I pierced the cartilage on the top of my ear pierced and now there is a tiny squishy bump...?

I've had it for about 7 weeks and 3 days. Instructions say to leave it in for 8-12 weeks but I had been neglecting to clean it so i decided to take it out to give it a thorough cleaning only to discover a small bump surrounding back side of the piercing. Its maybe 1/8 inch or less. Its squishy and may be filled with pus. What is this bump? In about 2 weeks I will need to remove it because I am leaving for Navy basic training. Should I just take it out now and let it get air or leave it in until the bump goes away? Will the bump ever go away? If I take it out will the area close with whatever the bubble is still trapped inside? What should I do?