SWEET NICOTINE | pope heyward

14, a game of distraction

AJ found the strength the wrap her arm around Sarah, both girls' faces streaked with tears. Sarah moved her head, not wanting to watch as John B did what he needed to but AJ couldn't pull her eyes away. She watched as the boy rested Ward back down, giving up on his revenge.

"Hey we gotta go, okay? I got you. Come on we gotta pick up the others" John B rambled as he stood, reaching the girls.

"where is he?" Sarah whipped her head around, looking for the blonde boy who knew AJ.

"We don't have time, let's go" AJ shook her head, grabbing Sarah's hand and pulling her to the edge of the boat.

"Ready?" John B let out, looking at the two girls. Both nodded and John B grabbed onto AJ's free hand.

"stop!" AJ turned at the angry voice, her brother standing behind them. "what did you do?" His question was aimed at John B and AJ gasped when he pulled a gun out and pointed it at him.

"Logan, put it down" AJ got out through her shaky voice, fear coating every word. She dropped Sarah's hand and stepped forward. Sucking in her breath when Logan turned the gun to her.

"put the gun down" AJ tried to fight the urge to turn away, bringing her hand up and resting it on her brother's arm.

He flinched away and she softened her eyes. "it's okay, I'm here" She cooed, moving her hand to his face. "I've got you. I always have." She took a breath. "I thought you died, I can't believe you're okay" She pushed the smile onto her face and used her free hand to wipe her tears.

"We've got to help Ward" Logan let out and AJ nodded. She shot a look behind her to the couple and mouthed the word jump. With barely enough time to do that she turned back to her brother, brushing her thumb along his cheek.

"I've missed you so much Logan" She placed her hand on his arm, controlling it without him noticing. She pulled her younger brother into her arms, hugging the boy. She fought back the tears threatening to spill down her cheeks.

The sound of the splash made both siblings jump and Logan pulled back from AJ immediately. "what the f-" His words cut off by AJ shoving him back, sending the boy into the wall behind them. She kicked the gun with her foot away from him and ran for the edge of the boat.

She jumped without a second thought. The cold water engulfing her as she sunk underneath it. The shock of the temperature made the girl gasp, water entering her mouth. She kicked her feet, moving her arms with force as she pulled herself above the water.

Coughs wracked the girl's body followed by gasps for air. She treaded water as she looked around, finally finding Sarah and John B already swimming over to her.

"Are you okay?"

"We got to go" She shook their question off, reminding them of their urgency. "we have to go!" AJ swam closer to the lifeboat, the three teenagers getting in.

Her eyes couldn't help but draw back to the boat as they started to move. She couldn't look away. Logan appeared in her line of sight, the boy seething. A gun in his left hand. AJ could see from the water how tightly he held onto it. She couldn't look away.

"they must be on the other side!" John B's voice echoed in her ears. AJ didn't look away until she couldn't see him anymore. Her eyes were still trained on the ship though. Looking, searching for Pope with her eyes. Desperate to find him, and the others.

"Pope!" The name practically crawling out of her mouth when she saw him. He and Cleo surfaced in the water. His head whipped around, finding the girl.

Cleo shouted at them but Pope's eyes settled on AJ's, the wavered smile on her face the first thing he noticed.