Heroic Muse
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Feb 20, 2014
- Messages
- 787
- Reaction score
- 3,796
- Location
- Baldwin, New York
- Website
- www.ftmcoachjack.com
JJ Deveraux sat in the library, burying his nose in his English book. He'd been reading the same sentence over and over. It kept making less sense than before.
"Dude, what're you doing in this dusty old place when its still daylight?" Rory's voice bounced off the walls.
JJ glanced over at the other students trying to study and shrugged apologetically. "Gotta keep my grades up."
"You seriously make me worry, man. You're wasting away in here while there's fun to be had out there."
"Rory -"
"No matter though. Cause I," Rory said, plopping into a chair and shoving his long hair out of his eyes, "have the perfect solution." JJ turned a page and Rory said, "Come on, aren't you even gonna listen?"
"Do I have a choice?"
"Don't act so excited. It's not good for your heart."
JJ started to turn another page but Rory slammed his palm into the middle of the book. "That loser Paige isn't worth throwing your life away like this, man. She thought she was too good for you, but it was the other way around. Forget her. Go back to your roots."
JJ pushed the book away. "What's the big idea, dude?"
Rory leaned forward, finally dropping his voice to a whisper. "Rumor has it Dr. K leaves the English final lying around on his desk and the door unlocked."
"So?"
"So if someone were to walk in while he wasn't there they might get a sneak peek. And if they accidentally hit the camera button on their phone, they could share the wealth."
JJ stared at Rory while he tried to figure out what to say. "You mean cheat."
"Why put it like that? I'm just evening the playing field. So what do you say? Are you in?"
"No!" JJ struggled to catch his breath. "Come on, man. You don’t need - "
“Skip the lecture, dude. I get it.” Rory shook his head. “It’s sad, man. You used to be so much fun before you got mixed up with Paige. Do you know I never once saw her smile? I don’t think she knows how. And then you went and fell for her and now you’re just like her.”
“You know what else is sad?” JJ retorted, crossing his arms. “Me thinking you’d do anything for me like in the old days.”
“You mean like the way you took that Jill chick out from under my nose.”
JJ jumped up. “You’re gonna have to get over that, cause I’m not explaining it to you anymore.” He moved closer to Rory, not enough to really be threatening, but Rory jumped back anyway. “You wanna know what happened that night, dude? You really wanna know?” JJ advanced on Rory, not caring they could both be kicked out of the library. “I had your back, that’s what. Dude, you were so totally wasted that anything could have gone down and you wouldn’t have known the difference, so I got you out of there.”
Rory shifted his weight. “I have your back too.”
“Do you?”
“If you really had mine, you’d help me steal this test.” JJ glared at Rory and Rory said, “Come on, man. You’re gonna pass with flying colors no matter what, so why can’t you just help me have a chance?”
“Dude, you have a chance. Ever heard of opening a book?”
“Easy for you to say.” Rory laughed bitterly. “You grew up going to fancy schools and your mommy hanging your report cards on the fridge, and now that you’re not smoking weed you’re back to being her golden boy who does everything right. Plus even if you do something she’s not cool with, all you gotta do is pick up the phone and there’s Dr. Dan making time for you.”
“So, what, you’re jealous now?”
“No, man. I just wish you knew how lucky you are. You got a cool family and all sorts of smarts. Dude, my mom beat me every time I got a bad grade til she got sick of me. If it weren’t for my brother I’d still be living in the park. I’m not as smart as you. I can’t pass without a little extra help.”
“And if we get caught - “
“We won’t.”
“Yeah, we will. It always catches up with you sooner or later.”
“Are you gonna help me or not?”
JJ was quiet for a minute, trying to get his words together. Finally he said, “Any time you wanna study, I’m there, dude.”
“Forget it, man.” Rory swung his backpack over his shoulder. “I got plenty of real friends who’ll help. If you’re not one of them, don’t bother calling me anymore.” He stomped off towards the elevator.
JJ threw himself into his chair and slumped down. Sorry, Rory, he thought. I’m not giving up on you that easily.
Hope sat at her desk, flipping through files while she talked to Jennifer on the phone. “Of course. When I get done at the station, we’ll do coffee and get caught up. And Jennifer, just breathe, okay? JJ’s come a long way. He’ll get through this too. See you soon, cuz. Bye.”
Rafe knocked on Hope’s open office door as she hung up the phone, then stuck his head in. “You got a minute to ride out with me to Salem U?”
“Of course. What’s up?”
“Campus Security just called something in that I think you should be in on.”
“Let’s go then.” Hope threw her jacket on and followed Rafe out of the station.
"Dude, what're you doing in this dusty old place when its still daylight?" Rory's voice bounced off the walls.
JJ glanced over at the other students trying to study and shrugged apologetically. "Gotta keep my grades up."
"You seriously make me worry, man. You're wasting away in here while there's fun to be had out there."
"Rory -"
"No matter though. Cause I," Rory said, plopping into a chair and shoving his long hair out of his eyes, "have the perfect solution." JJ turned a page and Rory said, "Come on, aren't you even gonna listen?"
"Do I have a choice?"
"Don't act so excited. It's not good for your heart."
JJ started to turn another page but Rory slammed his palm into the middle of the book. "That loser Paige isn't worth throwing your life away like this, man. She thought she was too good for you, but it was the other way around. Forget her. Go back to your roots."
JJ pushed the book away. "What's the big idea, dude?"
Rory leaned forward, finally dropping his voice to a whisper. "Rumor has it Dr. K leaves the English final lying around on his desk and the door unlocked."
"So?"
"So if someone were to walk in while he wasn't there they might get a sneak peek. And if they accidentally hit the camera button on their phone, they could share the wealth."
JJ stared at Rory while he tried to figure out what to say. "You mean cheat."
"Why put it like that? I'm just evening the playing field. So what do you say? Are you in?"
"No!" JJ struggled to catch his breath. "Come on, man. You don’t need - "
“Skip the lecture, dude. I get it.” Rory shook his head. “It’s sad, man. You used to be so much fun before you got mixed up with Paige. Do you know I never once saw her smile? I don’t think she knows how. And then you went and fell for her and now you’re just like her.”
“You know what else is sad?” JJ retorted, crossing his arms. “Me thinking you’d do anything for me like in the old days.”
“You mean like the way you took that Jill chick out from under my nose.”
JJ jumped up. “You’re gonna have to get over that, cause I’m not explaining it to you anymore.” He moved closer to Rory, not enough to really be threatening, but Rory jumped back anyway. “You wanna know what happened that night, dude? You really wanna know?” JJ advanced on Rory, not caring they could both be kicked out of the library. “I had your back, that’s what. Dude, you were so totally wasted that anything could have gone down and you wouldn’t have known the difference, so I got you out of there.”
Rory shifted his weight. “I have your back too.”
“Do you?”
“If you really had mine, you’d help me steal this test.” JJ glared at Rory and Rory said, “Come on, man. You’re gonna pass with flying colors no matter what, so why can’t you just help me have a chance?”
“Dude, you have a chance. Ever heard of opening a book?”
“Easy for you to say.” Rory laughed bitterly. “You grew up going to fancy schools and your mommy hanging your report cards on the fridge, and now that you’re not smoking weed you’re back to being her golden boy who does everything right. Plus even if you do something she’s not cool with, all you gotta do is pick up the phone and there’s Dr. Dan making time for you.”
“So, what, you’re jealous now?”
“No, man. I just wish you knew how lucky you are. You got a cool family and all sorts of smarts. Dude, my mom beat me every time I got a bad grade til she got sick of me. If it weren’t for my brother I’d still be living in the park. I’m not as smart as you. I can’t pass without a little extra help.”
“And if we get caught - “
“We won’t.”
“Yeah, we will. It always catches up with you sooner or later.”
“Are you gonna help me or not?”
JJ was quiet for a minute, trying to get his words together. Finally he said, “Any time you wanna study, I’m there, dude.”
“Forget it, man.” Rory swung his backpack over his shoulder. “I got plenty of real friends who’ll help. If you’re not one of them, don’t bother calling me anymore.” He stomped off towards the elevator.
JJ threw himself into his chair and slumped down. Sorry, Rory, he thought. I’m not giving up on you that easily.
Hope sat at her desk, flipping through files while she talked to Jennifer on the phone. “Of course. When I get done at the station, we’ll do coffee and get caught up. And Jennifer, just breathe, okay? JJ’s come a long way. He’ll get through this too. See you soon, cuz. Bye.”
Rafe knocked on Hope’s open office door as she hung up the phone, then stuck his head in. “You got a minute to ride out with me to Salem U?”
“Of course. What’s up?”
“Campus Security just called something in that I think you should be in on.”
“Let’s go then.” Hope threw her jacket on and followed Rafe out of the station.