048 !! HISTORY

"Hey", another irritating whisper, "What's 3A?".

Georgie glances up from her paper to Mr. Sunn who is attempting to seem casual in his hovering by the teacher's desk but only comes off as prying which is crazy because this is a test and he's obviously supposed to supervise them?

He's just a naturally awkward person, I guess.

"Georgie", yet another whisper from the individual on her right.

She cuts her eyes to him, glaring at his leaning form. She curtly shakes her head in a wordless NO and goes back to her paper.

Who was responsible for the construction of the Berlin Wall and why?

Communists something . . . the French and Americans something . . . territory? Is that it? Could be it. The French and the American sides controlled which part of Berlin again?

Wait. The communists are Soviets, right?

"Geor—".

"Mr. Maybank, if you would be so kind as to focus on your own test rather than your sister's".

Both the siblings look up, startled at the sudden warning by the usually harmless Mr. Sunn who looks tired if anything but then again dealing with a crowd of teenagers first thing in the morning can do that to you.

Bristling with the attention of the entire class, Georgie looks back down biting on the inside of her cheek in embarrassment.

Her fingers tightly curl around the pencil in her hand trying to physically force herself into writing the test and not smack the side of JJ's head for being his usual idiot self.

A small vibration against the side of her leg draws her attention down to her bag, specifically the outer pocket where her phone glints with the promise of a new notification.

Don't check it, don't check it, don't check it—

She carefully glances up to ensure Mr. Sunn's back is turned and takes that as her cue to slip her hand into the bag and grab the phone bringing it up underneath the desk.

A notification from a newly created group chat awaits her, her brows furrowing as she unlocks the phone and goes to the one text — a photo.

The chat loads landing straight on the picture and her throat clogs up, her heart thudding loudly behind its cage in god knows what new kind of anxiety driven emotion.

Her lips part, gaze tippering towards a curious JJ who has clearly been watching her all along his history test being the least of his priorities.

What? — he mouthes hoping for a response but she says nothing instead shoves the phone in his field of vision.

His eyes practically bulge out of his skull, a frown pulling at his features when the duo looks up at the front of the class and finds Kiara and Pope waving their own phones around with a shocked expression lacing both of their faces.

JJ swallows getting up on his feet in an instant, the scrape of his sneakers against the tiled floor catches Mr. Sunn's attention who sharply turns around with a raised brow.

"Uh, I gotta . . . uhm, bathroom emergency, Sir", he blurts out not even waiting for a reply as he grabs his bag and sprints out of the class.

Pope mumbles something followed by Kiara who loudly declares "Family emergency, sorry!" and scurries out behind the two boys.

Georgie hastily gathers her things moving to leave when the teacher steps in her path.

"Miss Maybank, need I remind you this test is twenty percent of your—".

"I think I just got my period, Sir!".

No. What? Wait, back up. What?

Mr. Sunn who looks oddly uncomfortable all of a sudden steps back unsurely watching the girl hurry past him to the door.

"I hope you know what you're doin—".

"Thank you, Sir!", she yells back already running through the hallway and into the courtyard spotting the three others huddled near a bench, biting their nails in anticipation.

She comes up breathless throwing her bag down on the bench and leaning against it, heaving to catch her breath.

"This better be worth it because I think I just traumatised Mr. Sunn for life", she manages between fitfuls of breath.

Kiara shakes her head, "Can it be?".

"We never did get a body so . . . .", he bites his lip.

Nodding, the brunette opens up the group chat — all her friends gather round her looking at the screen over her shoulder — and types out, is this really you?

Does JJ still have my favourite red lighter? — comes the response.

"Oh my—", Kiara cuts herself off, her gaze flickering up to the trio surrounding her, all shocked into silence with their mouths hanging open.

JJ leans forward to take another look at the message.

"It's him".

"It's him", Kiara confirms.

Pope grabs the back of his head, "It's definitely him".

"But how could it—oh my god", Georgie's hand comes up to her face, the disbelief etched into the curl of her mouth.

JJ looks up, laughing.

Kiara continues typing and they all stand there, confused and relieved and happy and shocked and so so fucking elated.

Georgie sniffles yelping loudly as JJ's arms come around her shoulders squeezing her with a huge grin on his lips.

"Laying super low in Nassau", Kiara informs glancing up from the phone.

"How the hell did they get to the Bahamas?", Pope asks rubbing his temples as if the action alone could get his brain to comprehend this.

"You can't kill a Pogue, dude", JJ chuckles pumping his fist in the air.

"Especially John B", Pope laughs hopping up on the bench next to a visibly shaken Georgie who just cannot stop smiling through her tear filled eyes.

"You can't possibly be crying right now", JJ complains as Kiara types into the phone.

Georgie shakes her head laughing out in loud, blasphemous disbelief.

"It's happy tears, you dick!".

Kiara shows them the phone screen, their smiles stretching across their faces as they laugh loudly in pure beautiful joy.

"Hell yeah, we'll clear your name, dude!", JJ shouts into the air jumping and frolicking around the bench to pull them all into a group hug.

P4L — the phone dinges with a last reply.

"P4L", JJ murmurs tightening his hold around his friends.

***
this chapter was a bit rushed but next one will be better i promise !