Chasing The Stars || JJPOPE

FIFTEEN

THE FOUR TEENS sat in John B's living room, the sky now littered with stars. It was oddly silent, tension wrapping itself around them. JJ repeatedly slapped a rubber band around his wrist, Pope's eyes diverting down to the noise. He wanted to tell him to stop, seeing the purple bruises staining his skin, but he only mumbled inaudibly.

"So..." Roxy trailed off awkwardly, "It's gettin' kinda late, so does anyone know the game plan here?" She looked back and forth between the three boys, seeking an answer.

"I think we all need to work together on this." John B spoke up, locking eyes with JJ, "Personal stuff aside." It took the blonde a long moment, but he eventually nodded in agreement.

Just as everyone was in agreement, there were three loud pounds on the door. John seemed on edge, slowly making his way to the door. Roxy seemed equally as nervous. JJ was now fully on alert, which made Pope uneasy.

John looked back one more time before resting his hand on the rusted doorknob, sighing deeply and swinging it open. Just as he thought he'd be staring danger in the face, Kiara Carrera stared back at him with eyes flaming with anger.

She pushed past him, "Looks like the party was moved to the château. Would've been nice to know." Her voice was laced with sarcasm that made everyone's stomach churn.

The Kegger...

Pope stood from his spot immediately, "Kie, I totally forgot. We just got caught up and it slipped past me." Kiara looked over to Pope, then down to the couch behind him where JJ practically shoved his head in his hands.

"What the fuck is up with you ditching us for him lately?" She spat, pointing down at the blonde. Pope stared in silence, completely and utterly speechless, "Last time I checked, you didn't even like him!" Again, Pope wanted to object, but nothing would come out.

"Kie-" John B cut in, laying a hand on her shoulder. She only whipped around, making him the next victim of her wrath.

"Same thing with you. You will talk shit on the Camerons all day long, but then completely abandon me for one of them." John B sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. Roxy's eyebrows raised as she leaned back into the couch, slightly amused. Sure, it may have seemed dramatic, but to Kiara, she felt completely forgotten by her only friends.

"Kiara, there is something serious happening." John B tried to explain, feeling like he was talking to a ticking time bomb, "Something that explains why my dad and JJ's mom-"

Kie quickly cut him off, "I am so sick of these wild goose chases that only get us absolutely no where. He's not coming back, so please stop forgetting about the people that are here."

The room fell silent.

She looked around, feeling the judgmental stares oozing onto her skin. Even Roxy was taken back by her statement. One thing about Kiara Carrera, she was too bold for her own good sometimes. John B felt his heart sink.

"We're sorry, Kie." Pope practically whispered. Kie spared him a quick glance before making her way to the door angrily. John's eyes were glued to the floor as she passed.

"Fuck, man." Roxy said in surprise, chuckling in disbelief, "That's a new low, Kiara." Kiara wanted to fight back, but she knew Roxy was right, and shame overcame her.

As Kie began to open the door, headlights began beaming through the window, the sound gravel crunching beneath tires echoed. Even John B looked up, everyone on alert. Kie broke the silence, "Who's that?"

"I don't wanna find out." JJ finally spoke, making his way to his feet. Kiara began backing away from the door.

Roxy looked to John B, who still was yet to say anything. She brought it upon herself, "This way." She began walking toward Big John's office, everyone following without a choice. Pope locked the door behind them, panic rising in the air.

"The window." Kie spoke, rushing to the window. Her and Roxy began pulling it up, JJ and Pope holding their back to the door. John B still seemed to be in disbelief from what Kie said to
him. Pope and JJ glanced at one another as they heard the front door swing open with a thud. JJ's breathing picked up.

"Routledge!" A deep, husky voice called. Based on the footsteps, it was clear he wasn't alone. Out of both fear and instinct, Pope's hand grasped JJ's. Everyone was too in the moment to notice. Just as the footsteps grew closer and closer, the window cracked open.

The two boys rushed to the window, letting the girls exit first before climbing through. John B then climbed through.

"Make this easy for us, boy!" The voice called once again, scarily close. The hair stood up on the two boys' necks. Suddenly, there were pounds landed on the locked door. They continually hit the door, the lock loosening each time.

"JJ, go." Pope whispered. JJ shook his head quickly, but with a shaky, unsure sigh, JJ obeyed, feet planted to the grass. The others had already made their way to the Twinkie while JJ stood there, waiting.

"JJ!" Kiara whisper-yelled as they all waited by the van. Just as Pope began climbing out of the window, the door busted open. There stood a man, gun in hand, his neck bigger than Pope's head.

He lunged forward, grabbing Pope's shirt. Pope locked eyes with JJ, fear overcoming them both. Just as the Maybank boy began making his way back to the window, he felt an arm wrap around him, trying to lead him to the van.

"Let go of me!" JJ cried, panic laced in voice, "Pope!" By then, blood was running from the Heyward boy's nose and he was dragged from the room. The last thing the blonde heard was Pope shouting his name.

"JJ, get in the fucking van!" Roxy exclaimed, then hopping in the driver's side and slamming the door shut.

"We have to get Pope!" JJ continued to cry as John B pushed him into the back of the van. As soon as the door slid closed, the van was already flying through the grass and onto the gravel road. Headlights shined behind them, meaning they were in fact being chased. JJ was too distressed to notice, while Kie and Roxy were shouting about something. John B seemed to tune it all out.

"Pope, pope. We have to get Pope." JJ whispered to himself repeatedly as he laid on the floor, "Einstein."

"We'll get him, but we can't do that if we're dead." Kie pointed out, turned towards JJ from the passenger seat.

"Guys..." Roxy stated, grabbing everyone's attention due to her serious tone, "How many of these guys are there?" Everyone else turned to look out the back window, seeing three black trucks behind them.

"We're so dead." Kiara murmured, eyes wide.

"What the hell do they want?" Roxy asked out of pure distress. She began panicking. John B was strangely silent. Anyone could see the gears running through his mind.

"Where do we go?" Kie asked out of pure fear, seeking some sort of direction from someone.

"Uh, my dad's place." Roxy answered, "We should be safe there if we can get them off our ass." She then made a sharp turn, heading onto a bridge. JJ finally sat up, facing his once best friend. Although they hadn't spent much time together lately, John B still had the same look of realization as he always had. JJ recognized it.

"What is it?" The blonde asked him, holding onto the seat behind him as the van rocked back and forth from Roxy's driving.

John B finally looked up from his shoes, eyes locked into JJ's, "We can't go to Ward's."

NOTE FROM KARLEE:

Hello!! I've missed this book so much, and I'm so glad to be finally writing out these plot lines I've had saved for months. Love you all <33