COMFORT CROWD [3] , jj maybank

9. are you scared of me?

☆ ★ ✮ ★ ☆

   MY HEAD IS RESTED in my hands as I stare at the text Kie sent me a bit ago. Not being used to having a phone, I barely check the thing now. So when I saw an actual text from nearly an hour ago, I panicked a bit.

Sarah might swing by ur house. she couldn't stay by mine</3

I'm not home. I'm still at the Heyward's. Did Sarah actually show up? My mom or the boys would let her stay without a second guess but I fear if I'm not there Sarah won't take the offer up. Is she okay? She doesn't have a phone and I have no idea where she is.

Leg bouncing so hard that the table begins to shake, I force myself to stop the anxiety tick. "Yo, you alright, Sammy?" Cleo asks. My leg slowly has started up again but Cleo's words drag me from my thoughts. "Sorry. Kie texted me that Sarah has no place to stay. I'm just worried," I answer.

"I'm sure Sarah is alright, okay, princess? Now, help me with these plates," JJ tosses me the plates. The Heyward's are letting us stay for dinner but it's been an hour or so and Pope still is nowhere to be found. I even asked Bailey if he had stopped by her place but she's been out with Kie against her parents wishes the whole day.

The grill sizzles as Mrs. Heyward cooks us up some burgers. "Well, I appreciate the help, you three," She thanks us. "You know I ain't missing Mrs. Heyward's cooking," JJ smiles. "Too good to pass up!" I exclaim as I place down the paper plates and Cleo places cups. "Unlike my derelict son. He's usually here by now," Pope's mom sighs.

"I'm sure he'll be back any second, Mrs. Heyward," Cleo reassures her. I watch as JJ tries to sneak a burger off the grill but the woman smacks away his hand. "Idiot," I laugh at him. JJ rolls his eyes at me with a playful smile.

"Any of y'all moved the pistol from in there?" Heyward asks, "The one I keep under the register?" I frown for a second but then I add it all up. Pope is missing, so is the gun. Pope is mad—with a gun. A feeling I know all too well. "JJ?" Heyward accuses. "Whoa, okay. I didn't touch it. Okay?" JJ quickly denies.

"We didn't even know it was there," I lie. I figured Heyward would have a gun somewhere after getting jumped last month, I just had no clue where. "Well, somebody did. 'Cause it's gone," Heyward shouts. JJ throws his hands up, "Wasn't me."

"You see? I—Dang it! I gotta find it!" Heyward panics, his wife following him with words of reassurance. There's a heavy shift in the air. Pope has the gun. Cleo leans onto the table, "It's him."

"It's gotta be," I say. "Yeah, he's going after Rafe," JJ adds, "We'll check Tannyhill."

"I'll take the marina," Cleo says and we split up.

My foot is pressed on the gas as I race through The Cut and to Figure 8. I will not let Pope do this. The guilt will destroy him. Pope is kinder than me, even despite everything we've been through, he's the nicest of us. I don't want that to change. He doesn't deserve that. "Hey, babe, you're gonna hit a Kook's million dollar car if you keep speedin'," JJ holds onto the handle above the door. "We're fine. It's fine, JJ," I say but I do slightly slow down.