COMFORT CROWD [3] , jj maybank

7. say you'll stay, never be severed

☆ ★ ✮ ★ ☆

  TRAINS UPON TRAINS UPON trains surround us while we stand on top of another train. We made it to Wilmington, dirt bikes and all.

   "Well, there's like a thousand trains here," Kie complains. "It's on the track to Raleigh and it's car 750X so, at least we know that," Bailey sighs. "Yeah, so now we just gotta find it," JJ says. I've never been in a train yard. It's kinda cool. A train heist is cool as well. "News flash. We're not getting out of here unnoticed with a giant cross," Kie makes a good point.

   I plant my hands on my hips, "We can stop the train, right? There's gotta be a way to do that," I say while on my tippy toes. Something in me tells me that JJ knows a way to stop a train, whether it be his hours on GTA or some random shit a family member did—he knows how. "Leave that to me," He says. Knew it. Mad or not I still can read that man's mind. "How you gonna do that?" Cleo asks. "I got an uncle up in New Bern, right? When he got tipsy, he'd just throw an old chain across the tracks for shits and giggles. And that old little chain would stop all the train traffic in coastal Carolina," JJ borderline brags. All I can do is stare at him. Some family stories are plausible but this one? The whole train workings? I don't know.

    "A chain? Dude," Bailey deadpans. "He's actually right. There's a low voltage current that runs across all rail tracks. Throw a chain on it, close that circuit. It would read as another train. Crossing lights come down. Science is actually pretty sound," Pope explains. Alright, if Pope knows it's right, then it's right. Not one of JJ's drunk uncles. "Science. I knew my science," JJ says, looking towards Bailey and I. Kie and I share a furrowed brow, annoyed look, throwing our hands up.

   "Okay, where's this chain?" I sass. JJ cocks his head back at me, shrugging, "Uh—"

  "I bet Topper's dad has jumper cables in the truck. Would that work?" asks Sarah. "Yeah," Pope answers. "Yo, what's going on? Are we doing this?" Topper shouts up at us. I almost forgot he's here along with Adrien. I look down, rolling my eyes at both Kook boys. "Get the stick outta your ass, Thornton. Have some patience!" Adrien tells him. Topper stands there though, hands up and flip flops on.

   "Alright, you all wait here. Me and Pope will go look for it and send a signal once we find it," Cleo explains the plan. "Do we actually have a plan right now?" Sarah asks, smirking. "I think we might," Bailey responds, high fiving Sarah. "A rarity," I add. "Let's not jinx it while we're ahead. Come on," Pope says, a rare act of pessimism from him.

  "Nobody ever listens to me," Cleo says and Sarah and I laugh. Pope and Cleo climb down the train and begin their journey to find the right train.

   JJ and I haven't really said a word to each other that isn't a petty remark. Thankfully, we took our bikes here so it's like we were in a confined space that ate me alive because he can't even look at me. It's not fair on his part or mine. We used to tell each other everything, before and during when we started to date. I should at least tell him how I feel if I'm gonna keep the biggest secret from him. He deserves that, right?