Pancakes for dinner - JJPOPE

Chapter five

JJ stands corrected. When he and John B awoke the next morning, the sun shining across their faces and alarms blaring, John B's first glance in JJ's direction was one of worry. To avoid confrontation, JJ leaps out of bed and pretends to have something in his eye, disappearing off into the bathroom where he splashes his face repeatedly with water.

Looking at his reflection in the mirror, holding on tightly to either side of the sink, JJ sighs, bowing his head. He should have just dropped the entire conversation, should have never mentioned how he was feeling, should have never expressed his jealousy. Now, John B was to never drop the ordeal until JJ stepped up and said something. Great.

Stepping out into the hallway, JJ crosses through back into John B's room where his friend was pulling a shirt over his head, averting his eyes to the ground. No matter how many times he tried not to, JJ couldn't help but stare at his friend's toned physique and tan skin. A blush ignites across JJ's cheeks at the thought, quickly bending down toward the drawer in which held his own bundle of clothes, pulling on random items and not caring how he looked.

John B doesn't say a word, just steps out of the room and into the kitchen to make some breakfast. JJ follows suit rather awkwardly, sitting across from John B and shoveling cereal into his mouth to avoid having to answer any questions. Big John even questions as to why they were so quiet when he appears from his office, stating that the two were usually talking each other's ears off by this time. Neither of the boys say anything, just shrug and stuff their faces further.

The awkwardness does not vanish during the drive to school. There is no laughter, no screaming of lyrics, nothing. It's absolutely silent, other than the rattle of the vans wheels on tarmac. And when they finally arrived in front of the old building, JJ felt like disappearing. Today was the day in which he and John B had almost every period together. JJ was so fucked.

Reaching for the door handle, JJ pauses at the sound of them locking. His heart leaps into the back of his throat, pounding and making him feel sick, and JJ tries the handle erratically, panic rising. With one look in John B's direction, the expression on his face is unreadable, leaving JJ to think over all the ways that this could go. "John B?" Whispers JJ, voice rising in pitch, head refusing to face him.

"Look, about last night." John B begins, JJ cringing, teeth gritting together. Here it comes. "I'm sorry if I made the wrong assumption, I shouldn't have done that. I was just worried and didn't want you to feel like you had to keep everything to yourself."

Oh.

"Are we good?"

Finally turning to face him, JJ smiles. "Yeah. We're good."

John B mirrors his expression, letting out a breath of relief. "Good. Let's get this day in this hell hole over and done with."

And just like that, balance was restored and the awkwardness between the two boys disappeared as fast as it came, entering school grounds with smiles on their faces and laughter bounding from their lips. Sadly, upon glancing at his timetable, JJ did not have music today, meaning he would have to use his lunchtime to see if she was comfortable with helping him create some more cords for the song. JJ seriously hoped she agreed, for he did not think he could stomach listening to the group asking Pope how his date went and if he scored a kiss. JJ didn't need John B realising that his assumption was correct.

Drifting through the ever passing day, JJ avoids Pope at all costs, unable to listen nor see just how happy he had been this morning. The date had obviously gone well, and the two were obviously growing closer. It made JJ feel sick to the stomach. And as soon as the bell rings for lunch, JJ rushes out of history before anyone can stop him, ignoring Kiara and John B's shouts of his name. He weaves between walking students, ducking under books and waving arms, slipping through the slightly open door of the music room. Miss Davis is nowhere to be found, nor was her bag or laptop. Furrowing his brows, JJ catches sight of her handwriting on the whiteboard, letting out a deep set groan. She was sick.