WILDFLOWER ↳ JJ MAYBANK | 5

one.

"Your total is gonna be $45.22." June March stood at the register, her eyes on the screen as she typed in the total. She gave the customer a bright smile,  the woman holding her things in her hand, her fingers extending a crisp $50 bill.  "Thank you."

She was quick to get the change,  giving the woman a smile and then letting out a huff of air as she left. Junes business had been going well, and she hadn't thought it necessary to keep it a secret anymore. However she had found enough success to hire an employee...and that employee called out on this particular day, meaning she had to go run the plant nursery by herself.  June moved past the small countertop, walking towards the door and locking it before she started setting up to go home for the night. She grabbed the broom, starting to clean up.

Things had been looking up, her business was successful, the Pogues business was successful, everyone was happy and healing, JJ was happy...there was nothing to be upset about anymore. In the face of  her greatest fear, the fear that she would live in that hell forever, she's managed to find some peace...and it had been a long time since she felt this good. Her mind wasn't as dark anymore, and Dr. Hampton had been helping her out tremendously with that.

June heard a noise from the back of the store, her head lifting as she looked towards the countertop, right by where the door to the back was. She shook her head after a moment, figuring it was nothing and going back to sweeping. However she heard another noise, her head jerking up to look as her heart started to pound. It was very clearly footsteps, and while she would've had the initiative to investigate in the past, she was frozen in her spot, her heart pounding as she waited to see who it was.

With a pep in his step, JJ Maybank pushed through the door, a wide grin on his face as he looked at his girlfriend. Her hand went to her heart when she saw that it was him, a breath of relief leaving her body and all the tension leaving her as well.

"You dumbass...I told you that you need to text first." She said, shaking her head as she walked towards him. He looked kind of dirty, her eyebrows furrowing as she looked him over, but she didn't hesitate to let him hug her, his smile wide as he spoke.

"I didn't scare you, did I?"

"Baby, you scared the shit out of me." June said, shaking her head and letting him lean down to kiss her.

"I'm sorry..." He said, kissing her lips, his mouth pressing to her cheek, and then to her nose and her jaw. She laughed a little as he peppered kisses across her face, her head shaking as she pulled back a little bit.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, her arms wrapped around his neck as she looked at him with a sweet smile. He shrugged, his eyes heavy lidded as they traced over her face.

"Just came to kidnap you...you're staying with us tonight." He said, not seeming to give her a choice. She let out a sigh, shaking her head slightly.

"You know my parents aren't going to let that happen..." She said, shaking her head as she pulled out of his arms, moving towards the broom again. He was quick to grab it before she did, wanting to keep her attention.

"Too bad. They're not going to know." JJ said, shaking his head as he held the broom away from her. June put her hands on her hips, giving him a confused look as he held the broom in his hands.

"They're actually pretty good at noticing when I'm missing. It's kinda like a thing now." She said, the words having a bit of a deeper meaning considering she had gone missing multiple times in the past two years. JJ let out a sigh, running his hand over his face before he shook his head one more time, making her cross her arms over her chest as she waited for what he was going to say.