Me and the Devil

17.

The next morning, I lean against the wall of Heyward's Seafood while Pope and JJ unload a new shipment of goods. Kiara sits nearby munching on a bag of chips. Though usual banter between them feels light, there's an undercurrent of tension. JJ won't look me in the eye, and the tightness between us feels almost suffocating.

JJ wipes his brow, ginning at Pope as he tosses him a bottle of water. "So like what was your thought process with using your head last night, Pope" JJ asks.

"I don't know, man. I just kind of acted on instinct.." Pope shrugs, looking a bit sheepish.

Before Pope can finish his answer Heyward walks in with Shoupe, who cuts straight to the point. "I have an arrest warrant for felony destruction of property." Shoupe moves to handcuff Pope and starts rattling off his rights., leaving Heyward demanding answer, and Kiara pleading with Shoupe to let Pope go.

Time seems to slow, as Shoupe walks Pope out to the squad car tailed closely by Heyward. The rest of us stay a few paces back. The voices seems to fade as JJ's voice breaks through.

"It wasn't him" he yells. "It was me."

Everyone turns to look at JJ. I can see the raw determination on his face. This is classic JJ - always ready to throw himself into the fire to protect the people he loves.

"He tried to talk me out of it, but I was mad because he'd just been beaten up. I was so sick of those assholes from Figure Eight that I lost my shit." JJ says approaching Shoupe. He turns to Pope. "I can't let you take the blame for something I did. You've got too much to lose."

I reach out to take JJ's hand. The stakes are too high for him to take the fall for this. "JJ, dont-"

JJ jerks his hand away, still peeved about last night, but he looks at me with a flicker of something soft.

"I'm tellin' the truth." JJ says as he extends his wrists to Shoupe. "He's a good kid, you know where I'm from. This was all me."

The cuffs are already on him, and Shoupe is shoving JJ into the backseat. Pope stands helpless, his face twisted in disbelief. I watch as my heart breaks, for Pope, for JJ. JJ always does this - protects us, takes the hit, acts like nothing can touch him and all I did was avoid telling JJ the truth last night. I hadn't been honest with him, and now I'm standing here watching the squad car pull away, knowing that I hadn't protected him.

Pope rips his hat off his head and throws it on the ground, muttering a barrage of curses as he storms off. Kiara follows behind him. Instead of following them and trying to calm Pope down, I head down to the police station to wait till Luke bails JJ out.