Adore You ☼ JJ Maybank

25

[ STOP BEING EMOTIONAL ]

"so we gotta be done before my scholarship interview in the morning." pope says, pulling his father's truck into john b's driveway.

"okay, well, we gotta focus." kie says.

"i know, i know." pope said.

"it's gonna be fine." maya says.

"we'll have john b and jj in the well, me and maya up top." pope says, "you and sarah outside transporting."

"see, we got this." maya said, pushing the door open and jumping out.

"yeah." pope and kie say.

"i have a winch. that tin can hold over like... 200, 300 pounds." pope says as they go around to the bed of the truck.

"thanks." kie says to pope, ignoring the fact that maya was walking away after being distracted by something. they were used to maya doing that by now.

"for what?" pope asked.

"for stranding us, you know. making us make up." kie says.

"what makes you think that was me?"

"hello?" maya called out after hearing a sound, but instead of an answer she was met with lights coming on around them.

"what the hell?" pope said.

"who the hell is that?" kie asked.

"jj, what the hell is this?" maya asked, pope and kie following where maya had come.

"what did you do, jj?" pope said.

maya looked at jj with sad eyes. he was obviously drunk, and in a hot tub surrounded by flamingo floaties.

"i got a jet going straight in my butt right now." jj says, "y'all should get in immediately, you hear me?" he then pours another glass of champagne. "salud!" he says, cheering them as he took a swig from the champagne bottle instead of the glass he just poured.

"how much did this cost?" pope asked.

"uh.. well, with the generator, the petrol, and oh, hey, express delivery... pretty much all of it, yeah." jj slurred.

"all of it?"

"yeah, all of it."

"you spent all the money in one day?" pope rephrased, not believing jj right now.

"yeah, burned a hole right through my pocket." jj says, "but, i mean, like, come on, guys, like, look at this! finest in jet-based massage therapy, that's what they told me." jj notices the look kie was giving him, "kie, what? can't a man have a little luxury in life? come on, all this scrimpin' and scrapin'... i mean, like... guys, we—you only live once, right? enough of this emotional shit. get in the cat's ass. come on."

"in the what?"

"in the cat's ass! that's what i named her. oh, hey, yo, i almost forgot." jj hit a button and more lights and water came on, "huh? yeah, that's right, i know. disco mode. that's right, baby!"

"are you kidding me?" pope deadpanned, "you could've paid for restitution!"

"or literally given it to any charity!" kie says.

"or, better yet, helped us buy supplies to get the rest of the gold out of the well!" pope added.

"okay, well, you know what? i didn't do that!" jj says standing up, making their faces change at the bruises on his stomach. maya felt her stomach drop and become sick a the sight, knowing exactly where they had come from. "i got a hot tub! for my friends. i got a hot tub for my friends. you know what? no! screw friends, i got a hot tub for my family."

"jj, what the hell?" kie said, talking about the bruises on his stomach.

"i got this for you! guys, look what i did for you! alright? look at this! look at it!"

"jj." maya said with tears in her eyes, the group having barely ever seen her cry before.

"no, you stop being emotional! it's fine, okay?" jj choked back his own tears, "i mean, it's sweet, right? everything—so just get in."

maya had pulled her vans and socks off her feet in a matter of seconds, getting in the hot tub and wrapping her arms around jj.

"i just couldn't do it." jj cried on maya's shoulder, wrapping his arms around the girl's tiny waist. "i can't take him anymore. i was gonna kill him." kie had gotten into the hot tub and wrapped her arms around them, and pope joined in on the hug, too, from outside of the hot tub. "i just wanna do the right thing."

"i know, i know." maya said, tightening her hug around the shaggy haired boy.

☀︎

they all pulled away from the hug, but instead of pulling away entirely, maya leaned up and pressed her lips to jj's. he was surprised she did this, especially in front of kei and pope.

"oh, my god." pope said as kei stood there with her mouth hanging open.

they both pulled away after a few seconds, kei and pope waiting for them to say something.. explain anything.

"i love you." maya whispered, pulling him back into another hug.

kei's mouth had dropped even further, if possible, and pope was stunned.

"what the hell?"