Serenading Sunshine - JJ Maybank

Page 49

"Calliope?" I looked over, "Sunshine? Whatcha doing out here?" I used his same tone to talk to him but he ignored me with a simple nod, crawling into the hammock with me, "Scoot over," I sighed, shifting so he could lay down. Left in an uncomfortable position, I moved again, lifting myself up so I was hovering above him for a second before dropping down on his other side. He looked at me as I curled into his side, laying my head on his chest and keeping one of my legs over his.

"He's being stubborn isn't he?" I looked out at the water and the horizon from his chest, my hand playing with his shirt, "yeah, that's John B for ya, he took some damage though when you called him by his last name."

"Good... I hope I made him cry, inside or outside..." I sighed listening to his chuckle, the rumble vibrating into my cheek from his chest, closing my eyes I relaxed into it, "has Pope gone to talk to her yet?"

He sighed, rubbing my arm with his hand as he looked up at the leaves on the tree above us, "yeah, he just walked over to her... Why did you tell Pope to talk to her?"

I looked up at him and furrowed my brows, "why do you wanna know?" I heard him swallow, "just curious... did you think he was more capable?" I laughed looking back down and closing my eyes as I reached my arm over his abdomen, "not at all, he's probably talking about dead bodies... I said him, because she's a girl who just got hurt by one of her best friends, she wants to cry it out."

"I know you care about her JJ, but right now, she needs someone who'll just sit and listen, someone who'll let her feel bad instead of trying to cheer her up. You cheer everyone up, you can't help being sweet..." He laid there thinking and nodded looking down at me as I laid there with my eyes shut, "besides, I really was hoping that maybe you'd slap John B around a bit for being a dick."

He laughed as the arm around me moved and his hand played with my hair, lightly scratching my scalp as I sighed, "he's lucky I didn't," I yawned, smiling afterwards, "hey so I forgot to ask, how'd it go with my uncle I know how he can be," he chuckled and reached to rub his free hands fingers into the skin of my hand that sat across his abs.

"He offered me a job," I angled my head up slightly looking at him as my eyes fluttered open lazily, "he did? What'd you say?"

"I said yes, free mango's, good pay, he's got a boat he wants me to help out on as well." I smiled and gave a hum as I laid back down against him, "oh, you'll like the boat, he might have you scubaing for sea urchins," he nodded, "yeah, he only wants me working a few days a week though so I'll still have time to do anything I want."

"Yeah, he's got that deal with all the kids who work for him, no one really works more than three to four days a week until after high school, I know it's a little different at the hotel though." I closed my eyes again and we stayed in silence for a few minutes, "are you okay? Like are you in pain or anything?"

"My back's been bothering me, as for my face, no, my neck, a bit and my legs feel like I fell through decayed wood and almost died."

"Oh shit, I wonder why they feel like that," I paused and laughed at him only for him to chuckle back to me. "I'm sorry," I sniffled slightly, "it wasn't your fault, but I'm not going in that well again, once was enough, and I'm not doing shit without Kie either..."

"I figured you wouldn't, but you won't have to," I moved my face slightly and yawned, closing my eyes for the last time as he laid with me, "promise?"

"I promise."

.......

"What'd she say?" Pope was tossed a water as he responded to John B, "That you're an idiot."

"It's a no-brainer. You're picking Kie." John B shook his head, "Mm-mm. Look, I can't make a decision." JJ scoffed at him, annoyed at his choice. "So what? We're just dead in the water because you're pussy-whipped? We can't do this without Kie, and you know it."

"And I can't do it without Sarah." Pope shook his head as he drank his water.

"What'd Cali say?" JJ looked to Pope, "She won't help or do anything if Kie's not here, and she's definitely not going in that well again especially not for your kook princess." John B nodded, "Okay? They all have to be in on it then."

"Well, good luck with that."

"You know what? I know this was my fault, all right? But it's our problem. I've got a plan. And you two shitheads are gonna help me out."