𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐨𝐲

XXIII. Best Friend.

AFTER THE little rest break, the group made their way towards the town and up the staircase that let to a little opening into Essaouira. JJ leads the way, Pope and everyone else was following right behind, as the Maybank is looking back at them, and talking. "Alright. So the plan is, locate the wharf, and find Groff, okay?" JJ said, then turned around. "That's all we gotta do."

He slows down, watching the crowd in front of him as Pope and Cleo stop on either sides of him and Jake stood directly behind the Maybank boy. "That might be a little harder than I thought." The blond boy now tells them. "You think?" Pope turns his head to look at him and JJ glanced back at the group. "Let's go, come on." He leads the way, everyone following. The alleyways of the town are crowded, the Moroccan people around yelling at them in a different language.

"Jay." Kie grabs Jake's arm and of course, like usual, he puts his hand into hers, as Pope and JJ kept encouraging them all to stick together and stay as a group throughout the crowd. "I'm trying!" Cleo exclaims at her boyfriend. It began to feel overwhelming at some point, but Jake felt a bit of comfort, having Kie next to him the whole time, holding his hand.

"Yo, we gotta get out of these alleys. I don't know where I'm going." JJ tells the rest of the group, slowing down at the sight of a statue. "That might be something. Come on." He tells the four standing behind him, who quickly follow after him. "Yeah, I knew it." JJ said as the group now all stand in front of the statue. "Yo, that's Murat. The Barbary pirate. That's the guy Groff was telling us about." Pope tells the group. "Holy shit. That's him. The Berber. The one who made the map to find the crown." John B says. "Which might be closer than we think." JJ says, staring up at the statue. "It's a sign." Kie says, turning to look at Jake who glances over at JJ who smiles at the two.

"Yeah. Let's keep moving. Come on."

The group now walk through a food market area, "hey, Sarah. Hey." At the sound of John B's voice, Jake instantly turned around. "Oh, God." The Routledge girl groans. "What's wrong? You okay?" The boy asked his wife, who's holding a hand to her chest. "No. I--I need to sit." She said and John B brings her over, "okay." He said and she then sat down.

"What's wrong?" Jake asks worriedly, as he and Kie kneel down in front of the girl. "What's up? What are you feeling? What's happening?" The curly haired girl asked her best friend, just as worried. "I'm really nauseous." Sarah says, her head down. "Nauseous." Jake repeated. "Yeah." She says, nodding softly with her eyes closed. "You probably just need food. It's been, like, what? Two days?" Kie asks her now, glancing up at John B as well. "Yeah. We gotta get her something." He answers.

"Are you okay?" Pope asked, now standing behind Jake and Kie, with Cleo next to him. "No, she's not okay." Jake glanced behind him as Sarah is shaking her head. "No, I'm fine." She lied. "No, she needs to eat. We gotta get her something." Kie tells the others. "Good luck with that. We don't have any money." Pope said as Jake glances over at Rafe, who just looked away, walking the other way so he rolls his eyes, looking up at the others.

"We can do it the old-fashioned way." Cleo looks at JJ now. "A little five-finger discount?" He asked and she hums, nodding. "I don't wanna hold up the group." Sarah says, voice full of guilt. "No, we're good." Kie says instantly as Jake turns to look at the Routledge. "It's okay. Let's do it. Let's just do it fast, alright?" John B tells the others. "I'm coming with. You need an experienced thief." Cleo says, pointing at JJ who she now walks past.

"Experienced thief?"

"Come on." Cleo tells him. "I got my PhD in thiefology." JJ says and Jake just snorts, glancing over at his boy who sends him a small smirk now. "Alright. I'm gonna go too and just try to keep a lid on all the bullshit." Pope tells the four now as Sarah chuckles. "Hey, I'll be right back." John B tells her now. "I'm gonna be fine. Go." The girl says to him.