SUNBURN | JOHN B ROUTLEDGE

061

"Welcome to Crackhead Wasteland." Sarah mumbled as they approached the house.

Pope had anxiety running through his veins, "I don't know about this, man."

"Dude, why are we at Barry's?"

"This'll only take a second." JJ said as he jumped out of the car, heading towards the pathetic excuse for a house.

Dogs began to bark in the close distance, John B leaned out of the car window, calling after JJ as he started to make his way toward Barry's house. "Where are you going?" he shouted, concern lacing his voice.

JJ turned back, a cocky smirk on his face. "Yo soy justicia," he replied, his tone almost taunting.

Gabriella, sensing the brewing tension, turned to John B. "You should probably go and calm him down."

John B sighed, knowing she was right. He leaned over, pressing a quick kiss to her cheek before replying, "Yeah, I got it." He hopped out of the car and followed JJ into the house, leaving the others behind.

Pope, Gabriella, Sarah, and Kiara stayed in the Twinkie, anxiously listening to the faint sounds of things crashing and falling inside the house. The noise was unsettling, each thud sending ripples of unease through the group.

"That can't be good," Sarah muttered, her nerves fraying as she reached for the door handle. One by one, they got out of the car, their anxiety mounting as they stood in the dim light, waiting for JJ to reemerge.

Pope looked up at the sky, exasperation clear in his voice as he asked, "Can't we go one day without having a gun pointed at our heads?"

Sarah, her patience wearing thin, scoffed in annoyance. "Well, if it's not being pointed at you, you guys are pointing it at others."

"Hey!" Kiara shouted at Sarah, stepping in to defend her friends.

But before she could say more, Gabriella turned to Sarah, her voice low and laced with anger. "Your dickhead of a boyfriend almost drowned John B, so keep your opinions to yourself."

Sarah opened her mouth to retort, but no words came out. She knew Gabriella had a point, and the weight of that truth silenced her.

The tension was broken when JJ finally emerged from the house, a bag slung over his shoulder and wads of cash clenched in his fist. "All right, so we're looking at five grand each for reparations for putting us through that bullshit. Sorry about that, y'all." He headed back to the Twinkie, but Kiara stayed rooted to the spot, her face reflecting her disbelief.

"So that's what we're doing now? We're robbing drug dealers?" she asked, her voice a mix of shock and disapproval.

Sarah, still uneasy, added, "This Barry guy's gonna find out. And he's gonna come after us."

Pope, equally concerned, agreed. "Yes, he will. This is not the time to start wilin' out."

JJ, unbothered, met each of their gazes. "How'd you like having a gun pulled on you?"

John B stepped forward, trying to deescalate the situation. "Relax, JJ."

But JJ wasn't ready to back down. He jabbed his finger against John B's chest, his voice rising in intensity. "He had it right here on you, bro."

John B tried to reason with him, his voice calm but firm. "Look. We've gotta go get the gold, okay? Just give me that shit. We're putting it back." He reached for the bag, but JJ tightened his grip, refusing to let go.

With a surge of anger, JJ shoved John B hard against the Twinkie, pinning him there. "Do you feel like a tough guy? Huh? What are you gonna do when he comes for us?"

Gabriella stepped forward, siding with JJ. "We fuck him up."

JJ pointed at her, a glint of approval in his eyes. "Yes, that's exactly what I'm talking about. We punch him in the throat."

John B's face clouded with a mix of frustration and betrayal as he looked at Gabriella. "Yeah, good fucking idea, guys."

But JJ was resolute. "I'm not putting it back," he declared, marching back to the car and throwing himself into the driver's seat. "You guys getting in or what?"

Gabriella moved to join JJ, but just as she reached the car, JJ stepped out again, standing beside her once he noticed no one else was getting in the car. "What?" he asked, daring anyone to challenge him.

John B took a few steps forward, his voice steady but filled with the weight of everything that had happened. "We're sick of your shit."

JJ scoffed, disbelieving. "Oh? My shit?"

"Yeah. Yeah. Your shit," John B replied, his voice growing firmer. Kiara and Pope joined in, echoing his sentiment.

"Your pulling guns on people shit," Kiara added, her voice sharp with frustration.

Pope chimed in, "You acting like a maniac—"

But Gabriella cut him off, her voice fierce in defense of JJ. "Pope! He took the fall for you, man! For us!"

JJ, emboldened by Gabriella's support, shouted back at Pope, "Know how much I owe because of you?"

Pope stepped closer, his voice rising. "I'm gonna pay you back, and I didn't ask you to do that!"

Gabriella felt a pang in her chest at Pope's words. JJ had always been the one to jump in, to protect his family without a second thought, and hearing Pope almost dismiss that sacrifice hurt more than she could express.

JJ's voice cracked with pain as he responded, "I just did! Pay it back. Right here, right now, by myself. You know what? That's exactly what I'm gonna do." He grabbed his backpack from the Twinkie and began to walk off, determination in every step.

"He's not alone," Gabriella said firmly, jogging to catch up to JJ.

Pope called out after them, "JJ. Gabs."

But John B stopped him, his voice calm, resigned. "Let them cool off. They'll come back to us. Always."

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authors note!

anytime i rewatch Outerbanks, i get so sad and upset at the fact no one defended JJ so, i did what the right thing was. have Gabriella be on his side <33

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- xoxo, LEE.