"Kels, come on. You know John B really wants you to come." Kiara pleads, today John B wanted to show us some place he found while running from a couple of cops. "Fine, i'll come." I sighed "But if cops are involved i'm going to get my ass kicked." Kie excitedly grabbed my arm and pulled me outside my house.
"She said yes!" She exclaimed, the boys were sat outside in John B's van I like to call it crusty.
"Finally, Kelsey decides to hangout with us." JJ jokes
"ha ha, very funny. I hung out with you yesterday." I say
"Get in, the sooner we get there the better." John B said, starting Crusty's engine.
••• •••• •••
"That's a what, a three story fall to the deck?" Pope started "I'll give you about a one-in-three chance of survival."
John B hangs his leg off the top of a new house that was being built in kooklandia, that's what i call the rich side of Outer Banks. I think it fits perfectly.
"Should I do it?" John B asks, after licking and sticking his finger in the air to check the wind.
"Yeah you should jump. I'll shoot you on the way down." Pope jokes, pretending the drill he's holding is a gun. I laugh at the boys and rest my head on JJ's shoulder.
"You'll shoot me?" John B says as he forms his hand into a gun "pew" he pretends to shoot Pope.
"They're gonna have Japanese toilets with towel warmers." Kiara says walking out of the unfinished house.
"Of course they are, why wouldn't they?" JJ says
"This used to be the turtle habitat, but who cares about the turtles, i guess?" Kiara continues "I cant have cold towels." JJ jokes "Can you not kill yourself?" Kiara says, looking up to John B.
"Don't spill that beer. I'm not giving you another one." JJ says "Woah, oh shit." John B groaned, dropping the beer. "Of course you did, like right after i told you not to." JJ scoffed "Smooth" Kiara said sarcastically.
I turn my head to see a security car parked in the driveway. "Hey!" One of them yell. "Hey, uh, security's here." I say pointing down at the officers "Let's wrap it up." Pope finishes my sentence. "Boys are early today." John B chuckled. "Let's go boys, and Kelsey. Of course." Kiara said
"Gary, is that you?" JJ asks "You know it's me." he exclaims.
We all run down the stairs of the unfinished house only to see Gary and his officer friend.
"They're coming your way." One of them says. The other officer grabs JJ but he gets loose "Not much of a hugger, man." JJ teased.
We all ran out of the house and over a fence, of course Pope being Pope fell on his face. "Get up, Pope, fatso's coming." JJ said in attempt to help Pope up.
"Come here, you little pricks!" the officer yells.
John B honks Crusty's horn "Bus is leaving." He said as Pope, JJ, and I ran towards it. Pope and JJ jump into the van while JJ grabs ahold of my hand to help me.
"Hey, hey! Hey! Hey!" Gary yells "Is he still chasing us?" I question "Check out Gary, gunnin' for a race." John B laughs "Come on, Gary!" JJ taunts
"Stop, you're gonna give him a heart attack." Kiara says "You're so close" JJ says, taunting Gary with a beer. "You can do it, there you go!" JJ throws the beer at him "JJ, stop. Stop." I say, tugging on his shirt. "Oh, come on. That sort of initiative is just begging to be punished." JJ laughed.
••• •••• •••
I stayed over at John B's house last night. I was really tired of all that running, i'm not saying i'm not used to it, because i most definitely am. If i'm telling the whole truth, I just didn't want to go home. It's not every day you meet a kid with abusive parents, nobody knows, not even the other pogues. I don't want them to worry, you know?
I wake up on John B's pull out couch. I start to sit up until i'm pulled back down by a pair of manly arms. "Stay here." I hear JJ's voice mumble "I'm comfy."
I roll my eyes at his actions, this is a normal thing whenever I stay over. I'm just not quite sure why JJ does, he never tells me why he doesn't go home.
"Morning, Kelsey." A shirtless John B says waving to me. "Morning, JB." I smile, running my hand through JJ's hair. "Mm, that feels good." JJ hums
John B grabs a beer from his kitchen and walks outside onto his hammock.
"Don't you think it's a little too early for that?" I ask walking outside. "I know," he sighs "I have to go into DCS today and I really don't want to."
I lay on the hammock with him, I can tell he's scared. I'm not saying he should be, but I don't want him to end up living in a home like mine.
"Do you want me to come with?" I ask, he looks at me with as wide smile "Will you?" I give him a wide smile back "Of course." I say.
And with that, we just laid on the hammock until it was time for John B to go to the DCS meeting.
••• •••• •••
"John, it comes to our attention that you are an unemancipated minor living on your own." The lady says, throwing the papers on the desk.
"No... No." John B scoffs, the lady gives him a 'i don't believe you' look "No." he says again.
"John, I need honesty to help you." The lady says "That's what we both want, right?" "I am being honest." He says shaking his head.
"Okay, then when was the last time you spoke to your uncle?" She asks "Uh... 35 minutes ago." John B says looking at his watch "Last time you saw him?" She asked "Two hours and... 43 minutes ago?" he answers.
The lady looks up at John B still not believing him.
"John, we're gonna come out there tomorrow to talk to your uncle." She says calmly "If he's not there, we're gonna move forward with foster care."
"What?" I finally say "Shouldn't he have a say in wether or not he goes into foster care?" "I'm sorry but that's not how it works." The lady shakes her head "Well it should be, he's doing perfectly fine on his- with his uncle." I correct myself "Kelsey, it's fine." John B says resting his hand on mine.
"I promise you, we're going to find you a safe, loving home." She says, JB didn't look happy. Who would be? Finding out they have to go into the foster care system. "Bullshit" I scoff under my breath.
John B and I walk out of the DCS place and get into the van.
"You know, I would have just hit her across the face. Maybe i would have made her eyebrows look better." I say as i angrily buckle my seat belt, I look over to John B and he looks terrified.
"Hey, JB. Look at me." I say, lifting his chin up. "It's going to be okay, I won't let anything happen to you." "I promise." I reassure him.
