𝐈𝐓'𝐒 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐄𝐍𝐃 | 𝐉𝐉 𝐌𝐀𝐘𝐁𝐀𝐍𝐊

𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐞

-

9 years ago..

(Ivy and JJ age 8)

Ivy and JJ were on the school's playground, like they were everyday at this hour after school waiting for their parents to pick them up.

"Oh JJ my mum's here, do you want to come back to mine?" Ivy asked getting off the swing and heading towards her car.

JJ looked at the girl guiltily, he felt bad for her mum having to take him everyday. He just wished his dad would come one of these days. "Yeah alright" he said, Ivy flashed JJ that perfect smile he'd grown to love and followed her into her mums car.

"Mum look who it is" Ivy chirped as she got into the back seat with JJ beside her.

"yes my third child, how are you JJ?" Ivy's Mum, Ruby asked the blonde boy.

"I'm great now Mrs. H. Is it ok if I come over for a bit today?"

"Its no problem JJ, you know we love you, you're always welcome"

"yeah JJ, you know we love you" Ivy said while ruffling the boys hair up . He began to swat her hands away and she hit him back. They began to play fight in the back seat with Ivy's mum asking them to stop. Eventually JJ "let' Ivy win the fight and they sat in silence until they reached her house.

When they got to Ivy's house the two kids rushed out of the car and into Ivy's bedroom. JJ pulled out Ivy's guitar and starting playing the song he made up.

"you know you sound really bad right" Ivy said from her bed. "it's not even a real song JJ"

"is too, your just jealous I can play better then you"

Ivy crossed her arms at the boy and shook her head. "am not"

"are too" JJ mocked

"oh shut it Maybank" Ivy said pointing her tongue out at the boy. He gave a triumphant smile and continued playing.

The two would always spend hours in Ivy's room playing games, talking and teasing each other. JJ hoped it would be like this forever. This was always his favorite part of his day, just him and Ivy. Sometimes even John B would come but secretly JJ preferred Ivy to himself.

"Ivy" he said in a serious voice "can we promise each other something?"

The girl looked at him confused and was planning on making a joke until she saw how serious his face looked. "sure J, what's the promise?" She said looking into his eyes, the eyes she loved so much.

"Promise me, it'll be like this forever, everyday for the rest of our lives, just us goofing around in your room. Ivy promise me" JJ was unsure why he wanted this forever, he just knew he did.

"JJ Maybank" she said with a hand on her heart. "I, Ivy Hutton promise that everyday till the day we die will be exactly like this, in my room for hours, laughing at your stupid jokes and full of snacks from the locked cupboard my mother doesn't know I know the code to, I promise you J, everyday for the rest of our life's" she took her hand off her heart and placed it on his. "now enough of the sappy stuff can we like watch a movie or something"

"yeah alright, what do we have to choose from"

Ivy thought for a moment "ok wait here, Mum got this movie called grown ups, she's been watching it all week because it reminds her of when she was happy or something, anyway let me go get it" Ivy quickly dashed out the room leaving JJ there alone.

Ivy's room has one black wall and the rest were a baby clue color, the left wall was covered in photos of her family, her pet dog sprinkles and her friends, majority - if not all - containing JJ. JJ blushed at how much he knew Ivy cared about him, letting him stay over for days on end because of his home life. Due to his age JJ was often scared to go home, his dad was always up to some sketchy stuff JJ didn't understand and when he asked his dad about it, it never ended well for JJ or his dad's hand. JJ knew himself that Ivy's family wasn't perfect, he knew what her dad was like but he was never home so he was never worried about running into him. The one time he did though it was a small encounter and to this day JJ swears he heard a slap after he stepped out Ivy's front door. Ever since then JJ took it upon himself to protect Ivy, he didn't want her going through the same stuff he was, it wasn't fair.