All Of You// JJ Maybank

6. you need to leave

THRUSDAY

I wake up at noon to a gunshot. Because I'm on the couch I can see through the window. Two men. Huge. I lock my bedroom door and start to panic.

They start banging and calling for dad and John B. They must come in because now it sounds like there throwing stuff. "We know your in here" one of the men kicks in a door.

I try to open the window but it's painted shut. "You can't hide from us" another door. I reach for my dad's letter opener and start cutting away at it. He door handle turns back and forth.

"Hey this one's locked" NO. God damn I'm shaking to much. The men ram the door. Finally I get the window open just as they shoot the lock off the door.

I run to my car. Extremely thankful for forgetting my keys in it last night. As soon as the engine turns on the men come barreling out the front door. I slam of the gas not looking back. They shoot. I'm pretty sure one hits my tire because soon it's flat.

Where the hell am I supposed to go. The boys don't get home for another three hours. I go to the only other place I can think of.

When I pull into the Cameron house there's people on the balcony. Rafe and ward look over the railing to see me, balling my eyes get out of my car that has a flat tire.

They both run into the house and soon are in the front yard. "Come on dear" ward guides me with a hand on my back. We sit in the living room and I tell them what happened. I was sitting on the couch, rafe next to me and ward was on the ottoman sitting infront of me.

Ward asks what the guys look like so I tell him. "Are you getting into the gold like your father did?" It seemed like he was almost yelling at me. "No sir I sware. I haven't even looked at his work since I've returned"

"What about your brother?" Rafe asked. Slowly the prices start falling into place. The late nights, the secret meetings with his friends. "Oh God. I think so" I nod. "You need to put a stop to that. Or more shit like this is going to happen." Ward shook his head.

"What if the guys are still there?" "There not, they have bigger things to do than to hunt an empty house" ward rubs his forehead. "The boys are going to be- should be home soon. I should talk to them" I stand.

"Shit. Can I get a ride home" I ask because of my flat tire. "Of course. I'll get my keys" Rafe leaves the room. "Be careful. And knock some sense into them kids" ward nods. "Things got really suspicious before your dad disappeared. I'm lucky I didn't go missing too" "speaking of I'd like to talk to you about-" "im ready" rafe swings his keys round his finger.

The ride home was pretty quiet. "Im sorry about my car being stuck at your house" "it'd okay, im sure my dad has had it towed to a shop by now" "ill pay him back" "don't worry about it, it seems like he likes you"

"I think this is the second time ive ever spoken to him" "yes but he liked your dad for god knows what reason- no offense" he cringes. I sigh but let it go. "Do you think he knows anything about my dads disapperance?" "Im sure hes already told the police everything" he shrugs.

The rest of the drive is silent. "Do you care if I come look?" Rafe asks. "Sure" we both get out and make our way to the house. Shit is thrown everywhere there's bullet holes in the walls. "Im so sorry" rafe cringes.

I send John b a text saying I needed him home right after school. I jump at the sound of a bang. Rafe had bumped a bowl on the counter and it had fallen.

"Sorry. I'm sorry" he picked it back up. "Your okay" I assure him, sitting on the couch. "I could stay until the boys get home. Maybe help pick up" he sits next to me. "If you want" I nod. "Just let me text my dad so we can put to work off till later" "oh you don't have to-" "do you want me to stay?" "Sure" I nod carefully.

"Then I'll stay" he smiles. "Can I ask why your being so nice?" "I told you I want to repay for what I did" "yeah but you already fixed my boat. You don't have to go out of your way to stay with me. Especially on this side of town. Even more so cause you hate my family" "I don't hate you"

"Why though? We had a moment sophomore year and then you ignored me for the rest of highschool. I just don't understand what changed when I got back to town" "I ment what I had said that night sophomore year. I had the biggest crush on you. And then the following week I saw how my friends reacted when you tried to talk to us and I freaked. I was so scared of loosing my friends that I ignored you" he put his hand on my knee

"When I saw you in the store it almost felt like a sign, or I dont know like a second chance" he talks facing me but his eyes are focused to my lips. Is he trying to say... "Do you still have feelings for me?" "Yeah. Definitely. I didn't think so and then we started talking and yeah"

I'm not sure what to say. Two boys. Jj and now rafe both have told me they still have feelings for me not even 24 hours apart.

"I-" The sound of someone pulling in the driveway makes me shoot up. The boys

"We can talk about this another time" he places a hand on my lower back breifly Thank you for staying" i flash him a smile before stepping away from his hand.

"What the hell happened here?" John B doesn't even ask about rafe. "I was hoping you guys would tell me. Two guys showed up shooting shit and throwing shit looking for you and dad. I escaped through a window and went to the only person I could think of"

"Rafe?" Jj asked disgusted. "Those must have been the guys following us in the Marsh." John B said to jj. "What?" I say harshly "No more of this shit. No more chasing gold. Look where it got dad" I shake my head.

"Hes gone because of you. He needed you and you left him. He wouldn't let me help, I tried. The least I could do if find it for him" John B raised his voice. "She almost got shot for the shit you guys are doing" rafes hand was on my back again.

"You need to leave" jj said calmly but his voice full of rage. "Call me if you need anything" rafe nods twords me before leaving. "Shes got us, eat shit" jj calls after him. Thankfully, rafe keeps walking.

"I know looking for the gold seems fun and cool. And I'm sure it makes you feel closer to dad but I almost died today. They shot my tire which means they wernt to far off from shooting me. This needs to stop"

"Were sorry" jj says quickly. "No more. Not if this is the outcome" I take a deep breath. "We cant all just give up on dad" John B raises his voice. I open my mouth to say something but my throat is tight. "Yeah" john b sighed and stomped to his room.

"I want you to clean this up" I yell after him. His door slams in response. Jj starts cleaning immediately. I sigh and help him.

He asks about rafe so I tell him everything that's happened since I got back into town. "He said he still has feelings for you?" Jj asked. I just nod, not really sure how I feel about it. "Do you have feelings for him?" "No-i don't think so. I have unresolved feelings from 4 years ago but I don't think there romantic" I shake my head.