Eastside ₒ OBX

6- The Curious Case of John B

   "Okay, I got your texts. What was so important I had to nearly drop rehearsal to come here? I've got to go back in an hour, so this has to be quick," Jade sits down next to Regina. 
   "Well, the movies are boring without my sister," Regina hands her a Ginger Ale. 
   "You called me for a dumb movie? I've got a show to work on, Reggie." 
   "Its not dumb. You used to like watching films at the drive-in with us." 
   "This isn't with Mom and Dad, this is with your friends. Your Kook friends." 
   "Oh no, not you too. Stop listening to everybody saying that. We're all people, Dahlia, chill out. What has gotten into you?" Regina takes the can back and snaps it open. "I want to introduce you to some guys. Their names are--" 
   "I don't care right now. I'll meet them later." 
   "Yeah, but Rafe said that he and Topper--" 
   "Regina. You. Need. To. Stop. I can't babysit you and myself at the same time. I'm returning to the theatre and you can live your life like Regina George, going shopping with your rich friends." Jade gets up and swings her knapsack up over her shoulders. 
   "Do you need a ride?" Regina hollers, "'cause I know you aren't physically capable of driving yourself." 
   "What an ass," Jade grumbles while she walks back to the stage. 
   "Hey, Jade!" 
   Jade stops to see Kie jogging up to her. "What's up?" 
   "We're about to sit and watch the movie, want to join?" 
   "I can't, I've got rehearsal." 
   "But your sister managed to drag you out of it." 
   "My sister is currently the queen of Kooks, so I wouldn't give her too much credit." 
   "That's funny. I don't remember you being too invested in the rivalry." 
   "I'm not, but she's been acting like a snob lately." 
   "At least she isn't Sarah Cameron." 
   "The girl from the party?" 
   "More like princess, but yeah. Did you happen to run into John B today?" 
   "No. Why? He's not here?" 
   "He ran off as usual. Not surprising. Thought he was with you, since him and the others won't shut up you." 
   "I don't see what all the fuss is about." 
   "Yeah, well, I've got to get these Pepsis to the boys. Good luck on rehearsal." 
   "Thanks," Jade heads out. Everyone was acting so strange. No one had talked to her earlier. The only person that bothered was Regina, and it was only so Jade could be roped into the Kook cult. Rehearsing was important to her for the play, but she felt like she was missing out on her friends more. 

The play was running smoothly in production, and everyone seemed to be memorizing their lines pretty well. Her and Sam wrapped on the beginning of Act Four when they had finished for the day. Jade had pulled her hair up from the humidity and the heat of the spotlights. It didn't help that her costume was long-sleeved either. 
   She sits down on a fake stone bench and sighs. "I'm just about done." 
   "Hey Jade, can I talk to you about something?"
   "Yeah, let me just check my phone... Dammit. Why hasn't he texted back?" 
   "Who hasn't texted you back?" Sam climbs up on the stage with half of his costume on. 
   "John B. He's been missing most of the day. Don't know why."  
   "Okay, listen to me. You can't waste your time with a kid like John B. Your future's too bright for that."
   Jade's lips slowly droops into a frown. "My future's not bright at all, Sam."
   "You're doubting yourself like you always do. You can perform and I've seen it."
   "What has John B got to do with that?"
   "You should be spending time perfecting your skill and following your dreams, not following someone who might end up in prison someday."
   "He's not a bad guy. If anything, its JJ we've got to worry about."
   "Just because someone isn't a bad person doesn't mean they aren't capable of bad things. There are a lot of people that care about you, just remember that for me."
   "You know about your stupid island mafia thing that everyone talks about? You sound just like that. The Kooks and the Pogues, that's what you're talking about right now. You sounded like Topper just then."
   "Topper's an asshat."
   "Yeah. Connect the dots," she gets up and starts exiting the stage.
   "Jade, wait a minute. Dahlia Jade, stop. I'm just trying to look out for you."
   Jade whirls around to look at him, "don't. What? You worried that I'm going to be one of the Pogues?"
   "They're not bad like Topper or Rafe says they are. They can't change from their rich, snobbish ways."
   "This isn't about the dumbass rich kids, Sam. Its about you not trusting me. We're supposed to be a team, just like everyone else who has friends."
   "How am I supposed to trust you when you hang out with John B?"
   "He's just misunderstood. He's misunderstood by almost everybody."
   Sam crams his hand in his pockets and exhales. "What am I going to do with you, Jade?"
   "I can't answer that, because I don't even know." 

There's a knock on the window to her room. Jade jumps a little at the noise and looks over to see John B on the other side. 
   "I got your text," he says through the glass. 
   Jade stands up from her place on her bed and opens the windowpane. "What are you doing here? Why didn't you answer sooner?" 
   "I was, uh, on a mission to uncover information. Can I lie low here for a little while?" John B asks her.
   "How long are we talking?" she raises her eyebrows. 
   "One night."
   "My parents wouldn't like that."
   "Then don't tell them."
   "John B, are you asking me to sneak you into my house?"
   "Well, it doesn't have to your house. Just a room. I really need to stay somewhere."
   "Alright. You can stay in my bedroom. One condition."
   "Its gotta be on quick terms, because I'm hanging out the window."
   "You're on the trestle."
   "Is that what this is?"
   Jade tries not to laugh at his response, "you have to help me practice my lines."
   "I can do that."
   "Really? I didn't think that was your speed."
   "Its not like I haven't taken Shakespeare in English," he climbs through the window. "How did you not break your neck getting down from this? This windowsill is super high."
   "Here's the book. Act one, scene five."
   "Whoa, okay, we're getting right into it then." 

John B takes the book and flips to the page, "I'm guessing I'm reading for Sam."
   "Is reading for Romeo a problem? Because we can just watch 'Ferris Buereller's Day Off' if you want."
   "No, this is good," John B takes a seat on the couch in the room. "Okay. If I profane with my unworthiest hand. This holy shrine, the gentle fine is this--"
   "You sound like someone just killed your dog."
   "You said to read the lines and I am."
   "Can you read it like the character would, it helps me remember."
   "My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand. To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss."
   Jade looks at him, "Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much, which mannerly devotion shows in this. For saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch; and palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss."
   "Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?"
   "Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer." For a moment, Jade is lost in the words.
   "O, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do; They pray, grant thou, lest faith turn to despair."
   There was something about the way he spoke the lines that clicked for her. "Saints do not move, though grant for prayers' sake."
   "Then move not, while my prayer's effect I take. Thus from my lips, by yours, my sin is purged," John B pauses reading. "It says that they kiss in between the lines."
   "I think that's enough for the script," Jade replies. "I'm all Shakespeared out for today."
   "You're a natural. I couldn't tell where you ended and Juliet began."
   "You're such a liar, John B," she grins. Jade reaches her hand out for the book.
   "No, I'm serious. Can't you tell?" he smiles, handing it over.
   "Well, since we're on this page. You don't make a bad Romeo either."
   "Okay, who's the liar now?"
   "That wasn't a lie," Jade laughs, picking up an item from her nightstand and walks over to the trashcan.
   "What's that?" he gets up to see what she has.
   "A stupid keychain. I bought it in Cape Cod this spring. Its a pair of dolphins."
   "Why are you throwing it out?"
"Its disfigured. They were supposed to form a heart or something, but the other one melted into the other."
   "How did that happen?" John B examines it under the light.
   "I don't know. I've been meaning to throw it out though. See how that it just slips under the one on the right?"
   "It looks like they're embracing or hugging."
   "You can keep it if you want."
   "Now I'll have something to remember you by when you go back to the mainland."
   Jade scoffs, "why would you want that?"
   "Why not?" he looks her directly in the eye.
   The brunette turns around slowly, "you can sleep on the couch." She takes up the second pillow on her bed and tosses it to him. 

Author's Note: 

I know what you're thinking... sort of, not really. You're probably what the hell did I just read? This is nowhere near the plot. Correct to an extent. 
Some of you might be bummed out because Jade had no part in the fight at the outdoor movie. 

You might even be thinking, why is John B even at her house? Well, he's a fugitive from Child Services for starters. I know that you guys are going to fact check me-- Okay, that's happened before, you guys got to relax. I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING-- its not exactly supposed to be a mirror image. It is was, it would just be the tv show. 

If you liked this part, be sure to give it a vote! Byeeeeeeeeeee! 

   ~ SHIELD-Avenger