𝑃𝑎𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑅𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠

Chapter Twenty Five

Ruby buried her face in JJ's back, feeling the vibrations of the dirtbike underneath her.

She heard the sirens, her heart was pounding in her chest, her fingers gripping his shirt impossibly tighter.

"Baby..?" JJ asked, glancing back at her, " yea..?" Ruby said, " whatever you do.. don't let go of me okay? I need you to hold on as tight as you can.." he said and she nodded, doing as he said.

She felt him speed up, her hair whipping in her face as she felt an adrenaline rush- but this wasn't them goofing off. This was something entirely different.

They got behind Topper's truck and Ruby glanced behind them, seeing the cop cars getting closer.

" baby.. you trust me right?" JJ asked, " of course I do.." Ruby responded, looking at him in confusion.

He took a shaky breath and pulled up next to Topper's truck, " then I need you to jump.." he said and she looked at him as if he was insane.

" JJ are you crazy?! This isn't some fast and furious movie!" She yelled, " I know! I know damnit but I need you to jump!" He yelled back.

One look in his eyes and her heart sunk, something about this felt like a goodbye.

She swallowed hard and nodded, gripping his shoulders for dear life as she slowly stood up on the back of the bike.

Pope held out his hand for her and Ruby shuddered, looking at the pavement below- she had one shot at this.

She looked at JJ one last time and he nodded at her, she took a deep breath and nodded once before jumping, gripping Pope's hand as he pulled her into the bed of the truck.

Ruby had a sickening feeling as she watched JJ turn the bike around- he was using himself as bait.

Sage sat beside Ruby, pulling her against her side, feeling how badly she was shaking.

Ruby's eyes frantically searched for JJ, not letting him out of her sight for even one second.

" Top! Top turn around we lost him!" Ruby yelled, kneeling up to see better, " he's going up onto the overpass" Pope said, having a better view.

" Topper turn around!" Sarah yelled, " no! I'm not going down for you guys!" Topper shouted and Ruby lost it.

" turn this pile of shit around right now! Topper I swear to god!" She yelled and Sage had to psychically restrain her.

" no! No we aren't leaving him!" Ruby yelled, scared tears filling her eyes.

And suddenly it happened in slow motion, she heard the blare of a horn first and looked up, screaming in horror as she watched JJ's bike crash through the barricade on the bridge above.

" Stop! STOP THE TRUCK!" Ruby screamed, not even giving Topper a chance to pull over before jumping out of the bed of the truck.

Her whole body was shaking, breaths coming out in terrified wheezes as she looked for something, anything of JJ.

" JESSE!!" Ruby screamed, dropping to her knees on the road, loud sobs escaping her lips to the point she couldn't breathe.

Sage knelt next to her, automatically taking Ruby into her arms and trying to console her but nothing was working.

No one else could move, Pope wanted to do something but he couldn't bring himself to move, everyone was in shock.

Everything went quiet for a moment, the only sound being Ruby's heartbroken sobs.

" man that is the gnarliest power slide I have ever done.." JJ's voice rang out.

Everyone ran over to him, everyone except for Ruby who was still on the road with Sage, she couldn't bring herself to move.

As soon as he saw her JJ ran over, immediately taking Ruby into his arms, hugging her tightly and pulling her onto his lap.

" hey.. hey I'm right here. I'm right here okay..?" He said and she shook her head, crying harder as she clung to him.

JJ kissed the top of her head and began to cry as well, he didn't realize how badly this would affect her until it was too late.

" don't- don't do something like that again.." She sobbed, burying her face in his neck, and suddenly JJ got deja vu.. they'd been in this situation before, " I won't.. I won't baby.." he said quietly.

" next time keep me with you.." Ruby said in a broken whisper, " I promise.. I promise baby I will.." JJ assured, kissing her temple as tears streamed down his face.

Neither of them moved, they just held each other and cried on the road and no one dared to try and pull them apart.

They'd almost lost each other again.