Together

96. See you, Kiara!

And I've always lived like this
Keeping a comfortable distance
And up until now I had sworn to myself
That I'm content with loneliness
Because none of it was ever worth the risk
But you are the only exception
-Paramore

JJ is at Heyward's, watching as Pope sorts groceries for the deliveries he's gonna be making this afternoon. Helping out around his father's store after school was a necessary chore that was placed on Pope's shoulders since he was old enough to count change. Which, if we're being honest, was since he was like five.

JJ sometimes would help in the past. He used to be strapped for cash and responsible for finding his own meals, so any extra side gig was necessary for survival. Since being brought to live with Shoupe that hasn't been an issue though. Always had more than enough in the house for him to feel like food access wouldn't be an issue.

Shoupe made him stay home the next two days while he was recovering from his sudden illness. Thankfully, his symptoms didn't nose dive and no trip to the ER was necessary this time.

He didn't mind taking the extra day to get back to full strength at first, but now he was behind in school and he already felt like he sucked at that. So, at Heyward's sitting on the counter with an open textbook he was. Pope is explaining the lesson while he packs up the remainder of the orders that will need to be delivered.

"God, I hate math," JJ mumbles, furiously erasing his work after Pope told him he made an error at the beginning.

"It's just a formula. All you gotta do it follow it," Pope says simply.

JJ glares at him. "Get to the funny part of the joke."

Pope rolls his eyes, pointing to the text book beside him and continuing to re-explain the lesson JJ missed while he was out. They weren't even in the same class, Pope just knew this shit already.

Pope was the gifted Pogue when it came to academics, that was no secret. JJ sometimes envied how easily school came to him. He didn't have any difficulty keeping focus or staying on task. He just did what the teacher said like it wasn't an issue.

JJ never had it that easy, even compared to John B or Kie. He always felt like he was working ten times harder to just keep his head above water, especially now that he was actually trying.

Don't get him wrong, it could be worse. Was way worse. He used to nearly throw up in his desk he would get so hungry, forget thinking about the fifth president of the United States. Body used to ache so bad after a run in with Luke it took all his strength to joke and boast about getting into fights with kooks, no way he could look through a microscope.

That was when he even showed up at all. It was hard to find motivation to when he couldn't understand anything being taught. He had already missed way too much to know what was going on, so his attitude was always, why bother?

Now that he had a safe place to live and a caregiver that mandated he go, he could at least make it to class every day and not start with strikes against him. That did make things a little easier.

At first he thought that would be enough to get by. But as the school year dragged on it was just becoming more and more apparent that something must be wrong with him. No matter what he did, he still couldn't stay focused. It was frustrating. He'd put his head down and swear he was gonna read the assigned chapter, only to get half way through and have his mind wander to something else. Had to read everything at least three times for it to make sense.

In class he would watch his teachers, audibly hearing the words that come out of their mouths, and be on track. Then, suddenly, he has no idea what is being said. It's like he spaces and doesn't realize it. Even having conversations with people he sometimes found he drifted.