PRINCESS | JJ MAYBANK

THIRTY THREE

━━ ☆ ★ ☆ ━━
POGUES
━━ ☆ ★ ☆ ━━

Atlanta sat on the side of the hot tub with JJ. His arms were wrapped around her waist and he placed light kisses on her neck. She stood in one of his shirts, which made JJ smile. He loved the way his shirts drowned her.

"John B pulling a Houdini." JJ said as Pope and Kie we're trying to figure out how to pull the gold up from Mrs Crains house.

"Yeah, where is he? I got my scholarship interview tomorrow morning. We gotta get this done!" Pope complained was John B walked towards the house.

"Speak of the devil. Hey. Dude, I set up the entire winch to pull up the gold and everything." JJ lied, but John B ignored him.

He didn't even question the giant hot tub sat in the front lawn. He was only focused on one thing. Atlanta furrowed her brows as he walked straight past them.

"No he did not. I did that." Pope corrected.

Atlanta tilted her head and placed a light kiss on JJ's cheek. JJ couldn't help but blush due to the small action. Nobody had mentioned the events of last night and truthfully, he was thankful for that.

"Hey John B?" Kie shouted as she noticed he was ignoring everyone.

"Okay thats it?" JJ questioned as he watched the boy walk into the Chateau.

"Uh, whats that all about?" Pope questioned JJ curiously, but no one had seen John B since last night.

"I was gonna ask you the same question." JJ said jumping out of the hot tub, he offered his hand for Atlanta and she climbed out.

"Such a gentleman." Atlanta whispered with a grin.

"You alright man? What's up?" Pope questioned as John B searched through all the cupboards.

"Are you okay?" Atlanta questioned as she attempted to place her hand on his bicep but he quickly moved away.

"What are you looking for?" Kie questioned curiously.

"Bro, what's going on man?" JJ asked, concerned for his best friend. "John B what do you need the gun for?" JJ questioned advancing forward towards John B. "Talk to us!" John B didn't hesitate in throwing JJ down onto the bed.

"What the fuck?" Atlanta shouted as she looked at JJ.

JJ nodded and smiled at the girl to say that he was okay. John B obviously didn't know what JJ had gone through in the past 24 hours, but that wasn't an excuse.

"What are you JJ now?" Pope questioned and John B pushed him over too. Atlanta furrowed her brows at Pope, what gave him the right to say that?

Atlanta stood in front of John B, she had a strong feeling he wouldn't push her aside or even attempt to move her. And she was right, John B was terrified that if he even attempted to move her, JJ would flip.

"What's going on John B?" Atlanta whispered calmly, John B took a deep breath and his gaze softened at the girl.

He was glad JJ had someone to keep him grounded, to look after him. He deserved that. He deserved to have someone who loved him.

"Ward killed my dad Attie." John B whispered so the others didn't hear.

"Be safe." Atlanta nodded and stepped aside, allowing John B to run out of the chateau.

Atlanta knew the pain of losing a parent, she knew how John B felt. For the past year, he believed his father was just missing, not dead. He still had hope, until now.

"John B what the hell are you doing? Why'd you let him go?" Kie snapped towards Atlanta. Everyone ran out of the Chateau and towards John B who was on JJ's bike. "John B, what the hell?"

"Ward knows about the gold. He killed my dad." John B shouted back and drove off.

"John B!" Kie shouted as she ran after him, but she wasn't fast enough.

A few hours had past and they were still searching for John B. JJ had just told her to return home, not that she wanted too. She wanted to stay with him to make sure that he was okay.

"Why can't I come?" Atlanta snapped towards JJ. She didn't want to leave him.

"Because you're not a pogue." Kie snapped, she was fed up of waiting for JJ and Atlanta, they needed to find John B.

"Neither are you." Atlanta fired back.

Her brows raised and her jaw clenched. She didn't understand why Kie was being a bitch to her. Again. She hadn't done anything wrong.

"Not now Kie." JJ said and grabbed Atlanta's hand and pulled her away from Pope and Kie.

"I want to be with you JJ, I don't want to be worried about whether you're gonna come back to me with more bruises or cuts, or-"

"Shhh, princess." JJ whispered cupping her face, he felt guilty that he made her worry about him. "I'm going to be okay, I'm just going to find John B. I'll come back to you safe and sound, I promise." 

"But-"

"Atlanta, go home, have a hot shower, get changed into fresh clothes and I'll come over after okay?" Atlanta attempted to smile at JJ, but she was riddled with anxiety.

"Will you let me know if John B is okay?" Atlanta whispered.

JJ ran his thumb over Atlanta's cheek bone. "Of course princess." He whispered and placed a light kiss on her forehead. "I'll see you soon okay?"

Atlanta stood on her tip toes and connected their lips. JJ smiled and snaked his arms around her waist. Her fingers played with the ends of JJ's hair.

She never wanted to see him in that state again. She never wanted to see him with bruises like that. She never wanted to see him crying or hurting like that again. It broke her heart, that she couldn't help him.

JJ lifted her off the ground slightly and pulled her even closer to him. "I love you." JJ muttered against her lips.

"I love you too." She whispered back, pulling away as he placed her back on the ground.

JJ pressed their foreheads together and sighed. "Don't worry about me okay, I'm going to be okay and I'm going to come straight back to you. I promise baby."

"I'm sorry, you probably think I'm over dramatic or-"

"I think you care, and honestly it's nice knowing that someone does care." JJ said as he cut off Atlanta.

Atlanta smiled at the boy, he links their hands together and ran his thumb along her knuckles soothingly.

"I do, I do care." She nodded, JJ pushed a piece of her hair behind her ear and smiled.

"I know." He whispered back. "Now, go home, Barnaby will be worried about you and so will Campbell."

"If you need me-"

"I'll let you know." He muttered in agreement.

He would, he'd call her in an instant if something went wrong or if he needed a lift, just because he knew that he could.

"And I'll be right there, I promise." Atlanta smiled up to the boy.

JJ chuckled. "I know."