𝐇𝐈𝐃𝐃𝐄𝐍 𝐅𝐄𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒, 𝗉𝗈𝗉𝖾 𝗁𝖾𝗒𝗐𝖺𝗋𝖽

23: 𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚒𝚕𝚎𝚛 𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚔

The group of six teenagers found themselves sitting in the campervan together after the incident with Barry. The man's house, or rather a trailer house, was all messed up. Trash laid everywhere, the teenagers could practically smell the weed even with the doors and windows closed shut. JJ hops out of the vehicle, slamming the door shut as he makes his way to the trailer.

"Where you going?" John B questions.

"Yo soy justicia." JJ replies as he walks inside.

The five other teenagers all exchange glances before John B hops out, following after his best friend. While the four teenagers outside waited, they all stood up, waiting outside of the campervan, anxiously sharing glances as they waited for their two friends to exit Barry's home so they could just leave. Soon enough, JJ stomps outside with a duffel bag, John B trailing behind him.

"Alright, so we're looking at five grand each for reparations for putting us through that bullshit." JJ informs, revealing the wad of cash in his grip.

"So that's what we're doing now? We're robbing drug dealers?" Kie asks.

"This Barry guy's gonna find out." Sarah states.

"And he's gonna come after us." Y/n warns.

"Yes, he will. This is not the time to start wilding out." Pope adds.

"How'd you guys like having a gun pulled on you?" JJ fires back.

"Relax." John B instructs.

"He had it right here on you, bro." JJ recalls, pointing to his best friend's forehead.

"Look. We've gotta go get the gold, okay? Just give me that shit. We're putting it back." John B tells the blonde.

The Routledge boy then reaches down, grabbing and taking the duffel bag that was full of cash from JJ, wanting to go and put it back as they already had so much more to deal with. They didn't need to add Barry to their worries after what happened out on the road today. None of this sat right with JJ as he roughly pushes the brunette against the side of the campervan.

"Do you feel like a tough guy? Huh? What are you gonna do when he comes for us?" John B questions.

"We punch him in the throat." JJ replies with confidence.

"Yeah, good fucking idea, JJ." John B sarcastically comments.

"I'm not putting it back." JJ argues.

With that, he takes the duffel bag back from his best friend and heads back inside the campervan, seating himself down. When his friends don't follow, he calls to them, waiting for them to head inside. However, they continue to stand there, staring right at him. Sighing quietly, the Maybank boy hops back out.

"What?" JJ asks.

"We're sick of your shit." John B tells him.

"Oh, my shit?" JJ questions.

"Yeah. Yeah. Your shit." John B repeats.

"Your pulling guns on people shit." Kie agrees.

"You acting like a freaking maniac--" Pope adds.

"Okay, Pope, I took the fall for you, man!" JJ exclaims, getting frustrated with all this. "Do you know how much money I owe because of you?"

"I'm gonna pay you back, and I didn't even ask you to do that!" Pope reminds.

"I just did! Pay it back. Right here, right now, by myself." JJ grunts out. "You know what? That's exactly what I'm gonna do. Go off by myself."

They all watch as the blonde zips up his backpack before placing it on his shoulder, walking off, not looking back at his group of friends. Pope calls out for the boy, taking a step forward but John B stops him by grabbing his shoulder. Walking to the boy, Y/n places her hand inside Pope's as they all make their way back inside the campervan, driving off from Barry's place.

***

The now five teenagers found themselves sitting at the Wreck together, sitting in silence. All of them, even Sarah, were worried about JJ, who was god knows where. As they sat there, Y/n continuously glanced to Pope, who was leaning against the wall, his back turned to the group. She knew the boy still felt guilty about JJ taking the blame for him that day with Topper's boat.

"Look, he'll come around, alright? It's... He's doing a JJ thing." John B tries to reassure.

"You think he'll go home?" Y/n asks.

"There's about a zero percent chance that JJ goes home." Pope replies, knowing exactly what his home was like.

"You okay?" John B questions, looking at Sarah.

Sarah nods. "Yeah. Are you?"

"I mean, I'm in one piece, so..." John B replies.

Pope sighs a little. "Okay. It's too dangerous to pawn this thing off piecemeal. So our best bet is to go down there and get the rest of it. Bring it all up at once. Put it in a safe or a vault or something. I-- I don't know. Just until we can find someone who won't rip us off. I can go figure it out tonight, I can get it all done, and we can be out there as early as tomorrow morning."

"Alright, let's do it." John B agrees.

"What about that thing with my dad?" Sarah reminds, looking at her boyfriend.

"Shit." John B whispers.

"What thing?" Y/n asks.

"I have to go fishing with Ward." John B informs.

"You can't get five hundred mil cause you're gonna go kill fish?" Kie questions.

"Look, I have to go." John B tells them.

"Blow it off. It's five hundred million in gold!" Pope reminds.

"Make something up!" Y/n adds.

"Look, I have to, okay?" John B repeats his previous words. "He... he saved me, alright? And if it weren't for Ward, I'd be in foster care. So... I have to go. Plus, it'll be better to do it at night. Right?"

For a few moments, it's rather silent between the group of five as Pope, Y/n and Kiara all glance at each other before looking to the Routledge boy, who was glancing between them, waiting for their answer. They just wished he didn't have to so this could be a lot easier, but even still, it wasn't easy at all.

"Fine. Fine, go fishing." Pope speaks up, giving in.

"And at least JJ will probably have washed up by then." Kie adds.