Dying Summer | JJ Maybank

(10)

"Guys, guys fire!" Rafe says.

"Kelce let go of JJ." Val says as the other man still punches the blond.

Rafe grabs Topper by the collar laughing, "Holy shit, you almost killed him man." They start walking away from the Pogues and Val. "Let's go Kelce." Rafe points at Val yelling, "Walk home tonight Pogue!"

Val looks down as he thinks about the actions he just committed. In the span of about 5 minutes he lost all respect from the kook party, not that he himself never cared, but his parents will be furious. He looks up to JJ, who's still on his knees coughing.

He walks up and wraps his arms around the blond, pulling him up into a standing position. "You're an idiot." JJ wheezes.

"I saved your ass." Val replies, "You good?"

JJ leans against the other boy as they walk away, "I'm better now."

Val couldn't go home to his family after that scene, knowing what lies ahead of him inside of that million-dollar residence. So he followed the Pogues back to the chateau and slept on the pull out couch.

The next morning they were all helping out at Heywards store. JJ and Val were stalking shelves, Kiara was behind the register and Pope was counting the cash inside the cash box.

"Don't let it get in your head bro. There were three of them and two of us. That's some typical Kook shit right there." JJ says as he reorganized the air fresheners for the third time, trying to look busy.

"Hell yeah." Kiara agrees.

"What was your thought process, y'know, using your head?" JJ asks.

Pope replies, "I don't know, man. I just kind of acted off instinct alright, I was a cornered animal."

JJ nods at the answer.

Pope's father walks in saying, "Hey Pope, someones here to see you."

Everyone straightens up when a police officer walks into the store, "Evening Officer." Pope says.

"I have an arrest warrant for felony destruction of property." Shoupe pulls out his cuffs from his belt. "Keep your hands where I can see them." Pope looks back at JJ. Val furrows his brows in confusion.

"Whoa whoa whoa whoa, Shoupe, what'd he do?" Heyward asks in concern.

"Take a look at the warrant."

"You're arresting him?" Val asks in confusion.

Everyone is speaking to the officer at once, while Pope just stares ahead.

"You're gonna just arrest my boy?" Heyward asks.

"What's your proof?" JJ says.

"Be careful! What the hell" Kiara says.

Everyone follows the officer with Pope outside. Val stands in front of JJ to stop him from pushing the police officer, everyones still questioning the officer as they walk to stand in front of the car. Val is scient as he watches the door open and Pope getting pushed inside.

"It wasn't him!" A yell from behind him states. JJ. Val looks behind him, confusion and terror laced on his face, "It was me." JJ says. He walks past Val, and in front of the cop, "He tried to talk me out of it," He points at Pope, "but I was mad because he'd just been beaten up."

"Oh my god." Val murmurs as Kiara stands next to him.

JJ continues. "I was so sick of those assholes from Figure Eight that I lost my shit." JJ is now standing in front of Pope and the police officer, looking at the other Pogue, "I can't let you take the blame for somethin' I did. You got to much to lose."