ROBBERS // TRACOB AU

wherever you want to go

I slam the car door shut and walk around to the front hood of the car where my friends are waiting around solemnly. As I approach, Jacob walks down the walkway from the house wearing a sweatshirt with the hood up, keeping his back as straight as possible to avoid feeling any pain. We're all gathered around a pile of papers and pictures on the ground that Nick dumps lighter fluid onto before he tosses the can aside. I take my spot beside Jacob as Brock sparks up a match.

Brock throws down the match into the center. Flames immediately shoot up and engulf all of the memories before Brock is even on his feet. Alex lowers her head onto Nick's shoulder and watches the fire burn at our feet. Sparks fly up into the air, and the smell of lighter fluid fills the air. I see a picture of Jacob and I curl up as a flame hits the corner of the picture. Brock insisted we burn everything, leaving absolutely no trace that we were here..

"What are we going to do with our guns?" Nick asks quietly, draping his arm around Alex's torso. Brock looks down at the flames and pulls out his own handgun. He cocks the gun and drops the magazine out.
"Empty 'em. I'll get rid of all of them." I reach into my waistbands and do what Brock just did. I empty the remaining bullets with my hand shaking, having not touched a gun since the last robbery.

Jacob shoves his gun at Brock without a second glance.
"Did you empty-"
"Just fucking take it." He mumbles and looks away. Nick steps forward and takes Jacob's gun, popping the magazine himself and handing the gun away, not wanting to press Jacob on his refusal, but I realize why he didn't take it. The same boy who taught me how to shoot a gun is now afraid of them.

We go back to silence, hearing the light crackling of the fire. Alex looks up.
"Is this goodbye?" She asks, her voice breaking at the end. Nobody answers, the silence doing the job for us instead. Alex looks at me before she steps forward and throws her arms around my torso, hugging me tightly and burying her head against my shoulder. I bring my arms up to embrace her a second afterwards, closing my eyes and holding her.

I bite my bottom lip, feeling overwhelmed with the emotions flooding through me. Alex lifts her head and looks up at me with her hands still gripping my shoulders tightly.
"Take care of him, okay?" She says and smiles. I nod my head.
"Only if you take care of Nick." I say, lowering my voice and grinning. She glances over at Nick before she parts from me and walks to Jacob. Despite his injury, Jacob hugs her tightly, trying to hide the pain on his face.

Nick places a hand on my shoulder and I turn around. His brown hair is messy and his dark eyes are tired, but he still smiles warmly.
"Hang in there alright?" He says, and keeps his hand on my shoulder. I nod and hug him before I take a step back.
"You do the same. Look after her." I motion to Alex with my eyes and Nick smiles and nods. She's now standing and talking to Jacob quietly, saying goodbye to her first friend she met at college.

At last Brock walks up to me and he shoves both his hands in his pockets. I look at him, but before I speak he does so first.
"I'm sorry for always being a douchebag to you." He says and I chuckle.
"I'm sorry for causing you to be a douchebag." I respond with, earning a smile from Brock. He places a hand onto my shoulder and nods his head.

"You've done good kid. Good luck out there." I nod as he turns and walks away with a sideways smile. Jacob rejoins me, and now for the last time the five of us stare at one another. With one last glance, I turn and walk towards the car while Jacob grabs his backpack. As Jacob walks back towards me, Brock grabs onto Jacob's arm harshly. He says something through gritted teeth, to which Jacob nods his head. He mumbles an answer.

With nothing else, Jacob pulls his arm from Brock and shrugs along, a scowl on his face. He looks up at me and tries to smile once he reaches the car, but instead he opens up the driver's door.
"You're not driving." I urge and turn around confused. Jacob gets in the driver's seat despite my protests, and he slams the car door shut. I walk to the other side of the car and step up onto the riser.