JJ and a Routledge

Now We're Running Off a Cliff

The wood dust was getting all in my eyes, but I wasn't about to complain, I couldn't tell if I was crying because of the dust or because of the reason for the dust. We were all outside, and Pope was using an axe to make the carving of John B's 'grave.' JJ burnt a piece of metal to carve the letters into the tree. The tree said, "2003 - 2020 John B Routledge P4L." It was surrounded by a heart. We were all standing side by side, JJ had a flask in hand while Pope had his cheap beer. "To John B," JJ holds the flask up, his voice raspy. 

"And to Sarah," I say weakly. Pope and JJ drink. Kiara had a chest with mementos inside it, all representing John B. After a moment of silence, we buried it. We all sit there, and kneeled down, I watched my tears hit the dirt. 

The days were going by slowly, JJ and I were with each other the most. He even convinced me to get matching tattoos with him. Well, we did them ourselves, they just said P4L. We used a sewing needle taped to a pencil, it worked quite well. 

For once, I wasn't with JJ, I was third wheeling with Kiara and Pope. Kie and I spray-painting things on the small wall outside of the Cameron's House. She was writing 'Murderers' while I was writing 'psychotic liars.' I was shaking my can when Pope was panicking. 

"Okay, I'm not sure but I think they can definitely see us from up there." He was peeking over the rock wall, and I rolled my eyes. 

"Who cares?" I bark back, continuing to spray paint the wall. Honestly, actions have consequences, and if they're not going to jail, they should at least get this. 

"You should be glad we're not setting the house on fire." Kiara scoffs. We continue on with our work. 

"Okay, well... can you guys hurry up." He whispers, still watching the Cameron household. 

"Look... doesn't it piss you off, even a little?" Kiara rolls her eyes, looking up at Pope for a split second. 

"Of course, it pisses me off. I'm just-" Kie and I give him a look. "I'm just trying to channel my rage into different vectors right now."

"Oh, okay," I say sarcastically, finishing the last letters. I get up and back away, looking at my work. Kie was soon doing the same. 

"Not bad." Kiara nods, which I nod in agreement to. 

"Hey, I think somebody's up there." Pope ushers us to the wall. We look up on the Cameron's porch to see Rafe staring right back at us. "Shit it's Rafe." 

Suddenly, I get the urge to do something super dumb. "Look, we know what you did!" I scream. I could tell he heard us, and he looked pissed. 

"Hey. No." Pope, pulls me backward, I almost fought him off but I just let him drag me away. 

"Murderer!" Kiara yells. So he has to pull her back too. 

"No, now is not the time. Are you two serious?" Pope is still dragging us back. 

We make it back down the street, to the HMS Pogue, and soon enough, we were off. "Rafe is a psychopath. He could come after us." Pope tells us. 

"Let him try," I smirk, while Kie smokes some weed. 

"Look, I wanna pin Rafe as much as you guys do, but--" Kie interrupts him. 

"Really? Cause you could've fooled me. Are you even a Pogue?" Shit, that's harsh. 

"I can't go around doing stupid things like this." He shakes his head. "We have school tomorrow, we should be laying low." I almost forgot today was the last day of summer. 

Suddenly, Kiara says something that makes me want to drown myself. "Do you wanna hook up?" Pope and I look at each other, concerned. 

"What?" Pope whispers. 

Kie giggles, "It's not like we haven't kissed." 

Pope rolls his eyes. "Kiara, you're pretty high right now and I honestly don't think you want to." I raise my hand as if we were in school right now. 

"Not to mention, I am right here." Kiara ignores me and leans in to kiss Pope. He moves away the second her lips touch his. I'm about to jump off this fucking boat. 

"Kiara." He mutters. 

"Cool." She was pissed. I move to the opposite side of the boat as them, taking in the last moments of summer, as they continue their shitty conversation. After a while, Kiara comes to join me, and she fills me in on all the shitty teachers she had last year, that I will now have. 

Kiara drove us to school the next day. No one was in the mood to be here, especially JJ. As we were getting out JJ took another sip of his flask. "Hey, chill out." I tell him, he walks over to me grabbing my hand. 

"If I black out just don't remind me." 

"That's not funny." Kie shakes her head as we all start walking, side by side. 

I heard a lot of comments. 'It's them.' 'There they are.' 'I wasn't sure they'd show up.' 'Heard they got arrested.' I took a huge sigh, trying to block out the gossip. We walked up to some big ass stone, dedicated to John B. There was a surfboard leaning against it, a couple of flowers, and candles. I leaned in to look at the pictures on the board. 

"I feel like people are staring at us." I look around, to see everyone staring at us. 

"Oh yeah." JJ nods. 

"Guys I can't be late." Pope hints for us to get a move on, and when we don't he moves. 

"Hey, hey, we've got to stick together," Kiara tells him. She reaches out for his hand, and they lock hands. I drag JJ over to them, linking my arm with Kie, and holding onto JJ's hand. 

I know we were talking about running off a cliff with the gold, but I feel like this is the time we're running off a cliff, mainly JJ. And I was holding on to JJ as if my life depended on it. In a way, it did.