SWEET NICOTINE | CHAPTER TWENTY SIX (YOU STUPID STUPID IDIOT...)
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"You guys, hopping the rails, it's illegal, okay?" AJ was barely listening to the man speak, her eyes still trained on Pope. "but" The man paused and AJ finally turned. "I can't stop what I don't see. So listen, just go"
"Thank you, sir. What's your name?"
"It's Jimmy"
"That's gonna be our first child's name, Jimmy, because of what you've done today. Thank you so much" Pope thanked the man and AJ looked back at him in disbelief.
"All right, go," Jimmy said, starting to walk away.
"Thank you"
"I don't wanna see you again" Jimmy warned and as soon as he was far enough away and clearing that section of train cars AJ hit Pope's arm.
"Why would you add the last part?" AJ scoffed, trying to push what she was feeling far far away for the moment.
"What? It worked" Pope held his hands up as Cleo snuck back around the train car and began picking the lock again.
"Got it" She announced after a moment, AJ and Pope moving forward.
"You did it! All right" Pope spun the bar on the train car. "Help me get this open" The three pushed and pulled at the door, nudging it open with force.
"Okay, it's gotta be in here somewhere" Pope jumped in first.
"Help up" Cleo let out, reaching up to the boy. Before AJ could ask for herself Pope was leaning back out and outstretching his hand for her. She held on, pulling herself into the car. Her foot caught on the opening and she stumbled forward.
Hands met at her waist and she could feel the heat reach her cheeks at the position she and Pope were in. His grip was loosening as Cleo cleared her throat.
"We should start looking" AJ looked off to the side and Pope nodded before pulling away from her and looking around himself. They weren't looking long before a truck pulled down the side of the tracks and Sarah's head came into AJ's view.
Pope waved out the open train car door at Sarah. "How's it looking?" Sarah asked, the girl making her way from Topper's truck to the train.
"still searching" Cleo answered as AJ leaned over to help Sarah up.
"That's good, that's good, right there" Pope talked to Topper as the kook boy brought the truck over. "you see it?" He turned to look back at the trio of girls as they searched.
"not yet" AJ breathed out, taking the flashlight from Pope's hand to shine it in the right-hand corner. Her fingers brushed against his palm as she did. The flushed red tint reappearing on the girl's cheeks.
