"What can I say? I'm a wreck without you, Maybank." I smiled, wrapping my arms around his neck.
"I can say the same thing about you, Bridges."
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Warning: I do not own the characters or the plot except Mack...
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The Pogues were all in the van on a wild goose chase per usual. John B says he's got an idea of where this "Redfield" message is trying to lead him. But we're all a bit skeptical, nonetheless we are all here to support John B and try to find the answers he's lookin' for.
"I mean, it's obvious right? A family heirloom. What better place to hide a message? He had to know it was gonna get back to me, right?" John B asked, occasionally glancing back to the rest of us.
Kiara shrugged, "Yeah. It's possible."
"It could be possible that you're concocting wild theories to help, you know—"
"Pope?" John B tried to stop Pope but it didn't help.
"—deal with your sad feels." Pope finished, disregarding John B's warning.
"Bro, you know I how I process my sad feels? Dank nugs and the stickiest of ickies. That's how I do it." JJ smiled looking at me, while I just shake my head and roll my eyes.
"I'm not concocting, okay? My dad's trying to give me a message." John B tried to convince us.
"Yes, John B, because driving us all around town, on a wild goose chase, to dangerous locations all because we got ourselves into a criminal investigation and a treasure hunt, all to prove to everyone who thinks Big John's dead is false, and he's waiting on a magical island for you and you finally get your happy ending, isn't concocting." Mack ranted, surprising everyone that something so harsh could come out of a little, what they thought was a light, kind spirited body.
JJ then went to sit beside her, John B and him locking eyes in the rearview mirror sharing the same concerned look. JJ wrapped his arm around the girl's small frame, pulling her closer to him. Not asking any questions, just being there was enough to calm her down.
"Sorry Johnny..." Mackenzie mumbled, snuggling closer to JJ in embarrassment.
"It's okay Mack, we are all a little stressed out and we handle it in different ways. Yours just is a little feisty is all." John B sent her a reassuring smile, making her feel less guilty for lashing out on him.
"Look, I'm not trippin' out." John B said getting back to the topic of him and the compass.
"It's okay to trip, bro, but..." JJ trailed off.
"Look, my... my dad went missing, okay? Missing. You don't know what it's like to have the person closest to you vanish. And then have no idea what happened. Just wake up every morning wondering." John B raises his voice getting tired of having to defend himself, even with his best friends.
"It's been almost a year." Kiara said to John B in a low voice.
"Hey, he could have been kidnapped. That's definitely a possibility." I decided to stay on the bright side after not liking how the bad side made me feel.
"Yeah, could be in a Soviet sub getting interrogated by the KGB somewhere." Pope said, little bit of sarcasm sneaking its way in.
"Absolutely. Uh..... or Atlantis." JJ remarked going full blown sarcastic. Earning an elbow to the ribs from me.
"Hey, ow!" JJ whispered to me.
"Sorry, instinct when I hear something stupid and uncalled for." I smiled up innocently at the blonde haired boy, then I reached up and kissed him on the cheek.
"JJ. Look, what do you think the message is?" Kiara asked John B.
"Redfield. Redfield lighthouse. That's my dad's favorite place." John B answered.
We all stopped and got out at the fence, blocking off the entrance to the Redfield lighthouse.
"Right. You're gonna post up and look out for bogeys, okay?" John B said pointing to JJ.
"Wait... why me?" JJ complained.
"Because you're not coming." Pope deadpanned.
JJ scoffed, "why not??"
"There are independent and dependent variables. You're independent. We don't know what you'll do." Pope explained.
"Shut up!" JJ scolded.
"Listen to me for a second. Pope, Mack, you stand look out with JJ. Okay? If we get split up, we meet back at JJ's house." John B explained
"Great." Kiara agreed.
"I'm gonna go work on my merit scholarship essay, and I'm trying to keep felonies to a minimum." Pope said heading back to the van.
"All right, would you just shut up already?" JJ said, annoyed.
"Jay, you okay?" I walked up to JJ, sitting next to where he was standing, me on the hood of the van. He then moved in between my legs and rests his hands on either side of me waist, looking up at me.
"Yeah, Pope just gets on my nerves sometimes. You?" JJ gives me a small smile.
"To be honest, no. I feel ignored, and tired, and I miss my dad. A lot actually. It's just gotten me in a funk. But, I am trying to stay positive and be a team player." I finished up the last part with a smile.
"Well if you ever need someone to talk to, just know I'm always here Beanie." JJ said his eye contact never breaking.
"Thanks Jay." I then wrap my arms around his neck and start to play with his hair, it was kind of..... therapeutic. We were just staring at each other, but it didn't feel weird or awkward. It felt.... nice. And before I know it, we were both leaning in. That is until we heard sirens and Pope yell, "Shit!" From inside the van.
"Dammit." JJ mumbled, wishing the cops could've come about 30 seconds later.
I hopped down, with the help of JJ, we all jumped back into the van and headed off to JJ's.
"Should we wait for them??" Pope asked as JJ pulled out from in front of the lighthouse.
"No, John B said if we got split up, we all meet up at JJ's. So that's what we're gonna do." Mack explained.
Little did they know, John B was mackin' on Kie at the lighthouse just as they sped off.
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AN AHHHH! Mack and JJ ALMOST kissed! Not time for that just yet.....
This is probably my shortest chapter yet but I'm not hating it.
I am leaving the mountains today🥺. So the past like, 5 chapters including this one I did in advance and just been re-reading them, then posting. So when I get home this week I will try my best to post everyday like I've been doing.👍🏼
