JJ
Why are we always running? If the other boys saw us right now, they would laugh. We're running through houses and huts making our way to some place Cleo knows about. She says she knows they'll have a phone there.
"Uh, Cleo, where did you say this place was?" Kie asks as she runs in front of me. I watch her every footstep, every movement, making sure that she stays safe.
"Look I promise it should be just around the way here. Only a couple more blocks."
"And you said you know this guy, right?"
"Well, know might be a bit of an exaggeration. We may have, um- we may have robbed him once or twice." What?
"So, what you're saying is: we're asking for help from guy you stole from? Correct? Am I- am I hearing this right?"
"Yes, JJ. That is exactly what I'm saying okay? Just shut up and keep running." I would keep questioning and arguing with the girl, but the odds of me surviving anything against Cleo, Kie, and Sarah are close to none, so I decide to listen.
We run for a few more blocks, like Cleo said, before we reach what seems to be a run down corner store type deal. The sign above the doorway is crooked and weathered, so much so that I can't totally read what it says.
"Aye!" Cleo carefully walks around the place looking for someone to speak with. She calls out various things before finally finding a man. "You got a phone?"
"Do I got a- aye wait- you're that girl who stole from us some years back!"
"What- no- no that wasn't me. I have no- no idea what you're talking about." Way to be smoothe, Cleo.
"Yeah, yeah you are. Get the hell out of my store." I make eye-contact with Kie, knowing that now, we need to be ready to step in if needed.
"Nah. I need help, man. Just let me use a phone."
"And why should I help you, huh?"
"Because you know what happened last time you didn't help." The man watches her with an angry, smug look on his face before turning around and finding a phone behind the counter in the back of the store.
"That's my girl." I look over when Sarah talks, in both surprise and relief. I don't like it when she's quiet- it worries me. She looks back at me and I shoot her a look making sure she's really okay. The look she gives back to me tells me that she isn't really, but that it'll be okay eventually.
"You get one call, got it? One. Call."
"Yeah, man, one call. Now give me the fucking phone." I snatch it out of the man's hand and automatically go to finding where I can make a call. I locate the app and dial Heyward's number, one of the only numbers I have memorized. I've never had any real guardian's numbers to memorize, but Heyward made sure that I, at a very young age, had his number in case I ever needed to leave my home and go to his. He's the most real parent I've ever had, and I thank him for that. I hesitate over the call button for a few seconds before pressing down on it and listening to the line ring.
"Hello? Heyward, are you there?"
"Heyward?" I can hear the desperation in Kie's voice.
"Goddammit, Heyward, pick up."
The line rings three times and I start to get really worried. If he doesn't answer, there's nothing else we can do. The four of us exchange scared looks, while the line rings a fourth time. The next second seems longer than any other seconds, all of us holding our breaths, waiting for Heyward's voice to come out of the speakers.
"Hello?" The voice on the other end is muffled and breaking out at times, but I know Heyward's voice well enough to know that it's his. Sarah speaks up after a second or two, and we let her- the other three of us watching her carefully.
"Oh, god. Thank you so much for picking up Heyward."
"Sarah?"
"Uh, yeah. Yeah, this is Sarah. I'm with Kie, and Cleo, and JJ. We, um- we're at some-"
"Wait, where's John B. and Pope? Where are the boys?"
"Heyward I'm sorry, it's just really too long of a story. I promise they're fine and they'll be back soom but they aren't with us right now. We just need someone to get here to get us home, and you're our best bet."
"This is just a lot to take in. Sarah, where are you guys?"
"Um, I don't- I don't know- we-"
"Somewhere in South America, sir, that's really the best we can do."
"JJ, son, I can help but I really need a little bit more than that. Do you have a street name or something?"
"Oh, yeah, um- Kie and Cleo can you guys go find a street name?" The girls leave without question and I'm left with Sarah and Heyward over the phone.
"Okay, Heyward this is going to be a little difficult but I need you to listen and act fast." Sarah starts to explain a plan to Heyward, and though I don't know where she's going with it, I trust her.
"Fast? How fast?"
"Like, 'move as I say' fast, okay?"
"Yeah- yeah I guess so."
"Okay, so three blocks from my house is the house where one of my family's pilots lives, okay? Its a smaller, blue house with stairs leading to the door. The sutters are white, and there's a giant oak tree in front of it. I need you to find that house and knock on the door." Sounds of a car door shutting and an ignition starting are heard from the other side. Heyward buckles his seatbelt and Sarah and I hear the car drive off. "Once you're at the house, a man with tattoos should open the door. Tell him you need a plane for the next hour- to South America. We have a code-word- god what is it?" The girl thinks to herself, and I can tell she's absolutely beating herself up for not being able to remeber it.
"Hey, Sarah, it's okay. Take your time. I got about 20 minutes before I get there." This doesn't calm Sarah down at all, and I can see the tears forming behind her eyes. I place a hand on her back and comfortingly rub it.
"Um- I think it's- I think it's sail. Yeah, yeah- sail."
"Sail, alright. And I- I just gotta use the word in a sentence, yeah?"
"Yeah. Just ask him for a plane and then use the word in a sentence. He should get it to you right away. Say it's for my da- say it's for Ward, and- and that it's important." As Sarah finishes speaking, Kie and Cleo run back into the store.
"St. Manuel. The street is St. Manuel."
"Okay, yeah- got it. I'll be there. I'll be there as soon as I can. I love you guys." We go to speak back to him, but he hangs up before we get the opportunity to do so. I look up to the Cleo and Kie with a grateful look, but my gaze is brought back down when I hear a cry leave Sarah's lips. I look quickly back up at the brown-haired girls with a hopeless look before scooting closer to Sarah and wrapping my arms around her. Her cries get heavier and deeper, her body shaking in my embrace. Usually I would avoid all other femal contact when around Kie, but we both know this is differnt. Sarah's like my sister- we're blood.
"It's okay, Sarah. I've got you, I'm right here." I keep her in the hug for a few seconds longer before standing up and letting Kie help with the rest.
"Okay, now we just need somewhere to stay until Heyward gets here."
"All we need to do is walk for a coupl of blocks. It should be pretty easy to find an abandoned space. Are y'all ready?" Sarah quickly dries her eyes at this comment, and I can tell she feels like a burden.
"Yeah, yeah I'm ready. Sorry."
"Hey, don't apologize." The blonde girl looks thankfully at Cleo before we all head out of the door and start walking.
Sarah
It isn't more than four blocks before we come upon an abandoned building. It isn't big, but it'll do. I know I need to sleep, but I hear the other three taking up a plan, and know I have to be in on it as well. I sit in the circle that the three of them have formed, and start to catch up on what's going on.
"John. B knows where the gold is, and Pope will only make everything easier. They shouldn't take long. I think we can wait for them to get back before leaving." JJ explains to the two girls, and I agree. It might be a bit more difficult to convince Heyward to wait as well, but I know we can do it.
"So, we'll get to Heyward and the plane, okay, but then what? How do we let Pope and JB know where to find us?"
"I don't know yet. But we'll think of something, we always do." The conversation continues, but I can feel my eyelids fluttering, and I lay my head on Kie's shoulder. She notices my tiredness, and helps me lay down, placing my head in her lap. The girl brushes through my hair and tries to help me fall asleep.
"No, no, I can't. I should be helping and- and I'm sure you need to sleep too and-"
"Sarah. Sarah, stop. I'll be okay. We'll be okay. You just lay back down. Get some rest." I know better than to protest back, so I lay my head down and drift off to sleep.
six hours later
"Hey, hey, Sarah, love, Heyward's here." My eyes slowly flutter open at the sound of my best friend's voice. I sit up and look around me, noticing that the two of us are in the same exact place we were before. I can tell Kie has been sleeping as well, and am glad that we both got our well-needed rest. It takes me a minute, but I locate Heyward in the room, and groggily get myself up before running across the room to hug the man. He hugs me back, and holds me until I let go. He kisses the top of my head, and repeats the same for the other three- holding extra tight to JJ.
Kie
"Alright, we gotta get outta here." Heyward wastes no time, and I don't blame him, but we can't leave yet.
"Uh, yeah- about that. This is going to be a lot to take in right now, I get it, but you just have to listen. Sarah and John B, they- they found the gold. Like, all of the gold, but they couldn't get it all. There were these guys and Sarah and JB were in trouble. Thankfully, though, we were able to find them before anything could happen to them, but-"
"But not everyone made it." Sarah interrupts my explanation and though she doesn't go into detail, Heyward can tell who she's talking about. He walks back closer to where she's standing and gives her another, even more secure hug. Before he lets go, he says something.
"And Big John?" No one has to say anything for him to know. I can see the pain in his eyes when he realizes. "Oh man. He was a good guy- he-" Tears form in his eyes, but he pushes them back to stay strong. "So, where are the other boys?"
"Sarah and John B. could only get a couple pieces of gold before sht went down, so they went back. John B. and Pope went back to El Dorado so we could- so we can go Full Kook." Cleo speaks and she looks more proud than I've ever seen her look. I don't say anything, but I know it's because she's more proud of Pope than anything.
"How much is it?"
"Let's just say, it's about enough for the whole country to go Full Kook."
"And how are they getting this gold back here?"
"On their boat. Well, I guess it's not really their boat because we stole it and all, but-" JJ rambles on and I stare at him in awe. I don't even really listen to what he's saying, I just stare.
"Nah, that won't cut it."
"Won't cut it? What do you mean?" What else does he expect to cut it? There's nothing else to do.
"We're getting that plane to them."
"What?" JJ looks at Heyward like he's just said the most stupid thing ever.
"We have to get this plane to them. Now, I don't know how much gold their planning on getting, but it's gonna be more than that boat can take."
"I told him to get enough for us. Just us." Sarah says this under her breath, and it's mumbled, but I still hear her.
"What, Sarah?"
"I told John B. to get enough gold for all of us, and some for Heyward and Wheeze, but no more."
"Smart girl, Sarah. Really, you guys deserve it more than anyone else ever could." Sarah smiles softly at the man, and I can tell she wishes she could give him a full smile. "So, do you guys now how we could get the plane to the boys?"
"Yeah, yeah I think I know a way." Please, JJ, make this one good.
yayayyyyy!! chapter 5!! please let me know how you liked this one, and what you want to happen next!! i'm loooooving this so far and am so grateful for all of you who are loving it as well
as always pleaseeeeeeee vote and comment and share because it helps so much with getting more readers
also,,, you should really go check out my other book (especially if you love JJ) bc it's so fun!! who can't use another JJ love story????
anyway, get back to reading lovebugs
xoxo, sam