Chasing The Stars || JJPOPE

FIVE

"John B." She stated, raising her eyebrows slightly at the boy.

He sighed, "I was gonna steal some beers for me and my friends."

Roxy let go of his forearm, seeming satisfied with his answer. She nodded, running her hand through her hair, "Okay-"

"Please don't tell your dad." John B cut her off, "He'd probably fire me."

Her lips broke out into a smile, a small escaping the back of her throat, "Don't worry, Routledge. I'm not gonna rat you out. I was just gonna ask you for some help."

John B knitted his eyebrows together, "With?"

She motioned for the boy to follow her, which he did. They turned the corner, seeing what seemed to be shattered glass littered all over the cream colored rug. Roxy tan her hand through her hair once again as she stared down at it.

"What happened?" John B wondered out loud.

"Rafe."

_____

JJ shot up from his bed, eyes wide, muscles tense. He had just woken up from a nap after a long, miserable day at Kildare County High, but his dream that afternoon was rather strange. He dreamed he was on the beach, laying his head on someone's lap while they strummed the guitar.

But the strange part was that he couldn't figure out who's lap he was laying on.

He dragged himself off his bed, trying to push the blurred memory of the dream out of his mind. He was to go to Pope's house for yet another tutoring session.

Surprisingly, Pope being his tutor wasn't as bad as he had expected. The two had managed to swallow down their hard feelings and get work done. Sure, he didn't particularly like Pope, but at least he learned some things from him.

JJ trailed down the sidewalk, turning onto Pope's street. He wasn't as nervous this time than he had been the time before. He knew what to expect from Pope.

Eventually JJ neared the Heyward household, quickly climbing up the steps and raising his fist to the front door. Just as his knuckles were about to meet the oak door, he heard an all too familiar voice call out, "Over here."

JJ turned aimlessly a few times, trying to see where Pope was before his eyes finally met him. Pope was sitting on the branch in a tree, a plastic bag held in his hand. JJ couldn't help but furrow his eyebrows in confusion, "What are you doing?"

"I saw this bag hanging from the tree. Kiara has been trying to get me to pick up trash more, so I thought I would just... you know..." pope explained, then clearing his throat awkwardly.

"Well, are you gonna come back down so you can help me not fail anymore? This is a quite pressing matter, Einstein." JJ questioned, squinting up at him as the sun pointed directly on them.

"Well... Uh..." Pope looked down at the ground nervously, scratching the back of his neck .out of nervousness. He then almost fell at the action, gripping the tree trunk tighter with wide eyes.

"You don't know how." JJ stated, not asking a question, but stating a fact.

"Yeah." Pope admitted softly, seeming embarrassed. JJ watched him with curious, yet annoyed, eyes. Pope's simple presence annoyed the blonde.

The Maybank boy huffed out of frustration, walking off the porch and towards the large oak tree. He stood under it, the sun beaming through the branches, causing JJ to squint slightly as he looked at Pope.

"You see that branch there?" Asked JJ, pointing to a branch about a foot below Pope. Pope nodded in response, JJ continuing, "Well put your foot on it."

Pope obeyed, pressing his foot onto the branch nervously.

"Okay, now step i between those two branches."

"Like this?"

"Like that."

Pope did as JJ said, but once Pope got close enough to the ground, he knew he'd fal straight on his face if he tried jumping down. JJ realized this, letting out an annoyed huff and moved over, gesturing to his shoulder.

Pope hesitantly gripped JJ's shoulder, his feet then meeting the ground beneath. He looked at JJ, "Thanks."

"You can let go of my shoulder now." Is all JJ responded with. He moved his shoulder slightly, causing Pope to realize his hand was still gripping JJ's shoulder.

He quickly pulled his hand away, "Right, sorry."

JJ began to make his way toward the house, Pope trailing behind as the blonde began speaking, "You know, for a smart guy, you're pretty dumb."

"What?" Pope asked, tossing the plastic bag in the recycling bin beside the trash can as they passed.

"Well, you climbed that tree without knowing how to get down." JJ swung the front door open, the two entering the house. He then turned to face smart, "Not the smartest thing you've done."

"We should get to work now." Pope stated, walking past JJ and heading toward his bedroom.

JJ smirked in amusement, following behind Pope. The two entered his bedroom. It hadn't changed much since the last time JJ had been there, the only difference was that he felt much more comfortable in his bedroom than before.

"So I made some flash cards, and— what are you doing?" Pope watched JJ with close eyes as the blonde held a plain black notebook in his hands, laying comfortably across the Heyward boy's bed. Pope's eyes widened, launching over and snatching the notebook.

"Dude." JJ said, throwing his arms up in the air, "What was that for?"

"Don't touch my things." Pope muttered, opening his drawer and stuffing the notebook inside. He then turned, "Let's get started."

JJ rolled his eyes, "Are you always this uptight?"

"I'm not uptight. JJ." Pope argued quickly.

"I disagree." JJ told him with a tight smile.

"I can be fun." Pope informed JJ worriedly. JJ snickered in amusement.

"Fine. If you're so fun, let's go do something fun. Fuck the flash cards." The blonde suggested, something unfamiliar dancing in his eyes. Pope stared down at him for a long moment, clearly in deep thought.

JJ knew he had to pass this test on Friday—Pope knew this as well. But on the other hand, JJ found himself beginning not to care once again. They took his mother's missing posters down, he started to realize his mother may never come home. Why would anything matter anymore?

"Fine." Pope stated, JJ smiling. Pope then continued, "BUT we have to memorize these flash cards first."

"Deal."

NOTE FROM KARLEE:

Hey baes <33 sorry this chapter is kinda short, I had major writer's block :/ anygay, I truly hope you enjoyed. ALSO sorry for the str@ight ppl in the beginning (jombie and roxy) they're just essential to the plot *insert eye roll emoji*. Okay bye now :)