Carefree || JJ Maybank

Chapter Twenty-Seven

JJ pulls the van up to an old house, which was destroyed.

"Welcome to Crackhead Wasteland." Sarah murmurs.

"I don't know about this, man." Pope says nervously. "Dude, why are we at Barry's?"

"This'll only take a second." JJ says, opening the door.

"Where you going?" John B asks, as JJ makes his was towards the house.

"Yo soy justicia." JJ calls back, walking inside.

"Did you glean anything from that?" Pope asks, looking at John B.

"You know somebody should probably..." Kiara starts to say.

"Yeah, we got it." John B stops her, motioning for Everleigh to come with him.

JJ tears through the cupboards of the kitchen, "I know you got a stash around here somewhere."

Everleigh and John B walk inside, looking at him.

"Yeah, so what's your plan, slick?" John B asks.

"Well, as thou hath stealeth from us, we shall stealeth from ye." He says, now lifting the cushions off of the couch.

"That kind of got lost in translation." John B mutters.

"An eye for an eye, John B." Everleigh tells him.

"Yeah, that's great, JJ. But what happens after you rob a drug dealer, huh? He knows who we are!" John B exclaims, stepping infront of JJ.

JJ scoffs and moves John B out of his way,I'm not scared of this guy."

"JJ, don't..." John B starts, shaking his head.

"There we go." JJ smiles, emptying a bag full of cash.

"What are you doing?" John B asks, from the kitchen. Everleigh standing next to him, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Getting even!" JJ calls out from the bedroom.

"All right, took care of business." JJ says, holding a bag in his hands, walking into the kitchen.

John B stops JJ again. "Hey, look at me. If you keep going down this road, you're gonna end up just like your dad, do..." John B starts.

JJ grabs John B by the collar of his shirt, "You watch your mouth, man. Aren't you tired of being messed with?"

"That's not the point, JJ." Everleigh sighs.

"'Cause I am." JJ says, ignoring Everleigh.

JJ pushes past Everleigh and John B, leaving the house. "All right, so we're looking at five grand each for reparations for putting us through that bullshit. Sorry about that, y'all."

"So that's what we're doing now? We're robbing drug dealers?" Kiara immediately asks.

"This Barry guy's gonna find out. And he's gonna come after us." Sarah adds in a shaky voice.

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

"How'd you guys like havin' a gun pulled on you?" JJ fires back, sending Everleigh a glance, asking for her support.

"Relax." John B steps up.

"He had it right here on you, bro." JJ says, pointing his finger to John B's head.

"Look." John B says, pointing at Everleigh. Her hand was gripping her wrist, her eyes were puffy, and her hair was messy. "He had that same gun on her too. Not to mention his foot. And instead of going nuts, wouldn't you rather just make sure she's okay?"

JJ glances over at Everleigh. She looked broken and fragile. He turned back to John B.

"We've gotta go get the gold, okay? Just give me that shit. We're putting it back."

John B reaches for the bag in JJ's hand. He pulls away and pushes John B against the Twinkie.

"Do you feel like a tough guy? Huh? What are you gonna do when he comes for us?" John B questions him.

"We punch him in the throat." JJ says bluntly.

"Yeah, good fuckin' idea, JJ." John B seethes.

Everyone stands by watching, not knowing what was gonna happen next.

"I'm not putting it back." JJ mumbles, stepping into the van. "You guys getting in or what?"

Everyone stands. Everleigh feels her legs shaking, and her shoulders falling. If she went in, she was turning against her twin brother. If she stayed out, she was betraying her best friend, and the person she had feelings for.

"What?" JJ asks, getting back out of the van.

"We're sick of your shit." John B says, looking JJ in the eye.

"Oh, my shit?" JJ asks offended.

A series of 'Yes' came from around the group. Except for Everleigh, she remained silent.

"Your pulling guns on people shit." Kiara says.

"You acting like a maniac..." Pope tried to say.

"Okay, Pope, Everleigh and I took the fall for you, man! Know how much we owe because of you?" JJ yells, making Everleigh flinch. He notices her, and his heart automatically sinks. But he has to hold up his poker face.

"I'm gonna pay you back, and I didn't ask you to do that!" Pope fires back.

"We just did!" JJ cuts him off. "Pay it back. Right here, right now, by myself. You know what? That's exactly what I'm gonna do. Go off by myself." JJ says, walking away from the group.

Pope tries to stop JJ, but John B holds him back.

"You guys aren't just going to let him leave right?" Everleigh says with a shaky voice.

"Just let him go." Kiara sighs.

"No." Everleigh whispers, she runs after him, leaving the group behind.

She hears them call out for her, but she ignores them, catching up to JJ.

"Go home, Ev." JJ mumbles, walking with his head down.

"No." She says weakly.

"Everleigh, go home!" He says again, this time louder.

"No." She repeats.

He finally looks up and turns around, the girl has a tight grip on her wrist, and tears in her eyes.

"Princess..." He says softly, noticing the girls broken state.

Her legs start to shake from beneath her. JJ runs up to her, holding her in his arms.

"I'm so sorry." He says, his voice breaking.

Everleigh doesn't reply, nuzzling into his chest.

"Please forgive me." He asks, squeezing her tightly.

Everleigh looks up at his eyes, they were red and glassy. "Why did you stop talking to me?" She asks.

"John B and Pope thought I liked you, and they confronted me abo..."

Everleigh cuts him off, "You don't like me? So our kisses meant nothing?"

He looks into her eyes, "Yes, well no. Okay, yes Everleigh. I like you. Like a lot, like you." He says nervously, "And, I know right now probably isn't the best time, but, I want you to be my girlfriend."

Everleigh's eyes widen, and a smile spreads across her face. "Girlfriend?"

He nods.

"Of course." She smiles, standing on her tip toes, kissing him passionately.

Butterflies filled her stomach, and she could feel herself blush. Every touch was careful, and sweet. And so many emotions flooded through both of them. He leaned into her, thirsty for more. And she wrapped her arms around him tightly.

Once they had pulled away, they both had smiles on their faces. JJ wrapped an arm around her and they walked home.