Hell or High Water | JJ Maybank [2]

fifteen

"What are you talking about?" Jo asked, completely lost on the topic of conversation.

"You know what!" JJ shouted. "I saw you and that guy getting all flirty."

"Who, Tommy?" Jo asked incredulously. She felt her skin crawl at the thought of ever being anything but bitter towards the boy.

"Oh, Tommy," JJ spat. "He has a name."

Jo shook her head, pushing her hair out of her eyes. "I'm not doing this right now."

"JJ, I think you need to calm down," John B said slowly. He held his hand out as Jo stood up and began to leave. Everyone could feel the tension rising.

"No, when else are we gonna do it, huh?" JJ shouted after her. "Tell me why!"

Jo felt her anger growing as JJ's voice rose. Her hands curled into fists and she spun around with a fire JJ had never seen before flaring in her eyes. "I wasn't flirting, JJ! You know who that was? He was the one that fucked me. And you know how the rest of that story goes. So go ahead, tell me more. Tell me how I'm being a bitch and trying to make you jealous, have at it!"

Angry tears built up in her eyes as she stormed forward and shoved JJ back. His eyes were wide and filled with horror as she pushed past him and stalked down towards the dock. Everyone else remained silent and still. No one dared to speak as JJ cursed and punched the tree angrily. He tugged at his hair, mentally kicking himself for being such an asshole. He wanted nothing more than to go after her, but he knew that was the last thing she wanted right now.

"Nice," Pope drawled. "That was handled amazingly."

"Pope?" JJ seethed. "Shut the fuck up."

"I don't know why you're upset," Kie huffed. "You started this whole mess."

JJ opened his mouth to retort a comment to Kie, but John B quickly hushed them. "Guys," he said quietly. "I think someone's here."

° ° ° ° °

Jo sat on the dock with her legs crossed beneath her. Tears cascaded down her cheeks, but she made no effort to wipe them away. She was beyond upset about everything that happened tonight, but JJ's actions hurt the worst. It hurt that he thought she would go and flirt with other guys, especially Tommy. Even the thought of it made her sick to her stomach.

The sound of footsteps creaking the old wood of the dock alerted her of someone else's presence. She huffed in annoyance but refused to turn around. "Leave me alone," she muttered.

When the footsteps continued, she finally turned. Her eyes widened when she saw Amelia sauntering towards her and she quickly jumped to her feet.

"Was my right hook too subtle for you?" Jo spat. "I don't want to talk to you."

"Yeah, nice hit, by the way," Amelia hummed. "I heard you paid my brother a visit."

Jo rolled her eyes. "Don't flatter yourselves. It was for John B."

The fellow brunette girl shrugged indifferently. "I don't care," she sighed. "What I do care about, is that you and your friends shanked my dad. Giving him a fake key was pretty smart, but also pretty dumb."

"Well, the key doesn't belong to him," Jo snapped. "It belongs to Pope and his family."

"Doesn't matter," Amelia replied smoothly. "You know we always get what we want."

Tommy's voice echoed in her head, uttering those same words. Jo took a shuttering breath and glared at the girl who was once her best friend. "So, what? You came all the way here to just rub it in?"