JJ and a Routledge

Homebound

Once we got home JJ and I crashed into bed. I didn't really know if Kie and Pope stayed or not, but they were there when I woke up so I'm assuming they did. 

I woke up before Jay and I just watched him sleep. He looked so peaceful and it made me feel a little better about his mental health right now. I need to help him I just wish I knew how to do it. With everything going on, I doubt any of us are stable but JJ... JJ especially.  

Once we were all up, we went out back to the surf shack and JJ was waxing his board. He already did mine since "Today you're gonna learn how to surf, with the help of a professional. Me, of course." I could tell he wasn't really in the mood, especially after last night's events. 

"That's a lot of wax on your board man, if you put too much wax on your board it'll be too slippery," Pope tells JJ this, making him pause his work. Not the time, Pope, definitely not the time. 

"Are you telling me how to wax my board?" JJ stands up straighter and raises an eyebrow at Pope. I could tell he immediately regretted his decision to speak up. 

"No- No I'm just saying that's a lot of wax." Pope shrugs, but JJ continues on. I sigh, sitting on the arm of the chair where Kie was plucking her ukelele. I didn't want it to be like this forever and usually I'm the one that settles the both of them but I really didn't have it in me. 

"Please. You handle this, this time." I whisper and Kie playfully rolls her eyes. 

Finally, Kiara calls out to them after they argued about fucking wax. "Guys really?" Her words don't even get to linger because of what we all hear. A car honking. But not just any other car. Twinkie. 

"Did you hear that?" JJ asks. But as he does the Twinkie pulls up right next to us. Everyone jumped up and ran over but I just burst into tears, stuck in place. Out comes John B laughing and smiling, not even in a jumpsuit. They started having a conversation and had a hug of course when I sprinted over to John B and shoved him, hard. 

"Coral.  Jesus Christ what the hell was-" Before John B can finish I bring him in for a tight hug and he softly hugs me back. 

"You stupid ass bitch what the fuck was that." I cry out, "Why the fuck would you admit to it. Dumbass." He rubs my back and calms me down. I've always cussed when I get an override of emotions. 

"All that matters is I'm out now." He shrugs as we slowly break apart. "Wait, where's Sarah?" We all go quiet. I haven't seen her since yesterday morning, I assumed she met up with Wheezie. We all look at each other, but none of us had anything to say. "No- No- No. Where's Sarah?" 

Kiara shakes her head and is the first to find her words. "She went to go meet Wheezie last night. She didn't come back." I could see the complete panic on his face. 

We all headed to the boat and I wasn't really sure what we were talking about or what anyone was doing. I was just sitting next to Kie and completely zoned out. I come back in when I hear Kiara's words. 

"No. It's okay, she's literally right there." Kiara points and Sarah Cameron, in Topper Thornton's boat. At least she was wearing... John B's shirt, I think? She looked overjoyed to see JB but as soon as he saw Topper he basically turned away. 

"What the hell is she doing with Topper?" I ask the group, but no one has a response. When Sarah does get on our boat though, John B knocks into his senses and brings Sarah into his arms. 

"What happened?" Sarah asked once they backed away from each other. She looked breathless and I could even see tears in her eyes. She was head over heels for him, but she still arrived with Topper, and it was obvious John B didn't like that. 

"Um... they dropped the charges." John B smiles his words make me realize something. Sarah embraces John B again and I decided I have to speak up. 

"Guys... hate to ruin the mood, but... I'm just bringing this back to thought. If the charges were dropped from John B that must mean someone else got them." They all look over at me and I see the realization on everyone but John B's face. 

John B nods along with me, "Yeah, they're coming after Rafe." 

"Good. He's unhinged." That was not the reaction I thought Sarah would have but I guess it was better than if she did care. "He jumped the last night." What in the fuck. Unhinged is an understatement. 

"What?" I exclaim. "Son of a bitch." 

"Yeah, that's why I didn't come back," Sarah adds. 

That's when we all got reminded that Topper was still here, "Yeah, man. Rafe has lost his mind. Literally almost drowned his own sister. Thankfully I got there... got there just in time." He gives Sarah a look that makes me a tiny bit uncomfortable. It was all too similar to the way John B looks at her. 

I can literally hear crickets chirp."Yeah, he did." Sarah nods and looks back at John B, who was now looking off into the distance, still pissed. One thing about John B is he can be way too petty. Topper is a little shit but he should at least be thankful he saved Sarah's life. 

"Uh, well. I guess I owe you one, Topper. Don't I?" John B finally speaks up but I think we could all see the discomfort displayed on his face. 

Topper scoffs. "It's all good, man.  I mean, somebody had to rescue your girlfriend, right?" JJ and I give each other a look and it showed how uncomfortable we both were in this conversation right now. The way he said girlfriend was like it was poison on his tongue. 

"Uh, that's funny because she's not actually my girlfriend, right?" He looks over at Sarah who was running a hand through her hair. She wasn't gonna say it, was she?

"What- What is she then?" Topper laughs. He crosses his arms and furrows his eyebrows, way too amused. 

"Tell him." John B nudges Sarah on the shoulder. By the look on her face, I already knew that her answer was not going to be what John B wanted. She looks at John B, then at Topper, then at John B again, and back to Topper. 

"I- I'm... I'm with him." And to quote Taylor Swift, I've never heard silence quite this loud. John B's whole demeanor changes and I suddenly feel super sorry for him.  The love of his life just denied their marriage.  But also, it'd be kind of awkward to brag about your marriage to your ex who also just saved your life. 

Topper thought it was the funniest thing in the world, apparently. "Gotcha. You're with him. Okay, yes." I look over at Kie who was making a face of disgust, and I'm pretty sure I was making the same one. "I just like, needed a little clarity there... Are you guys clear on that?" Topper gestures to Pope, Kie, JJ, and me. 

JJ scratches the side of his face, squinting due to the lack of sunglasses, and shakes his head. "I think it's clear you gotta go now." 

The other three of us agree, making Topper play it off casually. "Think I'll head out, about that time." Bro's acting like we didn't just send him away. 

"Yeah, that'd be great." I barely let a smile out as I look back up at Topper. I never liked him. I mean, my first impression of him was him splashing beer all over me so there was never a good start but I completely believe that he thinks Pogues are on a lower level than him. I could tell Topper was about to start something but Sarah cuts through us. 

"Topper." She walks over to him, on his boat, and for a split second, I thought she was about to jump back on with him. "Thank you." She leans in for a hug and he gladly takes it.

I immediately felt like I was invading something when he glared at John B while rubbing Sarah's back. "Yeah, of course, I'm just glad you're okay." I could literally cut the tension with a knife.