POPE STARED AT the clock, which was to hit six o'clock in approximately thirty seconds. He had woken up about fifteen minutes ago, the first thing his eyes meeting was JJ's back as he slept on the cot beside Pope's bed.
Within the minutes that passed, JJ had turned over to face Pope's bed, his lips parted, eyes screwed shut. His breathing was soft and peaceful to Pope, he hadn't ever seen JJ in such a vulnerable state. He couldn't look away. And so the pair laid there like that, Pope feeling content. Sure, it was a bit creepy, but he had realized this was the only time JJ would ever let Pope see him like this.
And then the alarm clock blared through the small bedroom, birds chirping in the background.
Pope sat up, sighing deeply. Even though he had been awake for a while, sitting up made him feel like he was still half asleep. He rubbed his eyes, attempting to wash the sleepiness away.
JJ groaned, barely acknowledging the repetitive beeping of the alarm clock. Pope reached over, missing the button a few times before finally pressing it, the room falling silent once more.
"JJ." Pope said while rubbing his left eye, his voice full of sleep, "We gotta get up." JJ groaned as he pulled his pillow closer to him, clearly frustrated. Pope sighed, swinging his legs on the side of the bed and bringing himself to his feet.
He shuffled his feet over to the dresser, pulling out a regular t-shirt, along with a pair of denim shorts. Simple. Pope never took much time with his appearance, he didn't feel the need to.
JJ finally lifted his head up, eyes slowly opening. He looked over at Pope's figure before the dresser, slipping his tank-top over his head, exposing his bare back. JJ's eyebrows raised.
When did Einstein start working out?
"JJ." Pope said as he slipped his shirt over his head, turning to face JJ. The blonde quickly looked away in attempt to not seem creepy. Pope sighed, "Get up."
"I've fallen ill." JJ murmured into his pillow, still half asleep. Pope used his foot to nudge JJ's limp foot, which was hanging off the small cot.
Pope rolled his eyes as he then slipped on a pair of denim shorts on, and then his white Converse sneakers. JJ still laid on the cot, glancing at Pope every now and then as the boy was dressing himself. It was strange, JJ didn't even remember his father or his small trailer that he was supposed to call home. He was in the present for once, he actually felt present.
Once Pope exited his bedroom, JJ dragged himself off the cot. He wiped a hand over his face, sighing heavily. He had slept quite well for once, but his body was still telling him he needed more of it.
Suddenly, Pope walked back in, opening his dresser and pulling out a random shirt. JJ's eyebrows furrowed when the Heyward boy tossed it at his chest, JJ catching it out of instinct.
"You can borrow this." Pope commented, his nose then scrunching up, "And the shower."
"Okay, rude."
______
JJ munched on the banana that Pope had given him as they exited the house, fresh air hitting the two like a slap across the face. It was a calm morning on the island of Outer Banks, the sky barely awake and a slight chill in the air remaining from the night before. Kids were heading to school, parents off to work — the usual.
"Well..." JJ spoke up awkwardly after swallowing his last bite, "I'm gonna head to Sarah's."
Pope turned, eyebrows raised slightly, "Yeah, right." He was a bit surprised that JJ was leaving, for he didn't know why. For some odd reason, he expected JJ to walk to school with him, he wanted him to. But he seemed to keep forgetting that JJ was only there for tutoring, not for a friend.
"See ya, Einstein." He said with a tight smile, stepping onto the sidewalk. Pope waved as JJ turned his back, the blonde not seeing. Pope sighed, heading the opposite direction as JJ.
______
"God, I am glad to see you." JJ said as he approached Sarah, who was walking down the sidewalk with her hands attached to the straps of her book bag.
She smiled, "Someone missed me."
"Yeah, it was Gerald." JJ shot back, unable to admit he had missed her dearly. She punched his shoulder, earning a chuckle from him.
"So, uh..." Sarah spoke up, "How did tutoring go with Pope?" She glanced down at JJ's shirt, which had the Heyward family's logo on it.
"Fine." JJ shrugged, "A bit boring."
He was obviously lying, but he wasn't ready to admit that he had an amazing time with the boy he would have gone as far as to call his enemy. But JJ had been vulnerable with the boy, almost more vulnerable than he had been with Sarah. If he was being honest, he was afraid of that.
______
Pope sat outside at lunch, Kiara sat beside him. She was ranting about how Pisces are so misunderstood and are actually great, but Pope's eyes were somewhere different for once. Usually Pope was tuned in to every single word that Kiara Carrera said, but his focus was somewhere else that day.
A few tables away, JJ Maybank was surrounded with a group of girls all gaping at him. He was so oblivious to their flirty stares and hair twirls. He was stood in front of the table, dramatically reenacting a scene from West Side Story. He slicked his hair back playfully, giggles echoing from the table.
"They're so intuitive as well, like they can tell what you're thinking just by looking at you. And don't even get me started on-" Kiara paused on her rant, now noticing Pope not paying any attention to the girl. She furrowed her eyebrows, "Earth to Pope."
He turned, eyes wide, "Huh?"
"Are you even listening?" The curly-haired girl asked, seeming a tad annoyed.
"Yeah, of course." Pope reassured her, nodding his head vigorously.
"Are you okay?" She then went on to ask, now seeming a bit more concerned.
"Totally, yep." Pope confirmed, smiling shortly at her. She only shrugged, continuing to go on her rant. Pope sighed.
He was a bit upset that JJ had just ditched him. The night before was so amazing, Pope assumed JJ would spend more time with him now.
But Pope now realized that he was asking to much from the boy who only saw him as his tutor.
______
Pope sat on a bench on the courtyard, scribbling down notes from his previous class. This was his free period, so he figured he would finish his assignments early. His father had been needing quite a lot of help lately, which Pope didn't mind, he was just finding it hard to make time. But, as usual, he managed.
The sun glistened through the tree branches, the wind blowing a comfortable amount. Kildare High School felt quiet outside for once, only a few other students roaming around, most likely on their free period as well, or possibly just skipping class.
"Einstein!" He heard an all too familiar voice call. Pope's head immediately turned, searching for JJ Maybank's face. There, across the grass, came a running JJ. He had a piece of paper in his hand, along with a dazzling smile across his paper-white teeth. Pope pushed himself to his feet.
"What?" Pope asked as JJ stopped in front of him. JJ placed the paper into Pope's hands gently, his bottom lip between his teeth in excitement. Pope glanced back up at JJ before flipping the paper over.
It was JJ's test...
"You passed." Pope stated in awe.
"A solid B plus, man." JJ added excitedly. Pope looked up, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
"I'm really proud of you JJ." Pope said without really thinking it through. JJ just stared, not sure of what to say. His lips parted as if he were going to respond, but nothing came out.
Nervously, Pope returned the paper to JJ. The blonde gulped, his energy shifting, "Um... I've got to get to class."
"Yeah, definitely." Pope said with a light chuckle. JJ walked off, almost as if he were upset. Pope watched him leave, more confused than ever. Hadn't Pope given him a compliment? Why would JJ be offended?
Pope plopped back down on the bench, mind racing. He traced over every word, making sure he hadn't said anything wrong. But he couldn't find anything wrong...
Maybe JJ was just in a mood, perhaps.
NOTE FROM KARLEE:
Sorry for the long awaited update. This is kinda a filler chapter, sorry :/