Don't Forget Where You Belong [JJ Maybank] *COMPLETE*

Chapter 17 - Framed

The sound of an engine boomed from overhead. You watched as the plane zoomed past and out of sight. Out of reach along with your hopes and dreams.

"Dammit," you sighed, hands flopping defeatedly to your side as you turned to your friends.

"Shit!" JJ yelled angrily, kicking a plastic chair.

"J..." you moved towards him, arms outstretched trying to calm him down but you came to a halt. Strangled cries wreaked from your other friend as he finally let go of his frustration.

"Fuck!"

You barely recognised the Pope in front of you, as he picked up a baseball bat and destroyed everything in sight and anything he could reach.

"God dammit!"

He grunted every time he swung, allowing it crash down destroying objects just as he destroyed the walls of pressure that had been caging him in for years.

"Shit! Fuck!"

The three of you stood shell-shocked as Pope let out one final anguish strangle from his throat, picking up the meta lbin and throwing it as far as he could, letting it clatter to the ground loudly.

"Pope!" Kie shrieked after him. He was hyperventilating as he slumped into the rickety chair.

"Yeah, dude," JJ said monotonously, "I was wondering when this was gonna happen."

You scoffed at his insensitivity, knealing dwon in fron of Pope.

"Are you okay?" you asked him quietly, placing your hands on his legs as you tried to get him to look at you. He was breathing feverishly still, eyes darting around manically.

"Here you go, chief."

You turned your head to see JJ's ring clad finger holding his juul right next your face. Pope's frantic movements stopped as his eyes narrowed in on the object. Your head slowly turned back seeing the deviant, yet thoughtful look on his face.

"A little weed never hurt no one," JJ encouraged, tilting the juul forward.

"JJ..." you hesitated.

"What, Y/N," he asked you. You sighed,

"Don't push it on him."

"You, you know he doesn't smoke." Kie added. Pope was looking between the three of you before he snatched the juul from JJ's hand. You let out a defeated sigh watch Pope quickly take it into his mouth.

"Well, maybe not until today," JJ said satisfied.

"Yeah, what is that gonna help?" Kie asked.

"I lost my scholarship," Pope said, the disappointment written across his features, "Walked out in the middle of the interview."

"Oh, Pope," you said quietly, rubbing his leg comfortingly as you smiled sadly at him.

"Every-- It's gone. It's not gonna happen."

"You did that for us?" Kie asked hopefully.

"No, not for us. For nothing," Pope spat, standing up, pushing past you causing you to fall back from your knees and onto your butt.

"Woah," you said, catching yourself on your hands. JJ quickly moved to stick his hand under your arms and hoist you up. He made a disgusted face as he quickly wiped his hands on his shorts.

"Ew, you're all sweaty," he said quietly, mouth downturned in a frown.

You turned around, a vexed look across you face.