𝐃𝐎𝐖𝐍 𝐁𝐀𝐃, 𝐉𝐉 𝐌𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐤

27

‧˚₊‧꒦꒷꒦ ꒷꒦‧˚.⁺꒷꒦꒷‧˚꒦‧˚₊‧

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"dude, where is he?" kiara asked, "give him a second. he'll be here." pope reassured the nervous girl, "he's coming. he'll be fine." JJ said before the police car pulled up.

"nope. i'm too young to go to jail." august started to walk away but pope grabbed her arm when he saw john b step out of the car.

"wait. no way." JJ laughed in disbelief, "so what? we're pulling a grand theft auto now?" august scolded the boy. he laughed, "shoupe let me take it for a spin."

"okay. that's believable. i'll buy that for now." kiara laughed while she hugged him. "it wasn't easy, bro. but i got the phantom for you, and she runs like she was made yesterday." he tossed him the keys.

"okay, i seriously feel like i'm in competition with this boat now." august joked and they all laughed, "you ready to go?" JJ asked john b and he paused.

"where's sarah?" he asked making augustine's smile drop, "she's not with you?" kiara asked, "no, we got separated in the swamp. she said she'd meet me here."

"well, i'm not leaving without her." john b went on, "you better not. not with ward." august snapped and he didn't bother to argue since he agreed.

"john b, look at me." JJ said and john b looked up at his friend, "i know you feel bad for leaving, but there's no time, man. you've got plenty of gas, plenty of food."

"once, you get around that point, it's a straight shot across the sound to dismal swamp, okay?" JJ reminded him the plan. "once you get there, lay low, all right? hang out for a couple of weeks and then go overland, cross the border at brownsville, you got that?"

john b wasn't paying attention and was clearly waiting on his girlfriend. JJ forcefully grabbed his head to snap him out of it, "hey! you got that?" he asked, john b nodded, "yeah. brownsville."

"all right, saddle her up, saltwater cowboy. let's do this." JJ and john b exchanging spots. "hey. i'm sorry for basically throwing us off a cliff with this whole treasure hunt thing. especially you august."

she looked up at him and shook her head, "jb, i wouldn't have it any other way." she smiled and looked beside her at her boyfriend and he grabbed her closer.

"besides, we were bound to run off a cliff at some point, right?" JJ said making everyone laugh. "at least we did it together." he grabbed everyone closer and smiled at john b, "pogue style."

those words made augustine's face light up, pogue. she felt more at home being a pogue the she ever did being a kook. she finally had a real home.

"pogue style." john b cried out. "get out of here! please!" kiara begged, "we'll see you in two months, down in mexico." pope told the boy, "love you." JJ said before john b turned around.

"wait a second." john b paused and cried, "tell sarah i said goodbye, okay?" he asked looking at august, "of course, man. you still got your good luck shell?" she asked and he pulled it out of his pocket and showed her making her smile.

"don't forget. cross the border at brownsville, okay?" JJ reminded him for the thousandth time, "got it." he told them and they helped push the boat away.

august felt a tear fall down her cheek as she watched john b drive away. it's funny, she barely got to know the guy yet she felt like they were super close. crazy how fast live moves.

JJ walked away and she knew he wasn't okay, so she hugged him. she knew he must've been in pain knowing his best friend would be in mexico while he was stuck here.

he kissed her forehead and pulled away. she smiled up at him, "he'll be okay, you know? i got a feeling." he laughed, "i'll trust your hunch."

they turned around to see kiara and pope kissing and augustine's jaw dropped, "pope and kiara sitting in a tree-" august started to sing but was interrupted by police sirens.

"hey, guys. i'm sorry to ruin the party, but we gotta go right now." JJ said and they tried to run but were stopped by two police cars.

shoupe stepped out of the car along with an fbi agent with a gun. august and kiara immediately raised their hands up with JJ and pope.

"we're too late. he's gone. god damn it!" shoupe screamed, "bratcher, have your guys stand down." shoupe walked closer, "all right, where the hell is he?"

the group stayed silent, "JJ? i see your living up to your name." shoupe mocked him, he turned to JJ's girlfriend, he whistled, "didn't picture you to be the type for this shit." she shrugged.

she didn't care anymore what people thought she was. that was never her, just a facade her family put up of her.

"pope, how about you? this isn't a fucking game! you can do the right thing now! where'd he go?" shoupe screamed into popes face.

august still had her hands up while she turned to look at JJ who winked at her. they had done it. they successfully got john b away.