ataraxia || jj maybank

Fourteen

Someone was knocking extremely loud on my front door. It had been going on ten minutes until I ran downstairs to see my dad, reading the newspaper on the couch. 

"Hello? You can't hear the door?" I sassed. He looked up at me before looking back down. 

"Oh I heard it. I opened the door and he said he'd wait for you," he told me. The knocking continued and I swung the front door open. JJ stood in front of me, looking tired. 

"What?" I snapped. He furrowed his brows and ran a hand through his hair. 

"Can I come in?" He gestured. I let the door swing open a little as JJ stepped inside. 

"What are you doing here?" I asked. JJ crossed his arms, his muscles becoming extremely noticeable. 

"I wanted to talk. You seemed off last night," he told me. My eyes shifted to my dad who was already looking at me. 

"We can talk upstairs," I shrugged. JJ said hi to my dad as he followed me upstairs. We walked into my room and JJ looked around. He closed the door behind himself. I ran a hand through my dark hair, sighing. 

"What's going on, Cam? You were fine at Midsummers then things changed after...after I kissed you," he said quietly. I pulled my hoodie sleeves over my hands, hugging myself. 

"I really like being friends with you guys. You guys are my only friends on the island. I can't lose that," I confessed. JJ stood with a confused look on his face. I sat on my bed, crossing my legs. He walked over and sat next to me. 

"What does that have to do with us?" He asked. I thought back to my conversation with John B. I fumbled with the blanket in front of me, trying to find the right words. 

"You don't date, JJ. It doesn't take a genius to see that. And I...do. Okay. I've done what you do. I did it in New York for a long time, but I can't do that again. I'm not just going to be another girl," I admitted. JJ stared down at me, shaking his head. 

"When did I ever say you were just another girl, Cameron? You are...loud. And annoying. You always have a smart-ass comment to make. You put me in my place and you know exactly when to do it. It is so damn frustrating. You're adventurous and can be reckless. You aren't anything like anyone on this island. It's why I like you," JJ explained. I took in his words, trying to believe them. I had said things really similar to his once. 

"How about we try this? And if it doesn't work, we swear we won't let it ruin our weird friendship. You're a Pogue, Cam," he told me. I slowly nodded my head, looking up at him. 

"Pinky promise. I can't lose them," I whispered, holding up my pinky. He wrapped his pinky around mine, playfully rolling his eyes. 

"You won't lose anyone. Now come on. They're waiting for us at the Wreck," he told me. 

I grabbed my shoes and slipped them on. We waved goodbye to my dad and made our way to the Wreck. I sat down next to Pope, smiling at him. Kie handed me a cup of water and I thanked her. John B had just told us he was living with Sarah Cameron for the time being. Ward had taken him to stop John B from going into foster care. I thought it was a kind thing the Cameron's were doing. Whether John B was macking on Sarah or not. 

"Look, you promised. You said you weren't with her. If you want to hang out with her, that's fine. But I'm letting you know now that I'm not doing anything with Sarah," Kie told John B. JJ came up behind me, leaning down on the back of my chair. 

"Do you guys see her here? No, right. Okay. A little focus would be fantastic," John B said to everyone. 

"You've got my undivided attention Routledge," I sighed. 

JJ lay out the map on the table and leaned over me. We still hadn't told our friends about our new relationship, but I figured now wasn't the best time. John B had just been released from the hospital and everyone was on edge. They talked about some forts on the island, pointing on the map. "Let's go," I shrugged. 

We all piled into the van and drove to the middle of nowhere. I climbed onto a rock, stumbling a bit. JJ held his hand out and I took it, jumping off. I walked up next to Pope, looking out at the view. 

"We're in Battery, right here. So if this is parcel nine, then it's somewhere northeast of here," Pope told us. JJ wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me into him. I looked up at him, smiling. It took me a few minutes to realize no one was talking. I turned my head to see Pope, Kie, and John B staring at the two of us. 

"Oh we're like a thing," JJ nodded. Pope and Kie's mouth dropped a little. 

"Okay. Stop making that face," I chuckled at them. 

"Anyway, Tannyhill Plantation was the entire island. It got sold into smaller pieces over time. We're just looking for a stone wall," John B informed everyone.