THE POGUE CODE ❤︎ JJ MAYBANK

Chapter Nine

JJ ended up delivering groceries with Pope after he left Mackenzie. When Pope sunk Topper's boat, JJ felt as if he could maybe use that to feel somewhat better about what happened. Then when he and Pope met up with John B and Kiara to surf, he really hoped the red-haired girl would be there so he could apologize. But she wasn't.

She didn't show up to surf with them even though they had all talked about it yesterday and she had said she would be there. Even though she was taking Ella to the beach, she wouldn't have missed surfing with her friends.

As the four got back to the chateau, hanging out on the porch, Kiara finally asked. "Okay, what the hell is going on now? What did you do?" she questioned the blonde boy, "what are you talking about?" the dark-haired girl rolled her eyes, "Mackenzie. What did you do? Why didn't she show up for surfing?"

"Well she said she was taking her sister to the beach, why do you think JJ did something?" Pope wondered, "tell me a single time you can remember Zie missing surfing no matter what she was doing that day." Kiara said, waiting for an answer. "Guys Mackenzie left her huge family gathering with family she hadn't seen in years so she could make it to surfing with us on time because that's how much she loves to surf."

John B thought for a moment before looking at JJ, "what did you do?" The blonde stood up, moving to look out toward the dock. "We had a bit of a fight," he said quietly. "About?" Pope questioned him. "Something really stupid and I just... I said something I really didn't mean." JJ sighed sadly. "If it was just a fight why are you so upset? You've had fights with all of us before." Kiara mentions, "because I love her! I fucking love her, Kie. I... fuck I really messed up." he ran his hand through his hair in stress.

"What do you mean you love her? You haven't even been in a relationship before, you've only ever just hooked up with random Tourons week after week." Kiara chuckled lowly, having no idea how much that offended JJ. She didn't mean it in a rude way, it just kind of came out that way. "I've never been in a relationship because I've never wanted to be with anyone but her. Kiara, I have been in love with Mackenzie since the seventh fucking grade."

"Look I... I always thought that love was just this thing idiots thought they felt. But Mackenzie... she has this hold on my heart that I couldn't break if I wanted to." he expressed, "and trust me, there have been times where I wanted to. I have tried, but I can't, okay? I can't. It's been overwhelming and insane and even painful at times. But I... fuck I couldn't stop loving her any more than I could stop breathing. I am hopelessly in love with her, more than she could ever know and I just fucked it all up by being a total idiot!" JJ vented.

The other three were taken aback by JJ's outburst. They all knew he obviously had feelings for her, especially John B, but they had no idea he felt like this. "JJ you gotta talk to her, right now. If you said shit and hurt her, you gotta fix it now!" Kiara advised the blonde, "I can't, not now. I can't tell her, she'll just turn me away. I can't." JJ shook his head.

"Well, you gotta fix it now. Cause she's a part of this and I'm not looking for the Royal Merchant wreck tomorrow without her. So fix it." the dark-haired female ordered him sternly. "Okay, I'll fix it." JJ sighed, watching as John B grabbed the keys to the van and they all piled in. "Y-you guys don't have to come with me you know." JJ bit his lip, "bullshit, we're all going to make sure she's okay." Pope said.

As they pulled up to the Henderson house on Figure Eight and knocked on the front door, Kasen was the one to open up. Not exactly who JJ wanted but he was glad it wasn't Ryan at least. "Hey man, uh... I-I really need to talk to Mackenzie." the blonde boy spoke nervously. Kasen looked inside the house before stepping out and shutting the door behind him. "Do you know anything? She came home really upset." he started to tell, making JJ feel even worse.