JJ Maybank was sat in class, his foot tapping against the floor as he fiddled with the string on June's bracelet, his eyes stuck to the wood of the desk. The whispers fr earlier had gotten to him, one particular thought continuing to bounce around his brain.
"He acts different. But I guess if my girlfriend died I would too." He had heard. A comment so small and minuscule had buried its way beneath his skin, burdening his thoughts. Of course he acted different. He had lost one of the only people that loved him, the person who had accepted his flaws and faults and instead of making them feel like bad things, made them feel like good things. She made him feel better. He always felt right with her.
He lifted his eyes to look at his friends, cracking his knuckles as he continued to tune out the noise of class. His mind wandered again, remembering what Adam had said to him. He had revealed something so important as if it was nothing, something that changed almost everything. June and Rafe had kissed and he had no idea that that was a thing and then Adam said that he found Rafe in her bed. What did that mean?
JJ jotted down the notes regarding Diocletian, ones he was sure he wouldn't look at again. The devastatingly loud sound of his phone went off, alerting him that he had gotten a message. Popes phone rang as well, making JJ look to Kiara.
The brunette looked at her phone, JJ soon realizing that all three of them had gotten the message. She sent him a look, the blonde checking to see that the teacher wasn't looking and then standing, making his way between Pope and Kie. They all lifted their phones at the same time, the image on the phone making all of their hearts race.
It was John B and Sarah, a picture that none of them had ever seen before. They all shared a look, a twinge of hope burning between the three of them. Were they alive?
"Oh my God." JJ said, realizing what was happening. He stood from his crouched position, immediately leaving the classroom, knowing that the other two would follow. They all ran down the hallway, JJ tripping over the mop and falling in the hallway.
"We can go to the courtyard." Kie said, watching as JJ yelled out. He quickly jumped up, his fingers flying to the bracelet on his wrist as he imagined the possibility that they were all alive.
"I mean is that even possible? I mean, Shoupe said that they didn't make it. He said that." Kie exclaimed as they pushed their way outside, all of them heading towards a table.
"Okay but I...I think we're overreacting, cause we can't rule out the possibility that this could all be some kind of weird, cruel hoax." Pope tried to logically explain.
JJ felt that prickle of pain in his chest, his hand flying up to try and soothe it as he felt his hope start to shine through. He didn't want it to be a hoax.
"I'm just gonna ask."
"What if it's actually him though?" JJ finally spoke, his back leaning against the wall.
"Then I don't know. Man I don't know." Pope said, all of them watching as Kie typed in the groupchat. JJ pulled his hat off, hold it in his hands as he waited impatiently for an answer.
"He responded?" Pope asked, looking to Kie.
"He's typing. He's typing." The phone buzzed only a moment later, the message reading "is JJ there?". They all looked to him, JJ immediately starting to type, his message reading "I'm here Bree." Almost immediately there was a text back, JJ reading the words over and over again as he realized the impossible had happened. It was him. Insane relief flooded all of their bodies, JJ chuckling as he read the message.
"It's him." He said, standing and making his way over to Pope. He pulled him into a bro hug, the smile widening on his face as he realized his best friend was alive. Finally another thought struck him, the boy realizing that there was noticeably one person missing in that picture. He turned around, pulling his phone up and looking at the picture again, his smile dropping.
"Where's June?" He said aloud, the other two looking at each other before JJ immediately started to type, tears returning to his eyes as he feared the worst. He sent the text, his hand going to his hair as he felt a pit settle in his stomach. "Is June there?" The message read.
He felt that all too familiar pain as he looked at the screen again, John Bs text confirming what he had always feared. "She's gone." The text read, JJ feeling a pit drop in his stomach. He stood, pushing his hand over his mouth as he tried not to cry. He had dealt with her dying once, but knowing now that she hadn't made it, and John B and Sarah did, he felt the grief twice as hard. He sniffles, looking down at the hat in his hands as his lip began to quiver. He threw the hat on the ground, his chest starting to feel like it was caving in as he let out a breath.
"Fuck!" He yelled, Popes arms wrapping around him. He felt a tear leave his eyes, his heart officially breaking as he realized he would never see her again.
"Wait! Wait no she's okay! He said she's okay she's just not with them. She's alive. JJ, June is alive." Kie said, running over to where the two boys were hugging and holding up the phone. JJ read the words, his head betraying him as he tried to believe it. Finally he read the message over again, realizing what John B had said. June March was alive.
He pulled back from Popes arms, a smile busting out across his face as he realized he would get to see her again. He would make sure of it.
"Yeah!" He yelled, feeling the relief and the pain all at once. The pain slowly melted away, leaving nothing but pure joy in him as he loved and breathed the fact that the girl that he loves, is in fact alive. Missing, but alive.
"Laying super low in Nassau." Kie read John Bs text aloud, all of them sharing a look. "How the hell did they get to the Bahamas?"
"You can't kill a Pogue dude." JJ said, the smile on his face widening. His heart was hammering in his chest, maybe he hadn't lost everything that he thought he had.
"Especially John B." Pope added, the phones singing again. "Can you clear our names, wanna come home." JJ read, his eyes widening at the possibility of seeing them all again. "Hell yeah, we'll clear your names."
"Be in touch. P4L." Kie read, all of them sharing a smile as Kie wiped away her tears of joy.
"P4L man! That's what I'm talking about! They're alive. P4L baby!" JJ yelled, standing on the table and shouting to the world that his friends were alive.
"Holy shit Dude!" Kie said, feeling her heart warm as she looked down at the phone again. They all pulled each other in for a hug, JJ more happy than the other two could ever imagine. Not many things went right in his life anymore, so he considered this a major win.
"JJ! June is alive!" Pope said, grabbing JJ by the shoulders and giving him a good shake. He once again pulled Pope into a hug, every thought of her only making his heart beat faster. Maybe she hadn't lied. Maybe she would make it back to him.
