ruthless; jj m.

35

I had woke up in my bed to my phone ringing. 

Picking it up from my nightstand and taking it off of my charger, I answered the call. "Hello?" I asked while sitting up. "Yo. Get ready, we're about to leave to grab you guys." I heard John B say over the phone. "Okay. I gotta shower and wake up Sarah." I said. 

"Already up and ready!" Sarah shouted from the kitchen. "Nevermind. I just gotta shower." I said. "You have food over there?" John B asked. "Yeah, like cereal. I have to go to the store later." I said as I stood up and went through my clothes. 

"Good enough. I'm hungry. We'll be there in ten." He said and we said our goodbyes before hanging up the phone. I grabbed a pair of denim shorts with a folded hem, a white graphic oversized t-shirt, black converse with white Nike socks. 

After I showered and brushed my teeth, I went into my room to change. I put on my underwear and bra, then I heard my bedroom door open. "Oh shit. Sorry." I heard JJ say. I turned around and laughed. "It's fine. It's not like you haven't seen me naked before." I said as I grabbed the shorts to put on. 

He nodded as he closed the door. "Just needed to grab my phone charger. I left it here." He said and I nodded. "Go for it," I said, now putting on my shirt. I sat down as I put my socks and shoes on now. I placed my hair in a black hair claw and then grabbed a pair of black RayBans and placed them on my head. 

I grabbed my phone and placed my debit card behind the case in case I needed it, but I didn't feel like carrying much today. JJ stood next to my bed as he looked for his charger. I saw it plugged in on the other side of the bed that he usually slept on, so I grabbed it and tapped his shoulder.

"Wrong side of the bed," I said as I handed it to him. "Right." He said with a light laugh. I took this as my chance to check in on him. "Hey, are you okay?" I asked him. "Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" He asked me. I shrugged. "You've been acting a little weird lately," I admitted. 

He shook his head. "Nope, I'm all good." He said as he walked out of my room. I was surprised that he was so distant, but knowing that we had too much to worry about today, I dropped it. I walked into my kitchen and saw Kie and John B putting everyone's dishes away. 

"Ready, pretty?" Sarah asked me. I nodded. She approached me and smiled as she looked at my neck. "I never noticed those." She said as she pointed at the hickeys JJ left on my neck. She looked over at JJ who was looking down at the ground and avoiding all eye contact with me. 

"I usually cover them up. Didn't have time." I said as I grabbed water from the fridge and a banana from my fruit bowl. "We out?" Pope asked and I nodded. "Let's go." John B said. We all walked out of my house and hopped into John B's car. 

Most of the car ride was silent. Or at least two people stayed silent the most: John B and Sarah.

"Guys, the thing Limbrey said, I don't think she meant to let it slip. She said the key leads to the Cross of Santo Domingo." Pope said as he observed the key. JJ asked to see the key and Pope handed it to him. "Are we supposed to know what that is?" Sarah asked. 

"I'm guessing it's some sort of historical artifact of great importance," Pope answered Sarah. "Well, according to the interwebs, it was a gift from New Spain to the Spanish king." Kie shared. "New Spain? Is there an Old Spain?" JJ asked John B, but he gave the blond a disappointed look as he gave Pope the key back. 

Sarah and John B were giving each other glances through the rearview mirror and it was awkward that the two weren't talking, but everyone else communicating made up for it. "Shit, talk about over-gifting. Look at that thing." Kie said and she showed us the picture on her phone.