Right when the boat started slowing down, we made a run for it. Some workers were yelling at us, and in case they were following us we continued to run down the dock. We gasped for air once we were off the dock. "Oh, my God." I look at my outfit and then at everyone else's. "We're disgusting."
"What?" JJ looks down at his clothes, as well as John B.
"We will not get into the archives looking like this." Sarah agrees.
"Why not?" John B asks, oblivious.
"I promise you they will not let us in looking like we crawled out of a swamp," Sarah replies.
We dump our rain jackets in a park and start to look for a store to shop in. "What about this store?" Sarah approaches Ben Silver. "Let's go shopping here." She decides.
As we get closer, John B sees the ties on display in the window. "Absolutely not." He turns his back on the store. JJ is not too far behind him.
"Whoa, Sanchos. I think we arrived." Sarah stands in front of the store. Once we convince the boys to come inside JJ begins his speech.
"Sarah, I don't think you understand. This is like an organ with the wrong blood type. It just doesn't work." He shakes his head.
"Well, I just can't afford any of this shit." I sigh, noticing some of the price tags.
"What about cashmere?" She asks JJ and John B.
"This one?" John B points out. Sarah nods so John B picks up the tag. "It's a hundred ninety dollars!" He gasps.
"Yeah, don't worry. I'll be you guys' sugar mama." She smiles. She then continues around the store. "What about some glasses?" She gasps. They continue to flirt as I stare at JJ, who is looking at all the price tags, probably debating on stealing the whole store. I get lost in his face and it takes me a second to notice he caught me. Once I do, my face heats up and I quickly look away.
We're now in the fitting rooms, JJ and John B are trying on outfits, with the help of Mr. Ike. They first come out with collared shirts and small bowties. It takes everything in me not to laugh. "Aww..." Sarah giggles. "You look like you guys are ready for your first middle school dance."
"So cute," I smirk.
"We look like we got kicked out of the barbershop quartet." John B turns away from the mirror.
"No comment." JJ sighs.
"Mr. Ike, what about seersucker?" Sarah looks back at the worker.
"I'm not wearing seer-" JJ begins.
"Excellent choice." I smile. "And, maybe a pink button down, some bucks?" I add. I feel JJ throwing daggers at me.
"Bucks? What's a buck?" John B panics.
"I'll get two pairs." Mr. Ike nods and walks out.
JJ and John B look at us in annoyance. "Shhh.." Sarah puts a finger to her lips. "Just accept your guys' fate." She smiles.
Once they get their seersucker suits they go into the dressing rooms, and they are refusing to come out. I firmly knock on JJ's door. "Nope, not coming out." I hear him muffle.
"Why not?"
"Because Sarah's probably gonna buy it, or something?" I look at Sarah and she gives a thumbs up.
"Well, you're not wrong." I smile. I open the door, assuming he's dressed. To my surprise, he is not. JJ Maybank is flexing in the mirror, with only boxers on. "Are you checking yourself out?" I laugh. He panics, coving his privates.
"No! I'm not checking myself out!" He defends. He quickly pulls on the pants.
"Relax, JJ, it's not like I haven't seen a boy in underwear before." I laugh. He looks at me with an expression I can't read. Jealousy? Disappointment? Wonder? "My mom had a boyfriend, JJ. He basically lived in his underwear, get your head out of the gutter."
"Yeah." He mutters. John B comes out with the same outfit as JJ, just a green color instead of blue. And boy, did JJ look good in blue. "So, since you guys got to dress us, we're dressing you." JJ smirks.
"Bring it," I smirk back.
JJ has me try on about a million dresses until I find one I actually like. "Hey," I call to JJ.
"Sup?" He answers.
"I need your help with this zipper," I tell him.
"All right." He comes in the door. The zipper goes all the way down, right above my underwear. I got about half of it up. He slowly approaches me, I was watching him through the mirror. I shudder as his fingers graze my bra strap. "Sorry." He mutters as he zips up the dress.
I turn around to face him and I watch his eyes search my body, and the dress wasn't even that revealing. "You look good enough." He clears his throat.
"Why thank you." I roll my eyes. The dress was very simple, light blue, with small straps, and medium length.
Once Sarah found her dress and they had another private talk, we were off. "Now, the library isn't open all night, so we need to hurry."
Sarah tells us as we speed down the sidewalk. We quickly found an Uber to the library, which Sarah also paid for. When we got there it was already dark. "So, the library is on the other side of the student center," Sarah tells us as we start walking. "Have any of you guys been here before?"
I shake my head quickly, as John B says, "I've never been to a college, no." John B shakes his head.
"Kook thing," JJ mutters and I bump his shoulder.
"That's a gap in your training." Sarah laughs. I'm getting tired of the weird Russian game they're playing. Suddenly, JJ links his arm with me, I feel the muscles through his shirt.
"Hey there, princess." He whispers in my ear. The nickname makes my stomach squirm. "Can I tell you more about that girl I like?" His lips were literally touching my ear. I glance over at Sarah and JB to make sure they're not watching. Luckily, we come to a stop but unfortunately, JB and Sarah were still flirting.
"Go right ahead," I whisper.
"Well, I haven't been hooking up with anyone since I met her. I couldn't imagine doing something with anyone else but her. Whenever she gets scared or sad, the only thing I want to do is make her feel better, nothing else is on my mind." As he's whispering all this in my ear, I have to remind myself that it might not be me he's talking about. Which leads to me shoving him away and walking over to John B and Sarah.
I can't get attached to JJ, I just can't, even though deep down inside me, I knew I already was.
YOU ARE READING
JJ and a Routledge
RomanceA couple of months after John B's dad went missing at sea, a girl named Coral shows up at his door claiming to be his sister, whom he never knew he had. They soon begin living together as she exclaims her story and dives into the Pogues and their di...