𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐝𝐬 • 𝐣𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝐛 𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞

𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞

after getting introduced to their rooms, john b and dove met their friends at the wreck.

"i'm sorry, you two are staying where?" kie questioned.

john b was leaning against the bar while kiara was bringing drinks over to dove, jj, and pope.

"yeah. tannyhill. i hate it too, kie." dove said.

"you only hate it because you're jealous of sarah." jj whispered.

dove swatted his arm. "shut up."

"he's right." pope agreed.

"you shut up too!" dove whisper-shouted.

john b followed kie over.

"okay, look, the only reason i'm living there is because her dad bailed me out, right? and it's way better then foster care, which, by the way, is where dove and i were about to go, since the glissons kicked her out, if ward didn't—."

"hey, so like do you two have a membership to the clubs now?" pope interrupted.

"i don't know, pope." john b shook his head and sat down.

"what about those golf carts they drive around?" jj asked.

"god no. they're so ugly." dove shook her head.

"look, you promised. you said you weren't with her." kie said.

"and you believed him?" dove raised her eyebrows.

"dove." john b muttered.

"bro, doves right. just own it. she's got you." jj said.

john b looked at jj then back at dove who just shrugged at him.

john b felt bad. he knew he didn't really want to be with sarah, but dove didn't think they should be together so wasn't he free to do what he wanted?

"look, if you wanna hang out with her, that's fine. but i'm letting you know now that i'm not doing anything with sarah." kie said to john b.

"yeah, me neither. it's already bad that i have to live in the same house as her, it would be even worse if i have to hang out with her." dove agreed.

"do you guys see her here? no, right? okay. a little focus would be fantastic. we've got the map, right?" john b raised his eyebrows.

"well, it's all out of whack 'cause the guy was ganja'd when he drew it." said jj.

"it's cause the coast changed." kie replied.

"mm." dove nodded. "i'd add some input, but i'm not god with maps, so y'all chat and let me know the plan." dove nodded.

she got up and went into the bathroom. she ran her fingers through her hair then splashed some water on her face before looking at herself in the mirror.

"don't let it get to you, dove. john b loves you. you're just confusing him. you have to talk to him. yeah, you have to talk to him." she whispered.

she sighed and left the bathroom, but she decided that she wasn't going to talk to john b.

🕊️

after figuring out where parcel nine was, they followed the map which took them to the crain house.

"not the crain house." john b whispered as they arrived.

they all exited the twinkie and walked over to view the house.

"are you kidding me?" kie questioned, rhetorically.

"worst-case scenario." jj said.

"why'd it have to be here? of all places." pope added.

"okay, i know this gold is important, but i don't think it's this important. i'm not trying to get my head cut off. can we please leave? john b?" dove begged.

"you can wait in the twinkie." john b said.

"are you implying that you're all going in there?" she raised her eyebrows.

john b just shrugged.

dove shook her head. "fine. i'll wait in the car. i'm actually glad to be a scaredy-cat."

she then turned around and went to the van.

"you're such an idiot." pope muttered.

"could you at least try to comfort her?" kie raised her eyebrows.

"why do i have to comfort her every time she's scared? she has to learn how to face her fears, right?" he raised his eyebrows.

kie sighed. "okay. fine. she should face some of her fears on her own, but you know she's having a hard time right now."

"especially now that her mom's living at the cameron's with us." john b replied.

"mary's with you guys too?" pope raised his eyebrows.

"unfortunately." john b sighed.

pope just shook his head.

"wow." kie muttered.

"i'll go stay with her. you guys go inside. and if y'all get murdered then just call for help." jj nodded.

"we can't call if we're dead—okay. yeah. go stay with dove." john b shook his head.

jj nodded and went back to the van.

"yo." he said as he entered the twinkie.

"hey." dove muttered.

he sat down next to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

they were silent for a moment until jj spoke up.

"you want some bud?" jj asked.

dove looked up at him.

"what?" he furrowed his eyebrows.

"i don't want weed, jj." she replied.

"i assumed not." he nodded.

"then why'd you ask?" she raised her eyebrows.

he shrugged. "i don't know. maybe to see if i was wrong."

"well you weren't." she replied.

"i know."

they were silent again.

"why is it always a fight when it comes to john b?" she questioned.

"because he's tired of comforting you." jj replied.

she looked up at him with a hurt and angry look on her face.

"what?"

she removed his arm from around her shoulder and moved over.

"what? do you think i'm wrong? i mean, dove, you've been through a lot, you have fears, but john b can't always comfort you. we love you, but you need to try to face your fears on your own." jj said.

dove was quiet for a moment until she said, "i think that's the most intelligent thing you've said in a long time."

jj smirked. "i'm gonna take that as a compliment."

"it was a compliment." she smiled and nudged him.

he wrapped his arm around her again and she snuggled into his chest.

AUTHORS NOTE
i know this is short and there's not a lot going on right now but when my netflix starts working again then i'll update longer chapters.

anyway i committed to a college so i'll be there in the fall. pray for me besties.

muah,
lea <3