𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞 - JJ Maybank

Chapter 105: Pyromaniacs

"JB is going to be happy, I promise, Sare. And if he isn't, I'll whoop his ass," Grace reassured as the sisters wandered through the torn-apart shop.

Sarah nodded along, although she still looked slightly terrified. "Yeah, yeah-"

"Oh shit." Grace cut off her sister after her eyes locked on a certain stuck-up Kook chatting away with John B and Kie just on the other side of the mostly shattered window. 

"We don't have time for this," Grace complained under her breath while rushing out of the shop, Sarah trailing behind.

"Oh, hey, Sunshine. Hey, Sarah. Looking good," Topper taunted, revelling in the disgusted expression that instantly appeared on Grace's face at the nickname and the annoyed expression that John B donned at the blatant flirting.

"First of all, ew," Grace grumbled as John B simultaneously mocked, "Looking good? The lamest thing you've ever said." 

Glancing back and forth between a scornful John B and an angry Kie, she wasn't sure who would swing first. None of them had forgotten what had happened on the beach, but Kie had especially carried the grudge.

"Second of all, not a good time for this," Grace continued, eager to stop the oncoming fight before it could begin. 

Letting Sarah guide him away from the polo-wearing teen, John B didn't miss the opportunity to flip him the bird and mutter "bitch" before turning on his heel and leading his friends away.

The moment Topper's snooty quiff was out of sight, Grace's attention was back on her sister; she raised her brows in question.

"I'll just... tell him later," Sarah whispered.

Kie, who was by the sisters' side, furrowed her brows. "What's going on?"

Grace quickly shook her head and waved her hand next to her neck, silently telling the curly-haired girl not to pry right now.

Kie shrugged but sent them a look that told them she wasn't going to forget this.

___________

"Okay, so you're telling me that JJ went to Goat Island? Like, to see Chandler Groff?" John B asked skeptically while untying the HMS.

Grace was trying her hardest to keep JJ's parental situation under wraps for the time being, but it was becoming increasingly difficult to deflect from questions about why she was so sure that JJ had gone to the island. "I'm almost certain," Grace answered confidently while shoving the key into the ignition.

Kie, who was giving their old engine a quick once-over, raised her brows. "Why are you so sure, Rae? I mean, we just met the guy, and I hate to say it, but that shithole is a sorta spooky spot to run off to in the middle of the night."

She sighed heavily, running her fingers through her short hair. "Can y'all just trust me on this one?"

It was Sarah's turn to pipe up. "We do... it's just, Goat Island is pretty out of the way. If he's somewhere-"

"JJ thinks Chandler Groff is his dad," Grace finally cracked, cutting off Sarah as the blonde tried to let her down easy.

All eyes snapped to her, and all busy hands ceased work on the boat. 

Kie was the first to find her voice. "What?!"

"And he told me not to tell you guys, and I feel really awful that I have. Like I promised and everything. But I'm really worried about him. He's been freaking out since he got that letter, and I know he's gone to the island. And I just really need us to hurry up because I'm also kind of losing my mind a little," Grace rambled, words coming out in one long puff of breath.