anything to happen to her.

Sometimes he would wish the current would take him away. Maybe down the river far enough where his old man couldn't find him and beat the shit out of him. Sometimes, he wished the current would swallow him whole, but that was only after a real bad beating. Today he was grateful for calm waters.

“What are you doing?” he asked June when she swam up to him, wearing a tank top and jean shorts.

“I’m tired of waiting on you to say hi.” June tread water with ease and it gave Jake comfort to know she was a strong swimmer.

“I wasn’t planning on saying hi,” Jake told her making sure to keep a distance.

June ignored his comment, swimming around Jake on her back while he tread water and carefully kept an eye on her. The rational part of his brain wanted to tell June to go away, but no matter how much he should tell her to go, he didn’t.

“It’s nice out here. Do you swim a lot at night?” June asked, doing her best to engage him in conversation.

The sun was dipping behind the trees and it was becoming increasingly dark.

“When the current’s slow, but if it’s fast, you can't swim in it.”

“Noted. Fast current, you’re not in the river. So, where are you if the current’s fast?” Jake found himself answering her. It was as if they were two magnets and the pull was too great to fight.

“I’m either cleaning fish, or cleaning the barn, or doing something my old man has me doing.”

“Don’t you ever get any down time?” She moved from her back to tread closer to Jake, knowing that her parents would be mad if they caught her swimming right now. She also knew that when she spotted him swimming while on her walk that she couldn't miss the opportunity. She’d been on the river for two weeks with her parents and failed to get Jake’s attention.

“I guess so. If the old man is drunk and my work is done, then I’m off the hook. Usually, I just work until my body gives out.”

She thought about his body and how she admired it when she saw him shirtless, and since he was shirtless whenever he was working, this was quite often.

“My parents inherited this place from my Aunt Merda. She was my dad’s aunt and he always tells stories of spending summers here when he was a kid. What he failed to mention is that I’m the only fifteen-year-old for miles. So, I have a lot of time on my hands.”

She was hinting at spending time with him and he knew it, but his insecurities put in place by his dad made him think that maybe she wanted to hang out with him because he was her only option. Jake couldn't pass up the opportunity, though, and so he offered up, “I’m in the barn usually early and then before dusk. If you ever want to feed the chickens or see the steer, you’re welcome to come by.”

June’s face lit up at the invitation. Even under the darkening sky, he could see the joy in her big blues eyes and right there, he decided they were the prettiest eyes he’d ever seen. They were the kind of eyes he would think about always and the kind that would get him through the hardest nights.

“Really?” June asked. “You’d show me your cows?” Heck, for that smile, he’d do anything she asked. He didn't remember the last time anyone had looked at him without barking an order, let alone with that much happiness. He felt his playful side coming out and he gently splashed water at her.

“Sure I would. Where are you from anyways?”

She moved water towards him to mimic his splash, but she really was so excited he was talking to her that she didn’t want to play. She wanted to get to know Jake. She remembered meeting him a few summers ago when she visited with her parents, and even at twelve his blue-green eyes always stuck out to her.

“Ohio. I’m June,” she offered up shyly.

“I know, sweet Juniper.” He didn't mean to say that part out loud, but there was no taking it back once he did. Of course, he knew her name. His dad wouldn't shut up about how Bill Withers and his brat daughter June -and what kind of man names their kid June anyways- inherited the property that old Merda wouldn't sell to him. “I’m Jake. Jake Daniels.”

June sucked in a breath. He called her Juniper. No one called her Juniper. She liked it. She ducked under the water and swam close to him. When she resurfaced, she was closer to him than she’d expected and hoped he couldn’t tell how hard her heart was beating. “I know that too,” she said shyly, her breath hitching for a moment.

Jake’s breath also caught because of June’s nearness and he needed to make sure she didn't notice. He splashed her again, but this time it was a big splash, and she didn't hesitate to splash him back even harder. The two splashed until Jake found himself picking up the petite girl and tossing her into the water. She laughed like she never laughed before, and in those thirty-minutes had more fun than she had the entire two weeks she’d been there.

Over the next few weeks, June would wake up early to find Jake hard at work in the barn. She wanted to help to lessen his workload. At first, he was reluctant but when he saw how much she enjoyed it, how could he deny her? He quickly learned that he couldn't deny her anything.

June enjoyed working with Jake. He was strong and knowledgeable. She sometimes felt like a kid around him, but he was always patient with teaching her something new. She hated the way his dad talked to him whenever he would come around. Occasionally, he would ask what the hell she was doing there, but she couldn't seem to be scared off from Jake. His lure was too great.

In those first weeks, it took Jake a while to open up to June. He held a deep fear that he was no good for her. Eventually, her easy nature made him open up. She was somehow able to get him to talk to her about anything and everything. He told her about his mom’s early death and how his dad used to be an okay guy. He wasn't great, but okay enough, that was until she died, then he cared more about a bottle than he did about Jake. Jake told her how he was forced to drop out of school when he turned sixteen, the earliest age the state allowed, so that he could work.

Every confession Jake made only made June fall harder for him. She hated his father. Hated him for taking so much out on Jake and for not being a better man, hated him for making Jake work instead of getting to be a kid. June thought that Jake was the strongest person she’d ever met because of how well he seemed to handle everything.

Jake loved the fact that June had a fairly easy life with parents that were teachers and loved her very much. When he met June’s mom and was invited for dinner, he was more nervous he thought than possible, but as soon as he saw June, she calmed him. They were easy going and approved of the young couple's budding friendship.

The Withers’ were not blind to the cruel way Mike Daniels treated Jake. They saw the black eyes and bruises, but knowing their daughter, they knew that if anyone could bring happiness to that boy it would be her. Bill Withers even made a point to tell Jake he approved of their friendship, but Jake better not dream of taking it any farther with his fifteen-year-old daughter. Jake admired Mr. Withers and took things incredibly slow with June.

The first time they kissed, it was June who pushed it. It was always June who pushed things. Jake’s world turned upside down when he finally felt her small perfect lips against his and as soon as the kiss was over, she asked him to kiss her again. Of course, he couldn't deny her. He didn't let it go farther than that, not that day anyway, even though she riled him up and turned him on like no other. Jake had girlfriends at school and would make out with them on walks home, occasionally getting to third base, but nothing ever felt like it did with June.

Eventually, Mike Daniels even seemed to put up with June’s presence. Occasionally, he would put Jake down in front of June, but mostly he tolerated her and couldn't be mad when he found her cleaning fish or shoveling shit. He hated doing those things and having another hand to do it wasn’t something that even Mike Daniels would argue.

The summer was coming to an end and every moment that Jake and June spent together was a moment they cherished with big dreams of Jake running away to Ohio and finishing school to be near June. Promises that they would somehow figure out a way to be together were made with late night goodbye kisses. It was the same for both of them. They were hopelessly in love, so much so that the Withers started to worry that it was turning into too much of a grown-up relationship for June. As much as they liked Jake, they didn't want their daughter’s heart to be broken when it was time to go home; after all, she was only fifteen. That’s why when Mr. Withers got a call asking him to come home early and take over an assistant coach position for the middle school's football team, he quickly agreed.

June was already out for the morning running around with Jake by the time Mr. Withers took the call. They figured they would give her this last day and get the house packed up, knowing she wouldn’t take it well, but hoping they were doing the best thing.

June and Jake met early in the morning, it was the first time they moved beyond kissing and into more. Jake couldn't believe when June asked to touch him. It was something he fantasized about at night.

“Can I touch you?” June asked wanting to know this part of Jake. The outside air was warm and the trees surrounding the clearing made the two feel completely alone and untouchable.

By the end, June gave Jake an orgasm, which wasn't hard since the feel of her hands on him made it hard for him to last even a few minutes. It didn’t matter that June didn't have an orgasm. The moment was perfect for her and everything she could’ve hoped for her first sexual experience to be like.

Jake finished washing up when he heard his dad yell for him.
“Jake! Where the hell are you? We should’ve been out on the water by now!” Shit Jake thought, the old man didn't sound good today. He wondered if he even slept. When Jake left early this morning his old man hadn’t come home yet which could mean so many things.

Jake looked over to June who was decent and breathed a sigh of relief as his dad walked through the clearing. If his dad was just minutes earlier he would have seen June. The thought sickened Jake.

Before he knew it, they were on the boat fishing with Jake’s Dad. The last thing Jake wanted was to have June spend any time with him, however, June was fearless. And he knew where ever he went she would follow. That was until his Dad sent Jake into the river to retrieve a fishing rig. The water was rough and even though Jake was a strong swimmer, he struggled against the current. A scream from June had Jake rushing to get back to the boat. He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Jake reached the boat just as his dad’s belt buckle was being undone.

He was consumed with rage as he lunged for his dad. Hate from deep within Jake pumped adrenaline through him as he slammed his fist into his dad’s ribs.

June landed on the ground when Mike Daniels released her head in order to fight his son. Mike never thought his son had it in him and was pleased that he might get a little bit of a fight from him. It would make kicking his ass all the more fun.

Jake fought hard, but was no match for his dad. The moment Mike got his bearings, he went wild on Jake hitting him with all his force. Mike had always a big man, the drinking didn’t make him fat like it did some men. Right then, his six foot three frame was towering over Jake, slamming his head against the deck of the boat. Jake could faintly hear June screaming, but one of the blows to his head created a ringing that was drowning out all other sounds. Normally, he would have passed out by now, but he had to stay conscious for June.

June couldn’t take it any longer. It was killing her watching every blow that Jake took. She had to do something to stop the beating that he was taking. She looked all around the boat for anything should could use to get Mike to stop hurting Jake. An oar attached to the side of the boat caught her eye, and without much thought, she grabbed it and swung it at Mr. Daniels’ head.

Blood splattered and she knew it cut his head, but he was still conscious. His fists stopped connecting with Jake and he was momentarily stunned that the tiny girl had hit him. June didn’t wait as she leaned into the oar like it was a baseball bat and she struck again. Mike stood and approached when her second blow hit. The combination of the alcohol, the boat swaying in the storm and the last hit to his head was all it took to send Mike overboard. She watched for a second, stunned that she was capable of something like that and stared silently, with tears staining her cheeks as the rough river seemed to swallow him. What had she just done? She meant to save Jake, not kill his dad, but as he disappeared into the river, she knew that is exactly what she had done.