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My hands clenched into fist by my sides as I let them drop from the brown table, JJ still had his hands loose around my torso, and I could practically feel his heart speeding up.
I turn, slowly. Facing JJ as I bring my hands up slowly cupping his face into my hands softly. "Slow breaths, hm. Stay by me?" I ask lowly, already knowing the answer but felt I needed to ask.
He immediately nods, his arms falling loose by his sides as he nudges his pinky with mine before softly clasping our hands together.
I chew on my inner cheek lowly, my eyes connected with his blue ones as his searched mine anxiously.
Bloody hell.
I move my eyes from his as I immediately carry my feet, dragging him along with me as he walks behind me. Kiara and Pope on the other side of me.
We all peer beside John b as we were stood in front of the dark brown table that was piled with white papers. My hand tightening with JJ's. Pope inches closer to my side, as if he was trying to protect me.
JJ peers over my shoulder, his breath hitching right by my ear, making a shiver run down my spine at the touch of his breath.
My eyes wonder out of the white dusted blinds on the window, seeing too men walking side by side.
Shit. I muttered curses under my breath. Bringing my free hand up to tuck my black hair behind my ear anxiously.
"Guys, guys, is that them?" Kiara asks us, frightened laced her soft low tone. I turn my head slightly, giving her a quick glance. Her face was scrunched up in nothing but fear, her lips were rolled up.
I swear under my breath, my eyes leaving her face to glance around my friends.
Fuck. Fuck.
"No, no. Bloody hell." I mutter out, my tone frustrated. I let go of JJ's hand quickly, my insides twisting as I back away from them, turning my back to them as I start to walk to the other wall slowly.
My hands reach up to my dark curly hair, running my fingers through them as I shook my head.
"This is suboptimal." Pope whispers out from behind me. And I could practically hear him fixing his hat over and over nervously.
I could feel JJ's presence behind me as I stand in front of the brown wall by the door. I could hear J's heavy breathing. I knew by just that, that he was scared, nervous.
"John b, I told you." JJ's tone was laced with fear, "Why does it always—" He continued cutting his self off as he let out a big deep sigh.
My mind goes blank once I'm urgently getting turned around, my back hitting the wall I was facing softly, my eyes falling onto John b's hazel ones who were frantically searching mine, his eyes wide.
My breathing was harsh under my breath as I stilted the heels of my shoes to the wall. My head slightly arched back on the wall as John b holds my body a little down by my arms.
"A, hey, look at me." John b whispers out, his finger grazing my pink lips just barley as his harsh breathing was heard in my ears.
I hesitantly nod, forcing myself to swallow dryly. "John b, no. Fuck. No. Get the fuck off her." JJ almost shouts but keeps his voice low as he places his hand on John b's shoulder for it to only get shoved off by a shrug from John b.
I part my lips, my lashes fluttering as I search John b's eyes. He's scared, and by the look on his face he's terrified. He ignores JJ, as he gives me soft eyes. His touch was soft on me. John B would never hurt me, I knew that, I know that.
"Where's the gun?" He asks me lowly, his index finger dropping to the top of my chest loosely.
Something flickers in my head as I try to think, closing my eyes for a moment as I pull my lower lip into my mouth, chewing on the skin softly.
"The gun? The bloody fucking gun. I, uh.." I stumble over my words, frantically trying to search my brain for something as I open my eyes.
Kiara let's out a scared whimper from behind us, "Now you don't have the gun, the one time we need the gun?" Her voice broke, and my skin itches for any answer.
I sigh heavily under my breath, mentally cursing myself as I spare a brief glance at Kiara over John b's shoulder, she had her hands put together as a prayer as she pressed them to her lips and nose, her brunette hair laying loose over her shoulders.
My eyes turn to JJ as he gives Kiara a deadly glare, raising his finger to point at her. "Just— just fucking chill." He announces to everyone lowly.
Something flickers inside of my brain. I blink. "It was in my backpack, and then I—"
"Backpack. On the porch." My voice gets cut off my John b's low one.
I bring my hand up, tapping my finger to the side of my head as I nod, pursing my lips as John b takes a slow step back, still inches from me.
My body sags in relief. "It's on the porch." I repeat, sliding past John b before JJ can grab my arm, I quickly turn my back to them, turning the knob to the office door, slinging it open with ease.
"Be fucking carful." John b says with softness, I could hear his heavy breathing. He placed his hand on my upper back, rubbing it softly as the door knob almost hits the brown wall from how quickly I forced it open.
I twist my ring on my thumb, my jaw clenched.
"Mae." JJ warns, his voice pleading but I cut his voice out of my head as I dash out of the room, speeding down the hall as fast as my feet could cary me.
I'll do anything to keep them safe.
I reach the screen door, breathing heavily. "John Routledge!" The same voice that was screaming when we were at Ms. Lana's calls out roughly.
I dash back, almost falling on my knees from the speed. My hands fall onto the floor as I scrambled up, catching myself before I fully fell.
"Oh, fuck." I mumbled out, my voice harsh. I stand back up, my hands coming up to my face to push my curls behind my ears as I dash back into the office breathing heavy.
"Guys!" Kiara calls out, her voice scared. My heart cracks.
I lean my head down slightly, closing the door with softness to make sure no noise was heard from it.
JJ was already by my back once I closed the door, his hair was a mess, and I could guess that was from running his fingers through it.
My chest was rising and falling abnormally.
"Come on out now! Fuck—" The man's voice gets louder, rougher. "Where's the compass." He continued.
John b and Pope look down at me as I tilt my head up, facing them. "Where's the gun?" John B asks me lowly. His eyes were pleading.
Fuck.
I shake my head lightly, leaning my side against the light brown colored door. "They are on the front porch. Lads." I tell them, my tone as low as theirs were.
JJ's hands inch towards my hips, frantically. Like he needed my touch. And that made my heart speed up more then it was.
"Get out here! Where you at boy?" The man called out, and crashing and smashing filled my ears, making my skin crawl.
"We got to get out of here." Kiara pleaded, as my eyes moved from John b's moving to her as her hands were thrown out in front of her.
Bloody hell.
My eyes travel around the room, looking for anything, fucking anything.
"Guys, window. Window." The worlds fell from my mouth this odd calmness as I pointed my index finger at the window. I felt JJ's hands fall from my hips with softness as he makes a quick dash to the window, his legs moving quick.
My eyes fall onto Pope as he puts his hands on each side of his head, his breathing harsh and rapid.
My face almost flinches as glass shattering entered my ears, echoing around the house. Oh shit.
My back immediately pushes up against the brown door, my head leaning back against it as John b takes a quick step in front of me, moving beside me quickly, pushing his back against the door along with me.
My eyes frantically look towards Pope and JJ as their hands pry at the window upwards as they grunted, the window not budging an inch.
I could practically see JJ's muscles flexing as he repeatedly tried to push the window open, his face reddening slightly.
My breath was shallow as I lean my head to the side, onto John b's shoulder as he puts his head down on mine, his beige colored hat pushing to the side slightly.
My eyelashes flutter as I keep my hooded eyes on Pope and JJ.
John b breaths out a harsh sigh from his nose. "JJ?" John b says lowly, and it wasn't towards JJ, no. It was towards me. John b knows how JJ and I are, and he knows we always have to be together if something goes wrong, anything.
He knows I have to make sure he's always okay, no matter the consequences or the situation.
It's my JJ.
And the way John b's eyes stay on JJ as he keeps looking back at me, making sure I'm still there as if, shows it.
It's been this way sense we were one.
I swallow harshly, my throat bobbing as I nod slowly, my chest heaving. "Mm. I can't even breath correctly right now, B.." I whispered out to him, my lower lip pulled into my mouth as I shove my head more into John b's neck.
He nods, not questioning anything as he just hummed to me lowly. "I know, I know, Mae mae. He's okay, he's right there. He's okay. Just listen to my heart beat. Breath sis.." He whispered out, his voice breaking at the end. He brought one of his hands up, tangling it into the back of my head in my curly hair, rubbing my scalp comfortably.
My heart thumps loudly against my chest.
I clench my jaw tightly, bringing my head down slowly from his neck, lowly to his button up shirt covered chest, right where his heart was beating, as he presses his hand more against the back of my head pressing it more against his chest softly.
I hear Kiara let out a slight whimper of a cry from beside us, and I knew her emotions were taking over her because of the horrible situation we are currently in.
This is bloody mad. This whole situation is so fucking mad.
I press my ear more against his chest, my ear pressed close as I listen to his heart that was beating lowly but I could hear it.
I breath in, then let it out. John b following my breathing to soothe me.
My ocean blue eyes flicker over to JJ who was glancing between me and the window. His chest was rising and falling rapidly. His and Pope's grunts got louder.
Kiara let's out a sigh. "What— what's happening? Why is it taking so long?" She stuttered, her voice cracked as she looked down at where their hands where they were trying to pull the window up.
JJ blew out a deep breath, glancing at her for a second. "It's painted shut, okay?" He hissed out lowly, his voice cracking just barley enough for me to hear.
I knew he didn't mean to lash out, but he was under pressure and her asking questions repeatedly wasn't helping. But she was scared shitless.
Pope groaned low, ushering past Kiara as he pulled open a drawer on the brown table, his hands shuffling through it rapidly until he stops, pulling out a gold letter opener.
He lets out a sigh of relief, his dry lips parting as his shoes moved quickly as he passed by Kiara again, standing by JJ as he pointed it down at the paint, chipping as much as he could off.
"Okay, here, guys. I got it. I got it." He stumbled out. His hand was moving quickly as he let out muffles of groans under his breath.
I inch the side of my body closer to John b's, my back still pressed against the office door to keep it closed.
"Come on." JJ ushered him, clapping his hands lowly as he repeatedly looked back at me, his eyelashes fluttering.
My heart warmed.
"I'm going as fast as I can." Pope tells him lowly, shoving JJ's shoulder with his playfully.
I groan, brining my index finger up to my lips, "Shh. Be quiet.." John b and I hushed in unison,
Fuck, they are going to hear us.
Suddenly footsteps approach, and the doorknob starts shaking, twisting rapidly. "You better not be in there!" The man calls out loudly.
My body slightly shook from the sudden impact of the door being hit repeatedly by someone's fist.
"Oh, fuck that." JJ mumbles out, his voice cracking as he moves away from Pope, immediately carrying his shoes until he got to me, he wraps his arms around my waist, John b's hands falling from my hair as JJ pulls me into his chest.
My heartbeat immediately goes back to normal slowly, my face digging into his neck as I hear the wood from the office door being kicked off immediately, pieces of the wood flying around the room.
I lift my head from JJ's neck, my eyes looking into his as his were already on mine. His were watering. His body was slightly shaky.
I take a step back from him, his hands falling to his sides before I interlock both of our hands together.
Pope let out a breath of relief, making my eyes fall to him as I sag in relief as he lifts up the window with ease now.
"Come on, now." Pope ushered us, as he tilted his head to the side, motioning to the now open window.
I step by JJ, dragging him with me as Pope lifts one of his long legs, pushing it out the window then his other leg, dropping down with a low thud.
John b goes after him, one leg at a time until his shoes hit the ground to, beside Pope. Kiara looks back at me for a moment before John b helps her down, his hands at her waist before she lands on the ground.
I let my hand go from JJ's as he tries to reach for my hand again but I shake my head, pushing him towards the window by his shoulder.
"Mae, no. Go." He whisper shouts out.
He looks at me with a glare with his ocean eyes before clenching his jaw, grabbing me by my torso and hauling me up, his hands on my back and legs as he puts my feet out of the window first, Pope grabbing me by my ankles and gently pulling me down until my feet hit the ground.
I hold back my anger, letting out a harsh breath as my back leans on Pope chest as JJ slowly comes out from the window, landing in front of us, he turns his back to us, closing the window softly, quickly. Before he turns back towards us.
"You bloody oaf." I grumble at him, shaking my head as I give him a silent glare. He gives me a sad smile.
"You come first, always. Mae mae. You will always come first." He whispers out, his voice cracking before I shake my head clenching my jaw.
His eyes squint on me with hurt. But I turn my back to him, throwing my arm over Pope's shoulder before I say something I shouldn't. We silently all start to dash to the chicken coop.
He comes first. Not me. Never fucking me.
Popes hand immediately wraps around my torso protectively. My legs carry me as fast as I can as we dash in the grass, I could hear everyone's harsh breathing, along with my own.
We stop running, finally. Once we reach the chicken coop. Kiara ducks, scrambling inside as fast as she could. Her nostrils were flared as she breathed out of her nose harshly.
John b enters behind her, ducking. Then Pope and I. I duck, watching my head as I step over some of the hay, ducking down as much as I could, along with Pope.
Pope and I stumble in, as I plop down across from Kiara and John b. Pope sitting down beside me on the hay, his arm falling from my torso and onto his lap.
I let my hands pull away from his shoulder, my hands fiddling together as I twist my ring repeatedly.
I lean my head back against the hexagon low shaped fence, as my eyes fall on JJ as he ducks in, falling onto his side with a small crumble of the hay. His head falling to the side onto his upper arm.
JJ's hurt eyes connect with mine for a moment before I shut them, breathing in a deep breath as the rooster crowded loudly, repeatedly. "Do something Pope. Shut him up." JJ hissed out, making me open my eyes as he pushed his arm out, pointing to the rooster.
I breath out a harsh breath.
Pope pulled his hands to his chest as they were clasped together. "What do you want me to do?" He almost hissed out, desperation clear in his voice.
Kiara leaned forward slightly as she was sat across from me and Pope, her eyes almost wet with tears, making my heart clench.
"Pet it, talk to it. I don't know." Kiara whimpered, her tone pleading. She leaned back again, running one of her hands through her thick hair.
My head tilts to the side slightly as my eyes land on Pope as he leans forward in an attempt to shut the rooster up, but jumps back slightly as the rooster lets out yet another crow.
That would have made me laugh if we weren't in this situation.
John b was peering out from the opening before he reeled back, pressing his back against the wall of the coop. The clucking got louder as I glanced out of the opening, seeing one of the two men creeping closer. I immediately reel back as John b did, leaning my head back against the wall again.
"You do something," Pope pleaded to JJ as my eyes flickered between the two. Popes eyes were lowered onto the ground, scared laced them.
The chicken suddenly flew up into the JJ's face. I suck in a harsh sudden breath as JJ grabs ahold of the chicken by his neck. My insides twisting and turning.
JJ struggles to keep the screeching bird still, his hands clasping around it's neck. JJ grunted, his hands twisting around our birds neck with a stomach turning crack from the roosters neck and my breathing stops for a moment.
He drops the rooster, his eyes squinting down at his hands with disbelief.
My eyes fall to Kiara briefly as her lips quivered, a shaky sob leaving her lips lowly. She had tears falling from her eyes, making my heart hurt.
I squeezed my eyes shut, my breath slightly heaving as I unclasp my hands, pressing them to my chest for any pressure. Tears build behind my eyes as I try to push them more back.
My eyes suddenly flutter open as I feel more hands overlap with mime that we're over my chest, JJ's. I connect eyes with his watery ones, his bottom lips trembling slightly as he tilted his head to the side.
He lets out a shaky breath. "Mae— please... Breath, please, I'm here. I'm fucking sorry, baby." He whispers to me, pulling my slumped body into his arms, as he was kneeled in front of me.
His words calmed me, they always do. I breath in and out calmly. My bottom lip pulled between my teeth.
My arms wrap around his neck as I shove my face into his smooth neck, my lashes fluttered as I push my tears back that were threatening to fall. His arms wrap around my torso, and I think I felt a silent sob shake his body as he shoved his face into the crook of my neck, his lips pushed into my collar bone.
I let one of my hands fall to his back, rubbing softly in circles. "Jayj, it's okay." I whisper softly, my lips hovered in front of his ear.
He loved the rooster as much as I did, it might seem dramatic but we've had it for years, we took care of it. And I think he was crying more because of the situation we are in.
He's bloody scared, he just can't show it in front of them. I rub his back more softly as I feel his body lean more into mine, needing me.
My head tilts to the side, looking over at John b and Kiara as he slowly but softly places his hand over hers that was on her thigh. As she gave him a glance from the corner of her eyes, her teary eyes.
John b was breathing heavily as I glance at Pope who had wide eyes, his gaze on the now limp dead body of the rooster.
I squeezed my eyes shut once again, hoping, bloody wishing that the men would leave.
"Ratter! What the hell are you doin'? Let's go." One of the men call out. Ratter?
My breathing cools down more once I hear footsteps fade away, then a truck engine start. I reach my other hand up, running it through JJ's hair as he squeezes my body tighter.
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I was suddenly shook awake, their hand on the side of my waist as I dug my face more into JJ's sleeping neck, letting out a low yawn. "Interrupting beauty sleep, now are we?" My voice was muffled sheepishly into his neck.
JJ groans under me.
My ears get full of bubbly laughter from Kiara and Pope, John b chuckling.
I half frown into JJ's neck, remembering what happened earlier and where I was. We are inside the twinkie, JJ asleep beside me, his arm draped over my torso, his head was laying on my backpack as a pillow, which I knew was uncomfortable. And after them men left we ran to the twinkie, hurrying out of there. JJ and I fell asleep holding each other and I guess we shifted into laying down.
I blow out a breath into his shoulder as he pulls my body closer to his loosely. "Let us sleep." JJ breathed near my ear, his voice still groggy from just waking up. His voice was grumpy, but towards them.
I hear Pope let out a chuckle. Making a smile pull at my lips.
"I mean it's obvious, right?" John b says, completely ignoring JJ. "A family heirloom. What better place to hide a message? He had to know it was going to get back to me, right?" He continued and I could hear his finger tapping the wheel rapidly.
Kiara let's out a barley noticeable sigh, "Yeah. It's possible." She confirmed, her voice not as confident.
Pope groans from behind me, "It could also be possible that you're concocting wild theories to help, you know, deal with your sad feels." He suggests. And I just know Kiara's glaring at him right now.
"Pope," John b groaned out.
"Bro, you know how I process my sad feels. Dank nugs and the stickiest of ickies... that's how I do it." JJ groggily says into my shoulder. The lies that come out of his mouth.
I hum under my breath.
"Liar." I whisper to him, only loud enough for us to hear. He chuckles, leaning his head more to the side in my neck to press a light kiss to my cheek.
My heart warms.
He comes to me whenever he has sad feelings, we always go to each other, always.
"I'm not concocting, okay?" John b exclaimed defensively, "My dads trying to send me a message." He forces out.
I curse myself under my breath making JJ tighten his arm around me.
"If it helps you believe, okay?" Kiara spoke softly, and I knew she was trying to calm him. She has been on the boys the for days to go along with him.
John b blows out a harsh breath, "Look, I— I don't need a therapy session, okay?" He bursted. "Look, I'm not trippin' out." He says.
I scrunch my eyebrows together, "It's okay to trip, B, but—"
"Look, my— my dad is missing, okay?" John b stated, interrupting me. I groan lowly.
Silence filed the air of the van, "Missing. You don't know what it's like to have the person closest to you vanish.. and then have no idea what happened. Just wake up every morning wondering." He continued, his voice slightly breaking on the end.
My heart sank, I feel my chest tighten at his words.
I do know how it feels, not having them vanish but feel like they did, feel like the Da you once had was now gone. Bloody gone. But I don't say that, I don't know his pain fully, but I understand it.
The hits.
The slaps.
The words he said.
Wishing I could do something right for him. But now I feel like I couldn't care less what he thinks, I feel like if he truly loved me, bloody me, then he wouldn't hit me, would he.
I feel my lungs tighten before I breath out a heavy breath into JJ's neck, my chest falling and rising rapidly until JJ presses his hand that was in my hair down until it reaches my heart, over my shirt.
I wrap my arms tight around his neck, not harsh.
"It's been almost a year.." Kiara whispered to him, her voice soft. My eyes flutter close as I let out a small sigh, my breathing going back to normal.
"Mm, he could've been kidnapped. That's definitely a possibility." I inquired into JJ's neck causing him to let out a chuckle, his shoulders shaking slightly.
My lips pull into the softest smile.
I had to lighten up the mood.
Pope taps my shoulder softly from behind me, "Yeah, could be in a Soviet sub getting interrogated by the KGB somewhere." Pope added along with me.
My smile widens.
JJ nodded into my neck, "Absolutely. Uh.. or Atlantis." He tells him, going along with us. I could feel his smile in my neck.
Kiara sighed heavily, "JJ, A, Pope." She warns us quietly. I smile more, glad we got off that topic. "What do you think the message is?" She asks John b.
John b takes a moment, inhaling a breath. "Redfield." He replied, his tone confident. "Redfield lighthouse. That's my dads favorite place." He tells us.
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I think this is one of my favorites that I wrote.
I hope you like this.
Comment and vote, tell me what you think.
Just so you know, if it doesn't show someone's POV at the top it means it's Aria's POV.
💋