I'm here // JJ Maybank

18

Once Amelia got home she quickly changed and then went to John Bs where everyone was going to meet. She walked to the chateau and was greeted to an empty house.
"JB?" She called out. No one responded, but she figured John B was out blowing off some steam. Last she saw him he wasn't in the best headspace. She cracked open a beer and sat outside on the hammock to wait for the others. She sat and thought about everything that's been going on between her and JJ. Was it all just in her head? Is it just from the stress of everything that's been going on? It's her best friend, who she has known since she was in elementary school, why now? She would be lying if she said she has never though about him in that way. Who could blame her though. She finished off her beer in perfect time because Kies car pulled up. She saw the girl get out and Amelia went over to greet her.
"Hello Gorgeous" Mel said to the girl
"Hello to you too, where are the boys?" She asked giving Mel a hug.
"Should be here soon, I left them at JJs not too long ago. Not sure about JB though." Mel said. They both grabbed another beer while they waiting for the boys to show up and chit chatted in the meantime.
—
"I'm so glad they are still doing this" Kie says as the group walks into the green area set up. They deemed John B a no show after waiting until they were borderline late. "Keep calm and carry on. Back to OBX life. You know? Aren't you glad I made you come?" kie continues.
"Ecstatic" Pope says sarcastically.
"My couch was pretty comfy, ill be honest." JJ adds.
"You know I'm glad Kie thank you" Amelia says throwing her arm around the girl. The girls set up their seats, while the boys whisper something to eachother. Amelia lays out a blanket for her to sit on since they didn't have enough chairs for everyone. Once its set she and kie go to the stand to grab some drinks for everyone.
"Hey uh.. can I get four Pepsi's please?" Kie says grabbing cash out her back pocket and hands it to the man.
"Hey Kie, Mel." Rafe calls out from behind them. Amelia dreadfully turns her head to see none other than Rafe Cameron. She rolls her eyes and looks to kie for help.
"Hey what's up" He says. Rafe places his hand on Amelia's lower back, but she slaps his arm away. He sends her a look but she refuses to make eye contact.
"How are you?" He asks
"I'm fine" Kie says.
"Mhmm" Amelia stares at the guy getting the drinks, silently begging him to hurry the hell up.
"Good, good. Um... tell your boy that we know what he did." Rafe says making the hairs on Amelias arms stand up.
"sorry, what boy are you talking about?" Kie asks looking to Amelia who now is just staring at her feet.
"I'm sure Ames here knows. Pass on the message okay" He says. He creepily stares at Kie who grabs two of the Pepsi's and walks off. Amelia goes to grab the other two but Rafe grabs her wrist.
"You could come sit with us you know" He says. She yanks her hands away and grabs both drinks.
"You'd have to kill me Rafe" She says walking away and back to the safety of her group.
She gets back to the others and hears kie fill them in on the interaction. Both boys heads shoot back.
"Great the whole death squad" Pope says in a high pitches voice. Amelia pushes his head back facing forward and sits down on her blanket that JJ confidently sat himself behind.
"If they corner me, I'm coming out swinging, okay? Slice and dicing. I'm on edge right now."
"Yeah, yeah" Amelia rolls her eyes at the two hopeless boys.
"If that doesn't work, I got this right here" JJ says holding up his backpack.
"No JJ" Amelia says making him turn his attention towards her.
"So we just gotta stay in the group. They can't get us in the group."
"Like a school of fish"
"Can't leave the school. Stay in school"
"I'm sorry. JJ.. Please tell me that you did not bring a gun here. JJ, there are kids." Kie scolds. She sends eyes to Amelia who just shrugs her shoulders.
"No! Kie i didn't bring the gun. Everything's fine, okay?" JJ lies.
"Wow thank you. That's really convincing. I love that JJ." Kie says. A silence falls between the group before kie continues.
"Founding principal, you guys. No secrets amongst pogues. What is Rafe talking about?" She says looking between the three.
"Kie, it might go down tonight." Pope says lowly, kinda creeping Amelia out.
"What does that mean? Amelia?" Kie asks. Amelia looks at pope, then JJ, then at kie and shrugs. She was sworn to secrecy after all, and Amelia takes secrets very seriously.
"What did y'all do?"
"Deny deny deny"JJ whispers.
The movie soon begins to start and its extremely boring. Amelia found herself sitting in between JJs legs, resting her head on one of them and slowly falling asleep. JJ was more focused on the girl sleeping on him than anything else right now. The sight made him extremely happy, but also extremely anxious.
"JJ" pope whispers
"What?" JJ whispers back.
"Gotta take a piss."
"Hold it" JJ says.
"I can't hold it. I drank too much soda" Pope says, now talking at a normal volume. Their conversation makes Amelia stir away and groan.
"Shut up you two" she mumbles at her rude awakening.
"It's too exposed. They'll totally see us." JJ says.
"I gotta go" Pope urges.
"Go where" Amelia chimes in.
"Pee." Pope quickly fills Amelia in. She nods and the three of them look back to see the whole squad blocking the bathrooms.
"They're blocking the bathrooms."
"Come here, I know where. Sorry princess" JJ says getting up and carefully moving Amelia to the side. Pope follows him and the girl watches as they disappear to behind the screen. She  looks back to make sure that the death squad is still in their seats, which they are and watching the movie.
A couple minutes pass and the boys still haven't returned. Amelia looks around again, but this time the whole death squad has disappeared.
"Kie, Kie cmon we have to go." Amelia said tapping Kiaras arm. Kie looked at her confused but still got up. Amelia grabbed JJs bag and then ran in the direction that they went to pee. Once they rounded the corner they could hear fighting. Andrew was holding JJ while Rafe punched him. Amelia went straight to Rafe and pushed him back, taking him off guard.
"Awe look who came to save the day." Rafe said taughting them.
"Let him go Andrew I swear to god!" She shouted at the psycho that was holding JJ.
"And what is it that you are going to do Ames Huh?" Rafe asked walking towards her. She let go off JJs bag and threw a punch at Rafe, hitting him square in the jaw. Her fist ached at the hard hit, but she kept her focus on the boy in front of her. Rafe looked at the girl with rage in his eyes and holding his face where she just hit him. He  punched her the same way she did to him, sending her to the ground. She groaned on the ground and could taste the blood from the previously split lip that go reopened. She looked at Kie who was trying but failing to help pope, then looked at JJ who was still being help back and repeatedly hit.  She grabbed JJs bag that way lying on the ground next to her and rummaged through the contents. Her hand found the gun, but she kept looking for something else. Once her fingers grazed the metal lighter she grabbed it and rushed over to the screen. She lit the lighter and held it up, letting the white fabric screen light up in flames.
"Andrew let go of him!" She shouted again, calling all of their attention to the flames behind her. Andrew threw JJ to the ground and they all rushed away from the scene. Once the group retreated Amelia ran to JJ who sat on his knees on the ground.
"Are you okay?" She asked him, holding his face in her hands.
"I'm fine. Are you okay?" He asked, grabbing her hand and looking at the bruises that were already forming on her wrist.
"I'm okay. Let's go get you cleaned up okay?" She said, helping him stand up.
"You're a freaking idiot" Pope said coming from behind her and holding onto her shoulder.
"I'm aware." She said looking at the fire. Add arson to her list of crimes.