"You literally don't need it," Pope said for the third time and pulled at the back of Danny's shirt.
He was trying to find his bandana in John B's van. He swore he left on in there. "Yes, I do!" Danny argued and pulled free from Pope's grip, ignoring the grumbles of disapproval from JJ and John B.
"Hurry up! Kie's probably already there!" JJ urged.
Danny lifted a stray hoodie and cheered, "Found it!"
"Finally," John B said and they all jogged up the back road and along the side fence to the junkyard. Pope lead them around the bend and they all squatted behind the scrap pieces of wood and other junk just in time to hear Kie yell, "Hello! Excuse me?"
Danny tied the navy bandana around his head and nudged Pope to fix it. The boy helped tighten it around the base of Danny's head. He tucked the tail into the fabric.
"How's it going with Kiara?" JJ whispered to John B.
Danny glanced in confusion.
"It's not awkward, weird, or anything."
JJ snorted in amusement. "Yeah. Honestly, I did not think you were gonna actually listen to me."
"What?" John B asked.
"I was 100 percent sure she was into you," JJ said. "Pope would agree."
Pope shook his head in consideration. "Ehh. . . "
"I'm left out of the loop," Danny said accusatorily. "Why am I left out of the loop?"
John B glanced at him with wide eyes. His voice is pitched when he responded, "Now isn't really the time, D."
"Then why are we talking about it now?"
"So, like, Kie, she, like, definitely gave you the Heisman?" JJ asked John B, ignoring Danny's scowl.
"Oh, no question."
"Maybe she's just into somebody else," Pope added easily.
The four boys watched Kie lead the security man back to her car. Once they were out of sight, they all sprung up and sprinted for the shrinking opening of the gate.
JJ took the lead and they all followed him, sidestepping various pipes, tires, and raised rusting boats. They reached an industrial building and JJ took out the piece of paper with the code to open the lock on the door.
Danny glanced around in caution. Normally junkyards had junkyard dogs.
JJ pulled at the lock, a frustrated huff leaving his lips.
"Do you have the right numbers?" Pope asked.
"All right, so I might have the wrong numbers."
"Ah, damn it!" Pope cursed and turned away.
Danny heard a dog bark and he slapped at John B's arm. "Dog," he muttered.
The german shepherd rounded the bend and began barking viciously.
"That's a cougar. Never mind," John B said and quickly ran around the side of the building, out of sight.
JJ raised his hands and slowly began backing away. "Hi! No, stay there! Good boy." He jogged to the side and turned around to see Pope standing there staring at the dog, and Danny jumping up onto a taller crate.
Pope picked up a pipe and brandished it at the dog. "Back off! Back off! Back off!"
"I got a toy, boy!" JJ said and waved his red bandana. The dog turned its attention to JJ and raced after him. "Wait, no. I was just kidding. Shit! Okay, sit!"
YOU ARE READING
Exception // JJ Maybank
Fanfiction"Don't give me that look. You love me." "Wish I didn't." Daniel Sarver is probably the only Kook on the island who doesn't attend the private school for rich kids and participate in their even more pretentious lifestyle. He's probab...
