Junie - JJ Maybank

11

We are all hanging out at Heyward's store. It's only been a day since the incident at the movie night and everyone is a little on edge.

Kiara and I are sitting on a table behind the register and Pope on the other side of the register, where customers stand to check out, writing stuff on a clipboard.

JJ is messing with stuff around the store and John B is at work so it is just the four of us.

The bell rings and Heyward walks into the store, "hey, Pope, there's someone here to see you." He says, pointing behind him.

A few seconds later, Deputy Shoupe walks in. All of us straighten up and Pope is the first to speak.

"Evening officer," he says to him.

Shoupe reaches into his pocket, "I have an arrest warrant for felony destruction of property." He pulls out his hand cuffs, "keep your hands on the counter where I can see 'em."

Me and Kiara jump up and run around the counter. Pope looks back at us and the fear on his face breaks my heart.

"Whoa, Shoupe, what's he do?" Heyward asks.

Shoupe grabs Popes arm and starts putting the cuffs on him, "take a look at the warrant."

"You're arresting him?" Kiara asks.

Heyward throws the paper on the ground, "you're just arresting my boy."

"Anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law. You have the right to an attorney..."

Everything becomes foggy, my sight, my hearing, all of it.

"How much are they paying you, man?" JJ asks.

My hearing turns to muffled voices and a high pitched ringing starts in my ears.

I stumble outside with Kiara holding my hand, then I hear JJ shouting.

"It wasn't him!"

The fogginess in my sight goes away and the muffled voices have turns to regular talking. Everything is normal except for my heart pounding in my chest.

"It was me!" Everyone looks at JJ with confused faces, although mine is with fear.

JJ walks past me and Kiara and points at Pope, "he tried to talk me out of it but I was mad because he had just been beaten up. I was so sick of those assholes from Figure Eight that I lost my shit."

Oh my god... he can't be doing this right now.

JJ is now standing next to Pope and Shoupe as he looks at Pope, "I can't let you take the blame for somethin' I did. You've got too much to lose."

I feel a tear run down my cheek... then another... then another.

Pope speaks, "JJ, what are you doing?"

"I'm telling the truth... for once in my goddamn life, I'm gonna tell the truth."

Everyone looks at JJ with confused faces and I can't stop the tears from pouring out of my eyes.

I choke out a cry and JJ looks back at me, a look of sadness fills his face but he nods at me before turning back.

"I took his old man's boat too."

Heyward's look of confusion turns to confusion and anger, "what the hell?"

Pope leans towards JJ, Shoupe still has a tight grip on his hand cuffs.

"JJ, come on," Pope tells him.

JJ shakes his head, "Just shut up, Pope! Just shut up..." JJ looks at Shoupe, "he's a good kid. You know where I'm from," Shoupe agrees with him, "this was all me."

Shoupe looks at Pope, "that's the whole truth?"

"Whole truth, swear to god," JJ tells him but he shakes his head.

"I know what you think, damn it. I'm asking Pope." Shoupe tells JJ with annoyance filling his voice.

Pope stares at JJ for a moment and I watch as JJ slightly nods at Pope.

"Yeah, that about covers it."

Shoupe sighs before taking the hand cuffs off of Pope. As he does, I rush to JJ.

"Why are you doing this?" I ask, tears continuing to pour down my cheeks.

He grabs my hand and gives me a reassuring look, "don't worry, I'll be back soon."

I try to say something but no words will come out. Shoupe pulls JJ's hand from mine and puts them into the handcuffs.

I feel hands on my shoulders and turn around to see Kie. She has a sympathetic look on her face and I push my head into her shoulder.

She wraps her arms around me and tells me that it will be okay but I can't believe her.

JJ just got arrested.

We move over to the steps. I sit in between Kiara and Pope and I continue to cry into my hands.

They both try to comfort me but it doesn't work.

After half an hour of crying, I finally stop. I lean my head over my legs and pray that JJ will come back even though I know he won't.

I feel a hand on my back and look up. Kiara is looking at me with the same sad look still on her face. A water bottle is brought into my vision and I look up to see Pope holding it out for me to take.

I mumble a thank you as I take the water bottle. When I finish taking a sip, Kiara speaks.

"Are you okay? Can we get you anything?" She asks me.

I shake my head, "I'm okay... I just wanna go home." I tell her.

She nods her head and sits up, "I can drive you."

I shake my head again, "I can walk... I want to walk." I tell her as I stand up.

She says okay and we exchange goodbyes before I leave.

While I am walking home, I can't stop thinking about JJ.

What is he doing right now? Is he okay? Is he wearing inmate scrubs? What is he thinking about?

Any question about JJ is popping into my head and I can't stop it.

When I walk out of the alleyway at my house, I see John B getting out of the Twinkie.

He smiles at me, then he sees that my puffy eyes and he rushes over to me, "are you okay? What happened?" He asks with fear filled in his voice.

"JJ got arrested." I tell him, my eyes start to water again and I don't know how, I really thought I couldn't cry any more tears.

"W-wh-what are you talking about?" John B stutters.

"Um, he, uh," I sigh, "Shoupe came to arrest Pope for sinking Topper's boat. And, uh, JJ took the fall for it."

"Oh my god," he says as he pulls me into his arms. When we pull away he continues speaking, "I am so sorry I wasn't there."

I shake my head, "no, it's fine, you have to bring in some money somehow."

He wraps his arm around my shoulder, "let's go inside."