SUNBURN | JOHN B ROUTLEDGE

069

Gabriella woke up with a start, her heart pounding. Before she had time to process the previous night's emotions, she grabbed her phone and quickly typed out a message to Pope.

gabriella
good luck in ur interview!
ily, Pope
you got this <3

She sent, smiling softly to herself. She knew Pope was destined for greatness—his intelligence, determination, and the strong values he carried made her certain of it.

Turning over in bed, she reached out instinctively to where John B usually lay, but her hand met cold, empty sheets. Panic surged through her. "Booker?" she called out, her voice laced with worry, but there was no response. Gabriella's mind raced through worst-case scenarios. Had the police come in the middle of the night? Had Ward found out and made a move? Endless, terrifying possibilities flashed through her mind as she hurriedly threw on the first clothes she found—her shorts and one of John B's shirts.

She ran outside, her heart pounding as she searched for any sign of him. But as she reached the deck, a wave of relief washed over her when she saw John B sitting there with Kiara and JJ. Her chest heaved with a mix of anger and relief.

"Booker!" she shouted angrily, marching up to the dock. John B turned his head at the sound of her voice and waved nonchalantly, but Gabriella wasn't having it. She stormed up to him, her worry turning into frustration.

"What the fuck, don't do that to me again! If you're going to leave in the middle of the night, at least leave a note!" she scolded him, her voice trembling slightly from the intensity of her emotions.

JJ, never one to miss an opportunity to tease, chimed in, "Whoa, he left in the middle of the night? Did he need to—" But Gabriella cut him off sharply, her eyes flashing.

"Shut up, JJ!" she snapped, not in the mood for his innuendos.

Kiara, more serious, looked at John B with concern. "Where did you go?" she asked quietly.

John B's expression hardened as he answered, "I went to the Crain house. Ward found the gold."

Gabriella's heart sank, her face reflecting the same disbelief that Kiara and JJ felt. "What?" she whispered, her voice almost breaking.

John B's tone was sad but resolute as he continued, "Every bar. The whole enchilada." The world around them felt heavier than ever, the weight of their situation pressing down on all of them as they sat together, trying to make sense of their next move.

JJ let out a frustrated grunt, clenching his fists as he processed the news. John B, trying to maintain some semblance of composure, added, "Look, it's not like I expected a happy ending or some shit."

Gabriella was seething, her mind swirling with anger and frustration. Everything about their situation was eating away at her—Ward, the gold, the constant danger they were all in. The weight of it all was too much, and she didn't know how to release it except through the only way she knew how: by hitting something.

Without thinking, her hand started to pound against her leg, then the dock beneath her. Each hit was a small, sharp release, but it didn't calm the storm inside her. She was completely zoned out, her world narrowing down to the rhythm of her fist connecting with the wood, until a soft voice broke through the fog in her mind.

"Gabs," Kiara said gently, pulling her back to reality.

Gabriella stopped and looked up at her friend, her breathing ragged from the intensity of her emotions. "What's up, Kie?" she asked, forcing a smile, trying to mask the turmoil she felt. She pointed to her casted wrist with a shrug. "It's a hairline fracture. Who cares?"

Kiara gave her a loving, concerned look. "You should care. Your arm's gonna be messed up for life if you keep doing this."

Gabriella waved her off, trying to play it cool. "I love it when you worry about me. But it's fine, see?" She moved her casted arm around in a demonstration, as if to prove her point. But before Kiara could respond, they heard thudding footsteps approaching rapidly, growing louder with each second.

"Guys! Guys!" Pope's voice called out as he stumbled into view, gasping for air. He looked like he had been running for miles, his shirt drenched in sweat. He doubled over, trying to catch his breath.

Gabriella teased him with a grin. "Pope, you're all sweaty! Go take a shower, then tell us how the interview went."

JJ, picking up on the mood, added, "Yeah, Pope. How was the interview?"

Still struggling to breathe, Pope managed to grunt out, "Don't ask," before he bent over again, his lungs working overtime to catch up.

Pope finally caught his breath, still wiping the sweat from his forehead. "JB. Look, I'm sorry, dude. About everything." he said, his voice laced with sincerity. "But- but I don't have a lot of time, and I have information that is tactically relevant. So, before I had my interview," He sighed deeply. "My dad said he was going down to the private airstrip to cut palms for Cameron's big plane. Because it was too heavy, it needed a longer landing strip to take off. So, I'm there sitting in my interview, thinking to myself, "Hm. Why would Cameron need a longer airstrip to take off? What could be so heavy to weigh it down?""

"Rafe's cocain-" Gabriella got cut off by JJ, "Gold."

"Oh shit, yeah. Gold. I was going to say that too."

Pope's hands moved frantically as he spoke, his excitement palpable. "Exactly! Guys, this is our chance, but it leaves tonight, and we have to go." His words hung in the air, charged with urgency.

Kiara, perched on the wooden railing, smiled broadly as she jumped down, her eyes sparkling with determination. "Guys, we can't give up now," she said, her voice encouraging.

Gabriella, feeling the adrenaline surge through her, turned to John B. "What's the plan, Booker?" she asked, her voice filled with anticipation.

John B looked around at his friends, the corners of his mouth lifting into a confident smile. "We're gonna steal that shit back," he declared, his tone resolute.

The group erupted into laughter, the tension of the past few days momentarily dissolving in their shared excitement. It was as if the weight of the world had been lifted off their shoulders, replaced by the thrill of what was to come.

Pope, unable to contain his energy, leaped up and shouted, "Let's do this!" His enthusiasm was infectious, spreading through the group like wildfire.

Kiara, her grin widening, raised her fist in the air and yelled, "P4L, baby!" The words rang out like a battle cry, uniting them in purpose and spirit.

As they all got up to run, John B reached for Gabriella's hand, their fingers interlocking in a gesture of unspoken solidarity. They shared a brief, intense glance before they took off together, their hearts pounding in sync.

Their laughter filled the air as they sprinted towards the next challenge, the thrill of adventure and the strength of their bond pushing them forward. Hand in hand, John B and Gabriella led the way, their connection deepening with every step. The present was theirs, and nothing could stand in their way now.