JJ and a Routledge

'Normal' Pogue Night (They Tried)

I wake up to the feeling of something cool on my head. I slowly open my eyes to see JJ, my head in his lap while he's holding a cold beer up to my forehead. "Hey, Coral. You feeling okay?" Everything from the night flashes in my mind.  

"I think so? All I remember is that bitch punching me and then my head hit a.... rock or something- I was trying to get to Sarah because that girl pushed her over the ledge." I look around me, I forgot where we were for a second, we're in the Twinkie. I slowly sit up, "Guys, what the fuck happened?" I notice John B, with another cold beer to the head, everyone else looked okay, for the most part. 

"Sarah came up to me when I was talking to that girl. She got pissed I got pissed and then the other girl got pissed and then Topper got mad at me, and got me in a chokehold. And that girl- she was shoving Sarah around, JJ went to go get Pope and when he came back you were blacked out on the ground, Kiara picked you up, and we sprinted out of there." John B looks off into the distance as he says all this, he looks numb.  I glance at Kiara and give her a small nod in thanks. She just smiles right back, looking back out the window. 

"John B? Are you okay?" He looks at me quickly before looking back down at the floor of the van. He takes a huge breath before answering. 

"It's like everything that happened to us didn't matter." His voice cracked slightly and the moonlight showed me the crystal layer in his eyes. I was silent the rest of the ride home, we were all silent. I couldn't stop thinking about what JJ was going to say to me. Of course, I was thinking the worst, but hoping for the best. I also couldn't stop thinking about how serious the Kooks and Pogues drama could get in Kildare. I kind of thought we were over the shit, I mean everyone has bigger problems to worry about, you know?

We decided to make some s'mores at the firepit, and it was kind of chill. It felt like a normal Pogue night, we don't have a lot of those anymore. "I've had more black eyes in the last month than I've ever had," Pope informs us. I was sitting in between John B and Kiara on a homemade bench, while JJ and Pope were in camping chairs. 

"That was building up for years. The rumble in the jungle." JJ chuckles, but then burns himself on something. "Ah...." I roll my eyes, and that's when John B nudges me on the shoulder. 

"Did you guys really try to stick up for Sarah?" Kie looks at him as well. I look at her for a split second before responding. She must have helped her out after I blacked out. 

"Of course, we did." I shrug, taking a bite of my s'more. 

"She's not a real Kook," Kiara adds, I cover my mouth and nod in agreement. Sarah doesn't like the bubble wrap, but stepping out of it is what led to everything that's happened within her family. It's not like she's gonna want to go back into the bubble wrap. She'll come around, I know she will. 

"Yeah, tell that to Topper." Pope chimes in, making John B look a little angry. We sit in silence until John B does the unthinkable. 

"I just want one bite-" He reaches down, snatches my s'more downs most of it.  

"What the fuck!" I laugh, I stretch my arms out for my stolen treat until he reaches backward and plops it on the ground. "No! Stop! Bitch!" I slap him lightly on the arm and then I remember the conversation with his groupie from earlier. "You know the bitch you were into thought I had the hots for you?" Everyone bursts out laughing, and John B shakes his head in disbelief. "You really know how to pick 'em, JB. Has a nice punch."

"No fucking way, that's why she beat you up?" His eyes widen and I can see the laughter glistening in his eyes. I'm glad I could get his mind off of Sarah, even if it was just for a second. I nod my head a look behind me at the s'more on the ground. 

"Now, go pick up my s'more." I point behind us and he groans but stands up to go get it. The rest of us start talking about how school was shit today, and I start telling a story about what a boy did to get my attention in class. "So, basically, he sits behind me, right? He started throwing small balls of paper in my hair! So I turn around and I was about to cuss him out when-" 

"Hey, hey! Shush." John B pats Kiara on the back which gets all of us to go silent, we look in the direction of the chicken coop. "Somebody's here." We all start standing up slowly. Not this shit again. It better not be Rafe and Barry. 

 Kiara begins to whisper, "You don't think that Topper would..." We all knew what she was implying, so she didn't have to finish her sentence. Topper, Barry Rafe. Those are the only people who would be trying to sneak up on us right now. That's when I remember how we played Limbrey and Renfield. Shit. 

"I wouldn't put it past him, but there's like 4 people it could be," I whisper while coming up behind John B. 

"Jayj, do you have your gun?" Kiara turns toward him and he widens his eyes in disbelief at her words. So do I, Jayj. 

"Oh! Now she wants the gun!" He groans. So we're basically screwed. 

"Oh, now you don't have the gun!" Kie snaps back. Pope shushes both of them. "Isn't that your secret weapon?" JJ doesn't respond, and they start walking forward with John B and I. JJ grabs a metal fire tool, and grips it tight in his hands. His knuckles are white. 

"Hey! Whose out there!" John B calls out. No response.  Watch it be a fucking bunny rabbit or some shit, now that would be funny. 

"You Kooks better not try anything!" Kiara shouts as well, as we get closer. I swear if Topper jumps out of those bushes I might actually kill him. 

"Whose there?" JJ adds. And that's when Renfield comes out with his hands up. I roll my eyes, and my body relaxes, just a little bit. I fucking knew it. 

"Hey! How y'all doing?" He smiles and we all keep straight faces, he was still smiling brightly though. I wanted to knock that grin right off his fucking face. 

"It's this piece of shit," Pope mutters, it comes out as a growl, almost. 

"You've gotta be kidding me," JJ whispers as he comes up right in front of us, his hands still raised with the poker. 

"Lovely evening we're having." I don't know about that, at all. Especially since he's here now. "Look uh, I don't hold a grudge with any of y'all, all right? This can go hard, or this can go easy." He pats himself down and shows us the inside of his jacket. He has nothing. There is no way he's alone. "You know what I'm here for. Let me give you a little demonstration. You see that little swing right there? I got the best bow hunters in the Army Rangers with me." Knew it. 

"Yeah?" JJ mutters, resting his hand on the swing of the rope. I look around at the forest as if I would be able to spot them. Worth a shot I guess. 

"Mhm." Renfield nods. That's when a whistling sound goes off and an arrow slides right by JJ's fingers, making us all jump. It landed in the tree behind him. I look around in shock, the others were mirroring my face. How the fuck do we get out of this one? "Now, they're out there. They'll stick you just as soon as I say so." Renfield turns his back on JJ and JJ gets ready to wack him in the back. Another whistle goes off and the arrow digs into the dirt, right in front of JJ's foot. "Uh uh uh." Renfield shakes his head, smirking at the blonde. "Now, I'm not gonna give you a countdown or any bullshit like that. I'm just gonna whistle." Renfield is right up in Pope's face. Everyone slightly nods at Pope, I think we all agree that there is no way out of this. 

Pope slowly reaches into his pocket. He holds it up towards Renfield but then hides it in a fist. "No." He mutters, very faintly. It seems like he changed his mind last millisecond. 

"Oh..." Renfield laughs. 

"This key belongs to my family." Pope's voice was shaky, and I feel like he could give in at any second. 

"I'm losing patience with you, Pope." Renfield laughs again but then gets stern. Pope just hands him the key. Renfield snatches it out of his hand and smiles. "You did the right thing kid. Knowing when you don't have a choice is an underappreciated talent. You all be safe." Renfield winks at me and I flick him off. JJ grips his fire tong again. "Easy there." He laughs, before walking off back to where he came from. 

We all look at Pope, whose breathing got heavy. "I am so sick of this shit." Aren't we all?