CASTAWAY ⚓ R.C, J.M

F I V E

Tears still dampened Harley's cheeks as she lay over JJ wrapped in his arms. 

She had explained everything to JJ as best she could between sobs and dizzying gasps. But, honestly she still didn't get it. All she knew was that her parents were liars. They let her believe a horrible lie for a year and she hated them for it. 

When John B had come to her room with a big envelope she had been confused until she realised what they could have been. Then the anticipation hit as she tore open the envelope with excitement. The pure and raw joy she had felt couldn't be replicated. The happiness she shared with John B and JJ had her giddy for days. Her memories of the moment had been glossed in a brilliant gold, but now it dulled a little because it was all fake. The letter was fake. The trio had been elated for no reason and that was because of her parents. 

JJ's hand trailed beneath Harley's t-shirt. He traced nonsensical patterns languidly over her back, helping to soothe her. She felt calm and  safe with JJ. He made things lighter. He batted the bad thoughts away with his outlandish comments and sarcasm, but also this sincerity that made her heart a gooey puddle. JJ could pull Harley into a perfect pool of serenity, then make her heart rate spike and set it ablaze into unpredictable fireworks that made her giddy with excitement.

Harley wanted to stay in her bubble with JJ forever where bad things couldn't get to them. No shitty parents. No psychotic Kooks. No more death or heartbreak. Just Harley and JJ; JJ and Harley. 

It wasn't to be. She couldn't freeze a moment in time and live in it forever. Nor could she shut the whole world out.

Both of their phones pinged in the quiet. Harley didn't bother moving. JJ reached for his phone and read something.

"Who is it?"

"Pope. They're a couple of minutes away and they brought food."

"I want a smoothie," Harley grumbled into his chest.

JJ chuckled as he took the opportunity to tease Harley. "Okay little troll. You know they definitely got you one."

And he was right. The second Harley and JJ slipped into the back of the truck Pope handed over a smoothie. Fries and a burger followed for the pair.

"How did things go at... the..." Pope and Kie could see JJ pointedly shaking his head. On closer inspection, Harley's red, puffy eyes were enough indication that things didn't go well. Pope took the hint and steered clear of the sour topic. "We made progress. We've got a way to contact the pilot. We grabbed food and now we're going back to tickle the wire."

"Tickle the wire. What does that mean?" 

JJ gasped so dramatically, that Harley questioned if the answer was staggeringly obvious. She sat  up from resting her head on the oscar winning blonde and gave him a weird look.

"We're going to have to have a movie night of spy movies or something. As my girlfriend, you should know what that means."

"Like a date?"

"Yeah. We can make it a date."

If the teens weren't driving, then Harley would have sprung into JJ's arms and clung to him like a koala. Her blinding smile and rose tinted cheeks would have to do.

The glee and excitement that bubbled in Harley made it feel like she was going to explode into flashes of pink and yellow. It would have been unsurprising if her eyes were filled with hearts as she stared into JJ's eyes.

Harley leant in to kiss JJ, but Pope made a strangled noise. "I've been scarred enough."

"Your eyes should be on the road," JJ retorted.