June March sat on a seat on the boat, Tyler sitting beside her. The two of them had been engaged in a strenuous thumb wrestle while they were waiting for John B's return, Tyler's most valuable talent being the ability to change the subject. After June had spilled all of the details of what had happened, Tyler had made it his mission to get her mind off of the things that were so obviously plaguing her. The only thing June had withheld speaking about was Kiara leveraging her. She hadn't lied when she told her she wouldn't say anything.
"Fuck you dude." June said, shaking her head as she pulled her thumb from under his. He had won about 4 times in a row now, a wide smile on his face as he looked up at the girl.
JJ was leaning against the side of the boat, his eyes glued to the pair that were seemingly having a good time while everyone was worried sick. But June wasn't worried about John B, because if there was anyone she trusted to make it back, it was him. JJ held a glare in his eyes as he watched Tyler and June, the boy smiling so fondly at his girlfriend. He had been trying to think of the best time to interrupt and pull her away, but none do those times seemed to pan out. His frustration had began when he had seen them walk out of the cabin together, both of them deep in conversational whispers that no one else could hear. Tyler won another round, June pushing his shoulder and laughing . JJs jaw clenched, his head turning away from them as he wished desperately for John B to show up so they could get out of there.
June looked up from Tyler's face, her head turning to look at JJ. He wasn't looking at her but his face seemed upset, worried, tense. She pulled her hand from Tyler's and put a finger up, unfolding her legs from the seat and making her way over to JJ. He saw her approaching from the corner of his eye, choosing not to look, but on approach she ran her hand up his back, crouching down a little to look at his face.
"What's wrong?" She said in a soft tone, and JJ looked out at the water, the sunset turning his skin orange. He shrugged and shook his head, his eyes burning the same shade as the sun as he spoke.
"Did uh...did anything happen while you were kidnapped? You didn't bother to tell me." Junes stomach dropped and the concerned looked on her face did as well, her hand stopping on his back as she furrowed her eyebrows.
"Of course stuff happened. A lot happened. You were busy with Kie I wasn't sure if you'd wanna know." There was no edge in her voice but JJ could swear he heard it, a scoff falling from his lips as he finally looked at her. The look behind his eyes made her uneasy, and she was so terribly unsure of why she was getting this treatment. He really had been busy with Kie.
"Well you were too busy with Tyler. Sneaking out of the—"
"I'm not doing this with you right now." June said,putting her hand up to stop his talking and moving away from him. He just shook his head and looked back out at the water, the girl making her way over to where Sarah was standing. She shook off the argument that had been brewing, her arms crossed over her chest as Sarah stared out into the town, watching for John B. "Where did he go?"
"Huh?"
"Where'd John B go?" June asked again, Sarah blinking a few times and looking over at her. She shrugged, taking a moment to answer.
"To find his dad." The words made June scowl in confusion, John Bs dad was dead. Or at least presumed dead. June knew better than to question anything though, nodding her head and looking out where Sarah had been looking. There was a tension in the air, and June was worried now. She wasn't sure what she thought he had left for before, but now that she knew she couldn't help but get a bad feeling in her gut, her mind silently pleading for him to run up the dock and to the boat.
"Guys, incoming!" Kies voices was panicked, all of them turning to look at what she was talking about. June felt panic in her, Singhs men pulling onto the dock. John B wasn't back yet, and time had run out.
"That's Singhs men! Right here." Cleo confirmed, the panic settling in all of them as Pope turned to Sarah.
"Where's John B?!"
"I don't know he said he'd be back by now!" Sarah said, her head shaking as she gestured towards the direction he had disappeared.
"Well he's not! JJ, what are we gonna do?" Pope asked, his eyes wide and nervous as JJ quickly contemplated what to do.
"We gotta make a stand. That's what we gotta do. That's the only option." He pulled the gun from his waistband, loading it and making them all look at him like he was crazy.
"What?"
"Kiara we're not splitting up again!" JJ yelled in her face, shaking his head as he tried to reiterate the fact that they had to make a stand.
"Guys y'all didn't see what I saw! He killed Portis! He shot him right in front of her! We can't stay here!" Kie said, gesturing towards June show as torn. She could feel the gun in her own waistband, but she wasn't sure if making a stand was a good option. They were ridiculously outnumbered.
"Okay but we're not leaving John B!"
"No Pogue left behind." Pope agreed with JJ, Sarah yelling out as they all panicked. Tyler ran to the edge, his eyes widening as the trucks multiplied.
"What are you gonna do?!"
"They're here!"
"Damn it!" Sarah voice pierced the air, the decision striking her at the same time as it struck June.
"Get us out of here!" June yelled, hurrying towards where Sarah was heading.
"We're not splitting up again!" JJ yelled, the stress in his eyes and face as he tried to get his point across that he wasn't leaving John B.
"We don't have a choice anymore!"
"Go!" Pope shouted, all of them realizing the inevitable truth that they needed to leave.
"John B! We need to get John B!" JJ continued to fight for what was right but he was overshadowed by the prospect of fleeing, his head dropping into his hands for a moment as Pope yelled at him.
"Shut up! Shut up!"
"We'll find John B later!" Kie yelled to JJ, June searching the dock for any sign of John B, the realization that they were abandoning him in Barbados coming to the forefront.
"We can't just leave him like that!"
"Get down!" Kie yelled, the guns of the guards lifting as they sailed away and out of the dock.
Gunshots littered the air and they all got down, JJ pulling June down, his arm over her back as he squeezed his eyes shut. The guards held their fire soon after, realizing that the kids had gotten away. June crouched and headed towards Sarah, their eyes meeting and June being able to see the storm in them from the decision she had just made. JJ hit the boat, running his hands through his hair as his worst fear became true. Losing his best friend again. Splitting up. They had had a month of nothing but sunshine and ocean and each other, and now they were leaving John B behind. He could hardly imagine it, let alone live through it.
June stood at the edge of the boat, her eyes closing as the wind pulled through her hair. She shook her head, her heart aching at the prospect of losing a friend. He would have to find a way back to them. He would have to.
