Remember When {JJ Maybank}

22

The group helped get the boat ready for John B at the dock. Maggie cleared her throat quietly, JJ's eyes snapping towards her. "You okay, beautiful?" He whispered, leaning towards her. She nodded her head as a police car pulled up to their spot.

"Get back in the boat." JJ instructed Kie and Pope. "Damn it." Maggie groaned, thinking that they got caught. As the door opened, John B stepped out of the car, slamming it shut. "No effing way." Maggie mumbled as she got off the boat.

"Shoupe let me take it for a spin." JB said as he placed his backpack on. The Pogue hugged the girls, glad his friends were safe. "It wasn't easy bro, but I got The Phantom for you, and she runs like she was made yesterday." JJ said, tossing the keys to his friend.

"Where's Sarah?"

"We thought she was with you." Maggie said to the boy who was facing away from them. "No, we got separated in the swamp. She said she was gonna meet me here."

"No, we haven't seen her man." Pope said in an apoplectic voice.

"Okay, well I'm not leaving without her." He protested.
 
Maggie bit her bottom lip, not prepared to say goodbye to the boy who was practically her brother. The boy who helped her get her shit together when she needed it. The boy who took her under his wing and when she was a scared, broken little girl.

"Alright, saddle her up, salt saltwater cowboy. Let's do this." JJ said, stepping off the boat as the friends were prepared to push the boat into the water.

"Hey, hey. I'm sorry for basically… throwing us off a cliff with this whole treasure hunt thing." John B apologized, his eyes starting to water. 

"Hey, John B… we were bound to run off a cliff at some point, right?" JJ reassured his friend, earning a broken laugh from him, "yeah."

"At least we did it together, though." JJ slung his arms around Pope and Maggie. Maggie pulled Kie close to them, resting her head against hers. "Pogue style."

Maggie held her tears back, looking at John B who was close to crying. "Get out of here! Please." Kie begged as she remembered their time was short before they were caught.

"Now. We'll see you in two months down in Mexico." Pope reassured him. "Those times I made you learn Spanish will finally help." Maggie commented, earning a laugh from him.

"Love you." 

John B walked further on the boat before stopping. "Wait a second. Tell Sarah I said goodbye, okay?" Everyone nodded their heads, still clinging onto one another as they prepared themselves for him leaving.

The friends saluted him before pushing the boat in the water. JB took one last look at his friends as he sped off in the waters. Maggie sighed as JJ held her in his arms, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead. "I know princess, but we'll see him again soon."

The two pulled away to see Kie and Pope at the end of the dock, sharing a kiss. Maggie softly grinned as she nodded her head at the actions, glad that it finally happened.

Police sirens were heard from a distance, "hey guys, I'm sorry to ruin the party, but uh, we gotta go right now." JJ raised his voice. The group got ready to run before multiple police cars pulled up to the scene. Kie and Maggie automatically put their hands up in the air.