happy place || jj maybank ON HOLD

chapter twenty three

Everyone agrees on going there, making their way out to the van. JJ and I trail behind, being the last ones out.

"Why are you being quiet, V?"

"It's just John, it's bothering me, J. I've never had him ignore me for someone else. I've never had him put someone else over me. I know I'm probably being dramatic-"

"Hey," JJ interrupts, stopping me in my tracks by putting both his hands on my shoulders. "Stop saying you're being dramatic or over reacting. Your feelings are your feelings, and they're all valid. I don't like when you talk that way about yourself." He drops his arms from my shoulders and places one on the small of my back, leading me back out towards the van. "I'll talk to him for you if you want-"

"JJ, no that's a bad idea, he can't know about this-"

"About what?" JJ questions.

"You know what." I say, not wanting to admit it out loud.

"I don't care anymore, Vienna. I care about you. If he can't see that I genuinely care then that's on him. He's going to find out anyway. I don't really care what he thinks, especially if he's acting like this and ditching you and the rest of us for Sarah Cameron, then he can't tell me who I can and can not be with." JJ argues. "You make me happier."

I smile at him. "Thank you, JJ." I say, barely above a whisper. I like this side of him, I never want to not see him like this. "You make me happier, too."

____

After our heart to heart, we got in the van and drove to the forts with the rest of the group.

Pope was now inspecting the map, trying to make sense of where we had to go next. Kie and John stood next to him, JJ was stood on part of the rocks, and I stood behind Kie, next to JJ.

"Guys, that's not Tannyhill, that's a subdivision." JJ speaks up.

"Tannyhill Plantation used to be the entire island." John responds. "It got sold into smaller pieces over time."

"We're just looking for an old stone wall." Pope says, looking at John.

"Should be easy enough." He nods, tossing the keys up then catching them. "Let's roll."

____

"They road should split up here." Pope instructs. "Take a left."

John takes a hard left, sending me flying from my seat into JJ's lap.

"Jesus, John B. Careful, man." JJ snaps. "You okay?" He asks quietly.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I respond quickly, getting back into my seat, slightly embarrassed.

"Since when do you care about safety, JJ?" John retorts, meeting his eye through the rear view.

JJ doesn't respond, just shakes his head at him and looks away from his gaze, out the window.

"That looks like a stone wall to me." He says, causing all of us to look up. John rolls the van to a stop, putting it in park and killing the engine.

"This is it." Pope mutters.

"Not the Crain house..." John says under his breath.