FUMES [2], jj maybank

19. WE'RE RUNNING ON FUMES

  COPS PILE OUT OF the car but Pope keeps walking despite Kie calling for him. He eventually puts his hands up and I take a step closer to JJ. "We're too late. He's gone. Goddamnit!" Shoupe yells, "Alright, where the hell is he?" None of us say a word and I keep my eyes on Shoupe. "JJ, I see you livin' up to your name. Pope, how about you? Sam, you should be the one yelling for justice. Ain't that your thing? This isn't a fucking game! Where'd he go?!" None of us answer again. "Get in my car—"

  "Are we being fucking arrested?" I yell as a cop tries to push me into the car. "Sam, just go in!" Kie says walking past me. "No, you wanna be? You wanna explain why there's dried blood all over you?" Shoupe points to my neck. "Move, Maybank!"

"Nah, I'm not leavin' till my girlfriend is in the car!" JJ refuses to move from next to me as I keep my feet planted in the ground. "Was it Weston?" Shoupe asks. "No, it wasn't fucking Weston! All the sudden you care about abuse? What about when your nephew was smacking me around? Adrien? Ring a fuckin'—"

  "Get in the damn car, Samantha." Everyone stares at the use of my legal name. My jaw clenches. What the hell is wrong with him? I let the officer push me into the car, right next to JJ. All four of us squeeze into the back seat. "This is fucking ridiculous!" I say right before Shoupe gets in the car. "Sam! Just, stop!" Bailey yells.

   Shoupe takes us to where all the cops seem to be stationed. Red and blue lights blind me and I wince when we get closer. "You good?" JJ quickly asks. "Fine," I state flatly. Shoupe opens the door and Pope is the first one out. "Follow Plumb to that tent, wait for your friends," I start to walk forward and hide the pain and pounding through my head. Cameras flash around us and my vision is going foggy again. I just need to sit and I'll be fine.  He leads us to a tent filled with cops, "Sit down and don't move. We got a lot to talk about." Kie is immediately filled with anxiety next to me and JJ starts playing with his rings. Bailey is sat cross-legged and tapping her foot. Pope, for once, looks less nervous than any of us.

  I lay my hand on top of JJ's and lace our fingers together. He lifts our hands up and kisses the back of mine, "You should get your head checked," He whispers. "It's fine. I'll get it checked tomorrow—"

   "Babe, you landed on the ground, hard." I roll my eyes, "Fully aware, JJ." My palms are sweating excessively and I just hope JJ doesn't notice or care. Suddenly, I hear the sound of power going on and the island lights up. The power is back on.

  "That's them! There they are!" I almost get up from my seat but remember the guy with the big gun standing in front of me. A shit ton of cops start moving and getting ready. We keep glancing at each other with pure panic. "What is going on?" I yell, hoping anyone will answer as more cops run. The storm starts to pick up outside the tent and so does my heart. There's chills all over my body. My body starts to shake and JJ grips my hand tighter. The inside of my cheeks are shredded up from biting them excessively this whole time and I can taste blood.