SWEET NICOTINE | pope heyward

14, a game of distraction

John B helped Pope in and AJ turned to help Sarah with Cleo. AJ turned almost immediately back to Pope, the instinct bubbling. "are you okay?" Pope's first words to the girl made her face falter.

"where's JJ and Kie?" John B's question gave AJ the chance to not answer Pope's.

"I thought they were with you," Pope turned away from AJ as he spoke, looking at John B. Sarah shook her head and she and AJ shared panicked looks

"shit, we gotta find them. We gotta find them" John B turned the lifeboat.

"last time I saw them was on the other side of the ship," Cleo told him. Kiara's screams met their ears before they could see her.

"that's Kie!" Sarah shouted, moving to the edge of the lifeboat and searching for the girl. AJ was at her side, her eyes scanning the open water. She stilled when she saw Kiara holding JJ's unconscious body.

"JJ?" AJ yelled out. She scrambled to the side of the lifeboat closest to them. Reaching her arms out to help the boy into the lifeboat. John B and Pope pulled him in while Sarah and Cleo got Kiara.

AJ was at JJ's side in an instant. "JJ?" She let out, shaking his shoulder. Kiara was quick to the other side of him. Pleading through her cries for him to wake up.

AJ's body felt numb. A cold sensation flooded her body. She felt the urge to look back at the boat. She couldn't explain it, but she did. Her eyes kept looking for him until she found him. She could feel the tears welling in her eyes.

Her ears met with the pleading for JJ as her own mind pleaded for her brother. She couldn't tear her eyes away from him. He looked just like he did at ten years old standing in her doorway after a nightmare.

She tried to harden her face. Tried not to show any emotion. She begged him with her eyes to back down. She needed him to turn first. She thought he had been dead. She grieved him and mourned the boy and his memories. She clung on to hope for the longest time that she would hear from him. She never thought her prayers would come true.

AJ finally turned, giving up. Letting the boy go. Hoping it didn't make her a monster. Looking down at JJ's blue eyes when they finally opened. She let out a cry of relief. She covered her mouth with her hand, containing the sob.

"Welcome to the land of the living dude" Pope let out, AJ could feel his presence but she pushed it from her mind.

"hi," Kiara's words were laced with admiration.

"sup" JJ nodded at her and AJ moved back slightly. She watched Kiara and JJ hug, her heart shattering more as she fought the need to turn back around for her little brother.

She sunk her head into her hands, crying for a brief moment before taking in a shaky breath and trying to compose herself. She felt Pope's hand on her shoulder and she leaned into his touch.

"Just always looking for attention" John B joked.

"wherever it takes, right" JJ laughed before looking back to Kiara.

"What happened?"

"the blunt end of a machete" AJ was barely listening.

"machete?" The boy smirked slightly.

"the blunt end" Kiara corrected.

"next time duck" Cleo laughed.

"I'll try to remember that next time" JJ let out, his eyes trailed the group and AJ felt them stop at her.

"AJ?" She sniffled before meeting his gaze. She plastered a smile on.

"This shit ain't over" Pope's words made AJ turn to him, fighting the inevitable of following his eyes to the boat.