Chasing Sunshine | JJ Maybank

30 // Parcel Nine

"Ouch!"

At some point, Kie and I had flipped onto our stomachs, letting the rays of sun soak into any patches of exposed skin. I was rather comfortable until a small plastic bag of potato chips the back of my head. My eyes flew open and I twisted to look over my shoulder where Pope and JJ were strolling back down to us, the latter with an innocent-enough looking grin and a finger pointed accusingly to the boy next to him. I rolled my eyes and sat up, retrieving the chips from the deck and pulling it open.

"What's up chicas?"JJ greeted as they approached, reaching his fingers towards my food. I promptly smacked his hand  and he scrunched up his nose with a childish look of hurt.

Kie sat up as well, taking the trail mix Pope offered nicely with an outstretched hand and replied, "What took you guys so long?"

"JJ almost got caught stealing a six-pack," Pope answered, flashing him an irritated glare.

JJ merely waved us off and responded through a mouthful of chips, "Good thing Pope's such a good distraction."

My eyebrows raised when I looked back to Pope but he just sighed and shrugged his shoulders in defeat. I bit back a smirk, trying to emphasize my disapproval, but internally thinking how adorable it was when he tossed morals to the side when it came to the four of us.

"That was stupid," Kie commented dryly, "You're only out on bail so let's not push it with the criminal activity please."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," JJ brushed her off, standing up and offering her a hand, "Do you want one or not?"

She lifted the bottle from her side and, upon seeing the minimal traces of liquid circle around on the bottom, shrugged and wiped the dirt from her butt, taking his hand and following him back to the house. JJ twisted to walk backwards a couple steps, pointing at Pope and I in turn with a questioning expression. When both of us shook our heads, he jogged to catch up with Kie which left the two of us alone.

Pope briefly looked over his shoulder at their retreating figures. "How is she?"

I glanced behind me as well, watching the two of them laughing probably at some dumb, distracting joke that JJ just told. "Not great, but she'll be all right," I answered, turning back around and popping the last potato chip in my mouth before licking the salt from my fingertips. His dark inquisitive eyes stared me down for a minute before returning with a follow-up question.

"And you?"

A loaded question that could only be answered with a loaded reply. A lot of things were floating around my brain these days: DCS, my brother, murders-at-sea, newly discovered feelings for persons unnamed. But it had all begun to blend together, a distant hum at the back of my mind. I didn't feel like explaining all of this so I went the deflection route. "What's with the interview Dr. Phil?" I responded sarcastically, taking a long swig of soda.

He rolled his eyes, unperturbed by my normal defenses. "Well you've seemed better as of late," he commented.

My brow knit together. "I'm not sure how I'm supposed to take that."

"It's not a bad thing. You don't seem as stressed as you have been the past few days," he vaguely explained. I shrugged, going back to staring out over the marshlands. The corners of his mouth tilted upwards in a small hint of a smirk a few seconds later and he casually adjusted the ball cap on his head, adding at a mumble, "Amazing what a good night's sleep will do."

"Pope!" I exclaimed in exasperation after he erupted into a fit of laughter in response to my glaring expression. "Would you stop with that, it wasn't a big deal!"