sunkissed ✯ jj maybank

v. square groupers

there's a thumping sound , and one of the men shout "the compass wasn't in the boat !" john b looks up in alarm.

there's glass smashing and shouting. i start to shake , getting scared. i drop my hands , but they never manage to touch the floor , because jj grasps my hand with his. he holds my hand tight , and my breathing slowly goes back to normal. he lets go of my hand when flecks of paint start to fall on us.

"shit , is that paint ?" he asks , trying to get it out of his hair.

i nod. "yeah."

lana lets out a loud wail , and one of the men say "let's get the hell outta here." i breathe a sigh of relief. the men leave the house , and we press ourselves against the side of the building , edging to the corner , to get a look at the men before they leave.

jj rubs the back of his neck , gesturing towards one of the men. "we should just go. i mean - he's got , got smuggler written all over him man."

i can still hear lana's sobs , but i keep my focus on the men. they look familiar. where do i know them from ? it dawns on me. "um , guys ? those are the men that were following us."

"shit !" john b exclaims , in a hushed tone. "go back , go back." he ushers us back , so the men don't see us.

john b inches towards the front of the house , eager to talk to ms lana. but jj stays back , breathing heavily , leaning against the wall. i hear john b calling for ms lana , but i need to help jj before i go in there. "hey , jj ?" i say softly. "are you okay ?"

he stands up. "yeah , i'm fine. just reminded me of some shit that happened back in the day. nothin' serious." he brushes it off , but i can tell there's more that he isn't sharing. "let's just go inside , alright ?"

i nod , and take his hand. he hesitates , but holds my hand back. we walk inside , to find ms lana on the floor , sobbing. i drop to my knees to talk to her. "ms lana , are you hurt ?" i search for injuries , worrying that they bruised her , or worse.  ms lana can't answer. she just shakes in fear.

jj looks scared. "dude , she's tweaking."

john b leans down , and talks softly. "do you need a doctor ?" he turns to jj. "should we call the sheriff's department ?" 

ms lana seems to wake up a little. "no , no cops. please !"

jj goes to pull me away. "this isn't good." i hesitate. "let's just go. please ?" he says.

i go to agree , but john b is insistent for answers. "what do you know about the men that were here ?" ms lana refuses to answer. he gets the compass out of his pocket , shoving it in ms lana's face. "this is my father's , and your husband , scooter , had it. why ?"

ms lana grows pale and shuffles away from john b. "scooter didn't have it , okay ? don't tell anyone you have it." her tone grows hushed , and it almost feels like she's faraway , in a different world. "they can't know."

"why ?" john b presses.

"you've got to get out of here !" ms lana grows more persistent.

"what do you know about the compass ?" john b says , not giving up.

i look back to jj. "she's too worked up for this. we have to leave."

ms lana seems to agree , as she shouts , in a rather screechy tone , "go ! get out !"

--

i clock in for my shift at the wreck. luckily , kie's working , so i won't be totally bored.  i bring kie in for a hug , but she looks miserable.

"what's wrong ?" i ask.

she rolls her eyes. "nothing , it's just .. the "kook kings" are here. i guess they just finished golfing at the country club , and they decided to come here. lucky us." she says , with venom in her voice.