All Of You// JJ Maybank

17. promise

I wake up feeling like I got hit by a bus.

~last night~
I've been home for a couple hours now. I showered while the boys picked up food.

Now we're sitting in the living room. Soft music plays on the radio. We're each a couple beers in. Where talking about hard things but the mood isn't sad.

I told them about my night and they've caught me up on there own gold expedition. There actually getting pretty far. It's all stuff I know but for not having anything to do with it to begin with there pretty good treasure hunters.

"Wait so if you gave dad's compass to peterkin how did ward get it?" I shoot up in my seat. "What? No Peterkin took it for evidence. She said she'd keep it safe" John b shook his head.

"No I found it. When I was snooping through wards office. It's in my car" I say confused. John b and jj exchange glances before we all stand up and sprint to me car.

As I retrieve the compass from the car they praise me. "You got balls for going through wards office" "me? Oh I'm just an innocent pouge running away from home" I bat my eyes and we all laugh.

John b inspects the compass and hugs me quickly. "Thank you for getting it back" "so does this mean we can't trust peterkin?" Jj asks. "The cops have never been on our side jj" I pat his shoulder.

"Rafes friends were right about one thing" Johnb smiles. "Dad was crazy but where out of our God damn minds" we all laugh again.

We settle back on the couch again, dad's compass sits on the table. It gets quiet as we think of what to say next.

"Hey, I'm sorry. For everything I've said and done to you. Like our whole lives" John b cringed. "It's whatever" I shrug. "No. No it's not. I've always treated you like shit. And honestly it's because you have always been everything I've wanted to be" "What do you mean?" I face him alittle more.

"Mom used to scream at you and you'd get upset that she never got mad at me. But it was diffrent. She treated me like royalty but she'd come in my room just before bed and tell me how dissapointed in me she was in me. That I needed to try harder to provide for the family. To make up for what dad couldn't"

"John b-" "that's why I got so upset that it seemed so easy for you. I know it wasn't, but you made it look so effortless and I got jealous and I lied. I left Cade a voice mail last night telling him I lied"

"Thank you for saying all that. I don't expect you to put in as much work as I do. I want you to focus on graduating first. All I ever wanted was for my work to be recognized and appreciated" "and it is, I promise. Were gonna stsrt helping out" John b nodded.

The night continued until the sun was rising. One by one we had fallen asleep.

~today~
Johnb was spraled out on the shorter couch still asleep. Jj and I were sitting on separate ends of the long couch. I must have fallen asleep first.

Jj is curled into a ball, using the arm rest as a pillow. I don't know when I stretched out but I'm taking up the rest of the couch. My head is on the cushion and my feet are up down by jjs chest. His arm thrown over the both of my legs.

My head is pounding. Probably a mix of the hard crying and drinks I had last night. It's gotta be well into the afternoon by now. I carefully stand trying to to wake jj.

My phone is dead, i streatch to wake myself up more. I take some ibuprofen in the bathroom. When I'm done washing my face I notice the boy in the door way.

"Morning" jjs sleepy smile greets me. "I'm sorry I took up so much of the couch" "your okay bella. I'm happy we shared the couch at all" he looks at me so intently. It's a look that turns my belly.

"Don't look at me like that" I shake my head, looking back at the mirror. "Like what?" "You know exactly what." "Why can't I admire you?" "Jj your not 18 yet and-" "i'll be 18 in a week" he says so casually.

"Okay but you have to take a step back until then. I've never liked anyone younger than me before. It feels alittle wrong" "Were a year and a half apart" "okay but it sounds wrong" "wait was that you admiting you like me back" his face lit up.

"I'm not saying any more" I shake my head, I can feel my face flushing. "You may play hard to get but I'm learning your tells"he smiles as he walks closer.

"what are you doing for your birthday?" I change the subject. "Probably throw a party at the bone yard. You gonna come?" "Am I invited?" "Do I get a kiss?" "Jj-" "I'm kidding. Yes your invited" he laughs

John b trudges down the hall sleepily. "What are we talking about?" "Nothing" ismile quickly.
The rest of the day is filled with getting the house chores caught up again. Jj mows the lawn while John b and I tackle the inside together.

This last day has made me really happy. I hope things stay good like this