𝐽𝑈𝑆𝑇 𝑁𝑂𝑇 𝑌𝐸𝑇 / JJ MAYBANK

𝟺𝟻

STAY

1st PERSON POV

"So, we gotta be done before my scholarship interview in the morning." says Pope, stopping the car in front of the chateau.

"Okay, well, we have to focus." Kiara gets out of the car.

"I know. It's gonna be fine. We got John b and JJ inside the well, and me up top with you, Em." he looks at me in the back seat.  "And you and Sarah will be outside transporting." Pope gets out as well. I just follow them.
"Uh, I got a winch."

"Yeah."

"That tin can hold over like... 200, 300 pounds." We walk to the bed of the car.

"Thanks."

"Uh what for?" asks Pope Kiara.

"Stranding us. You know, making us make up." she replies.

"What makes you think that was me?" asks Pope.

When all of a sudden, lights go on all over the garden of the chateau.

"What the hell?" asks Pope.

"Who the fuck is here?" I mumble, looking around.

We walk a few steps and then I see JJ in a hot tub. There are colored lights everywhere, a disco ball hanging over him, and he's holding a fake champagne. He wears sunglasses and a gold chain. What the damn hell?

"What did you do, JJ?" Pope asks, shocked.

"I got a jet going straight in my butt right now." he chuckles. "Y'all should get in immediately, you hear me?"

I look wide-eyed at the boy. There's no one I want to see less in the world right now, so I just stay quiet.

JJ pours champagne into a glass and holds it up. "Salud!" he calls out.

"How much did this cost?" asks Pope.

"Uh... well, with the generator, the petrol, and oh, hey, express delivery..." JJ chuckles. "...Pretty much all of it, yeah."

"All of it?" Pope's eyes widen.

"Yeah, all of it."

"You spent all the money on one day?"

"Yeah." JJ nods. "Burned a hole right through my pocket. But, I mean, like, come on, guys, like, look at this!" JJ says in a high-pitched voice with a smile, looking around.  "Finest and jet-based massage therapy, that's what they told me."

Kiara looks at JJ in horror.

"Kie, what? Can't a man have a little luxury in life?" JJ takes off his sunglasses. "Come on, all this scrimpin' and scrapin'" his voice breaks a little. "I mean, like... guys, we-- you only live once, right?" but JJ overplays it.

I can barely look. I see the tears in his eyes, and hear the pain in his voice.

"Enough of this emotional shit. Get in the Cat's Ass. Come on." JJ waves the three of us over to the hot tub.

"In the what?" asks Kiara.

"In the Cat's Ass." JJ giggles. "That's what I named her."
"Oh, hey, yo, I almost forgot." he clicks a button, and the disco ball starts spinning and glowing. "Yeah, that's right, I know. Disco mode. That's right, baby!"

"Are you kidding me?" yells Pope. "You could've paid for restitution!"

"Or literally given it to any charity!" adds Kiara.

"Or better yet, you could've helped us buy supplies to get the rest of the gold out of the well!"

JJ looks to the side and leans his head on his hand. Then he stands up. "Okay, well, you know what? I didn't do that!"