Chasing The Stars || JJPOPE

EIGHT

THE TIME READ 9:51pm as Pope and JJ entered the small gas station. The door opened with a creak, one of the lights inside flickering slightly, their sneakers squeaking across the floor as they walked toward the back. The pair approached the slushee machine, immediately grabbing a cup.

"What flavor are you getting?" Pope asked as he grabbed his cup.

JJ stared at the flavors for a long moment, then shrugging his shoulders and saying, "All of them." Pope raised his eyebrows.

But as usual, Pope went the safe way — blue raspberry.

"Come on." JJ gestured to the counter, each holding a slushee in their hand. Pope kept wincing at how cold it felt against his hand, while JJ remained unfazed.

"Two slushees." JJ told the cashier emotionlessly.

"Please." Pope added politely, smiling awkwardly. JJ only rolled his eyes at Pope, then turned back to the counter. Once the two had paid, they hurried out of the gas station. JJ plopped down on the curb beside the truck, Pope watching him. JJ had taken a few sips of his slushee before looking up to Pope, puzzled.

"You gonna sit or what?" Asked JJ, eyebrows furrowed. He then muttered something to himself as he stared down at his slushee.

Pope quickly took a seat beside the blonde. JJ's hair was still a bit damp from earlier, his chain hanging around his loose sweatshirt. JJ then winced, hints of disgust washing over his gorgeous features. Pope chuckled, "What?"

"This is fuckin' disgusting." JJ laughed, "I love it." Pope laughed along.

Their laughter eventually died down, the two sitting in silence. JJ stirred around the slushee with his straw while Pope awkwardly stared in the distance.

"So... uh... is it just you and your dad?" Pope asked innocently, looking to JJ. The blonde didn't seem angry, nor did he seem particularly excited about Pope's question.

He licked his lips, "Yep. Gotta love him." Pope noticed the way he said that, almost as if he meant it literally— JJ felt pressured to love his dad simply because he's his flesh and blood just like he loved his mother.

"I'm assuming this is the part where you ask me about my mom." JJ said, sarcasm laced in his tone. Pope could tell that people often asked him this.

"No, actually." Pope answered, staring down at the cup that had his fingers wrapped around it. He then looked over at JJ, who was already looking at him with a hard, yet confused, stare, "That's on your own time."

JJ's lips parted ever so slightly. Almost as if he were going to say, or do, something. But then the light above them flickered, a light chuckle escaping JJ's lips, "We're being haunted, bro."

Pope looked down from the light, smiling slightly. JJ had referred to him as "bro". It may have not seemed like much, but it felt to Pope as if JJ now thought of him as an equal.

"Yeah, we should probably go." JJ hopped to his feet, heading to the truck parked near. He carelessly tossed his cup to the trashcan, barely missing it. Pope scrambled to his feet, bending down and grabbing JJ's cup and tossing it in. JJ scoffed, "Pope."

"What?" Pope asked, throwing his arms up into the air. JJ stood in between the door and the seat, his arm rested on the top of the door. He laughed lightly, lowering his head, smiling at the ground. He found Pope humorous, and Pope found that to be an accomplishment.

JJ eventually hopped into the driver's side, much to Pope's confusion. He swung open the passenger side, staring at JJ with a puzzled look.

JJ sighed, "What?"