JJ had his back pressed against the wall of the metal crate, his eyes closed as his hat covered his face. The boat had just taken off, they were stuck in a metal crate, and he still didn't have June. Things weren't looking too hot.
He felt the urge to cry suddenly, his chest aching as he thought of June, the girl who was probably going through some strange and unspeakable terrors right now. He wondered what Rafe had done to her, or if he would be too late. Another daunting thought nagged at him, but he pushed it away.
He just wanted his girl back. JJ started thinking about the March girl, her perfect features and her big loving heart. He thought about the way that she could feel so deeply and never say anything, the way that she could hold so much in, just like him. They had that in common.
He found himself wondering how he had ever lived before her, wondering how he had ever even breathed without her, given the fact that now she was the only reason why he did. He was unsure when the exact moment he had fallen in love with her was. He wished he knew. He wished he could tell her the exact time that his heart began to beat for her, that his soul screamed for her attention and touch. He wished he could pinpoint the moment down to the very second that she had flipped that switch in his body, that she had taken over him.
It was easy to recount their memories, JJ remembering their nights under the stars at the Chateau, their time spent with good friends, their fights, their breakup, the first time that she had told him that she loved him. That had been the best and worst day of his life, knowing that she loved him and then losing her. He realized it had been way too long since he kissed her, and if he saw her again, it would be the first thing he did.
John B seemed to notice the expression change on JJs face, the brunette boy reaching over and tapping his knee.
"You okay?" John B asked, his eyebrows furrowing as he looked at his best friend. John B was terrified for Sarah, he wanted to get her back, and he was scared for June, he wanted her back as well. JJ nodded, the boy sniffling as he turned his hat around.
"Yeah I'm jus-I'm great. My girlfriend is doing God knows what right now. Yeah I'm great." JJ said sarcastically, John B noticing how worried he looked.
"We're on our way to get her right now. I'm sure she's fine. Don't worry."
"They drugged her John B. You saw it. They drugged her and pulled her on here. I don't- this is my fault man." JJ said, the boy fidgeting with the front of his hat as he tried to not start freaking out again. He could feel his anxiety and worry starting to bubble, getting worse every second that he didn't have his eyes on her.
"It's not your fault JJ. June was the one who wanted to stay. Rafe kidnapped her, she can't help that." John B tried to reason with him, the boy knowing the signs that JJ was about to have an outburst. It was one of the last things they needed right now. Unfortunately it was too late, JJ running a hand over his face as he let out a huff.
"No but I could help it!" He said, his voice loud as he spoke. Pope and Kie now turned their attention to him, Kie realizing that he was talking about June. "I just keep...I keep making the wrong decision with her. She wanted to wait for you on the tarmac and I let her. She wanted to leave with you and escape and I let her. She wanted to stay and watch the cross and I let her. I keep making the wrong decision. I cant- I can't lose her again. She's all I got. She's the only good thing I got going for me anymore."
"Don't say that. You got us JJ. You go-" Kie started, but JJ was quick to shut her down, the girl recoiling from where she had been reaching out for him.
"No Kie! I've lived my whole life being shit on, and now I've got somebody who looks at me like I'm not such a fuck up. Like I can have a future. Like I'm not gonna just be a copy of my dad. I can't lose her again. Not this time. I fuck up everything in my life, I get everything taken away, but not this time. I won't let it happen." JJ said, pushing himself up from his sitting position. John B and Pope shared a look, the two boys realizing just how much she truly meant to him. How much he loved her.
"We're gonna get her back. June and Sarah . We're gonna get them. And we're gonna get that cross JJ. But right now we need to figure out a plan." Pope said, looking at the blonde boy. JJ nodded, sitting back down as they all settled back into silence. They stayed like that for a few minutes before John B broke the silence, his words directed towards JJ.
"You know...when I thought she died, when she drowned...I felt like I failed you. Something about her man—" John B furrowed his eyebrows, JJ nodding as he spoke. John B felt his heart warm as he thought of June, a smile fighting its way into his lips as he spoke. "—something about her."
"She stood up to my dad John B. She told him that I was twice the man he would ever be. She's...she's the one. I know it. That's why I can't lose her." JJ said, his eyes closing as he remembered how warm he had felt when she had said that about him. "You know the girls I've dated before. She's—"
"She's different. Yeah I know buddy. It's gonna be alright. I know you love her. Trust me. Who doesn't?" John B said, a small chuckle falling from his lips as the two boys talked about a girl they adored.
"And-and it's always Rafe man. After all that shit we were doing good...it just had to be Rafe." JJ said, looking down at his hand as he ran his thumb over his palm. His eyes fell on the bracelet that he had stolen from her room when he thought she was still dead, a small smile coming onto his lips as he fiddled with the string.
"That night...the night that she told you the truth, she called me. When Rafe left she called me. She felt so bad— she went on and on about how you were too good for her. She thinks so highly of you JJ. You don't even know. She was crying because she felt like she didn't deserve your love." JJ looked at John B in disbelief, feeling as if it was crazy that she would think that he was too good for her. He felt his stomach turn as he thought of her, a small smile fighting its way into his lips as he looked at John B. He leaned his head back, joining John B where he had his own head resting. JJ turned to look at John B, the Routledge boy closing his eyes as he listened to his best friend speak.
"She asked me to marry her." JJ chuckled, John B peeking one eye open at him as he said it, a smile coming across his lips as he looked at the smiley and smitten JJ. He had never seen JJ feel or act this way about any girl, John B figured that was why he liked June so much. She made JJ happy.
"Ah so we have two husbands on this boat right now. Wow. Can you guys ever have an original thought? I know me and Sarah are goals and all but jeez—you guys are copycats." John B joked, JJ chuckling again. It was then that he looked back down at his hands, his eyebrows furrowing as his smile dropped.
"I said no." JJ said, feeling regret about what he had done. He knew that in the moment it had been a joke, but now that he had lost her once again he was reminded of just how much he didn't want to ever lose her again. He wanted to love her forever, he wanted to be with her forever. "I should've said yes."
John B opened his eyes again, looking over at his best friend who was worried sick and hurting, the boy grabbing JJs shoulder.
"Hey...when we get her back you can tell her all these things. You can get married if you want. Hell—we'll even have a ceremony. Maybe a double wedding considering me and Sarah never got to have one." John B said, elbowing JJ as the blonde boy nodded, sniffling as he accepted John Bs words.
"I'm just worried."
"I know buddy. But we didn't come this far to get this far." John B said, reassuring JJ. The blonde nodded, finally feeling a bit better. He wanted to believe that all would be well, that their plan would go off without a hitch and that they'd get the cross, June, and Sarah. But JJ knew who he was, and he knew who his friends were, and he was well aware that things never went to plan.
