SHOOTING STARS ✰ jj maybank

009. VOI-EFFING-LÀ

John B decided that the journey needed to go on, so all five of the teenagers were now standing in front of Redfield lighthouse. John B claims that his father was leaving him a message and that message was here. At the lighthouse.

"Okay, this is what's going to happen. You're gonna post up and look out for bogeys, okay?" John B told JJ, but before he could say anything else, the blonde boy cut him off.

"Wait... why me?" He questioned, clearly confused about why he wasn't included in this mission.

"Because you're not coming," Pope told JJ and Scarlett felt bad for the boy. He just wanted to go and be a part of it.

"Why?"

"Look, JJ. There are independent and dependent variables. You're independent. We don't know what you'll do." Pope explained to the boy.

"Shut up, Pope. Just shut up!" JJ began yelling at Pope before John B cut him off.

"Listen to me for a second. Pope, Star, you guys stand lookout with JJ. Okay? If we get split up, we meet back at JJ's house." He explained to everyone, clearly not in the mood for arguments.

"Great." Kie nodded.

"I'm gonna work on my merit scholarship essay, and I'm trying to keep the felonies to a minimum." Pope began walking back to the Twinkie as John B and Kie hopped the fence, heading towards the lighthouse.

"All right, would you just shut up already?" JJ was upset that they made him sit back instead of going to the lighthouse.

"Hey, don't be mean to Pope." Scarlett frowned as she sat against a tree, shutting her eyes as the sun shone down on her.

After a few minutes, JJ went over to Scarlett and sat in front of her with a smile on his face.

"You tried?" He admired the girl as the sun lit up her face perfectly and made her brown eyes almost look sparkly like they were full of hope and desire.

She nodded her head, shutting her eyes and leaning her head against the tree.

"You have been quiet. What's on your mind?" JJ wouldn't just let her shut her eyes and relax peacefully.

"I don't know. I'm just tired I guess. Also, I had to see Topper this morning. Asshole ruined my morning." She rolled her eyes just thinking about the stuck-up blonde Kook.

"What did he do to you?" JJ began getting protective, thinking that Topper touched her or something.

"Well, I guess I was being an asshole first, so it's kinda my fault. He was just trying to control Sarah while we were doing something and I was so annoyed with him that I started yelling. He flipped me off so I flipped him off and we started arguing." She laughed, remembering how priceless Topper's face was when he thought Sarah was hurt.

"I wish I could just argue with the Kooks without having a punch thrown at me. Your lucky you are already a kook so you can pretty much say whatever you want and they can't do shit about it." JJ laughed a little as he remembered watching the girl argue with the Kooks on multiple different occasions.

"That's not true. Remember when Topper punched me?" She looked over at the boy to see his jaw clench as she brought it up.

"He is so lucky Pope held me back." JJ shook his head and Scarlett laughed a little. "How is that bruise doing, by the way?" JJ questioned. He grabbed the blonde girl's cheek and rubbed his thumb over the bruise. "It's healing a little."

"It doesn't hurt that bad anymore." She smiled at the boy as they locked eye contact, neither of them breaking it.

The tension in the air grew thicker and thicker, and JJ couldn't take it. The way that her brown eyes stared into his icy blue ones, the way the sun illuminated her skin so perfectly, the way her skin felt so warm and soft as he rubbed his thumb in circles on her cheek, the way she licked her beautiful lips as she stared into his eyes. "Star, I-" JJ began, but he was quickly cut off by the sound of sirens.