Adore You ☼ JJ Maybank

4

[ I COULD KISS YOU ]

the rain still poured heavy over maya's house hours later when her and jj returned. however, they both still sat outside on her covered back porch on the old sofa. they both stared blankly out into the horizon.

maya shifted in her seat, bringing her feet up on the couch and hugging her knees. "that was... intense."

"yeah—yeah, one could say that," jj nervously fidgeting with his hat.

"we knew shoupe wasn't gonna give a shit, though," maya said. "and how the hell did ward get that cleaned up so fast? like—that's kinda crazy, ya know?"

"you didn't have to go after kie like that, ya know," jj said quietly, ignoring what maya was talking about.

"what?" maya scrunched up her face, "she was going after you and she was the one in the wrong over the screaming shit. i didn't like that, not one bit. why was she fine with putting us all in danger like that—"

"i think we all put each other in danger, to be fair..."

maya's eye twitched slightly, "but it wasn't even for a good reason, what did she think she was going to get out of yelling that? i mean seriously? and the guy was already amped up and freaked out, there's no telling what he would've done—actually, yes there is, he would've killed us, too. you know that—"

"yeah, yeah," jj mumbled, "i get what you're saying, but you still didn't have to—"

"why are you taking her side?" maya glared at him with hurt, confusion, and anger all over her face and threw her arms up.

"i'm not—i'm not taking her side, i'm just saying—"

"and you were the one that started yelling at pope, first, so what room do you even have to talk right now?"

"maya, stop, my god, let me speak," jj snapped lightly, finally turning to look at her, "i'm just saying—maybe you both took it too far. we shouldn't be beefin' right now, we should be working together to clear john b.'s name and bring them home."

maya huffed and looked away as her eyes watered, a new thing for her she hadn't quite gotten used to yet. she used to never cry—never let herself care enough to cry... but that all changed after that summer.

"you're right—okay? but i can still be pissed at what kie did, okay? i don't think it was right—i think it was dumb as shit."

"fine, yeah, okay, it was dumb as shit, i can agree with you there," jj said, reaching over and putting his hand atop hers on her knee.

"if you want to go be with kie you fucking can," maya turned her head swiftly, hair whipping over her shoulder as she looked coldly at jj.

"what?" jj scrunched up his face, "what the hell are you on about?"

"i mean, it seems to me like you're up her fucking ass or something, so what is?"

"maya, oh my god, calm down—"

"calm down?"

"maya, she's our friend. she's your friend. i don't want to be with kie, my, i love you, damnit." jj let out a shaky breath, hand squeezing hers, "i love you."