addicted to you | jj maybank

thirteen

colette and jj strolled down the street toward her house, the evening air cool around them. he had decided to spend the night, not wanting to return home, and colette felt a sense of relief knowing she wouldn't be alone. his arm was comfortably wrapped around her waist as they walked.

colette and jj walked to her house, he was going to spend the night with her. jj didn't want to go home and colette didn't want to be alone.they walked with his hand around her waist.

"is your dad home?" jj asked as they walked down the street. "no, he's probably crashed out somewhere or work maybe, but his truck isn't in the driveway," she said as he followed her up the steps and she unlocked the door.

"hm, home sweet home," she sighed, glancing around at the mess of beer cans and bottles scattered about.

jj had been to her house countless times before, often sneaking in through her window when she needed comfort after a fight with her dad or when he sought solace after an argument with his own father.

"i'm going to clean up a bit, want a beer?" she offered him. "sure," he nodded as she grabbed one for each of them. he sat on the couch and watched as she cleaned up the kitchen and living room.

"when was the last time you talked to your dad?" he asked her. "uhm two ish weeks ago. what about you?" she replied, pausing her cleaning. "about a week," he answered.

"okay, up," she suddenly said, surprising him. "what, why? i'm comfy," he groaned, sinking deeper into the cushions. "we need to clean your cuts," she insisted, tugging at his arm to pull him off the couch.

jj followed her to the bathroom, leaning against the sink as she rummaged through a cabinet. she took a towel and gently cleaned the blood from his cuts, one hand focused on the task while the other hovered near his chest. his gaze was fixed on her, but she was too focused to notice.

"okay, this might sting," she warned, pouring some rubbing alcohol onto a fresh towel. "okay, three , two... one," she counted down, preparing to clean the cuts. "ooh ah," he winced.

she finished cleaning his cuts and took a deep breath when she noticed how close they were. her hand that previously hovered was now placed on his chest.

it felt magnetic how easily their faces moved closer to one another, but they both hesitated before their lips could touch, a moment suspended in time.

"I uh," she paused, her heart racing as she thought about their friendship that was on the line. "I know," jj pulled away, breaking the tension that hung in the air. the weight of the moment lingered, but they both knew the implications of crossing that line.

"I'm kinda tired, I think I'm going to go to bed. care to join me?" she asked softly.he nodded as he followed her to her room.

the atmosphere shifted slightly, but they didn't let any awkwardness arise from the fact that they almost just kissed. colette crawled into her bed next to jj, the familiar comfort of his presence easing her mind. she slung her arm across him, before quickly falling asleep in his arms, the rhythm of his breathing soothing her into a peaceful slumber.

*

jj, colette and kiara hung out with pope at his dads shop. "don't let it get in your bro. three of them and two of us. that's typical kook shit right there," jj said.
"what was your thought process using your head?" he then asked.

"I don't know, man's I just kind of acted off instinct, I was a cornered animal," pope answered. "hell yes," colette smiled.

"hey, pope. someone here to see you," hey ward said as shoupe walked in, behind him.

"evening officer," pope said and his heart dropped to his feet.

"I have an arrest warrant for felony destruction of property," shoupe said. "what?" heyward asked confused. "hands where I can see 'em," shoupe said as he walked towards pope.

pope looked at colette than jj, with a terrified look on his face. colette took a step to pope, getting in shoupe's way. "young lady, out of my way," he said as she stepped back to jj. she was so mad and all she could think about was pope and his future.

"woah, shoupe. what did he do?" heyward asked. "look at the warrant," shoupe said as he cuffed pope. "you're arresting him?" kiara said in disbelief. "you're just arresting my boy?" heyward asked.

soon everyone started yelling and shoupe was talking but pope went dead silent and he couldn't focus on anything.

everyone followed them out as shoupe took pope to his car. jj, kiara and colette were yelling at shoupe but he wasn't talking so jj went silent before yelling, "it wasn't him!" every turned around to look at jj.

"it was me. he tried to talk me out of it but I was mad because he'd just been beaten up. I was so sick of those assholes from figure eight that I lost my shit. I can't let you take the blame for somethin' I did. you e got too much to lose," jj said as he walked towards pope.

colette hands shook at the thought of jj taking the blame, knowing what his dad would do.

"jj, what are you doing?" pope asked. "i'm telling the truth. for once in my goddamn life, i'm gonna tell the truth. I took his old man's boat, too," jj said.

"what the hell?" heyward said in the back.

"jj, come on," pope started. "just shut your mouth, pope! just shut up. he's a good kid, you know where i'm from," jj said and shoupe nodded, "yeah."

"this was all me," jj said as he looked back at colette before looking at pope. "trash the whole truth?" shoupe asked. "whole truth, swear to God," jj answered.

"I know what you think, damn it. i'm asking pope," shoupe said. pope stared at jj for a moment before saying, "yeah that about covers it."

while shoupe took the handcuffs off of pope, colette hugged jj, she wrapped her arms around his neck and she could feel how quick his heart was beating.

"it will be okay, lottie. I promise," he whispered, wanting to stop her shaking.

"okay, love birds. break it up," shoupe said before handcuffing jj and putting him in the back seat.

they all stood and watched as they drove away.

"shit!" pope yelled as he threw his hat on the ground. "pope? pope!" heyward yelled.