𝐽𝑈𝑆𝑇 𝑁𝑂𝑇 𝑌𝐸𝑇 / JJ MAYBANK

𝟻𝟹

"Shit." i mutter. We sit in a rundown place to hide, watching Cameron's plane take off.

"There goes the gold," Pope says.

"Shit!" yells JJ, kicking a chair with his foot.

But all of a sudden, Pope snaps. "Fuck!" he yells while smashing everything he can find with a bat. "Goddamn it!"

I just see him completely lose control. He's screaming around, and punching around. I look scared at JJ.

Then Pope drops down on a bench. Crying.

"Pope." mumbles Kiara.

I can understand him. He's just lost everything he's worked for. And he's always been there for me, so I kind of have to be there for him now.

"Yeah, dude." says JJ then. "I was wondering when this was gonna happen." he walks over to Pope and holds out a joint. "Here you go, chief. A little weed never hurt no one."

"JJ." says Kie.

"Relax, Kie."

"You know he doesn't smoke." Kie shrugs.

But Pope takes the joint.

"Well, maybe not until today." JJ sits down next to him.

"Yeah, what is that gonna help?" asks Kie.

I look down at Pope, then squat in front of him. "Look, Pope, it's no good."

Pope looks at me through tears. "I lost my scholarship. Walked out in the middle of the interview. It's gone. It's not gonna happen."

"You did that for us." sobs Kiara.

"No." Pope stands up. "Not for us. For nothing."

"We're all here for you, okay?" I say reassuringly.

JJ puts his arm to Pope. "yeah, welcome to my world, okay?"

"JJ-"

"What, Kie? He's right. It doesn't matter anymore."

"You don't have to do that." says Kie to Pope, who is taking a drag.

"what do you care?" he replies.

But then I see my brother emerge, blood all over his hands. I feel my heart beet faster at the sight of all those blood.

"Dude! Dude, you good?" asks JJ running to him.

I run after him. "John b, is this yours?"

"Whose blood is that?" asks Kiara.

"You okay, man?" JJ looks to my brother as we hear sirens. We all duck real quick.

"John b, what happened?" i ask, confused. "Is that your blood?"

"No." he says in shock.

"then whose is it?" asks Pope.

"Sheriff Peterkin's," John b mumbles.

We all look at each other in shock.

"Rafe shot her trying to arrest Ward."

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John B gets into the car and drives off. Then he stops in front of the police station.

"John b, what are we doing at the police station?" asks JJ.

"Somebody's gotta tell them what happened." John B mumbles.

I look worriedly at my friend. He looks at me too, but then Pope suddenly starts coughing.

"Ooh... easy there, chief." says JJ to Pope with a joint in his hand. "Damn."

JJ then puts his hand on John bs shoulder. "All right. I'm just gonna be real with you right now. You might end up in the lion's den, but you don't go there on purpose. It's fundamental. Just like my old man always told me, you should never ever trust cops, no matter what the circumstance is."

Kie looks at JJ. "Your old man is an abusive liar."

I can't believe she said that. I mean she knows how JJ is, right? I look at him and take his hand. I can see that hit him a little bit.

"I agree with JJ." Pope says. "Fuck the police."

"You goin' to the dark side now?" mumbles Kiara.

"When's the last time the police ever helped us?" questions Pope.

"Peterkin looked out for me, all right? Tried to, at least." John b looks at us. "They need to know"

Just as he wants to get out of the car, I hold him back. "Hey. Don't do anything stupid, okay?"

"Yeah." he mumbles and gets out.

"Guys, I'm so scared for him." I look anxiously at the door of the police station.

"Me too, actually. But it's all gonna be... fine." says JJ.

But then I hear my brother screaming. "Kie! Start the car! Start the car Kie!" he runs to the car and gets in.

"What did you do?" screams Kiara.

"The cops!" i yell as two deputies knock on the windows of the car.

"Kie! Drive!" my brother yells again, and Kie drives off.