𝐦𝐞𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠

012. Variables.

UPON ARRIVING to the lighthouse, Josie got up and followed the others out. They stand before the lighthouse, looking up at it. "Right, here's what's going to happen. You're gonna post up and look out for bogeys, okay?" John B says, walking over to JJ. "Wait... why me?" The blond boy asked, glancing to the others before he looked back at John B.

"Because you're not coming." Pope tells him making JJ look to him. "Why?" He exclaims. "There are independent and there are dependent variables. And you're an independent variable. We don't know what you'll do." Pope says as JJ yells at him to shut up. "Just listen to me for a second!"

JJ and Pope both look to John B for an explanation. "Pope, you stand look out with JJ. Okay? If we get split up, we meet back at JJ's house." John B says, glancing to Kie and Josie standing side by side. "I'll stay on look out too. Make sure these two dummies don't fight." Josie says, gesturing to Pope and JJ.

"Great." Kie said before walking with John B as JJ watched them, then looked at Pope and Josie. "I'm gonna work on my merit scholarship essay, and I'm trying to keep felonies to a minimum." Pope says as JJ plays with a hacky sack. "Alright, would you just shut up already?" JJ says as he kicks it back and forth between his feet before Josie grabs it off the ground when he missed kicking it.

She now kicks it back and forth between her feet before kicking it over to Pope who smiles, kicking it up and over to JJ. They played with the footbag for a while until Pope and JJ messed around, Pope trying to throw it into the tiny pocket over JJ's chest on his button up.

Sirens blare through the only noise of their laughter and talking, "oh, shit." Pope says as they now run to the van, JJ hopping into the drivers' seat as Pope opens the door for her as she jumps in, getting into the passenger seat. Pope stays in the back, shutting the door as they now drove off in a hurry.

As they drove, Josie kept looking back, feeling had they ditched Kie and John B behind. "Don't worry, they'll be fine and find a way out." JJ quickly comforted the brunette girl, glancing over at her while also keeping his eyes on the road as he drove to his place, where they agreed with Kie and John B to meet up.

When they don't show up, Josie sighed and got up, typing away at her phone. "My mom wants me home... I gotta go. You guys can call or text, yeah?" She says, heading for the front door and JJ quickly nods, standing up. He shows her to the door as she waited on the porch, sighing. "Nova's picking me up..." She says.

"Oh, okay... I can wait out here with you."

When Nova shows up, Josie got up and sighed. "Later, JJ." She says and he nods, waving his hand slightly as she heads down the steps and walked over to her brother's car. "Really? JJ Maybank?" Nova said before driving off, not sparing a glance back to the house as Josie just rolled her eyes at her twin.

"Don't know if you noticed, but I stopped caring what you think about the people I hang out with... JJ isn't all that bad. He's funny, sweet and a really good friend." She says and a snort comes from her brother who she glanced at. "Really? Friend?" He finds it humorous.

"I don't know if you know this, Joseph, but some people can actually be friends with people of the opposite gender and not wanna have sex with them... unlike others." It's another jab at him being obviously in love with Sarah Cameron, a topic he's really sensitive of because of how much she uses it against him.

But to be fair, he does the same with her and her boys, that she's at least dating or hooking up with one of them, when she sees all three of them completely platonic. There's only one friend she sees in more than a platonic way and it's like right in front of his eyes, but like any usual teenage boy, he's blind to it.

"Whatever." He says, deciding not to fight back anymore as he continued on his way to Figure Eight from the Cut. She's gotten so use to being there, on the Cut, with the Pogues that it starts to feel a little bit less like home back at Figure Eight, with the other Kooks.

"Josephine... it's just, like... I don't know. Like you forgot who you were." When their real names are brought in, the air around them feels tense and both know it's a serious topic. "I forgot who I am?" Josie says, sounding confused as she glanced over at her brother.

"Like... you hang out with these other people, acting like they're more family than your own blood. Do you remember when we use to do everything together? Do anything for each other? And for Bellamy, and for mom and dad?" He asked and she glanced away.

He should know exactly why. They treat her like she's an outcast, for the things she likes to do, for the things she believes in. And that time he wanted to start having separate birthday parties. And when her mom started lecturing her about boys when she had her first period despite the fact she doesn't even like boys. And that Bellamy always makes it seem like she's just a babysitter and nothing else.

She just ignores the questions, looking around as she pursed her lips together. She's deep in thought as she let out a small sigh. "I-I don't value them any more or less than I value you and mom and dad and Bee... And Lee." She said and Nova doesn't spare her a glance.

"It'd be nice if you showed that more."

  

  

  

   

   

  

   

    

AUTHORS NOTE
when josie hears about the kiss between john b and kie, she'll literally be like "oh wow 😀 that's great 😀 i think? 😀"

+ sorry for not updating, i was on a small break but i'm back now!! :)