everything about you •• jj maybank

forty one

Falling back asleep after my short conversation with JJ was nearly impossible. It didn't help that I was so used to sleeping next to him in that bed at this point, that it felt weird being in there alone. My mind raced for hours, debating whether or not I should tell him about Toby.

I couldn't have blamed him for not trusting me, but I wanted him to so badly. More than I wanted to admit. For some odd reason I couldn't pinpoint, I craved JJ's trust and friendship, especially after I had it for a short while. It's something I never thought I would admit, but it was true.

I ended up getting up around five in the morning, knowing there was no point of me attempting to fall asleep anymore. I took the opportunity of some time to myself to go grab Pope some breakfast before his interview.

Knowing him, he would have been so stressed he probably wouldn't even think to eat anything before. I wanted Pope to do his best, and know that there was someone in his court. He was incredibly intelligent, and I knew he had worked hard to get this interview.

The amount of times he had asked me to proofread his essay for him over the course of the summer was insane. The least I could do was bring him some breakfast.

Seeing JJ and Kiara both sound asleep in the living room, I smiled softly before going to the kitchen and somehow retrieving a pen and a napkin, leaving them a little note.

Went to go see Pope and wish him good luck. Be back soon.

Love, Josie

I left a little heart over the I in my name, something I always did at school, and left the note on the bed I slept on before leaving.

I quietly shut the door and hopped in my car. My first stop was Poppy's, knowing I had to surprise my friend with a famous blueberry muffin. Swinging open the door with a grin, I walked in to see a few people were sitting in the cafe already, making themselves busy with a book or a laptop. The owner of the cafe - and my favorite barista - Lissa, was standing behind the bar.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't Josephine Belle."

Her tone was playful, her brows high on her head. A small giggle escaped my throat as I laid my hands politely on the counter.

"It's nice to see you, Lissa."

She laughed, beginning to make my order for me; muscle memory taking over before I got the chance to even tell her what I wanted.

"It's nice to see you too. Where have you been all summer? I feel like I've barely seen you."

I watched her grab a muffin from the display case, and I quickly held up two fingers in the air, signaling that I was going to need an extra today. Her smile twitched, but she obliged with a nod.

"I've been very busy. Made some new friends, went on some adventures, you know?"

With an eye roll, she shook her head, "No, I don't know because my-" she looked around before leaving in and continuing with a whisper, "my favorite customer has not came in to talk to me in weeks."

My face flushed a deep red color, and I sighed, immediately feeling guilty for having left her hanging all summer. She slid the bag of muffins across the counter and went to begin making my coffee.

This cafe had opened up in Figure Eight when I was still in middle school, and I was immediately drawn to it on opening day. I rode my bike past it every single day for a few months, nervous to go inside all alone. Finally, one day I got the courage to do so and Lissa was there to greet me; her bleach-blonde bob and butterfly tattoos enough to reel me in alone.

Lissa was a comforting and grounding presense for me from the moment I walked into that cafe, luring me in with her muffin recipes and homemade coffee syrups. I spent my days after school there, nearly every day in the summer, for several years. Through homework, boys, friends, final exams, and family problems- Lissa had been there for me through it all, and I viewed her as a big sister, more than anything.