THE POGUE CODE ❤︎ JJ MAYBANK

Chapter Six

"You know I can't believe you still wear that bracelet." Mackenzie giggled softly as she and JJ sat on their surfboards out in the water. "Why? I haven't taken it off." JJ grins, "yeah and it shocks me sometimes cause I made that in the eighth grade." the blonde gently bit his lip while thinking back on when Mackenzie gave him the string bracelet.

Eighth grade was a year after Mackenzie had switched to Kildare County and became friends with the Pogues. JJ had commented on the many bracelets she wore on her wrist, which Mackenzie told him that she made. The blonde's eyes had widened and lit up with intrigue.

"You made them?" A thirteen-year-old JJ queried followed by a light giggle from the girl, "yeah! It's really fun. I can make you one if you want." The still twelve-year-old Mackenzie smiled. The next day, she came to school with an extra bracelet. She gave it to JJ with a happy grin and the blonde swore to himself he would never remove it from his wrist.

JJ was snapped from his memories as he felt water splashed on him. "Hey!" he scoffs playfully, splashing the red-haired girl back. "Come on, Pope should be done working by now." Mackenzie smiles. "Okay well, what if I want to hang out with just you?" the blonde shrugs. "Why?"

"Cause you're my best friend, Zie, that's why," JJ states as if it was incredibly obvious. "I thought John B was your best friend." Mackenzie wondered, knitting her brows together. "John B's like my brother, you're my best friend."

"Your best friend who you've slept with several times now." Mackenzie commented, "Hey I'm not complaining." JJ chuckled, observing as the girl just cracked a small smile. "Zie... if you want to stop, just tell me. I-I don't want to be like.. pressuring you or anything."

Mackenzie chewed on her lower lip, going through thoughts in her mind. "Okay Zie what's going on? I know something's wrong please just talk to me." JJ begged her, "alright, fine. But just... promise me you won't think of me differently okay?"

"Come on of course not. Zie, there's nothing you could tell me that would make me think any different of you." JJ reassured her. "Okay so... back when I was still at the Kook Academy, I was best friends with Sarah Cameron." Mackenzie began to explain. She told JJ the majority of the story, leaving out parts she got too nervous to talk about.

Even without the full story, JJ was furious, hating Kooks even more so than he already did. "Rafe spread rumours about me to the entire school. Basically, every Kook on the island has heard what he said about me, even my family." Mackenzie sniffed. "JJ please just... promise me that if Rafe tells you something about me just... promise you won't believe him."

JJ reached over to wipe the tear escaping the redhead's eye, "I promise, princess I won't believe a word he says about you." JJ said. "Come on, let's go meet up with Pope okay?" Mackenzie nodded, beginning to paddle back to shore.

As they got back in the van, JJ asked another question. "Hey does Kie know?" the red-haired girl shook her head, "not the whole story. She knows that Rafe spread rumours but she doesn't know everything."

"Mainly because it hurts too much to tell all of it. There are some parts that I... I can't say them." JJ reached over and held her hand, driving the van back to the chateau before getting on JJ's bike and heading back to Heyward's Seafood to see Pope.

The three friends hung out and talked for almost an hour before John B pulled up in his van, honking the horn. "Let's ride." JJ blew smoke from his mouth as they walked toward the van. "This better be good."

JJ and Pope occupied themselves in a conversation about what the best movie made is. "No are you kidding? It's obviously Men In Black." Pope stated, "okay yeah right, what about Insidious. Horror man, that's the way to go." the blonde disagreed. "You guys are both wrong okay. The best movie made is hands down Stand By Me. It's got humour, it's got some action and adventure. It's just a movie about friends looking for a body in the woods. Best movie ever." Mackenzie declared. "And if not Stand By Me, then IT, the 2017 edition not the 1990 mini-series."