PINKY PROMISE - JJ MAYBANK ⁽¹⁾

part twenty six

the ride to the boat dock was silent. no one dared to say anything after what had just went down at the warehouse.

the images kept replaying in madilyn's head. rafe's face, the feeling of his hand gripping so tight on her throat, the sound of his voice as his teeth clenched, it all reminded her of her childhood. of her dad.

"you okay?" jj snapped the girl out of her thoughts. she turned to face him, forcing a small smile on her lips.

"yep" she nodded, although they both knew it wasn't as genuine as she was portraying.

"here, i think i have some advil in here somewhere" the blonde remembered.

madi tried to assure the boy that she was fine but before she could say anything he had already began rummaging around the twinkie for the medicine. he lifted the seats and looked in the back pockets of them, pulling out a small bag of white pills. he took one out and broke it in half, extending his arm to give the pill and a hip flask to her.

"its water, i promise" he smiled.

madi reluctantly accepted the medicine, and minutes after she took it her headache had already mostly subsided.

jj's gaze lingered on the brunette, trailing down to her colored skin. his expression dropped as he spoke, "im sorry again. im sorry that he hurt you and that i couldn't save y-"

"j, it's alright. im okay." madi laid a hand on top of his to assure him that she would be fine.

pope pulled the van up to the dock and madilyn's eyes immediately connected with her brother who was pacing in front of the dock. he looked up when he heard the sound of a vehicle approaching.

as soon as they had parked, madi flung the door open and jumped out of the van. "john b!!"

madi slammed against her brother, the two of them embraced eachother into a hug that seemingly lasted forever.

once they separated, john b noticed the bruises and raw marks that covered his sister's neck. "who-" he mumbled.

"rafe," madilyn sighed, "im okay though, jj gave me medicine for my headache, it's okay"

the three others exited the vehicle and joined the two of them on the dock.

it took awhile for them to set up the boat, but after lots of team work they succeeded. jj had made sure they had enough gas and kie finished it off by loading the boat with food.

"you ready to go?" jj asked while swinging his keys around his pointer finger.

"wait," john b scanned the area, "where's sarah?"

"she's not with you??" madi asked her brother.

john b shook his head, "no, we got separated in the swamp and she said she was going to meet me here"

madi's heart started to beat noticeably faster at the thought of not knowing where her best friend was.

"john b, look at me" jj put his hands on each of the boy's shoulders and turned him so they were facing eachother. "i know you feel bad for leaving, but you have no time man."

"but-"

"once you get around that point, it's a straight shot across the sound to dismal swamp. once you get there, lay low, alright? hang out for a couple weeks and then go overland. cross the border at brownsville, you got that? brownsville."

john b locked eyes with madi, giving her a weak smile as if to reassure her that everything was going to be fine.

as much as madilyn didnt want to be separated from her brother, john b didn't want to leave either. but he knew deep down that she would be okay. jj would look after her, they all would.

"hey, you got that?" jj shook the boy, claiming his attention.

john b turned back to the blonde, "yeah, brownsville" he confirmed.

faint thunder could be heard in the distance as jj started talking again. "alright, saddle her up saltwater cowboy, let's do this" he said while taking john b's hand and placing the keys down in the boy's grip.

john b reluctantly stepped onto the boat, before turning back to face his friends.

"im sorry for basically throwing us off of a cliff with this whole treasure hunt thing." he said weakly. madi noticed a tear trickling down his cheek.

jj glanced over at the brunette before directing his attention back to his best friend. "we were bound to run off a cliff at some point, right?" the blonde said, causing all of them to chuckle quietly.

"‐and at least we did it together, right?" jj continued, wrapping his arms around kiara and pope. "pogue style" he smiled.

madi smiled at the three of them, when kiara turned to look at the girl who was standing awkwardly by herself.

"madi get in here, you're one of us too" she said. a wide smile became apparent on the brunette's face as she joined in on the group hug.

"get out of here, now" kiara looked up at the boy still standing on the boat.

"we'll see you in two months, down in mexico" pope saluted john b.

madi had known a goodbye was in their future, but she wasn't quite ready for it to be now. tears brimmed her eyes as she watched her brother on the boat, knowing in just a few minutes he would be gone.

the brunette stopped to turn back at them. "hey, wait a sec" he turned back to face his friends as tears streamed down his face.

"tell sarah i said goodbye, okay?" he said weakly.

"and i love you mads"

all of the built up tears that were brimming in the brunette girl's eyes had let loose after he said that, and her face was now flowing with more tears than she thought she had. "i love you too" she croaked out quietly.

jj pulled the girl towards his frame, enveloping her in a hug as her brother started the boat engine and began to reverse it out of the hold.

"don't forget! cross the border at brownsville" jj added one last time.

"got it."

the four of them watched solemnly as the boy drove the boat away. once he was barely in view, madi finally broke down. the sound of her sobs filled the air, and jj wrapped his arms tightly around her to assure her that he was there.

"it'll be okay, i promise" he said.

they did it. they actually pulled it off. they sent john b off.