Sweet Soul | jj maybank

9

"Can we stop to the library so I can get some new books?" Arabella asks.

"Yeah of course.Uh...what's your favorite book?"

She felt a little bit shocked,no one asked her that besides Pope and she wasn't expecting JJ to actually care.

"I think I'll have to say Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte.I've read it at least five times." She replied excited "But why"

"No reason." He smiles to himself for some reason.

As they got closer to the library,in distance they see Rafe and Topper.As they pass by,on Arabella's face you can sense the major confusion."They passed and didn't even glance at me!"

"Mhm."

"His eye!It was black!" She widened her eyes and then her face fell at the realization.She turns to look at JJ who has a sly smirk on his face."JJ?"

"Yeah?"He innocently asks.

"You did that!When I told you not to!" She complains slightly pushing him.

"Well it's not just me,John B helped and Pope was careful so no one could see us."

"You promised."

"Well our fingers were crossed..."He hesitates to say.

"You are kids,literally kids." She smiles to herself and after a long pause she talked "Thank you.No one cared for me that way..."

"Well get used to it,Pope was so angry I've never seen him like that." He laughed making her copy his actions.

The two were almost at John B's when Arabella stopped JJ by grabing his hand.

"I didn't ask you if you want to talk about what happened..."

His jaw clenches and he avoids making eye contact with her as his hands drops hers."Nothing that I can't take,just the usual."

Her heart broke in so many pieces for the boy in front of her "That is abuse,it's not normal JJ."

"If you're not rich they don't care,end of story.Let's go. He walked in front of her.

***

When they got there JJ and John B decided to go over to Mrs. Lana's house to talk with her while Pope,Kiara and Arabella stayed at the chateau.

"So,you came here with JJ?" Kiara smiles.

"Yes,I uh...I listened to you.You were totally right." She wasn't going to tell her about JJ's situation at home because it wasn't her place to.

"You are good for him Bella,I know he might push you away but that's his defense mechanism."

"I know.He is such a good person,he deserves people to try for him so that's what I'm going to do." She sincerely says.

Arabella takes out the book she brought from the library and a comfortable silence take over the place as she starts to read.

After a while,JJ and John B made their way back to the house "And we were right outside like this and all we hear is bam!Bam!Bam!Knocking paint off the wall,G!From the inside,alright?And I'm just looking at him like...wait,first off look at this shit.Look at it." JJ explains what happened at Mrs. Lana's house.

JJ leaned down in front of his friends and shook his head ,little fragment of paint falling out of his hair.

"That's dandruff.Disgusting."Kie comments in a disgusted tone.

"Oh,okay so,you saw the guys that shot at us right?" Pope asks JJ.
They asked him a few question but he didn't gave them very clear details "Dude!I wasn't taking little mental polaroids the entire time man.I was under duress okay?!" He defends himself.

"Hey it's okay,calm down." Arabella gets up and hugs JJ as he hides his face in her neck and rests his hands on her waist.

"But I can tell you...I can tell you by the way Mrs. Lana was screaming that these guys are serious hombres,man." He says as Arabella was playing with his hair at the back of his head.

"It's a heavy vibe right now ,okay?I'm not liking this very much."JJ said

"Why do they want the compass?" Kie questioned "It's a piece of shit.You couldn't pawn it off for five bucks if you wanted to ." Pope complained.

"Pope!" Arabella warns him.

"No offense.I know it's in your family-" Pope apologized before getting interrupted.

"The office.My dad.My dad's office." John B stated before rushing into the house,making his friends follow him.

John B opened the lock to his dad's office door and they all walked inside."I've slept over like 600 times and I've never seen this door open."Pope states,inspecting the room.

John B started explaining about the compass after he noticed a large board on the table top with the original owner of it.

"This is my dads handwriting." John B states.

"How can you know that?"Pope doubtfully asks.

"Because he does these weird R's with the...see it?" He tries to explain it.

"Wait,uh,can I see it?" Arabella asks all of a sudden.John B hands it to her a bit confused at her sudden request.

"I know that writting,my dad's best friend used to give me books for my birthday and he would always leave a note for me about his opinion." She smiled at the memory.

"As a kid if I got books for my birthday I would've honestly cry-" JJ starts.

"JJ shut up.What was your dad's name?"John B questioned her.

"Daniel Caddel."

"I know him,how did I never asked for your last name?!He was helping my dad."

"Red...rout" JJ took the compass starting to read random phrases.

"It says Redfield." Arabella states."Right."JJ agrees.

"Ok,welll,what's Redfield?"Kiara asks.

"Besides the most common name in the country." Pope sarcastically points out.

"Oh,maybe it's a clue." John B suggests.

"A clue?Come on,that's..." He starts but changes his answer as Kie gives him a pointed look "but if it is a clue maybe it's an anagram."

"Yes,perfect.Anagram.You need paper."John B says scanning the room for some paper and quickly handing it to Pope. "And Daniel,Bella's dad was involved in this crazy thing."

"How can you concentrate with that thing crowing at you?"Pope reffers to the rooster.

"JJ loves the rooster." John B says.

"You do?" Arabella asks

"Yeah." He says.

"That's adorable." She smiles.

"Guys...guys!" John B shouts causing them to stop talking "Somebody is here."