꧁꧂ ꧁꧂ ꧁꧂
♬Malibu - Miley Cyrus♬
"Sometimes I feel like I'm drowning and you're there to save me,"
"And now I wanna thank you with all of my heart."
꧁꧂ ꧁꧂ ꧁꧂
𝖲𝖤𝖠𝖲𝖮𝖭 𝟣 𝖤𝖯𝖨𝖲𝖮𝖣𝖤 𝟥－
𝖳𝖧𝖤 𝖥𝖮𝖱𝖡𝖨𝖣𝖣𝖤𝖭 𝖹𝖮𝖭𝖤
"Johnny." my voice echoed in a whisper through John B's bedroom as I saw his lifeless, sleeping body asleep on his mattress.
I stayed frozen in my position by the doorway of his bedroom, waiting to see for his reaction... which was nothing. Just snores leaving his mouth, letting me know he was dead asleep. I stepped through his room with a huff, my feet making a bunch of noise against the wood floor. Pope and JJ were asleep in the living room, Kie asleep in my room, but I didn't really care if they heard me.
I walked right beside his bed, where his asleep body was resting. His face was smushed against his pillow, the sheets barely even covering him, revealing his body which was clothed in the clothes he was wearing today. Nasty ass.
My arms reached over to either side of his shoulders and shook him aggressively, a tired pissy look taking over my face, "Johnny, get the fuck up. I need you."
John B shook awake at my movements and immediately sat his face up from his pillow, his lips pressing together to collect the drool that had previously fallen from his mouth. His eyes were barely even looked at me, but he squinted them anyways.
"Rori, what the hell? Why are you up?" He asked me in a whisper as he brought his hand up to rub against his eye.
I dramatically sighed and lifted the blankets from his bed, scooting into it so I was laying beside him. "I need to talk to you." I looked at him just as I covered our bodies with the blanket.
He looked over at the watch that was laying on his bedside table, "At 2 in the morning?"
I narrowed my eyes at him and nodded my head, "Yes at 2 in the morning." I nearly scoffed at how bratty he was being. I rolled my eyes trying to shake my utter disgust for his attitude and shuffled my legs so they were bent in front of me, "I can't sleep."
"Clearly." He muttered from beside me, causing me to shoot him a look. He got the message and nodded his head, turning on his side so he could fully see me, "Okay, why can't you sleep?"
"I'm glad you asked." I said gratefully as I turned on my side, so I was fully facing him as well, "A lot has happened today."
"You mean yesterday cause its 2 in the-"
"Morning, I get it." I looked at him annoyingly before continuing with a sigh, "First, Kie and I overheard JJ and Pope talking and JJ was saying about how he's getting me back. And than we danced together at The Wreck."
"And how did that make you feel?" John B asked me tiredly, propping his head up on his bent arm.
I scrunched my face in uncomfortableness, "Nice? I guess?" He made a weird face as he tilted his head at me, expecting me to elaborate, "Like it felt familiar. Like how we used to be." I explained a little clearer.
"So... whats the issue?" He asked with a yawn, though I didn't feel bad that I woke him up. I needed someone to speak to, and I didn't feel like Kie was the one to help me. So I went to the next best thing... Johnny.
I groaned and ran my hand down my face, "The issue is that its just like... wow. Like its a lot of information."
"Well, thats because you're accustomed to hating JJ." John B explained simply to me, as if it made perfect sense, "Your mind doesn't want you to give into any of it, but your heart wants it. Your heart wants him."
I hated John B sometimes. Why was he right? If you asked me what period of my life was the happiest, so far, I would say when I was with JJ. Even before we were dating, hanging out with JJ always made me happiest. I was always laughing, smiling... blushing. He always made me feel a way I've never felt before. So what was the harm in letting myself feel that way again?
Fuck that. There was a bunch of harm in doing that. I could get hurt again. I could get my heart broken again. I could shut down again. I could be a bitch again. I could hate JJ again. I could say that I'd never jump into a relationship with JJ again. And than I would fall for the same bullshit he preaches... again.
"I know. I know but," I shut my eyes for a split second to comprehend my thoughts, John B keeping his eyes on me waiting for my next words, "I can't, John B. He hurt me so bad... I can't give in that easily."
John B shrugged, "You don't have to, Rori." Why was he being oddly wise? "But don't completely shut out the idea of you two together again either."
I didn't answer. I chewed on my bottom lip, taking in what he was saying. At my silence, he continued, "Let JJ prove it to you because I know how he feels towards you and I can assure you that if you give him the chance, you'll see how much that kid loves you, Rori,"
"Thats what Kie said." I said in a little voice, John B's words capturing my entire brain. If he and Kie said the same thing... could it be true? I finally looked him in the eyes, "That and that he has wet dreams about me."
John B's eyes widened at my words. He looked startled that the words even left my mouth. He sat up completely and looked down at me in shock, "You know about that?"
A small smile took over my face as I sat up as well, "Uh duh. Y'all seriously need to check your audience before you talk. Kie was right next to you."
"Shit." John B mumbled, looking down at the blankets ahead of us. I scratched my neck, waiting for him to get over the initial shock. He sighed and looked over at me with a crooked smile, "Guess that explains why you can't sleep."
"Maybe." I shrugged, plopping back down on his bed. My face scrunched in curiosity, "Do you think he's having wet dreams right now?"
John B's smirk grew on his face, as he peered down to look at me. Mischievousness was lurking behind his brown eyes, "Only one way to find out."
༄༄༄༄
John B and I peered over JJ as he slept next to Pope on the pull out couch. We had been standing over him for the past 15 minutes or so waiting, so it gave me time to observe him. Similarly to John B, JJ's face was smushed againt his pillow as his bare chest laid flat against the mattress. I smiled softly as I watched him. JJ always slept on his stomach. When we would sleep next to each other, he would fall asleep on his stomach with his arm swung across my body that was pressed against his. Good times.
That wasn't important right now. John B and I held anticipated looks held on our faces, both of our teeth biting down on our bottom lips as we smiled excitedly, watching JJ like a hawk.
My eyes flickered to my cousin beside me, my smile not faltering in the slightest, "Why isn't anything happening?"
"Shut up." John B didn't even spare me a look, just pushed his finger against my lips.
My eyebrows furrowed as I looked down at my smushed lips that were pressed against his finger. Ew. "Get your nasty, dirty, fat fucking finger off of my-"
"Rori...." My eyes went from John B's finger to the blonde boy in front of me. My eyes went straight to John B to see his reaction, his face mirroring mine. Both of us had shocked yet excited smiles on our faces, like we finally found what we were looking for. My eyes widened when I caught John B's. I mouthed 'oh my God' to him as he mouthed 'I know right' back to me. This was gold.
"Fuck, A." Our mouths clamped shut as we heard his next mumbled words come out in a moaned tone. "Stop teasing me."
John B couldn't hold in his laughter any longer. He made a loud noise as he let out a quiet laugh at JJ's sleep talk. I doubled over as I watched him, my hand clasping over my mouth as I tried to hold in my laughter.
"I can't, I can't." John B whispered to me facing away from my sleeping ex, though it came out more like a wheeze. He walked over by the near by table and laid his head down on the counter top, his quiet laughter being very audible.
"Rori? John? Is that you?" Another voice took over John B and I's laughter. Once I looked back up, tears in my eyes, I could see the blurriness of Pope sitting up looking at both of us, though his eyes were barely open.
"Oh, shit." I whispered, turning away from Pope and over to John B. I started quietly giggling again, grabbing John B's arm and pulling him to go back into his room.
"Fuck." John B said through his whispered chuckles as he followed after me.
"Shh, shh." I put my finger towards my lips, motioning for him to be quiet although I wasn't quite holding in my laughs either. I pulled him along into his bedroom and finally when the door shut, we started actually laughing all over again.
"I'm totally sleeping over in here tonight." I said, my giggles now slowing down as I wiped my hand along my cheek where tears fell.
I held up my other hand to high five him and once he did, he nodded his head, a goofy smile on his face, "Totally."
༄༄༄༄
Laughter and splashes filled the air as Kie and I were splashing each other in the water by the dock. We all woke up this morning, ready to test the drone we stole. After John B and I fell asleep at basically 3 am, Kie nearly broke down the door to get us up so we could do what we planned on doing.
Last night was nice though. It was like an escape from all of the Royal Merchant bullshit. John B's mind was on something else besides the gold and his dad. I'm glad he was distracted for a night, even if JJ's wet dreaming was the distraction. It made him laugh and smile, one I hadn't seen or heard in a while.
Which by the way... we didn't bring up at all today. I didn't want to embarrass JJ. That would be utterly humiliating. That was just John B and I's little secret.
"Ah!" Kiara let out a shriek as I pushed my hands down on her shoulder, causing her to get dunked under the murky water.
My low snickers made it harder for me to stay afloat as I watched her come back up and look at me with a fake offensive look and a smirk on her face.
I was so giggly lately.
"Kie, no." I said through laughs, holding up my finger towards her to get away from her as I kept swimming towards the wood on the dock that was decorated in algae, "I- I swear, I didn't mean it."
"Yeah okay, you bitch." She said, grabbing my leg from under the water and pulling me down with her.
Once my head went under, I started laughing causing me to choke from inhaling water. I shot up, Kie in tow, and started coughing yet still laughing, "I hate you." I said with a smile.
"You could never." She smiled, wrapping her arms around me and hugging me tightly, causing us both to slowly sink down into the water again.
I let out a squeal at the water hitting me all over again and fought to get out of her grip, more giggles leaving my lips, "You're gonna drown us, asshole."
One of Kiara's arms flung away and up in the air, "At least we'll drown together." She hollered in a horrible posh accent, causing me and her to laugh some more , which was ultimately the reason I was able to get away from her deadly hugs.
I swam to the ladder that lead up to the dock where Pope, JJ, and John B were all standing, crowding around the drone. They had sent Kie and I into the water so they could see if they saw us through the ROV camera. What is it most likely to watch us splash around in our tiny bikinis? Probably.
"You're such a freak." I commented towards Kie, as I hastily climbed up the ladder before she could pull me back into the water.
"Only for you." She winked at me, following me up the ladder as she slapped my ass.
I rolled my eyes and stepped foot onto the wood boards, taking the towel that John B had handed to me. I muttered a thank you, Kiara doing the same, as we both dried off and paid attention to the conversation taking place up here.
"Once we get footage of the wreck, we'll bring it to a lawyer in town and file a formal claim." John B said, walking towards the two boys after handing Kie and I towels.
"It's bullshit." JJ scoffed, leaning against the wooden ledge, "Why do we have to do that?"
"Well, there is maritime salvage law. You can't just go to the ocean floor and scoop a bunch of stuff up." Pope explained, mirroring the blondes actions.
"I know, I know. It's just... lawyers aren't cheap, bro." JJ nudged his arm, explaining what was all running through our minds.
John B clicked his tongue, "As soon as they see the footage, they'll work for a comp."
"How do you know all of that?" Kiara asked, wringing her towel through her curly, wet locks.
"'Cause his dad said it, like, a million times." I answered for him, leaning against the wooden ledge and running my hand through my dark, soaked hair.
Kiara shrugged and hummed at me, "Yeah, that's fair."
"This tether is, like, really long. In the wrong weather, it could get pushed around." Pope told John B, locking his hands together as he squinted his eyes at him from the sunlight.
"Then we'll go at dead calm." John B nodded.
"At slack tide?" I offered, peering up at the now cloudy sky.
"So now, we just gotta wait around for the right weather." Pope said in a quieter tone, nodding his head. Probably noticing that this was not the right time whatsoever.
JJ looked up at the sky as well, his fist lightly drumming against the wooden beam beside him, "And today is not that day."
"Well on that note," I chimed in, my fingers tapping against my thigh, "I'm gonna shower and get ready for work."
"Oh, shit." Kiara looked at me, "I have a shift. Need a ride? I'll drop you off, its on the way."
"Yes please." I smiled and batted my eyes at Kie, just as she was walking towards me to walk off the dock.
She laughed lightly and shoved my face with her hand, "Come on, weirdo."
༄༄༄༄
I sat on the floor behind the front desk of the store I work at. Ms. Tanya was upstairs in her office, probably running some numbers, so I was in charge of the floor. We weren't really busy... which is odd because around Midsummers time, we always get a lot of customers.
Currently, I was digging through new packages of clothes that came in and seeing what I liked. Call me criminal, but this is my favorite shit to do. Just scruff around rich people clothes and pick the cutest shit before they can get their Chanel coated hands all over it first. It was the most enjoyable thing a girl could do.
I was holding up this really cute gray tube top that I could totally where sometime this summer. I didn't have a gray tube top and this one didn't look cheap. It had extremely good material and it was velvety. It was so rich... it felt wrong to touch it. But I did anyways. I grabbed my bag that was in the shelf next to me and shoved that shit in there. Perfect.
A ding from the bell made me sit up. I got immediately on to my feet and prepared myself for my fake smily facade about to come. So as I prepared, I shot up and faced who rang the bell with a huge grin. Though when I saw that the person was the blonde, brown eyes kook girl under the name Sarah Cameron, my face fell slightly.
"Hi, Rori." She smiled in her sweet, soft voice causing my frown to deepen slowly. I let my eyes fall over her. She was dressed in a bikini top, shorts, and a baseball cap. Than on her shoulder was a bag of Skinny Pop Popcorn. Cute outfit... I guess. Sarah never did anything to me personally, but I didn't like her because of the fucked up shit she did to Kie. She was a bitch for that. Like a total one. That and I was low key jealous of her. Her money.. duh.
"Hey, Sarah." I said with a tight lipped smile, "You need anything?" I tried to sound polite, but it kind of came off a little aggressive.
"Yes." She chirped. Luckily, she didn't seem fazed. Probably too innocent to even hear that kind of tone, "I need your opinion."
I raised my eyebrows at her. Why would she need my opinion. I know its always right... but why? "For..."
"Which top?" She bit her bottom lip with a smile, holding up a pink and white checkered crop top and a neon blue cropped tank.
I tilted my head to the side, my elbows leaning against the white painted counter. "Both tops are cute, but...." I trailed off squinting my eyes, studying both tops. Should I be a total bitch and tell her to get the uglier one? Kie would love that.
I let my tongue graze over my top row of teeth, leaning forward more. She waited patiently for my response, her stupid smile still plastered on her lips. No, Rori. You're at work, you don't want to be a shitty employee.
I sighed and pointed towards the pink and white checkered crop top, "I like that one. It would look nice on you."
She looked a little shocked at my compliment and it was very visible that she was shocked. Though she still smiled at placed the pink and white checkered shirt on the counter, so she could buy it, "Thanks."
I saw her still awkwardly holding the other blue tank and I held my hand out to her, "Here. I'll take it."
She nodded her head and handed me the shirt, still suspicious with my kind behavior... and I don't blame her. I'm weirded out by me too. But I'm working and I'm not going to be my usual self. And thats only because I like Ms. Tanya and I don't want to fuck up her self made business.
After I placed the shirt on the back table so I would put it back where it was, I walked back over to the cash register and scanned her top. $72.45. Damn. $70 on a shirt. A shirt. One shirt. Uno. That money could help pay for electrical or put a meal on the table for John B and I.
Kooks are bad shit crazy.
"Okay," I sighed, placing my hands on the counter, "Your total is $72.45."
She nodded her head and busted out her wallet, pulling out a 100 dollar bill. To just have that laying in your pocket is so awesome. I wish it was that convenient for me. I blinked and refocused on my job when she handed me the 100 with a warm smile.
I blew out a short, quiet breath and put it into the cash register. I did some quick math in my head and handed her back $27.55. She politely smiled and gave me a curt nod, grabbing the bag with her shirt in it. Than, she put the change I gave her in my tip jar. Okay, than.
"I'm about to make a stop at your place." She turned to look at me again before walking out the door, "Your cousin is there, yeah?"
I didn't even want to know. I didn't want to ask any questions. I didn't even want to know if they've been fucking on the low. I really, really don't. I know that if I find out why, I'll be upset. Not for myself, but for Kie.
"Yeah." I nodded my head and just dismissed her as I turned around to go grab the shirt she had picked out to put it back.
"Rori?" Jesus, can this girl just get the fuck out? I took in a deep breath, trying my best to seem calm as I turned around to face her, "Why are you being nice to me?"
Good question, Sarah Cameron. I laid my hands to rest on the counter as I gave her a sarcastic smile, watching her face beam with genuine curiosity, "Because I don't want to get fired."
I watched her face fall a bit following my words, but ultimately she nodded. I tapped the counter, turning back around to the clothes ahead of me, "By now!" I called to her, waving my hand from behind me.
I finally heard the door open and shut, signaling that she had left the building. That was a weird encounter, right?
༄༄༄༄
"Um hi?" I asked in almost a question as I gazed upon Beckett Pierce, who was stood ahead of me in the back of the boutique. I was back here to take my break and smoke a cigarette I stole from Ms. Tanya's office.
Why am I seeing the whole country today at work? On the least busiest day ever too.
"Whats up, Rori?" He asked in an out of breath tone. A smirk creeped up on my lips as I sat down on a wooden, empty crate that was sitting there, waiting to be discarded.
I let myself sit on it and rest my head on the hard surface of the wall of the boutique, "Still running from the law?"
"Something like that." He nodded his head, sitting next to me on the floor since there wasn't another crate for him to sit on.
"You got a lighter?" I asked him, nudging his arm. He nodded his head, to my surprise, and pulled out a silver lighter and handed it to me.
I placed the cigarette between my lips, "Why'd you come here?" I asked in a muffled tone, focusing heavily on lighting the cigarette.
"I literally just saw the boutique and ran to the back." He said over the clicks from the lighter, while running his finger through his sweaty, blonde hair, "Than I saw you."
"Lucky you." I smiled at him, finally getting the cigarette to light and inhaling it.
"Yep, lucky me." He laughed at me, as I blew the smoke in his face.
"So what the hell is going on with you?" I asked, holding the cigarette between my pointer and middle finger, "Like why are you being chased?"
He stayed quiet for a few seconds. I just picked at my white nail polish on the hand that wasn't holding a cigarette in it, waiting to hear his response.
"You ever heard of the Royal Merchant?"
Oh, fuck.
Act dumb, Rori. Act blonde. Act like JJ.
"That stupid myth around the island?" I asked as he nodded, not seeming happy with my response, "I've heard stories, but nothing major. Why?"
"Well, its not a stupid myth." He said in a quiet voice, leaning closer towards as if it was the most groundbreaking shit ever.
No shit. Its not like me and my four best friends are trying to go after it.
"What are you talking about?" I almost whispered, a fake teasing smile on my face acting as if I didn't believe him.
"The Royal Merchant gold... its real, Rori. And I'm looking for it." Looks like we've got some competition, "I've been told stories my whole life and I've just always wanted to find it, y'know?"
I know a lot more than I let on, Beckett Pierce.
I nodded my head along with his words as he kept talking, "The problem is that... theres someone else."
I brought the cigarette to my lips and inhaled, blowing it out. Someone else? Who else is looking for this gold? Hope he isn't referring to us five.
"Theres a higher person, who wants their hands on it just as badly as I do, and-"
"RORI!"
I winced at my name being shouted at from the upstairs window. I looked up, as did Beck, and saw Ms. Tanya with her head out the window. Bad timing, woman. Bad fucking timing.
"Hi, Ms. Tanya." I waved with an innocent smile on my face, no shame in the cigarette dangling from my finger tips.
"What's up, Ms. Tanya." Beck also waved to her, causing me to look at him in confusion.
"Boy, I don't know who the hell you are and why you're smoking a cigarette with my employee, but make your way back to where you came from." She called back at him, causing him to nod his head and bid his goodbye to me and leave, "And you, Ms. Aldine, need to get your ass inside that store. The bell has been ringing for the past 2 minutes."
"But I'm on break!" I stood up and called back, throwing my arms around in exasperation.
"And I've got bills to pay!" She snapped at me, "Get inside now, please!" She turned sway from the window, but didn't close it yet.
"I am, I am." I raised my hands in surrender, the cigarette still in hand.
"And put out that cigarette you stole from me!" She yelled down at me, making me look up at her, guilty because I got caught, "Yeah. I'm no idiot, Rori. You're not slick."
I huffed and hit my cigarette one last time before stepping on it, putting it out. I opened the back door, making my way back to the cash register to see who was ringing the bell.
I wanted to rip the hair out of my head when I looked at both JJ and Pope, looking around the boutique anxiously. I rolled my eyes and sighed. Like seriously. Why does everyone need to see me at work?
JJ saw me and gave me a look, ringing the bell again, more aggressively and needy this time around. I groaned and made my way over there faster.
"What? What?" I yelled in their faces over the ringing. JJ finally removed his finger from the bell and nodded at me just as Pope scoffed at me. Though when Pope scoffed at me, thats when I saw what was on his face. "Holy shit, Pope! What the fuck is on your face? How did you get that?!"
"There she is, Pope." JJ said looking at the dark boy and motioning towards me with his hand, than scratching his head awkwardly as if he was nervous for him to reveal the reasoning.
"Yeah, finally." He sneered at me, before looking at me in bothered confusion, "Where the hell were you? Don't you work here?"
"And don't you have a life?" I asked back with a scowl, "Why are you two in a boutique at 3 pm? Neither of you can even afford to walk in here."
"Pope has something to tell you." JJ answered me, instead of Pope, who looked like a cat in a room full of rocking chairs. Pope shot JJ a tense, worried look and JJ looked back at me, clicking his tongue, "Pope needs your advice on something." He corrected his previous statement.
Why does everyone need something from me today? Sarah needs my right opinion, Tanya needs me to get her bills paid, Pope needs my wise advice, etc.
I rolled my eyes and gave Pope a tired look, "What is it, P?" I really could care less about what these two fucks did on their time not searching for treasure.
Pope sighed and looked as if he was on the verge of tears, "Okay but if I tell you, you cannot say anything. Not to your best friend or your cousin, got it?"
"Yes, yes. Go tell me." I gestured for him to keep going, my eyes flickering to JJ who just stood there looking at Pope with an unworried look.
"So JJ and I were in Figure Eight-"
"Uh oh." I laughed, making Pope shoot me a look and JJ hold his hand out to me, as if he was about to break down what was running through Pope's head.
"He's tense right now, Rori." JJ warned me, "He isn't in the mood for jokes."
I looked at JJ, seeing that he wasn't joking, so I cleared my throat and reverted my eyes to an aggravated Pope, "Sorry. Go on."
"Okay," Pope sighed dramatically and than continued, "JJ and I were in Figure Eight running groceries for my dad and JJ went one place and I went to another. So I was walking on the gold course and guess who was there?"
"Rafe and Topper." I guessed bluntly.
"No! Rafe and Top- wait how did you know?" He asked me, slightly offended that I predicted his story.
"You seem on edge. I assumed the only people that would get you like that are those two." I shrugged, before tilting my head and furrowing my eyebrows, "And maybe Kelce... although if you ask me, he is so irrele-"
"Rori!" JJ interrupted me, "Let him finish. He's seriously bugging out."
"Alright, alright. Go, hurry." I squinted my eyes at Pope, waiting for him to finish up his story. I could be rummaging through so much fucking clothes right now.
"Okay, no more interruptions would be superb." Pope held up his finger at me, as if I were a child which cause me to slap it out of my face.
"Pope, we aren't in class." I gave him a look after the words left his mouth, "You don't need to use big words."
"Whatever," Pope dismissed me with his hand before continuing, "Anyways, they jumped me and thats how I ended up with this on my face." He motioned to the scars and cuts I noticed earlier, "But the reason I'm a little freaked out is cause..."
I waited patiently for him to finish his thought. I shifted my weight on my heels and leaned against the counter, waiting. Pope gave a little glance to JJ and than looked back at me, wide eyed.
"JJconvincedmetosinkTopper'sboat."
I blinked a few times after the sentence left his mouth. I didn't understand any of it at all, causing me to lean forward and put my finger to my ear, "I, uh, didn't quite catch that."
Now the sigh came from JJ, "Pope sunk Topper's new boat." He said quietly, looking around to make sure no one was listening in.
My eyes immediately widened as my mouth fell agape in almost a mix of shame and shock. Shock because who the hell would've thought that Pope Heyward would sink a kook's boat and shame because they both should know better than to sink a kook's boat.
"But JJ convinced me to do it!" Pope pointed to JJ immediately, seeing the expression on my face.
JJ rolled his eyes at his dramatics and child-like actions. He spoke to me with his hand shrugging itself, wondering what the next move should be, "What do you think we should do?"
I brought my hand up to pinch the bridge of my nose and sigh at the both of them. The two of them are a headache. "What is there to do, JJ? You shouldn't have encouraged him to do something so stupid when he was a scholarship and a chance of getting out of here on the line!"
JJ gave me a disgusted look, as if I was speaking utter nonsense, "Did you see what they did to his face, Rori?!"
I rolled my eyes and flicked a piece of hair behind my shoulder, "Yes, JJ! Thats not the point though! You shouldn't have been so rash in your decision making! And you," I pointed to Pope now, "-should've been a lot more smarter than that! These are kooks, guys. You don't think they've got back up generators and that they can see who sunk their brand spanking new boat?!"
Pope's face shifted from nervous to utterly distressed. His sweat fell down more rapidly and his face paled slightly. They both fucked up and now they have to deal with their consequences.
"Can you stop freaking him out, Rori?!" JJ sternly told me, placing his arm on Pope's as a way of getting him to not pace.
"Its true!" I called out, looking at him as if he had grown 2 more heads.
JJ let go of Pope's arm, letting him go off and pace around the store like the anxious boy he is. JJ than took a hold of my arm and shuffled to the side, so the counter wasn't between us. His blue eyes were staring at mine in determination. I knew something was brewing inside his brain. I knew he had a plan.
"Pope will be fine." He muttered lowly to me, in a shaky and angry voice.
"How JJ? How?" I crossed my arms around my chest, "The cops are going to come for him-"
"And when they do, I'll be there." JJ told me assuringly, causing me to knit my eyebrows together. What was JJ planning?
I kept my gaze on him, trying to read him and his brain. I know JJ wouldn't do something like that to Pope to get him in trouble. If anything, JJ was Pope's biggest supporter, after me of course, when it came to him getting the hell out of the cut. JJ would not let Pope go to juvie for this. If anything, JJ would- oh no.
"JJ, no." I grabbed his arm now, my stern gaze on his. No way was he going to do what I think he'll do, "You are not doing that to yourself."
JJ's jaw clenched as his eyes averted to Pope, who was still in his own worried world, and than back to me, "Pope is not going down for this, Rori. Rather me than him. I'm not getting out of here anytime soon."
I scoffed and shook my head at him, "Don't say that."
"Its fucking true, Rori." JJ snapped back quietly at me, "He isn't staying in this shit hole because of something I told him to do. No fucking way. Thats on me, not him."
I took a deep breath and gave JJ a saddened look. One because he had such little expectations for himself, and two because I knew that there was no stopping JJ from what he was going to do for Pope. Nothing would and nothing will, so as much as I would love to get JJ to understand that thats a horrible idea, he'll do it anyway. Thats just the kind of friend he is.
But that didn't change the fact that we are all fucked. Totally and utterly fucked.
༄༄༄༄
𝐀/𝐍
𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫-𝐢𝐬𝐡. 𝐈𝐭𝐬 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐨 𝐰𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐞 𝐚 𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐒𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐜𝐤.
𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐓𝐎 𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐇𝐎𝐖 𝐀𝐃𝐎𝐑𝐀𝐁𝐋𝐄 𝐉𝐎𝐇𝐍 𝐁 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐑𝐎𝐑𝐈 𝐀𝐑𝐄!!! 𝐈 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 𝐖𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐌!!!! <𝟑
𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝟏𝟏𝐤! 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐞!!! 𝐊𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐯𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠! 𝐈 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦!❤️❤️❤️