𝐽𝑈𝑆𝑇 𝑁𝑂𝑇 𝑌𝐸𝑇 / JJ MAYBANK

𝟶𝟾

S C U B A G E A R

"Look I'm calling it off. All right?" John b comes out to us. We sit outside the chateau, Kiara plays the ukulele, I sing a little bit to it. "Peterkin said if I stay out of the marsh, she'll help me with DCS".

"And you believed her?" JJ asks, sitting on a random table that is on the lawn.

"Yes, I believe her, JJ."

"An actual cop, John b. You believed a cop" he throws a rock away.

"All I gotta do is stay out of the marsh for a couple of days, and she'll help me out" John B says a little louder this time. "It doesn't help that your ass was the one shooting a gun".

"Woah John b he—" I try to say but JJ interrupts me.

"You know what I should have done man? Just let Topper drown your ass"

"Yeah because Topper was gonna drown me?" Says John b sarcastically.

"Sure looked like it" JJ stands up.

"Funny"

JJ comes closer to us."I mean, have you looked in a mirror, recently?"

"Tell me some more. Come on"

"John b that's enough, he was just trying to help you" I say and stand up. I hate that people always blame JJ. If he hadn't used the gun, my brother might be dead now. Either way, I think John b is being too hard on JJ. Especially because he has it so hard at home.

"They always win, don't they man?" JJ leans his arm against a post. "Kooks versus Pogues. They always, always win!" He knocks a buoy away with his fist."Goddamn!"

"Look, it's okay!" Shouts Kie.

"No it's not okay! It is not. They don't want us to go down into the marsh. That means there's something valuable down there" he casts his gaze to John b. "And you know it, man. I know you do. And I understand why you don't wanna go" JJ looks over at Pope. "You're the golden boy. You got way too much to risk. And you-" he looks over at Kiara. "I mean, you're already rich as fuck anyway. Why would you bother?" Kie gives him an annoyed look, shaking her head.

"But us three, man?" He looks at the us two siblings standing next to each other. "We got nothin' to lose! We really don't, all right?"

"JJ" John b was about to say something but JJ interrupts him.

"And I know it didn't use to be that way for you" JJ continues.

"Oh, come on" I say with a serious look to JJ.

"I don't wanna talk about this. I don't wanna talk about it" John b walks past JJ. "Just get out of my way bro" he pushes the blonde boy aside.

"So that's it? John b, listen to me. I have a plan." JJ follows John b.

"Oh, no, JJ." I sigh.

"Trust me, okay?" He turns back to John b. "You got the key to Cameron's big boat, right?

"No, dude" lies John b, sighing.

"There's scuba gear. We just borrow that, and then we go down to the wreck this afternoon, and that is what's gonna save you man" JJ has his arm wrapped around John b. "You don't see rich kids going into foster care, do you?"

————————

"This is empty. You took empty tanks?" Says Kiara.

We are sitting on the HMS Pogue with the scuba gear John b stole from Ward Camerons boat.

"I—" sighs John b.

"Okay this one is a quarter full. That's enough for one of us"

"Love it when a plan comes together" shares Pope.