Hell or High Water | JJ Maybank [2]

one

THE SHIP WAS filled with too many sounds. As exhausted as Jo was from the events that had just occurred, she couldn't sleep. Her heart was still racing and her chest felt tight, and all the commotion on the top deck of the boat wasn't helping. She could hear the waves slapping against the ship's sturdy frame, the low creak as it plowed forward, and crew members' distant voices. She sighed as she stared at the ceiling, wishing that she could tune it all out. Even more than that, she wished JJ was here to comfort her.

"Sarah," John B whispered, breaking the silence between the three of them. Sarah hummed in response and her eyes fluttered briefly before she closed them again. "Sarah," John B persisted. "Do you wanna get married?"

"What?" Sarah croaked. She rolled over so she was facing him and Jo sat up abruptly, staring at her brother incredulously.

"Do you wanna get married?" John B repeated with a small smirk on his face.

"No," Sarah deadpanned.

"Dude, you're sixteen," Jo stated. She raised her eyebrows when he looked over at her and rolled his eyes.

"So?" John B shrugged.

"So, that's illegal," Jo huffed. "And besides, we've got bigger fish to fry right now."

"I'm going back to sleep," Sarah hummed. She gave John B a quick smile before rolling jived and closing her eyes once more. John B pouted as Jo sighed and looked around.

"What do you think JJ's doing right now?" She asked softly.

John B gave his sister a sad smile. "Everyone probably thinks we're dead."

She knew it was true, because they honestly should've died. Jo really didn't know how they had made it through that. But the thought of JJ thinking she was dead sent a sharp pain through her heart. She knew he would be absolutely lost without her, and probably go on an irrational bender.

"I was hoping you wouldn't say that," she mumbled. Jo averted her gaze and played with her hands, swallowing the growing lump in her throat.

"Sorry," John B said quietly. "Listen, when we get to Nassau, we'll send them a secret message."

Jo scrunched her face up as she looked over at her brother. "What? John B, we're fugitives. In a foreign country."

"Do you not understand the meaning of a secret message?" John B sassed back. "We gotta let the Pogues know we're alive."

Jo raised a suspicious eyebrow. "Okay, and how do you expect to do that?"

"I don't know yet," John B shrugged. Jo scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Hey, I'll figure something out. I'm always plannin'."

"Right," Jo drawled.

"In the meantime, shut up so I can sleep," Sarah groaned.

The twins both chuckled and Jo flopped back down on her cot. She let out a quiet sigh and closed her eyes, hoping she could get a little bit of rest before they docked. But as soon as she had begun to fall asleep, the captain who helped them aboard appeared before them.