One of Two // JJ Maybank

prayers: three

it was getting hot in the car so we sat on the edge of the dock as the sky got darker by the minute. i dangled my legs from the edge, the cool breeze pushing my hair behind my shoulders. i sighed to myself and threw a rock in the harbor. "street is quiet." cleo said breaking the silence as i still looked at the water. "i can get you to a boat. you have somewhere you can hole up?"

john b nodded with his elbows to his knees, looking down. "yeah, we're gonna ride the gulf stream north as far as it can go." he answered, playing with his fingers. "look for some deserted island to shell up on."

i scoffed, running a hand through my hair. "and then what, john b? more running?" i questioned looked between john b and sarah. he hesitated and i spoke again. "look, i know you don't trust the cops, but you're innocent."

sarah nodded, biting her lip. "spencer's right." she agreed as i nodded. "i think we should go home."

home. i pursed my lips thinking about seeing everyone again. jj never left my mind but it was hard to think about him while running from cops and doing robberies. john b sighed, dragging his hands down his face. "to obx?" he asked as me and sarah nodded. "what about ward?"

"what about him?" i said, turning my body around to face john b. "he's the one who should be running. not us." john b stood up from his spot as i stood up also. "he said he would tell the truth if we came back. sarah and i can confront him."

john b placed his hands on his hips. "okay, but it's not about you confronting him." he replied as me and sarah furrowed our eyebrows. "he's completely untrustworthy."

sarah nodded. "sure, but we're your alibi's." she sighed. "trust us."

cleo let out a whistle, snapping us all out from our little disagreement. "hey, guys, we're running from coppers right now." she said and turned to sarah. "girl, can you walk?"

sarah shrugged and nodded. "i think so." she answered, getting up from her spot and holding onto me for support.

we followed cleo through the boats as we stayed completely silent, walking towards the boat cleo had for us. we walked down a doc as i held onto sarah. "is this cool?" john b asked quietly.

cleo nodded as she kept walking. "i got an uncle that works at this marina." she stopped in front of a boat. "we're safe here. recognize this boat?" she turned to me and sarah.

i chuckled a little as we stopped. "our dad's boat." i mumbled. "i thought you guys would've pawned it by now."

me and john b stepped down into the boat as we grabbed sarah to help her down, while cleo removed the tarp that was covering it. "seems like a good time to give it back to you." cleo smiled. "wish i could join you guys. it's a nice dinghy."

sarah and i both looked up at cleo with confused expressions. "you're not coming with?" sarah asked.

cleo shook her head. "are you kidding?" she chuckled. "you three are so hot. i'm better off on my own."

john b looked up to cleo. "thank you." he said. "seriously."

she let out a small smile and shrugged. "no problem. maybe one day i get the same as you three got. somebody helps me too." i smiled at her, not wanting to leave our new found friend. hopefully we would cross paths with her one day. "hang tight. i'm gonna get the keys." she hopped on another boat. "too soon for goodbye's. i'll be right back!"

we started to get everything situated on the boat and sarah asked a helpful question. "do we have enough gas?"

john b shrugged. "we should be good if the wind is behind us." he answered.

i groaned, shaking my head, looking at both of them. "let's hope so." i mumbled, getting mores stuff together.

"hey! you there!" a voice shouted as a flashlight turned on and shined us. we turned around and a gun cocked. my eyes went wide as i saw a police officer. "put your hands up!" we slowly raised our hands. "all the way up!"

"hey, don't shoot." john b said calmly to the officer.

i gulped as i saw him come closer. "i said put them up!" he shouted.

not a second after, the officer got hit in the legs by cleo, standing right behind him. she ran over him and tripped, having the officer pull her by her legs. "cleo!" i shouted worriedly, about to get out of the boat and help.

"keys!" john b shouted as cleo threw him the keys, trying to fight off the officer.

he fumbled with them as he started the boat, and untied the rope to the dock. i notice cleo jump into the water and i gasped. "i'm gonna shoot!" the officer shouted as he started shooting at cleo's body, swimming. john b managed to get the boat away from the dock and started speeding off. "hey!" the officer yelled as he started shooting at our boat.

a shot went off and it clanged on the metal bar by my ear, making me yell and duck down. same with sarah and john b. i heard bullets whizzing above my head as i screamed. we got further and further as the bullets slowed down and the officer stopped shooting. i slowly got up from my spot and sighed of relief, rubbing my head.

we were probably on the boat for a few hours as me and sarah sat in the front. we talked quietly for a little but before john b came up to us. "alright, this is the gulf stream. it's gonna take us north, right home." he said with a smile. i sighed of relief, closing my eyes and breathing in the salty sea air.

sarah chuckled. "home." she sighed and looked to john b. "let's get married."

my mouth dropped a little as john b did the same. "d-don't we need like a preacher or someth-" he started.

"-i'll do it." i smiled happily as i stood in between sarah and john b. "wait, rings?"

sarah rolled her eyes and looked up at the sky. "for future reference, i like princess cut. emerald cut." she kept going. "never pear cut."

john b wrapped a string of his bandana around her neck, as a ring. i wanted to bawl my eyes out, i loved sarah and him together, like a match made in heaven. "by the power vested in me..." i started, as they looked at each other. "by the sky, the sea, and the stars. i now pronounce you, man and wife." they both chuckled at my words. "through sickness and health, rich and poor, till death do you part. you may now kiss your bride." i said quietly, scooting back from the both of them.

as they kissed, i went up to the wheel of the boat and sat, looking at the sky. i wished someone loved me as much as john b loved sarah or sarah loved john b. "i'll never find that kind of love." i whispered to myself, closing my eyes and falling asleep.

i was shaken awake by john b and sarah who looked relieved of something. "land!" was all sarah said as i stood and looked at the horizon. the smallest glimpse of land.

i chuckled, crossing my arms in complete disbelief. "looks like a pretty big town." john b said worriedly. "should we try and find somewhere less crowded?"

i shook my head, not taking eyes off the land in front of us. "we're almost out of fuel." i responded. "we don't really have a choice."

sarah chuckled as she leaned her head on my shoulder, kissing it softly. i laid my head on hers, tears filling my eyes. "it's charleston." i whispered, noticing the huge bridge we were about to go under.

i bit my lip in anticipation, knowing that soon, the pogues, would all be reunited once again.