The Night We Met || JJ Maybank x Charlotte Routledge

chapter nine ✪

**lowercase intended, unedited

(charlie's pov)

"but you and me, man, we got nothin' to lose! we really don't, all right?" jj yells at my brother continuing his rant,  snapping me out of my daydreaming.

     "jj." john b tries to cut in.

"and i know it didn't used to be that way for you." jj keeps going pushing my brother by bringing up our father's accident.

     "i don't want to talk about this. i don't want to talk about it." john b says quietly clearly hurt. "so that's it?" jj keeps pushing. "just get out of my way, bro." john b yells pushing his best friend to the side walking towards the dock.

     "just stop j." i tell the blonde boy before he starts any more trouble.

     "john b, listen to me. i have a plan. you got the key to cameron's big boat, right?" "no." "there's scuba gear. we borrow that, and then we go down to the wreck this afternoon, and that is what's gonna save you both, man." jj keeps scheming.

     "normally i would be 110% in on this but johnny can't risk his job. between the two of us we barely make enough as is and if he loses his job DCS might as well come take us now because we're fucked." i say sadly, i really liked jj's plan but there's a lot on the line.

     "you don't see rich kids going into foster care, do ya?" that sentence is what pushed both of us over.

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(john b's pov)

     you know, i should have learned a long time ago to never listen to jj. he's full of bad ideas, like stealing from my rich boss. but this time, he was right. i had nothing to lose.

     my dad said the island was like america on steroids. the haves and have-nots like anyplace, but magnified and multiplied. the way i see it, the game's rigged. maybe it always has been.

     no parents, no money, and no one looking out for us, me and charlie got no chance. unless we make it on our own.

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(3rd person pov)

     "couldn't i have at least gone with him?" charlie whines from her spot on the hammock beside jj.

     "no char sending both of you was too risky." kiara lectures the freckled brunette, again.

     "yeah, if you went too and you guys got caught then you would both be goners." pope backs her up.

     "ugh! my brother is out doing illegal shit and i'm stuck here with you losers." charlie continues.

     "hey, i'm not a loser!" jj says looking up at charlie with a big pout.

     "of course you're not sweetness, i meant these two." she teases squeezing his cheeks, like a grandma with a little kid.

     "owww." the blonde whines putting his head back in its spot on the smaller girl's shoulder.

     "do you guys think he's okay? he's been gone for a long time." pope worries.

     "if he got caught DCS would already be here looking for me, stop worrying he's gonna be fine." charlie tries to reassure the boy.