3. Always and forever ~ JJ Maybank

Chapter 20

Rosa sits on a bench at Popes and watches him broom the floor aggressively, she takes a sip from her diet Coke and raises her eyebrows. JJ is around town looking for a job so Rosa decided to visit Pope and Cleo after she promised her mom that she's gonna tell her this evening what is going on between Rafe and Sofia.

„You did what?" Cleo looks at Pope shocked while she walks out of Heywards shop. Pope doesn't look at any of the girls „Quit school." Rosa shakes her head „What about your scholarship?" Pope looks at her irritated „I lost it. I lost all my old classes. I'll be lucky if I even passed the grades. My transcript is ass" he throws the broom against the fence „Everything I had going for me, gone. And do you know why I'm screwed?" he looks at the two girls, who just look at him quietly. „Because I tried to do the right thing. I tried to help John B with his treasure, to get my family's inheritance back and you know what I got for it? Kicked in the dirt. It's over. I'm done."

Rosa swallows „I'm so sorry, Pope. Maybe I can ask my dad try to talk to your principal or maybe he knows anyone who would still give you a scholarship.." Pope shakes his head „It's over, Rosa!"

„Pope!" JJs voice appears while he runs towards the three causing Rosa to look over at him while Cleo shakes her head „Pope, it's not like you can just give up like that."

JJ looks at them „Yo! Bombshell!" he pants and stops next to Rosa, who hands him her coke, which JJ takes and takes a few sips. Pope looks at him annoyed causing JJ to give Rosa her drink back „What's going on? What happened? Detecting a real heavy vibe. What's going on?"

„Pope's quitting school" Rosa looks at her boyfriend, who seems unimpressed by that „Being a coroner's kind of weird anyway."

„Shut up, wrench dick" Pope says with closed eyes while Rosa shakes her head and looks at Cleo.

„Right, great. So it's definitely not the time for this" he takes a deep breath „Okay, shit." Rosa looks at JJ confused as he doesn't get a single word out.

„What?" Cleo snaps causing JJ to turn towards her „So I was down at Guffy's, all right? I was trying to get my job back." Rosa looks at him „And?" JJ shakes his head „I haven't got it back." Rosa nods slightly and looks at his wet hair confused.

„I see the catty across the way, and on it.." he breathes heavily „is Rafe and Barry." Rosa draws her eyebrows together at that while Pope looks at JJ, who is completely nervous „I sneak over to hear what they're talking about" JJ takes deep breath „Pope, he has the cross" he closes his eyes for a second. Rosa swallows „What?"

JJ presses his lips together „And he melted it down.." Pope just stares at JJ

Rosa looks at her hands and draws her eyebrows together. She really thought for a second that he did change. That he is a better person. She once again believed his lies even though she should've known better.

Pope closes his eyes and stands up while JJ looks at him „I'm sorry, bro." Pope walks over to the fence and looks at the sea while JJ nods „I know. I know."

Rosa flinches as Pope starts to scream from the depths of his soul „Fuck!" JJ sits down across from Rosa while Pope walks back and forth „Of course it was Rafe." He looks at Rosa, who slightly shakes her head „I'm so sorry.." she still has the feeling that she has to apologize for him. That she has to apologize that she once loved him. She feels guilty for the things he does.

„Yeah, I mean, we probably could've guessed that" JJ nods and Pope stares at him „The cross of Santo Domingo, desecrated!" he walks a few steps back „For money? God!" he grabs the broom and holds it over his head while he walks around.

JJ sighs „I think we need to stay calm to make a plan, but we got the stay-" Pope turns around and smacks the broom against the floor causing it to break into pieces. JJ flinches and holds his hands in front of his face while Rosa falls down the bench as she was sitting cross-legged „Oh my god.." she takes a deep breath. JJ helps her up „Getting better at that.." Rosa sits down next to him.