The Ocean Remembers | JJ Maybank

C H A P T E R 27

POGUE FOR LIFE

𝐊𝐈𝐀𝐑𝐀 𝐒𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐄𝐃 as she handed me a beer and sat on the armrest of the armchair Pope was sitting on. "So you're actually leaving?" she inquired sadly.

We were all gathered on the terrace of the chateau, protecting ourselves from the sun that was at its zenith. As fast as I had told them the news on the phone, they had told me to come over and tell them everything.

"No, of course she's not," JJ shot back laughing, like he usually did, even when things were very serious. "Do you think I'm gonna let that happen?"

"I don't think her parents are waiting for your agreement on that JJ," Pope told and I nodded at his words. They definitely didn't.

Everyone stayed silent and JJ got up, before walking in the chateau. His sudden outburst of anger started to annoy me. Not that I didn't understand his feelings, but acting the way he did wouldn't have changed a shit in my situation.

We all stayed silent, not knowing how to deal with JJ's behaviour. I shared an eye contact with Kiara who simply shrugged to let me know she had no idea what was going on in my boyfriend's head either.

"Boys, boys, boys, holy shit they're so hard to manage," I huffed and Kiara high-fived me.

"I double that, but let's keep it real, you got yourself the worst out of them all," she quipped.

It made me smile softly, that indeed, I had gotten myself the Poguest Pogue out of them all. Not only that he acted and thought like a Pogue himself, but I was sure even just the thought of having a Kook in his bed disgusted him sometimes. Only sometimes though, because when the moment came he wasn't complaining at all.

JJ came back to us a few seconds later, and my blood froze when my eyes laid on what his left hand was holding. "JJ, what the fuck is that?" I panicked.

Everyone's eyes went wide when they saw my boyfriend holding a gun and Kiara covered her mouth with her hand. "How about I solve this fucking situation Maybank's way?" JJ asked but it was more of a rhetorical question.

Anyways, whether it was or not, no sound made it out of my mouth. JJ whipped around and looked at the road, like he wanted to storm off and kill anyone who'd try to interfere in our happiness.

"Bro, where did you get that?" Pope got up and grabbed the gun firmly. "We're not killing people"

"Especially not Sam's parents have you gone crazy?" John B argued, throwing a pebble at JJ, not really sure why though.

"Okay so how the fuck are we gonna do? are you just gonna sit here watch my girlfriend leave and not do anything about it?" JJ yelled at Pope's face. "Be weak if you want to but I'm not hiding alright?"

Pope and JJ yelled at each other back and forth, and I shared an eye contact with Kiara. She got up and placed herself between the two boys as I silently thanked the universe for sending me an angel like her.

How could she always be so patient and caring? Without her, JJ would probably have ended up in jail, Pope in boarding school and John B in a weird host family.

"Oh my fucking God! Will you two shut the fuck up?" she screamed at their faces and they stopped arguing. A silence filled the terrace and she looked at me. "JJ, we are not killing anyone's parents or trust me, your father would have been the first on the list," she concluded.

"Now instead of arguing, let's enjoy our last moments with our best friend," John B added, getting up and clapping in his hands to motivate us.

I nodded and smiled awkwardly, glad they both had put words on my feelings. JJ looked at me but I avoided eye contact and looked at the others. He placed the gun in his backpack and looked back at me, like he wanted to silently ask me if this was the reason why I had been avoiding his eyes. And it was.