Nothing to Loose, But You - JJ Maybank

27: Goodnight Pretty Boy

JJ and I were sitting in the hot tub with our legs in the water. I had my head on his shoulder as he drew patterns on my thigh. We both smiled all night long like idiots. Gosh I love him.

"John B pullin' a Houdini." JJ says.

"Yeah, where is he?" Pope asks as he lowers Kie. "I got my scholarship interview tomorrow. We gotta get this done!"

"Speak of the devil. Hey!" JJ says seeing John B walking. "Dude, I set up the entire winch
to pull up the gold and everything."

"No, he did not. I did that." Pope states as we notice he isn't talking.

"Uh... what's that all about?" Pope ask JJ and I as John B goes inside.

"I was gonna ask you the same question." JJ says. Pope and Kie go inside but I quickly pull Jj back.

"JJ what if he found out. He was going fishing with Ward. He found out." I told him. Shit. We both go inside and see John B searching the house. JJ kept me behind him incase John B knew that I knew.

"What are you looking for?" Kie asks.

"Bro, what's going on?" JJ asks as John B lifts up the couch cushion and grabs the gun.

"John B, what do you need the gun for?" I ask him. JJ walks up to him to try and take it but John B pushes him.

"What are you doing?" Kie asks.

"What, are you JJ now?" Pope asks as John B shoves him. I run outside and chase John B.

"Ward knows about the gold. He killed my dad." John B says getting in the motorcycle. 

I go and stand right infront of it.

"I dont care if you're mad at me! I knew Johnathan and Ward killed him and I wanted to kill them! They took my father to! But I didn't!" I yell. John B gets off the bike and shoves me. I trip over my own foot and fall onto my butt.

"JohnB!" We all yell as he bikes away.

JJ runs up to me and helps me up. "You okay?" He asks.

"Yea, are you?" I ask.

"Yeah." He says.

•

"What now? We just go up to the front door and ask, "Hey, have you seen John B?"" JJ states as we are outside of Sarah's house in their dock.

"Look, he lives at Tannyhill now. It's plausible. Look, we can play dumb." Kie states.

"Play dumb?" I ask her.

"It's pretty late." Pope states.

"Look, I've never seen John B like that. We should honestly be going to the cops." Kie states.

"The cop... Yeah, and say what, Kie?" I ask her.

"We're worried about our friend because he's on a rampage because Ward Cameron killed Big John? Like, they're not gonna believe us!" JJ says.

"Hey, I see Ward." Pope states.

"Let me see." Kie says taking the binoculars.

"Doesn't look dead to me. Let's go home." Pope states.

"Wait. What?" Kie says.

"Uh... Okay. Obviously, Mr. Cameron is fine, and even if John B was here, he isn't now, okay? Plus, I have the biggest, most important moment of my life in six hours." Pope says. I forgot his interview is tomorrow.

"Yeah, well, our friend is in trouble." Kie says annoyed.

"I'm in trouble. Guys, I haven't been home in three days. My dad's probably put all my shit
on the street by now." Pope says as JJ and I stay out of it. I know JJ doenst like arguing so I take his hand and lightly squeeze it.

"Okay, so that's it? In a time of need, you're just gonna bail? You're just gonna walk away?" Kie says getting mad.

"Okay, yo, guys, can we not do this right now?" I say trying ti make them stop.

"Hey, I have a scholarship interview in the morning. I can't..." He says. This scholarship is the only way he can get off this island. He needs this.

"Okay, well, what about John B?" Kie asks.

"Why is it always about John B?" I ask her.

"It's not always about John B." She says. "You're so stupid. It would be any of you in this situation." She says.

"Oh, bullshit!" Pope says.

"Guys..." JJ says.

"This is about friendship." Kie says.

"Bring it down." JJ says as they are getting to loud.

"Look, this is about Pogues for life."

"What about forensic pathology, huh?"

"Forensic pathology?"

"It's my life. Everything I've worked for."

"That's your priority?"

"Stop the moral high ground bullshit?"

"Pope, come on." JJ says knowing he's gonna take it to far.

"No."

"Excuse me?"

"No, no. She has no room to talk. Where were you when Big John went missing? You weren't there. You weren't there for John B. You weren't there for any of us. Remember your Kook year?"

"To low Pope." I say.

"Yeah, you forgot about us. Now you feel guilty."

"Give me a break." Kie says shoving him. They then begin to shove eachother. JJ steps up and separates them.

"If I'm the one mediating, we've hit rock bottom. Bow, now. Go!" JJ says making them go to opposite sides of the boat. "Pope, I'll drop you off."

•

It was just JJ and I know. "Barry is probably worried sick. Wanna stay at mine?" I ask him.

"Yeah." JJ says as we drive ti my house. I walk up to the front door and put a hand up for JJ to stop. I open the door a bit to make sure he's decent and other people aren't here. I see him sitting in the couch watching TV. I open the door fully and let JJ in.

"Hey." I say going up ti Barry and hugging him.

"Oh my gosh." He says wrapping me up in a hug. "You're dad told me what happened. I've been worried sick." He says. He then looks over and sees JJ he turns back ti me and winks. He then raises his eyebrows and I shake my head yes. "For fucks sake. Finally." Barry says before shooing us to my room.

"You guys are cute." JJ says smiling at me.

"Huh?" I ask him.

"You and Barry. You guys have a really good relationship." He says.

"Oh I mean. I saved him. He saved me. I guess we just know not to give up on eachother." I say sitting on my bed. It was silent for a bit as we both started to fall asleep.

"Hey Eve?" He asks me.

"Yeah?" I ask him.

"What are we?" I look up at him as he looks into my eyes scared of my response.

"I mean. I thought we would just fuck and move on." I say shrugging my shoulder. JJ obviously didn't get my sarcasm as I hit his chest lightly. "Maybe boyfriend and girlfriend but you haven't asked so."

He smiles at me. "Evelyn Mary Tiara, will you be my girlfriend?" He asks.

"Yes." I say bitting my bottom lip and kissing him.

We pull away for some air and look at eachother. "Goodnight beautiful." He says to me as we lay back down.

"Goodnight pretty boy."

1199 words. 🤪