FUMES [2], jj maybank

40. PRONE TO BEING BLINDED

"WOULD YOU STOP TRYING TO TICKLE ME, JJ?" I swat his hands away for what feels like the millionth time. I'm even sitting behind him in the passenger seat and he keeps trying to reach around me while we do this damn mission. "At least hold my hand, baby," He places his hand right in front of my face. Metal rings decorate his fingers. I roll my eyes but grab his hand.

     I can hear cop sirens as we get closer and closer until the blue and reds are bright enough to shine into the car. "Oh shit! They found the truck!" Kie curses. Shit, I forgot we kinda did a hit and run. "Chill, chill, chill," Pope and John B repeatedly say. I turn slightly so I can see the windshield, "Ah, fuck, Kie."

JJ starts panicking next to me, "Of course!"

"Babe, babe, relax!" I grab his hand again but he still has his jaw clenched.

I would say can anything go right but this is basically our fault. "Well, lookee here," Shoupe is here. Of course he is. "Good evening, Officer," John B uses the cheesy line on Shoupe. The lights practically blind me as I look towards him. "Sheriff. Yeah," Shoupe reminds us. Didn't really properly earn that title but, whatever.

"Sheriff. Yeah, that's right. Speed kills, huh?" John B plays dumb. "I pulled the tags, I know whose truck that is, " Shoupe shines the flashlight right on Kie's face as she's hiding beside me, "Hey! Kie, you drop your weed pen back there?"

"Found it," She holds up something. "Sheriff, I just wanted to say that this is all my fault. She had nothing to do with this. I take 100% responsibility," Pope says.

JJ and I glance at each other before turning back to look at Shoupe. "Nothing to do with it? Uh huh. You wanna try that again?" Shoupe asks, "Your parents reported the truck missing four hours ago, and the keys were missing from the house. I'm taking you home. Or I can pull you all in for leaving the scene of an accident."

"Shoupe, anyone ever tell you that that mustache looks amazing?" I smile sweetly at him. I know it won't work but it's worth the push at his buttons. "Okay," Kie says. Shoupe tells Plumb to open the van door and I watch Kie get out. "Kie, you'll be okay," Bailey tries to reassure her but she won't. Kie is going to that damn boarding school. "Hit me up later to make sure I'm still alive," Kie says and I nod sadly at her. The van door closes.

"Guys, can we go to my house real quick?" I ask. I want the gun. I stole it for a damn reason and I want it. "The last time we did that, Vanessa followed us. She gonna do that again?" JJ asks. "No, maybe. Who knows? I just wanna do a check in with my mom, okay?"

"Can't you just call her?"

"My mom hasn't seen my living body in days, Sarah. Can we just go?" I plead, mostly with John B because he's driving. "Fine. Fine. Real quick check in though," JB gives in. "Okay, okay. Thank you!"