CASTAWAY ⚓ R.C, J.M

S I X T E E N

The Pogues, minus one, had been at Heyward's for most of the morning. Pope had been helping his dad pack groceries into their truck. Kie had been sat by the counter, helping here and there or serving customers. She had switched with Harley who now sat in a corner curled up in JJ's lap falling asleep.

Lightning, thunder and drizzling rain had kept her mind awake sporadically through the night. The effects of it all bruised beneath her eyes.

So, JJ had called Harley over around twenty minutes ago and coaxed her into cuddling by running his hands through her hair.

It was easy to forget herself in JJ's arms. She melted into him and felt her eyes droop almost instantly.

"I'm in love with the way you play with my hair. It's soothing."

"I'll keep that in mind." His fingers massaged her scalp. "Are you sticking with brown again?"

"I was thinking blonde. I heard they have more fun." Harley smiled knowing JJ hated the idea. "Or maybe just a little lighter than I am now."

"I'm starting to think you just don't want to look like John B's sister anymore."

"Shut up." She lamely slapped his chest. "Having one hair colour forever is just boring. What if I went red?"

"What kind of red? Fire truck red." JJ chuckled.

"Absolutely not. Like a dark, auburn colour."

"Should I be able to imagine that colour?" JJ muttered cluelessly.

"How about I show you when it's done?"

"Deal."

"You should let me dye your hair."

"Woah. What? No way, H.R. Not happening, baby."

"Not even a few strands."

"No."

"We'll see."

They both laughed, but Harley knew she'd be able to get her way one way or another.

"Heyward." The deep voice of Officer Shoupe startled the kids. Their heads shot to his figure in the shop doorway. He stood with an exasperated but bored expression, his hands rested on his hips. He sighed. "I hate to do this, but.... Pope Heyward, you're under arrest."

All eyes grew to the size of little moons. Harley sat up in JJ's arms.

"What?" Heyward almost laughed. "What?"

Harley shot up to call out to Shoupe to stop, but JJ's hand clamped over her mouth and turned her away. He covered her with his body and whispered, "He can't see you, remember? We don't know if DCS is still around."

"But..."

"No. Stay here." JJ motioned behind one of the rows of shelves before jogging out of the shop with one last look to Harley.

The situation spiraled rapidly from there. Heyward was pissed. Pope looked frightened. Nobody had even gotten to explain things to Kie. Through all the yelling, things moved outside where Harley couldn't see anything. So, she shuffled over to the entrance to Heyward's shop but stayed hidden.

"It was me!" JJ yelled out. "I took that Kook's boat and I took Heyward's boat without him knowing."

A mortified expression bled across Harley's face, one that matched Pope and Kiara's. They could understand JJ's reasoning, Pope had a scholarship on the line, but it didn't stop them from feeling panicked and upset.

Something Harley hadn't understood which the others had, was that JJ getting arrested wouldn't end well with his father. It hadn't crossed her mind that his dad would be livid and she knew what his dad was like when he was angry.