Thalassophile // JJ Maybank

Chapter 45

A loud plane whirs over head, causing my heart to drop. Whatever John B's half ass plan was, it clearly didn't go completely as planned. I sigh in defeat as I step out from under the junk shed. The plane flies directly over us, heading away from Outer Banks.

"There goes the gold." Pope retorts. He whirls around, his hands raise into the air. "Shit!"

JJ kicks a chair angrily, sending white pieces of plastic flying as it snaps.

"Fuck!" Pope drawls loudly.

"Pope!" Kiara shouts over him.

"God damn it!" Pope continues. He finds a steel pipe and uses it to smash the junk around the cover. He screams in frustration as he slams the pipe down.

"Pope!" Kiara tries again.

The boy grabs a metal garbage can, throwing it at an old wicker bench that was in the shed. The boy hyperventilates as he sits down on the bench. Soft sobs begin to release from his lips. An empty silence fills the air.

"Yeah, dude." JJ speaks up. "I was wondering when this was gonna happen." He approaches the other boy slowly, holding out his vape pen to Pope. "Here you go, chief. A little weed never hurt no one."

"JJ, that's not necessary." I warn.

"Relax, princess." JJ tells me.

"You know he doesn't smoke." Kiara adds.

Pope takes the vape out of the blonds hand. "Well, maybe not until today." JJ sits down next to his friend.

"Pope." Kiara says. "Yeah, what is that gonna help?"

"I lost my scholarship. Walked out in the middle of the interview. Every—" The boy's voice cracks. "It's gone. It's not gonna happen."

"You did that for us?" Kiara asks sadly.

"No, not for us. For nothing." Pope snaps as he stands up to face Kiara.

JJ grabs onto the boy's shoulders. "I'm here for you, Pope. Welcome to my world, okay?"

"JJ—"

"What, Kie? He's right." JJ snaps this time. "It doesn't matter anymore."

Pope leans against a column that came down from the tin roof. He lifts the vape up to his lips.

"You don't have to do that." Kiara announces.

Pope blows a puff of smoke out, looking over at the girl. "What do you care?"

"Come on, Pope. Cut her some sla—" My voice trails off when I see a familiar brunet round the corner. "John B."

Kiara and JJ whips around, looking at the boy. I rush toward the boy, the Pogues in tow.

"Dude! Dude, you good?" JJ questions.

I pause in front of the boy. I grab his hands lifting them up so I could look at them. "John B... Who's blood is this?" I ask hesitant.

"Is it yours?" JJ asks.

"John B." Kiara tries to get his attention.

"John B, are you okay?" Pope tries.

A loud siren interrupts our conversation. A whirs loudly as a police car whips around a corner.

"Shit." JJ grabs my waist, pulling me behind a pile of stuff that could hide us. The other Pogues dive down next to us, concealing themselves. The car takes off down the road, past us, before turning toward the airstrip.

I stand up quickly, my hands running through my hair nervously.

"What the hell is going on, John B?" I demand. He stays quiet as he stares up at me. "What happened?"

"R-Rafe sh—"

"What, John B? What happen?"

"Rafe showed up." John B finally says.

"Then what? John B, come on." I squat in front of him, making myself eye level. "You can talk to me."

"He shot her."

My eyes widen nervously. "Who?"

"Peterkin."

"Oh my god." I whisper out.

"I wanted to stay with her but... She told me to run. Sarah is still with Ward." Tears were brimming in the boys eyes.

"John B..." My voice trails. "I'm so sorry. I know she helped you."

"You're not hurt?" Kiara confirms. The boy shakes his head, confirming he got out unscathed.

"Guys, we gotta get out of here." JJ announces.

"We can't leave yet." I inform the blond. "The van is still on the tarmac and they're all still there. Another cop just drove by. Anybody could still see us."

"She's right." Kiara agrees. "We have to wait here for a bit."

"All right." Pope says, sitting back on the wicker bench. The other boys move to sit next him.

"Hey, Franklin.." Kiara looks over at me. We still stood a few feet over from the boys.

I look over at her. "Yeah?"

"I'm sorry." Kiara tells me. "I'm sorry for being a bitch to you."

"Oh." I say slightly shocked.

"I'm sorry that I tried to get between you and JJ. And for never letting you feel like you fit in with us. I know you're here for all of us, you s as least have been. And most of all, I know you're good for JJ. He really likes you, and I know you care about him.

"Thanks, Kiara." I say sincerely.

"Kie is fine. That's what my friends call me." A smile breaks across my face.