Mess it Up // jj maybank

Chapter 2

As Aurora quickly made her way away from the house, face burning with embarrassment from what just happened, too caught up in her own mind, she failed to hear the door opening again and two sets of footsteps coming out the house after her

"Hey! Wait up!" She stopped in her tracks as a voice caught her attention. Upon turning to face the source of the voice, she saw two boys, one of whom was jogging slowly to catch up with her as the other hung back slightly watching cautiously.

"Hi" the boy breathed out with a small smile, panting slightly, eyes widening as he really looked at her "Holy shit it really is you" he let out under his breath, more so to himself but Aurora heard. She couldn't help but feel as though there was something familiar about him

"hey..." Aurora replied, smiling slightly in return as she tried to not let her confusion show

"Sorry about Kie back there, she's been a lot more defensive since-" he snapped his mouth shut, cutting himself off as if he'd been caught out, before switching the subject as he held his hand out towards her "Hey, I'm Pope" he introduced himself

Aurora's eyes widened slightly as it all clicked, "Heyward?" she couldn't help the shocked laugh that escaped her

Pope perked up at the sound of his name the realization hitting him as a smile broke out across his face, "You remember?" he asked as he too let out a surprised laugh

"Of course I remember" she laughed "How could I ever forget my best friend?"

She couldn't help throwing her arms around the Heyward boy, pulling him into a tight hug. She couldn't believe that it had really been ten years

Pope wasted no time wrapping his arms around the girl, returning the hug realizing just how much he had really missed her. Although they were only kids at the time, Aurora was Pope's rock, despite being five years old he knew he could always count on her and that she would always be there for him when he needed her. Ever since the day they first met, when little hothead Aurora Routledge kicked a boy right in the balls for throwing Pope's book into the marsh, the pair had been fast friends

Pope sighed into her hair as he rested his chin on her head before pulling away as reality came crashing down. "Oh Rory..." he sighed "There's a lot I need to talk to you about"

"Me too" she smiled sadly, the unsettling feeling she's has since she'd arrived only worsened upon hearing the tone of his voice. Something wasn't right, she could sense it the minute she entered the outer banks yet she couldn't bring her self to ask about it yet

Suddenly remembering Pope didn't come out here alone she looked over his shoulder to the blonde boy who had been watching the entire interaction. He stood with his arms crossed, brows creased slightly in a sort of confusion as he looked right back at her, holding her gaze. There was something familiar in those piercing ocean blue eyes but no matter how much she racked her brain she had no clue who he could possibly be

Following her gaze, Pope, also remembering the boy that stood behind them looking at him expectantly, turned around, beckoning him over

JJ waltzed over lazily, eyes never leaving hers once as he looked her up and down trying to figure out who she was and what the hell was going on

"well, well, well, what do we got here then Pope?" he drawled, finally peeling his eyes away from Aurora to look at Pope for some sort of answer

"JJ meet Aurora, Aurora meet JJ" Pope introduced them

"wow, a pretty name for a pretty gi- OW!" JJ let out a shriek as Pope whacked him, cutting him off

"Dude!" Pope hissed " So not the person or the time for your flirting"

JJ raised his hands in mock defense "woah, sorry bud, didn't know she was yours "

"wha- No! She's not-" Pope stumbled over his words until Aurora cut him off

"I'm Aurora Routledge, John B's sister"

This caught JJ's full attention as his head snapped to face her, a look of shock taking over his face

"well shit!" he breathed out in disbelief "you really do exist"