An hour or so later, it was already dark and nothing had happend yet. Isla was tiredly resting against JJ's leg while watching the pretty boring movie.
"JJ."
Pope whispered.
"What?"
"Gotta take a piss."
Pope confessed.
"Omygod Pope no, hold it."
Isla hissed annoyed.
"I can't hold it, I drank too much soda."
Pope replied, wiggling in his seat.
"Well then pee your fucking pants, you're not going there."
Isla said sternly, noticing the Kooks guarding the bathrooms.
"She's right, it's too exposed, they'll totally see us."
JJ said agreeing with Isla.
"I gotta go."
Pope whined and turned around, looking at Topper and his friends.
"They're blocking the bathrooms."
"Come here, I know where."
JJ said as he pushed Isla away gently, wanting to stand up, but she pulled him back down right away.
"Don't."
She told him, worry filling her eyes.
"Isla, I really need to go."
Pope pleaded.
"Are you a baby? Just hold it okay? It's too dangerous."
Isla argued.
"Isla, we'll be fine, I promise."
JJ told the girl, looking down at her.
"No, no promises, I'm not letting you."
She begged, worried about what will happen.
"Isla-"
JJ began.
"No, No Isla! You wanted to keep me save right? Well then stay with me"
She looked at JJ. His face softened and looked at Pope with doubt.
"I'm sorry, just, even if you see them following us, don't come alright. Stay here."
JJ told her and stoop up anyway, she looked at him angrily, but agreed on this as the two of them walked away.
"Hey, where are y'all going?"
Kiara asked, noticing her friends walking off.
"We gotta wring it out."
JJ explained.
"You gonna hold it for each other?"
Kie asked, making Isla laugh quietly while the boys walked away.
"I, What's going on?"
Kiara whispered to her best friend when the boys were gone.
"Well, the pogues versus kooks war is getting serious right now, that's all I can say."
Isla confessed, not wanting to lie to Kiara.
"Shit."
Kie sighed.
"Yeah, just keep your eye out on Topper and his troop."
Isla told her.
"Will do."
Kiara sighed and focused back on the film. Isla looked around and spotted Topper and the others were walking towards where JJ and Pogue were standing. She wanted to get after them but she promised JJ she'd stay seated. So that's what she did.
"Hey Isla, they're following them."
Kiara whispered to the girl who nodded.
"I know, we just gotta stay here okay?"
Isla told her, earning a nod.
Anxiety filled Isla's body while she tried to focuss on the movie. She had no idea what was happening but it couldn't be anything good.
She tapped her legs nervously as she looked around, hoping to see JJ's face appear from somewhere, but it didn't.
He was probably behind that curtain getting beat up, and the tought of that made her feel sick.
Isla looked next to her to notice JJ didn't bring his bag, meaning he didn't have the gun. Isla sighed deeply trying to remain calm, but she couldn't, she couldn't stay calm knowing her friends are fighting out there and she couldn't do anything.
"Kie"
She whispered to the girl, who turned her head around.
"I think we should go check on them."
Isla suggested.
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, it's been a while, we should help them."
She said with a hint of fear in her voice.
"Yeah, alright, let's go."
Kie nodded and stood up. Isla got up as well and grabbed JJ's bag, just to be sure.
Kiara and Isla hurried trough all of the people and made their way to behind the movie screen.
Isla gasped at what she saw was happening in front of her. Topper was beating up Pope as the others were punching JJ over and over again.
Isla felt shivers all over my body seeing him like this.
Kiara ran towards Pope, telling Topper to let go, but he obviously didn't listen. So she punched him with JJ's bag.
Without thinking Isla ran towards JJ, pushing Rafe off of him.
"Rafe let go!"
She screamed and kicked him in the knee caps.
But soon she figured that these boys were way to strong for her to fight.
Isla looked at JJ's face, wich was all beaten up, feeling the tears form into her eyes.
Isla ran away quickly and searched for JJ's bag, doing the one thing she told herself not to. Grabbing the gun.
She went trough the backpack trying to find the gun, but then found something even better. She quickly grabbed the lighter from JJ's bag and ran over to the big screen, lighting it on fire, distracting the boys who were previously fighting.
Topper threw Pope on the ground.
"Kelce let go of him!"
Isla cried at the boy that was holding onto a bruised JJ.
He did as she told him to, letting go of JJ and leaving with the other Kooks.
Isla ran towards JJ and grabbed his face tightly into her palms.
"JJ!"
She yelled looking at him. His face was all bruised and he looked horrible.
"JJ."
She said again, tears streaming down her cheecks.
"I'm fine, I'm fine."
He coughed making the girl sigh in relief as she hugged him tight.
"You scared the shit out of me."
Isla said into his neck.
JJ placed his one hand on the back of her head as the other pulled her close to him.
"Let's get out of here."
He said making her nod.
Isla held him close to her as they carefully made their way out of the park, following behind Kie and Pope.
Kiara decided it was the best if she made sure Pope got home savely leaving Isla to take care of JJ.
She insisted him to stay over at her house, since she needed to take care of his wounds and bruises. And also because she couldn't let him go after what just happend.
"Ow! Fuck!"
JJ flinched as Isla rubbed alcohol into his wound.
"Sit still!"
She hissed, continuing to rub the wounds across his face.
"Isla I'm fine alright, it's nothing that never happend before."
JJ noticed her worry, wanting her to calm down, but she shook her head.
"I don't care JJ, it's the least I could do."
Isla said, studying the cut in his face. He looked back at her and studied her face, his eyes trailing from her nose, to her lips, to her eyes, when suddenly he noticed something unfamiliar.
"What's that?"
JJ asked, pointing at a small scratch on her eyebrow.
"It's nothing."
Isla shrugged, not even aware of the cut.
"Rafe just punched me when I tried to help you, it's not a big deal."
She explained, continuing to take care of the wounds on JJ's face.
"He punched you?! Isla I told you to stay at our seats."
JJ said angrily, not liking the idea of her getting hurt.
"And let you die? I didn't think so, Did you see how Topper was strangling Pope? He was going to kill him!"
Isla argued, not regretting a single thing she did that night.
JJ shrugged and looked at her carefully as shd got closer to his face to study a scratch.
"You're probably right, I'm sorry."
JJ said looking down.
"It's fine JJ, just promise me you'll be more careful alright? I can't see you like this."
Isla said honestly, looking into his eyes.
JJ looked at scratch on her face again before shaking his head annoyed.
"I'm gonna kill that son of a bitch."
He mutterd.
"JJ calm down, It's just a scratch. "
Isla said, trying to calm the boy with anger issues down.
"It doesn't matter Isla, he hurt you, he should pay for that."
JJ said angrily.
"J, look at yourself, this little scratch is nothing compared to what your face looks like."
Isla sighed, she just wanted to heal the wounds on his face.
"Just let me clean it up for you alright, it'll get infected."
JJ said, making Isla roll her eyes.
"Alright."
She sighed. Finishing up the bandaids on his face.
"Sit down"
He ordered, pointing to the counter in the little bathroom. Isla did as he told her and sat down on the counter, JJ standing between her legs.
He grabbed the first aid kit from the toilet seat, that he was previously sitting on when Isla helped him out.
JJ carefully rubbed some alcohol against the scratch, making the girl flinch slightly.
"You good?"
He asked, stopping the rubbing for a while. Isla just nodded, letting him continue.
When JJ stood in front of her, Isla couldn't help but look at him, his face filled with scratched and bruises, she hated seeing him like this. She hated seeing him hurt.
"All done."
He smiled, closing the first aid kid and looking back at the brunette girl. She stared into his eyes while he did the same to her , leaving butterflies in her stomach.
"Thank you."
Isla smiled slightly, not breaking the eye contact. JJ just nods as he brings his face closer to hers, making her feel his breath against her lips.
They still didn't break eye contact as he got closer and closer. And before She realised, he placed his lips on hers.
His soft lips were gently moving against hers as she kissed him back. Feeling the heat of their bodies close to each other.
He slowly placed his right hand on her cheek while the other was placed on her hip. Isla had her hands wrapped around his neck, not breaking the kiss.
The kiss felt good, really good, but they both knew it was wrong. So Isla gently pushed him away, looking him in his eyes.
"JJ."
She breathed out, her eyes meeting his.
"I know."
He said, backing away from her in disappointment.
"I'm sorry."
He said, running his hands trough his hair.
"JJ, don't be sorry. I liked it, I did but-"
Isla said and took a deep breath.
"No pogue on pogue macking, remember?"
Hurt filled her voice when the sentence left her lips.
"I hate that stupid rule."
JJ sighed as he left the bathroom. Leaving her alone, still sitting on the counter, confused at what had happend.
Isla walked out of the bathroom as well, and headed to her bedroom, where JJ was sitting on the edge of her bed with his face covered behind his hands.
"I hate this Isla."
He looked up at her, hurt visible on his face.
"What do you mean?"
Isla asked confused while she walked over and took a seat next to him.
"I hate how this just happend and that we're going full amnesia now, pretending like it never happend."
JJ explained, knowing he didn't regret one thing about what happened.
"I know J, but we can't do this alright. We can't."
Isla explained, tears forming in the corner of her eyes.
"Isla if this is about that stupid rule I-"
JJ said making the girl interrupt him.
"Yes JJ, it's about the rule, we can't do this to our friends."
Isla sighed, she hated the rule, she really did, but she cared about her friends.
"Isla, we're 16 year olds who drink beer every single day, smoke a hell lot of weed, and spend our days trying to find some hidden gold. We don't give a fuck about rules."
JJ said looking at her with a hurt expression on his face.
"I know, and I wish we could do this differently but think about it JJ, we would never work out."
Isla confessed, feeling as if someone ripped her heart straight out of her chest.
"And why not? Why wouldn't we work out Isla?"
JJ asked seriously, starting to get pissed off.
"I like you Isla, I do, I really fucking do. And I used to hate myself for it, but I can't anymore I, I can't hide it anymore."
JJ confesed. Making the girl's heartbeat stop for a while as she answered.
"JJ, I get that you might think that, and I understand, but you don't like me alright? You like my body, which is okay, but you don't like me, and I can't let my heart get broken like that. I can't tell myself you like me the way I like you, because I know it's not true."
Isla confessed with tears now running from her eyes, landing on her cheeks. It was pretty hard for her to confess but it was for the best. Even though it hurts like hell.
"Do you remember the first time we met?"
JJ spoke suddenly.
Isla nodded at his quiestion while blinking away her tears.
"That day, I told John B I tought you were hot, so he made Kie invite you to have a beer, just so I could go off and let you go."
He said, making her feel slightly uncomfortable with this new information.
"But as soon as you started to talk to us, I realized you were different, you weren't just another teenage girl. You were Isla. Since that day I couldn't stop thinking of you, I wanted to get to know every little thing about you, and I still do because you're fucking awesome Isla, and I used to hate it so much, I told myself I just liked your body, that you were just hot, but I like very single thing about you Isla, and I can's hide it anymore. I can't keep acting like I don't care, because I do. And seeing you get hurt is the worst thing to ever happen to ne. And yes, you're incredibly hot, but it's not just that, it's everything Isla. It's fucking everything."
JJ confessed, tears leaving his eyes. In the few years Isla knew JJ, she's never heard him be this honest to her.
She just looked at him with a shocked expression.
"I like you too JJ I really do, but the rule-"
Isla started as JJ cut her off.
"Fuck that Rule Isla, we're rule breakers anyway alright?"
"I know, but I don't know if I can do this."
She said honestly.
"We can take it slow okay? We don't have to hurry, but I can't be just your friend any longer, I really can't."
JJ said as he wiped her tears away with his thumb, hating to see her like this.
Isla nodded at him with a small smile.
"Okay, babysteps."
She said and looked him in the eyes.
"Babysteps."
JJ repeated and he hugged her tight, glad to finally get this off his chest.
The next morning Kie, JJ and Isla were helping Pope out in his dad's store as they were talking about the events from the night before.
"Don't let them get in your head bro, there's three of them and two of us, that's some typical kook shit right there."
JJ told Pope.
"Hell yeah."
Kiara agreed.
"What was your thought process, using your head?"
JJ asked.
"I don't know man, I just kinda acted off instinct alright, I was a cornered animal."
Pope replied.
"Hey Pope, there's someone here to see you."
Pope's dad, Heyward said as the police deputy stepped inside of the store.
"Evening officer."
Pope said, trying to remain calm, even though he was freaking out on the inside.
"I have an arrest warrant for felony of destruction of property, keep your hands on the counter where I can see them."
The officer said as he walked to Pope and handcuffed him.
"Woah woah, what did he do?"
Heyward argued.
"Look at the warrant."
The officer replied simply.
Isla looked next to her to see JJ was stressing out, not knowing what to do with this.
Everyone started to talk trough each other while Isla just looked at Pope in shock, the poor guy was assualted multiple times and he still gets arrested? Isla was for real about to kill these fucking kooks.
The deputy walked Pope to the police car and everyone followed them in protest.
Pope was about to get into the car when Isla looked at JJ.
"It wasn't him!"
JJ yelled, the girl next to him started to stress out, knowing fully well what JJ was about to do.
"JJ, you don't have to do this."
Isla whispered to him while she held his hand.
JJ gave her an apologetic nod as he shrugged her hand off of his.
"It was me, he tried to talk me out of it, but I was mad because he'd had just been beaten up. I was so sick of this assholes from figure eight that I lost my shit. I can't let you take the blame for something I did. You got too much to lose."
JJ said, walking towards the police car and looking Pope.
"JJ what are you doing?"
Pope asked, while Isla wondered the exact same thing.
"I'm telling the truth, for once in my goddamn live, I'm telling the truth."
JJ replied, while looking at Isla. She wasn't sure why but she didn't think he was talking about the arrest anymore with that last sentence. She just nodded at him and gave him a reassuring smile.
"I took his old man's boat too."
JJ added.
"Jj come on."
Pope begged, he didn't want his friend to take the blame for something he did.
"Just shut up Pope! Just shut up."
He said with tears in his eyes.
"JJ"
Isla said making him look at her, he gave her a stern nod with a soft look in his eyes.
"He'a a good kid. You know where I'm from."
JJ said as he nodded to Pope.
"This was all me."
"That's the whole truth?"
The officer asked.
"Whole truth swear to god."
"I know what you think damnit, I'm asking Pope."
The officer said rudely, making Isla scoff at his rude behavior. Pope hesitated before anwering.
"Yeah, that about covers it."
The officer nodded before handcuffing JJ. He looked at Isla one more time as he licked his lips. The girl gave him a concerned look back but he just winked at her and got inside of the car.
Isla watched the car drive off and looked at Pope, who threw his hat on the ground out of anger. She then turned to Kie who gave her a soft smile. Isla returned one and walked away. She was in desperate need for weed.