PARADISE ON EARTH | jj maybank (DISCONTINUED)

2.09

LAURA WAS JOTTING DOWN random notes in her notebook, having turned in the unfinished test just moments ago. It was just random things, like stuff she didn't know was on the test and things about her friends. Little drawings found their way onto the pages as well as Laura got more bored through the period.

She gazed over at her boyfriend, seeing his stressed state. His hands were holding his head as his hair flopped over, covering his face. Laura reached a hand over, resting a hand on his desk. JJ's head snapped up, concerned.

"Calm down. You okay?" Laura whispered, moving her hand back to her own desk. JJ nodded his head, looking back down at his own test.

Just then, the classroom door opened, alarming the entire class. "Mr. Sunn, can I borrow Pope for a minute?"

Mr. Sunn stands up, and walks over to the door. "We're in the middle of a test."

"I'm from the Vanderhorst Foundation."

The teacher looks over at Pope. "Mr. Heyward, it's for you."

Laura and JJ share a look, before looking towards the front of the classroom at Kiara who was glancing between Pope and the couple. The two walk out of the room, leaving the three friends in complete confusion.

"What the hell?" Laura whispered, at least she thought. Mr. Sunn snapped his head over into her direction, giving a stern look. "My bad."

He sighed. "Laura, keep it down. And you two as well." He pointed at JJ and Kiara.

They sat in silence for only a minute longer, before Pope came barging back into the classroom, holding an envelope. He lifts it up, holding it into their direction so they could see.

"Is that the wheat symbol?" Kiara asked. Laura audibly gasps, before balling her hand into a fist and covering her mouth, gaining a stern look from Kiara and Mr. Sunn.

"Yeah."

"What the f–" Once again their teacher has to look in their direction, done with their talking. "fu... fu... fudge?"

Finally the lunch bell rang, and the group of four made their way to the school library. Their frantic, quick paced walking was alarming other students as they made their way down the hallway.

"Is this a game of tag?" JJ asked.

"I don't know."

Pope was actually the one being frantic, and the others had to follow behind quickly. Soon enough Briar walked in right behind them. Kiara must have texted her.

"Am I going to have to hit you with your protractor? What's going on?" But in result JJ had just gotten shushed by the school librarian.

Kiara whispered. "Seriously, Pope, you are driving me insane."

The two girls sat next to each other in front of the computers, Pope standing in front of them and JJ and Briar behind them.

"Okay, so that guy was from the scholarship committee. Take a look at this." JJ snatched it from Pope's hand. "Read it."

Briar snatched it from JJ, since she wasn't filled in on anything. "I'll read it out loud."

"Dear Mr. Heyward, I am reaching out because I have material evidence that can exonerate John B. Routledge. It is of vital importance that you come and meet with me in person at my offices at 27, King Street, Charleston at 8:00 p.m. sharp tonight. Please come alone. Regards, C. Limbrey."

"Okay, no. That is so sketchy." Briar finished off, handing the letter back to Pope. "Charleston?"

Pope sighed. "It's like an eight hour drive plus the ferry. How will we get there tonight?"

JJ cut in, "Yeah. We'd have to leave right now. "Material evidence"? What does that even mean, "material evidence"?"

"It means he can clear John B." Kiara replied, a smile slipping onto her lips.

JJ stood up as he also began smiling. "Oh shit, then we're going to Charleston."

The librarian snapped her head over at JJ's words once again, giving a surprised yet stern look at the blonde boy.

As this happened, Kiara sighed, looking over up at Briar. "I gotta tell my mom. Look, if we get it this time, we are not giving it to Shoupe."

"Well, yeah." Briar said, leaning over Kiara's chair, resting her hands on the back of it as Pope typed on the computer.

The boy seemed stressed as he looked continuously from the computer to the letter. Laura looked at Briar as the two shared a confused look. JJ was resting a hand on Laura's shoulder, leaning to get a good look at the computer as well. "What?" Laura asked.

Pope sighs, "I'm not sure, but I think whoever this Limbrey person is, they might be related to the captain of the Royal Merchant."

Laura turned her body to the right as she tilted her head up at JJ. His hand fell from her shoulder in the process, finding its place on the back of the chair. The couple shared a confused, sort of freaked out look thinking about the severity of the situation.

~~

As the last bell of the school day pierced through the ears of hundreds of students all at once, JJ and Laura made their way across the school. All they wanted was somewhere to hide from everyone else.

So much had gone on in just the past week and they just needed space. They needed time to themselves. Just thirty minutes alone to forget it all. To enjoy themselves. To be kids and not have to worry about all the trauma they had just experienced.

The soothing sound of water played softly through Laura's mind as she sat on the dock. Her feet rested in the coldness below, although it felt refreshing.

Her boyfriend had an arm around her shoulders as he allowed Laura's head to fall onto his shoulder. The quietness surrounded them, which the two were extremely thankful for.

JJ would never admit it, but he loved these moments with his girlfriend. The moments of just the two of them and the quiet. Just getting to spend the quality time with her that they both deserved tremendously.

He wouldn't tell anybody about this moment. He felt although it's something that should be shared between the two and nobody else. This was something that was theirs, and theirs only.

Neither of them have ever shared time like this with anybody else in the entirety of the Outer Banks. Sure, they've had times with other people, but it was never shared like it was with them.

"I miss John B." Laura said, lifting her head off of the boy's shoulder, turning her head to look at him.

JJ removed his arm from around Laura's shoulder, reaching down to grab her hand. She immediately regretted saying what she did. It was a moment with just the two of them and she brought her brother into it.

But the two shared this feeling equally. JJ actually didn't mind the fact that she brought it up, knowing that the two have yet to talk about the situation. Especially now that they knew he was alive.

"I do too, Laur. I do too. Now we have a shot at getting him back. We will get him back, you know."

She wrapped her arms around his shoulders as his found their way around her waist. Laura's head found itself in the boy's shoulder, a sigh leaving her lips. He pressed his lips against her shoulder, trying to give her as much comfort as possible.

Laura knew she could believe him. They would get him back.