Someone to stay || JJ Maybank

22

"The game is on again"

We sit around a fire as JJ adds some wood to it. I was still wearing my dress like Kie, but my hair didn't look nearly as neat as it did when Kie curled it. Not that I had a mirror here but I could feel how my hair got poofier, sticking to my neck. JJ somehow had time to change the waiter's outfit to his own clothes.

"Hey, guys", Pope speaks up first. No one has really started the conversation, we just laughed the whole time we ran here. Now it's time to get some answers. "So, like, my dad's already gonna kill me. So what's this mandatory meeting about?"

I look at John B, who exchange looks with JJ, pointing his fingers at him. And still no one says anything.

"Are you gonna tell us or what?" I ask looking between the two of them. "I did not just ruin my mom's night just sit around some fire in silence."
Or my own night for the matter.

"Might as well tell them, man, before we're gaffed", JJ says.

"You ready for this?" John B asks taking even longer to reveal the big secret.

"Yeah", Kie answes quickly so he wouldn't change his mind and not tell us. The longer he makes us wait the more impatient I get. I feel like jumping over the fire to the other and forcing John B to talk, but I settle st just staring across the fire at him.

"So, the gold never went down with the Royal Merchant", John B finally says. My eyes widen partly in surprise, but partly in confusion. Does this mean we still have a change or did John B just bring us here to show he wasn't wrong and the gold was lost long before we even tried to get it?

"Oh my God, Here we go again with this", Pope sighs, clearly tired of the whole treasure hunt thing. I mean, if I was him, I would be too.

"No. All right, wait", JJ stops his complains before Pope has time to continue. "Hear him out, all right?"

I roll my eyes at that crossing my arms over my chest. Pope sighs frustrated, covering his face with his hands. Kie doesn't look too convinced either as she sits there quietly, looking at John B with one brow arched.

"It's been here the whole time", John B says, taking a dramatic break so we have time to think about his words. I glance at JJ's knowing expression, so John B must've told him already. Then I slowly look at Kie and Pope, who are both looking at John B brows raised. "It's on the island."

Is. No past tense. It is on the island.

"Wait- are you serious?" Kie asks now scrunching her brows. A small nod of confimation from John B and a smile spreads to her face, as well as to mine.

"Oh my God", I whisper smiling, still processing what's happening.

But Pope, the voice of reason, makes sure we don't hold our breaths too early. "I'd like to voice my skepticism."

"I'm sure you would, Pope", John B doesn't sound worried at all, the fact that he wasn't believed right away not concerning him. "But can I please present you my evidence first, sir?"

"Proceed", Pope sighs.

John B, who has stood up, starts to look for something from his bag. "All right. So, in my backpack-", he explains as he seems to find what he's looking for and stands up straight again, a bunch of papers in his hands. "-I have a letter from Denmark Tanny."