𝐅𝐀𝐓𝐄 | JJ MAYBANK

X. anxiety.

      ━━━━━━。゜✿ฺ✿ฺ゜。━━━━━━

John B and Kiara ran to the window pinching the blinds open. "Is that them?" She asked in a panic. I backed up from the window and I could feel my heart start to beat violently against my chest.

"I knew it was a bad idea. I told you John B! I told you!"  JJ sputtered. John B suddenly grabs JJs flannel and slams him against the filing cabinet. "Hey! Pull yourself together! Where's the gun?"

"g-gun?" JJ stammered, Awakening from my haze of anxiety, I stalked towards John shoving my brother off of JJ. "You can't talk to him like that!" I exclaim. JJ looked me in the eyes for a brief second.  "JJ," I whispered much softer.

"mhm?" He hummed, "where's the gun?" I repeat. He looked down at me, and I could feel his heartbeat slow down under my palm. "ehm— the porch. I left it on the porch." He swallowed hard and dashed for the  door but he was too late they were already in the house. 

"John B and Andrea Rutledge!!"

I could hear through the walls, our furniture being thrown. My eyes glistened with tears, I backed up into the wall and John B came to my side grabbing my shoulders. "Everything's fine, okay. Breathe. In and out." He coped, I nodded listening to his voice and took  in a deep breath. I hadn't had a panic attack in ages, not since I found out my dad went missing. I slowly took another breath in and it worked the terror aside. After breathing a while, I opened my eyes. "I think I'm okay" I breathed out, and he nodded.

I caught JJ's eye from across the room it was like we could talk through facial expressions, I could tell he was concerned so I sent him a small smile.

"We gotta leave!" Kie whimpered.

"And how the hell are we going to do that?" Pope asked back.

"the window!" I ran to the glass window but it was stuck.  "fuck it's painted over!" I exclaimed out of breath.

"What do we do!" Kie asked frantically, I gulped looking all over. "The drawer! Look for something! Anything" Kie ran to the drawer scrambling through them seconds later coming back with a letter opener. "Okay, guys. Here got it!" I snatched it out of her hands sticking it in the window frame and shifting it between the layers of the paint and glass. The window seal popped open and just in time because seconds later the men were banging at the door.
JJ was out first to help Kiara down then pope, John B helped me slide onto the edge of the window and I starred intensely at the long drop below me.

JJ stood still with his hands open. "you gotta jump. okay? I'll catch you!" JJ yelled up.

"you'll be okay." My brother promised, I nod closing my eyes tight taking in a steady breath before slowly scooting myself off the ledge. A screech left my lips as the ground below my feet left, and I felt myself drop into someone's arms. I cling on to their body not opening my eyes till I heard his voice. "I'm here. you're okay"

JJ's soft and assuring voice brought me comfort, he gently put me back on my feet, and Johnny jumped right behind me. "Cmon! The coop!"  Pope said justly, we crept down following my friends inside the enclosed space.

"Shh!" I sobbed, the Roosters were going crazy.

"Shut it up!" Kie cried tears running down her face as well.

"What do you want me to do?" John B huffs getting quiet when the man walked by the coop.  Our best friend leaped up and pounced at the rooster, he wrapped his fingers around its neck snapping it quickly. 

The sweaty boy crept back to me, "I'm sorry" he whispered as I buried my head in his chest. "It's okay Jay" I reassured.

"Rutter let's go!" The other man shouted. Rutter took a last look at the coop walking back to his truck.