Azlia

I wake up to the sound of voices talking.

I slowly sit up and look over at Ki. I shake her awake and she shoots up. She calms down when she sees my face and starts laughing.

"Why are you making that face?" She ask.

I fix my grumpy face and blink a couple times to get the tiredness in my eyes out.

I throw my hair in a bun and Ki and I walk over to JJ and Pope who haven't noticed us yet.

"We were in that car. They're probably looking for us, too." Ki speaks up interrupting their conversation.

They both turn out focus to us.

"Well if we're gonna be outlaws, we might as well help John B." Pope says.

"I'm in." I say.

"So, don't him before that do?" JJ ask. "Pope?"

"I'm gonna get gas for the boat." Pope walks past us.

"Be careful." Ki says.

Pope looks at her and looks back at JJ.

"Meet me at the dock at three. Don't be late." He says and walks out the door.

I look at Ki and she gives me a confused look before walking out the door behind Pope.

JJ and I follow behind her.

"Okay what is your problem?" She ask going down the steps.

"No problem officer, i'm just doing my job." Pope says getting on his bike.

"Look, i'm sorry I hurt your feelings." She walks up to him.

Pope revs his engine as Ki tries to talk to him.

"What was that?" He continues revving his engine.

"I didn't mean to?" She says. "Pope i'm being serious."

"I'm trying to talk to you." She says and Pope takes off on his bike.

She turns around and makes her way back towards us when a helicopter flies right over.

"Who the hell is that?" JJ ask.

The three of us go back inside the restaurant.

-

"You sure he wasn't just being weird Pope?" JJ ask as we stack up food.

"It wasn't the really kind of thing that needed interpretation." Ki answers.

"Is that gonna be enough food for them?" I asked looking at the food in a bag.

"I mean, for a couple of weeks, and that's all they need, so.." JJ says.

"I think I actually hurt his feelings." Ki announces.

"Ki, don't beat your self up too much. He's completely changed his feels." I say as we exit the restaurant.

"I hate to admit it but I miss the old Pope." Ki says.

JJ and I walk to my car and stop when Ki's no longer walking.

The both of us turn around as she stands there with her mouth open.

"What?" I ask concerned.

"Azi, when did you get a new car?" She points at the G Wagon.

"Oh." I chuckle. "It's my dads. It's been in the garage ever since, you know." I say.

She puts a smile on her face. "We're definitely taking the G Wagon."

We JJ loads the box of food into the trunk and I walk to the drivers side.

I stop in my tracks when I come face to face with Ki's mom.

"Azlia, where's my daughter." She ask with a blank expression.

I stand their and her footsteps from behind me.

She looks to the side of me and has anger in her eyes.

"Where you been?" She ask.

I look over at see Ki right beside me.

"Uh- I'm fine, I slept here." Ki stutters.

"Well we were up half the night scared to death looking for you." Her mom says. "Were you even gonna tell us?"

"Well, I'm tell you right now." Ki says.

She sees JJ and tenses up.

"Alright, what the hell are you three up to?" She ask.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Anna, we gotta go." I say opening up the drivers door.

Ki opes the back seat door and JJ gets into the passenger seat.

"Absolutely not." Ki's mom says trying to block her.

Ki slips into the car and shuts the door.

"This is not safe for you to do." Mrs. Anna says. "I'm sorry mom, I have to go." Ki apologizes.

I start the car and put the car in drive.

"Azlia, your father would not be proud of you!" She yells through my window.

"Mom!" Ki yells.

I look at her and she has a blank expression on her face.

"Well, I'm trying to save his son." I say.

I take my foot off the break and step on the gas.

Mrs. Anna yells fade the farther we get.

"Azi, I am so so sorry." Ki cries

I wipe a tear away and sniffle.

"No, no, It's okay. You don't have to apologizes. We can do this." I slightly smile.

JJ puts his hand on my thigh and gives me puppy dogs eyes.

"Yeah, we can do this." I reassure myself and turn in the direction of JJ's house.

We pull up to his and he lets out a little chuckle. "Home sweet home." He says sarcastically. He looks over at me with sad eyes. "Come with me?" He ask.

"Always." I say.

"Yeah, I-I guess i'll just stay here." Ki jokes.

"Thank you, Ki." I sing and hop out the car.

JJ holds out his hand and I grab it.

He leads me up to the front door and opens it.

"Dad?" He calls as we walk inside.

We walk further in the house and turn a corner to see JJ's dad sleeping on the couch.

"Dad, I need the keys to the Phantom." He walks over to him pulling me with him.

His dad continues snoring.

"Dad." He says again.

JJ slowly lets go of my hand and picks up an empty pill bottle.

I look along his dads face and see a necklace with keys around his neck.

"JJ." I whisper pointing to his neck.

JJ reaches for the necklace and exhales.

He releases the necklace and grabs a pencil and tweezers. He bends down to his dad.

His dads start opening slightly and a wave of fear goes through my body.

"I didn't expect to see you." Luke, JJ's dad, says in a raspy voice. "Your back."

Luke's gaze falls on me.

"Azlia." He smiles.

"Hi." I softly smile.

"Just checking in." JJ softly says.

Luke takes a sip of beer and stands up. He walks over to me and JJ steps in front of me. Luke nudges JJ out of the way and puts both his hands on both my shoulders, and JJ tenses.

"I just want to say, thank you for looking after my boy. I couldn't live without you." Luke pulls me into a hug. "Y-your welcome." I pat his back.

Luke lets go if me and turns his focus to JJ.

"School our already?" He ask. "What?" JJ ask.

"Did you guys ditch?" He ask.

JJ and I look at him confused.

"It's alright. You can tell me. I won't tell your old man." He says looking at me.

I feel a pit in my throat and my mouth slowly falls open.

"Yeah." I whisper. "We hit the break, you know." JJ says.

Luke laughs. "I hated school too. My boy!" He says getting up. He puts his hand in JJ's shoulder and JJ flinches a little. "Hey, look. I know i'm hard on you sometimes." He struggles with his words.

JJ nods his head and I see his bottom lip quiver a little.

"But sometimes, I see your mother in you, and it gets me a little tweaked, you know. You're a good boy." He laughs and JJ laughs along with him.

"And I love you, son." He says. "Come here, I love you." He pulls JJ into a hug.

JJ wraps his arms around his dad. "I love you too, dad." JJ cries.

Luke's grip starts to loosen around JJ and he closes his eyes. JJ lays him back on the couch.

"You're a good boy." He says one more time before passing out.

JJ rips down Luke's jacket and pulls the key necklace from around him.

He walk past me and I hear the door fly open.

I let out a few tears thinking back to when luke said he wouldn't tell my dad.

I wipe the tears away and grab a blanket and place it over Luke before exiting the house.

I open the door to my car and get in. I sit in the seat staring at my hands recalculating what just happened.

"How'd it go." Ki ask.

JJ and I look at each other with a smile.

JJ shows Ki the necklace in his hand and I start the car and drive to where the Phantom was being held.

****

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