P4L, carpe diem (JJ Maybank)

019

Rafe, Tommy, and Kelce stared at me and JJ. "I was wondering," Rafe said, putting his hand on JJ's shoulder.

"Make it 3," Tommy added, playfully hitting JJ's chest.

"I'm on the clock right now. You guys look spiffy. You know, uh, I got a couple of orders ahead of you, so why don't you guys just go ahead and wait by the bar," JJ said, scouring away from the boys, as I softly pushed him away, knowing that they were going to chase him. He kissed my hand, then began walking away in the crowd. "Help yourselves to hors d'oeuvres."

"Guys, JJ is gonna serve us some hors d'oeuvres!" Tommy called the rest of their horde. They slowly walked away, following JJ.

"Well, here are they. I'll be right back, okay?" JJ said, hoping to get away. "We are actually gonna follow you in here to make sure.." Tommy said, chasing after the running JJ.

"JJ," I mumbled under my breath. I picked up my dress so I wouldn't tramp over it, running towards the boys chasing JJ.

But, running in heels, actually ain't that bad.

-|-

I followed Tom to the men's locker room, but, of course, I stayed outside by the doorframe.

I turned around, looking at security. "Hello sir, I believe there's a couple or someone in there. There's a lot of rustling around," I acted out.

He nodded and walked in. I listened on what was happened, intrigued.

"Look at your face, you're beginning to look like your dad a lot more," I heard Rafe say. I could hear someone spitting, so I think it was JJ.

"Gentlemen!" The guard said. "Is there a problem?"

"Pardon me, officer. No, there's not an issue. I just-" JJ began out of breath, "actually, yes. There is an issue. We got a.. criminal trespass in progress here. Beep! Call it in!" JJ said. I poked my head out from behind the doorframe, but he didn't see me. "Blatant disrespect for private property."

"I'm in violation of all kinds of shit, sir, but these, kind gentlemen," JJ said, tightening Kelce's bow tie, who slapped his hand away, mumbling, "don't touch my shit."

"...caught me, sir, and they're about to take me away. And that's what you should do, escort me out of here. You got me."

I took that as my signal to leave, as I heard everything coming from that room even while leaving. "Fix that tie, son. You're lookin' spiffy, too. You Powerpuff Girls have fun," he said, making me quietly laugh.

"Tell Dylan she's pretty hot for a Pogue!"  I heard Rafe yell. Then, I heard scuffled, but I picked up my pace, running back outside.

I ran back into Kie, who was dancing with her mom and dad. "Mr. and Mrs. C," I nodded of respect. They smiled at me. They both liked me, and from the way they act towards me, i wasn't just 'a Pogue'. I was their daughter's best friend. They always allowed me to stay at her house any time I needed and treated me as family, especially after dad went missing.

I heard the door open, and I turned my head.

Of course, it was my boyfriend.

"Look—look, man, I can walk myself. I got legs. Can you see that, brotha'?" He said, pointing to his legs.

"I really appreciate what you did back there- Mr. Dunleavy, I glad you found your drink. I'm gonna down that-" he drank the shot in one gulp.

"It's okay, everybody. Do not panic! Leave it to the men and women in uniform!" He yelled, clapping. "Let's leave it to them. Rose! You look like Lady Liberty," he added. I nudged Kie, knowing that I couldn't do much of anything. I was a guest too.

"Let go of him!" I shouted, as Mr. Carrera tried stopping me, kindly. "Kiddo—"

"You can't just boot him!" I shouted.

"I invited him here!" Kie yelled. "I am a member of this club!"

JJ immediately pushed the guard away. "Hey, mandatory power hour at Rixon's, girls," JJ yelled, pointing at us.

I watched as he smiled when we locked eyes.

"Pope, you as well, right?"

"All right, babe! Come on! Workers of the world unite!" He shouted, grabbing his wrists. "Throw off your chains!"

"Babe?" Kie asked, chuckling. "Meh," I shrugged. Kie began running towards the boys, and so did I, but stopped. "Hey, Tom?" I asked, stopping.

I kneed him in the balls, then began running again.

I ran straight to JJ, who immediately picked me up and twirled me around.

He grabbed my hand, as we all ran towards the Pogue. "Babe?" My brother and Kie asked, then looked at me and JJ's hands. "Oops, it slipped," I joked, looking at JJ.

-|-

We all sat around a fire, and I sat in between JJ's legs, and he played with my hair, delicately.

"Hey guys. So, like, my dad's already gonna kill me. So what's this mandatory meeting about?" Pope asked.

John B pointed at JJ, who said, "might as well tell them, man, before we're gaffed."

I looked up at him, confused. "You ready for this," my brother asked and I nodded, excited. "So, the gold never went down with the Royal Merchant."

"Oh my God, here we go again with this-" Pope began.

"No, all right, wait. Hear him out," JJ said, patting his shoulder.

"It's been here the whole time," my brother went on. "How? Where? When? What? Who?" I went on, sitting up, only for JJ to pull me back down. "It's on the island."

"Are you serious?" Kie asked him. "Oh my God!"

"I'd like to voice my skepticism," Pope pointed out. "I'm sure you would, Pope, but can I please present you with my evidence, sir," my brother said.

I nestled against JJ, wanting his warmth. He cupped my body with his arms, pulling me closer. I smiled and looked up at him, and he looked down at me. I could see his bruised face, his cut cheek, but the prettiest of all, his glowing blue eyes.

"Proceed," Pope examined. "All right! So, in my backpack, I have a letter from Denmark Tanny-"

"Who the hell's that?" I asked, looking up at my brother and away from JJ. "Denmark Tanny was a slave that survived the Royal Merchant wreck. Check this out," JB said, handing Kie the letter, then to Pope, then to JJ, who passed it to me.

"Okay, slaves weren't mentioned as crew members in the ship, but my dad, he found the complete manifest. That was his big discovery. So Tanny used the gold from the Merchant to buy his freedom. After that, he bought his farm. Drumroll, please, because that farm is..."

I began patting my knees as a drumroll.

"Tannyhill Plantation," he said. "Tannyhill?" Kie questioned. "Yeah. So, after that, he used his money to free even more slaves, and then he sold a shit-ton of rice, which pusses off the white planters, and then they decide to lynch him," he explained. "Damn, shit just got deep," I mumbled.