Eastside ₒ OBX

12- Turning of the Tides

Jade had the rest of the day off from rehearsal, and it would be a matter of a week or so before tech week. Sam was running lines over with the guy who played Friar Laurence so she was on her own. Candice was not answering her phone and Regina was God-knows-where. 
   She looks up from her phone when she spots JJ standing outside a store. "Hey, JJ!" 
   He glances over at her and crams his hands into his pockets. 
   Jade jogs over and offers him a friendlily smile, "how's it going?" 
   "Great. Never better." That was not what his face said. He looked like someone ran over his dog. Definitely covering up something. 
   "What are you up to?" she flicks her eyes over to the store they're out in front of. "Are you shopping for appliances or trying pawn one off?" 
   "No, I'm actually thinking of buy some shit," he pauses. "Do you know how much hot tubs are, by any chance?" 
   "Why are you trying to buy a hot tub? Its summertime." Jade studies his expressions more closely, "are you feeling okay?" 
   "Are you going to answer the question or not? Time is money." 
   She blinks at his semi harsh response. "They cost about a thousand. I don't know. I don't own one." 
   "I think I have enough. Going with the most expensive one they got." 
   "Where did you get...? JJ, tell me what's going on." Things started to be clicking into place for her. "You can tell me. I'll understand." 
   "Look, its not really your business," he replies coolly. He exhales sharply at the shocked look on her face. "Sorry. I'm not really in the mood to talk." 
   "Do you need help?" 
   "Can you just drop it? Please. I appreciate the concern, but I don't want to talk to you right now, Jade. I'll see you later." JJ enters the store, leaving Jade by herself. 
   She pivots back the way she came, crosses over the street and keeps walking. It seemed like a lot of people were growing distant. 

The town population thins out as she continues down the road with her knapsack. The sun beats down on her dark hair as she focuses down on her red Converse. A vehicle pulls up and stops its breaks right next to her. Jade looks up, expecting its Sam, but John B and his van are there. 
   "Need an Uber?" he asks. 
   "I don't give ratings," she replies, climbing into the passenger seat. "What happened to your fishing trip with Sarah's dad?" 
   "I'm on my way back to their house. But I'm sure Ward won't mind if I'm late five minutes to drop you off at your place. Its on the way there." He puts the van into drive, "so why don't you have your license?" 
   "I just never got around to driving really." 
   "You're kidding. Most kids would try to drive the second they turned sixteen." 
   "Not this kid," she sets her bag on the floor. "Hey, have you talked to JJ?" 
   "Not since he stole the twenty-five grand. Why? Did you talk to you?" 
   "Sort of. Never mind." She wasn't sure if she was supposed to tell John B about it. 
   "Oookay," John B switches on the radio. 
   Jade immediately presses the button to have it stop scanning. "I love this song. Have you heard of it?" 
   "Reggae music?" 
   "No, 'Baby, I Love Your Way' by Big Mountain. My best friend and I listen to it all the time on vacations to the Cape." 
   "You and Sam listen to this?" 
   "Her name is Zoey. Sam's my friend, but I don't see him a lot to be my best friend." 
   "So he's your boyfriend?" 
   "Sam and I aren't dating." 
   "It seems like it." 
   "Just like it seems like you and Sarah are dating." 
   "We're not." 
   "That's not what I was told." 
   "Who said that?" 
   Jade ignores his question and begins dancing in her seat to the chorus of the song. She flips her curly hair around and lip-syncs. 

She catches a quick glimpse of John B watching her. Jade turns to him and furrows her brow, "what?" 
   "Nothing. You're just really into the song," he grins. For a second, he seemed to have forgotten what they were talking about. 
   "Hey, John B." 
   "Yeah?" 
   "If you're too busy watching me making a fool of myself, who's watching the road?" 
   "I can do both," he shifts his gaze. 
   "Uh huh," she raises an eyebrow. 
   "Really, I can. And you aren't making a fool of yourself." 
   "You would know," she playfully elbows him. 
   He smiles at her. 
   "Uh, John B, you missed the turn." 
   "No problem," he hooks the wheel around. 
   "U turns are pretty much illegal." 
   "Jade, what we've been doing for the past two weeks is illegal." 
   "That's true," Jade unbuckles her seatbelt. 
   "Hey, hey, hey, I haven't parked." 
   Jade raises her eyebrows, "I've jumped out of a car and got shot at. Pretty sure I can handle this." 
   John B abruptly turns and Jade slides right into him. Her stops herself using his shoulders, coming within a few inches to his face. "Are you sure?" 
   She narrows her gaze, returning to her own seat. "You did that on purpose." 
   "Well then, don't do stupid stuff." 
   "What are you talking about? You do stupid stuff all the time." 
   "Yeah, but you're smarter than I am. You obviously read more about the Royal Merchant than all of us." 
   "Merchant Royal. Plus I like history." 
   "There you go," he stops the van. "This is your stop." 
   "Thanks. Have fun on your fishing trip." 
   "This was probably way more entertaining." 
   She scoffs with a grin, "See you later." 

When Jade arrives at the Chateau, the backyard is filled with clutter with no one in sight. She walks up the stairs to the porch where she can hear the Pogues talking inside. She knocks on the doorframe with the back of her hand. "How did fishing go?" 
   "It sucked. Thanks for asking," John B answers. 
   Jade flicks her eyes back and forth. "What happened?" 
   John B moves by her and goes to the couch. He takes up a cushion and finds JJ's gun. 
   "John B, what do you need that for?" JJ asks. 
   "Just-- Get--" John B shoves JJ over, and luckily for JJ, he lands on a pile of dirty laundry. 
   "What is going on?" Pope questions. 
   "What, are you JJ now?" Kie demands. "Are you okay?" 
   "Yeah, what the hell?" JJ pulls his cap back on. 
   Jade follows quickly at the heels of the Pogues as John B runs out the door. He grabs JJ's bike and turns the ignition. "Ward knows about the gold. He killed my dad," John B says before he drives away. 
   Jade stares in disbelief. 
   Kie pivots back to face her and the boys. "Did you guys get that?" 
   "To me it sounds like Ward Cameron is a lying piece of shit," JJ replies. "Jesus Christ." 
   "Should we report it?" Jade questions. 
   "Yeah right, and who would believe us, Jade? We're just a bunch of dumb teenagers for all the cops care." 
   "Pope has a merit scholarship and Kie's parents seem respected." 
   "My dad's a d*ck, John B's got no guardian and you don't even live here. Yes, I'd say we're in a great position." 
   "She's just trying to be helpful, JJ," Pope responds. "But you do have a point. Adults naturally don't believe kids easily." 
   "They think they know more because they've been around longer. What bullshit." 
   "We'll have to come back later. That's the only solution right now," Kie decides. 
   "We can figure this out together. That's how Pogues work, right?" Jade asks. 
   "That's how these Pogues work." 

Author's Note: 
So we've established some good plot points here. Jade talks more with John B and I have no idea why I added the part with JJ, but its there. 

I don't know if I said this before, but I cannot wait for the second season. If they're looking for actors, specifically girls is multiple ethnic backgrounds, I am free. I mean, my agency said I could apply for Netflix once I pass their training workshops. Its a possibility in the future and I'm pretty excited. 

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

   ~ SHIELD-Avenger