The Pogue Life || JJ Maybank

Well, don't just stand there

JJ's POV

She's silent, standing there with a hand over her mouth and her eyes full of tears. I just bared my heart to her and she hasn't said a word. I don't know what to do. Maybe this was dumb. Maybe we are too young. Maybe she doesn't love me as much as I love her. Maybe I'm more sure than she is. I knew I shouldn't have done this. God, we've only been dating for a few months.

I just thought, you know we'd been through so much in that time that we were pretty secure. Maybe my freak out the other day scared her off though. Maybe I've screwed it all up. I wouldn't blame her if she said no. I wouldn't blame her if she turned around and walked away right now, right out of my life and never came back.

I would. Everyone else does. Why shouldn't she?

I nearly miss it when her hand finally drops from her mouth and she says something. I'm so caught up in my own thoughts I have no idea what she said. But then there's a hand in front of my face, delicate, tanned fingers spread gently. I look up and she's grinning. It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen.

I feel like my heart just started beating, like the world was frozen and it's just started spinning again. She said yes. She actually said yes. She must be insane to be willing to marry me.

I slip the ring on her left ring finger before she can come to her senses, and then I shoot to my feet and grab her around the waist, lifting her up and spinning with her as I laugh in glee. I'm not sure I've ever felt happiness like this. I know I've never felt it sober, which I am right now. Come to think of it, I have no idea how I did that without a single puff of weed.

But, it wasn't like it comes as a huge surprise. I said to John B the day that I met Bianca that I'd make her my wife. Obviously, at that point it was a joke. She was just a hot chick who could surf like crazy. But within a week I'd basically fallen for her. John B had to slap me across the head one time because I wouldn't shut up about her. Bianca took my whole world by storm, and I've never been so fucking glad.

I was ready to say I love you well before she was, I just held back so I wouldn't scare her off. God, I nearly let it slip that day at Scooter Grubbs hotel. Back when the whole treasure hunt started. Back before I'd been faced with the prospect of losing her forever. Multiple times.

When Barry aimed that gun at her, I felt like my whole world stopped. I saw red and it didn't fade until I had a gun at my Dad's head. Then, I realised that I never wanted to end up like him. I didn't want to be miserable and alone, hating the people I should love. I wanted to do better than he did. I wanted to be better. And the main reason I wanted to be better was because I wanted to be worthy of the girl I called mine.

So, I bought a ring. It's not the biggest one or the flashiest one, but when I saw it, I thought of her. I could picture it on her tanned finger more clearly than I have ever pictured anything in my life. It was the perfect ring for the perfect girl. So I bought it.

I don't know why I chose this moment, out the front of the Cameron's house in the dark when we're trying to help John B. I had planned to do it on the beach, in the sand. Preferably at the beach we met, right after a surf where she probably kicked my ass. I was gonna use the first name I ever called her, Wipeout, but the moment just felt right here.

Maybe it was her being so open and honest about her anxiety. Maybe it was the way she challenged me when I started to tease her, and definitely won. Maybe it was the way she looked, leaning against the front of her car, her favourite thing she owns, lit up by the moonlight, watching me with love in her face. Maybe it was the way she didn't care that Pope had caught us making out. Maybe it was the way her fingers felt in mine. Maybe it was how she made me feel like everything would be okay, even though everything is falling apart.

I don't know what it was, but something told me that I should do it now. So I did. And she said yes. And now her lips are pressed to mine, her hand tangled in my hair so tightly that she might rip some of it out. I finally let her down, realising her feet haven't touched the floor since I slid that ring on her finger. I back her against the car and kiss her. I need her kiss more than I need oxygen, I swear.

Finally, we pull back, resting our foreheads together. Her smile is as wide as mine as she turns her head slightly to admire the ring on her finger. I look as well, and damn if my mind can't come up with a vivid image. I was spot on with my idea of how it would look, yet somehow the real thing is better.

"I love you," she whispers, "I love you so much, JJ Maybank."

"And I love you, Bianca Maybank."

She bites her lip, trying to contain a happy squeal at the name and finally her excitement takes over. She starts to jump up and down in happy little hops, wrapping her arms around my neck as she squeals quietly. I laugh at her antics, loving her even more for her enthusiasm.

Eventually, she pulls herself together, but she can't wipe the grin off her face (honestly, neither can I). We do agree that while everything is up in the air, we keep this to ourselves, so she slips the ring off and I put it back in my pocket. Call it a secret engagement for now, I guess. At least I know she genuinely wants to marry me. That's the important part.

We get back in the car and Pope is lying across the back seats, staring at the roof and tossing something up in the air repeatedly.

"You pair done fucking on the bonnet?" He asks, "is it safe to sit up?"

Bianca laughs, "yeah Pope. We're all done. For now."

She shoots me a wink and heat immediately floods to my crotch. I don't think she knows what she does to me, not that I try to hide it from her. We wait for Kie and Pope tells us about setting the barbecue alight to distract Ward and Rose. It doesn't take much longer for Kie to come flying over the fence and jump into the back seat. Kie and Pope avoid eye contact as Kie explains that Sarah is still on our side and she had no idea about John B. Ward has apparently locked her in her room, so she's coming up with a plan to escape so she can join John B and get the hell off this island. I have to admit, I feel a little anger boil up in me against Ward. Sarah doesn't deserve to be locked up. And I know John B would be furious. In fact, he'd probably storm in there to break her out and he'd probably want me to, but I'm gonna have to let him down on this one. I have faith that Sarah will get herself out. She's smart. Smarter than me, that's for sure.

We decide that another night in the car sounds awful so Kie suggests we crash at the Wreck since she has a key. We agree that it's the best bet, we will just have to be gone by the time her parents get there in the morning, which will be fine since we have other shit to do tomorrow. Like get the key to my Dad's boat. Without pissing him off. Like that'll ever happen. I breathe and it pisses him off. Oh well, what's another broken nose? Cracked rib? Been there, done that.

Bianca parks her car under the cover of some trees, hiding it as best she can before we walk the remaining way to the Wreck. In the dark like this, it's pretty easy not to get caught so we slip in pretty easily and each claim a table to spend the night on. My back is really gonna hate me after the last couple days. At least I'll have Bianca to hold. We find a table and I pinch some cushions off the chairs around us to use as pillows, and so that she doesn't end up in too much pain tomorrow. Don't think I'm totally selfless though. I get something under my head, she just gets my arm, but she doesn't complain, just tucks herself into me, presses a kiss to my hand and falls asleep with a tiny grin. I fall asleep with my nose buried in her hair and I can't help but think I won the fucking lottery.

I'm not so mean that she would say no. What do you people think this is? JJ Maybank and Bianca Anderson were made for each other. Or at least she was made for him 😉