𝐓 𝐇 𝐈 𝐑 𝐓 𝐘 - 𝐅 𝐎 𝐔 𝐑
ain't plated or painted

The sound of shrieking tires filled the air as John B swerved the Volkswagen van on the curb of the Pawn Shop, which they had planned to take the gold to in exchange for money. The whole ride there, nobody hardly talked, and Meredith felt extremely uncomfortable in a car full of people who wouldn't even look at her- the second she entered that van, it felt as if she was being discluded.

"Hell of a job melting it down, Dr. Frankenstein," the blonde retorted snarkily towards Kiara, who rolled her eyes at him.

"Like you could've done any better," Meredith's lips pulled up into a smirk at their banter, but she stayed silent. The worst part was that JJ was acting like she wasn't there.

She felt like an obsessive, insecure, idiot.

"I could have," he nodded cockily. "I took a welding class."

"You-" Kiara scoffed in annoyance, rolling her shoulders back as she took a playful step forward. "When?"

"Woah, woah." John B suddenly interjected, stepping in between the two arguing teens, Kiara rolling her lips into her mouth in frustration. "Hey, sh! Chill out, okay?"

"Easy for you to say," JJ turned to the brunette, holding up the now melted chunk of gold. "You're not the one that has to pawn this piece of shit off."

"Piece of shit," Meredith rolled her eyes incredulously, repeating his words.

"How did I get this job anyway?" He simply ignored her comment, turning away from her to give John B an accusing glare.

"'Cause you're the best liar," Pope mused, following behind JJ and Kiara when they were first to approach the shop door, Sarah behind him.

Meredith sighed, her and John B the last two outside. He sent her a cautious glare before speaking up.

"You good?" He furrowed his brows, watching as she pushed herself off of the side of the van, face fallen. She was taken aback by his sudden act of consideration, considering nobody spoke to her the whole ride after acting skeptical and suspicious. "Ready?"

"Yeah," She nodded, following after the Routledge boy when he looked over his shoulder to make sure she was following.

JJ was the first to enter the shop, bell above him ringing to signal their arrival. His bag was slung over his shoulder while the gold lay in his hand, others trailing behind him. Meredith wasn't sure why everyone needed to go in- they would look a lot more suspicious that way. However, she didn't think they'd care much for her opinion, so she reminded silent.

"Afternoon, ma'am," the blonde piped up.

"Afternoon," She replied dryly, eyeing the delinquent teens wearily.

"I see you buy gold," JJ spoke again, moving to the front counter where an older woman stood. Her skin was a darker shade of brown, and she had graying hair and a sickly scowl.

"That's what the sign says, don't it?" She arched an eyebrow cockily. While the teens dispersed around the shop, Meredith remained by the door, just a few feet from JJ. She wasn't sure he even knew she was there, but when he momentarily glanced in her direction, her heart began racing.

He shrugged towards the pawn broker. "Well, I sure hope you buy a lot of it because I'm about to blow your mind."

He laid his backpack on the metal surface, a soft thud emitting from inside. "I ain't got much mind left to blow, so have at it."

"How about them gold apples," he didn't give the woman much of a chance to respond, dropping the melted gold onto the counter.

However, she didn't seem convinced, erupting into a cracky chuckle, eye brows raised. "That ain't real."

"That ain't real?" JJ repeated, resting his hands on the surface.

"It can't be," the pawnbroker arched an eyebrow.

"Feel how heavy it is," the blonde boy offered, gesturing towards the melted gold. So, the woman quickly moved to pick it up, struggling under the weight of it. Her face contorted into confusion as JJ hummed proudly. "Mm-hm. Mm-hm!"

"Let's get some light on that," the Maybank boy offered snarkily, moving to turn on the lamp beside him.

"Spray painted tungsten," She proclaimed, holding a magnifying glass not far from the gold. Meredith, who was watching from the door, snorted a laugh. JJ probably didn't know what tungsten was.

"Spray painted tungsten? Really?" He crossed his arms. "Okay. Why don't you see how, uh, soft it is?"

"You mind?" She questioned, holding a hammer and nail in both hands.

"No, go for it," he shrugged nonchalantly.

"Wow, would you look at that?" JJ smirked cockily, knowing he was slowly beginning to prove the pawnbroker wrong.

However, she still seemed to be skeptical of a couple of teenagers walking into her shop with seven pounds of gold. "Hold your horses," She paused. "We ain't gotten to the acid test yet."

"Ooh!" He grinned childishly, glancing around between his friends. "The acid test. My favorite, guys."

Meredith couldn't help but smile at him, his voice raised an octave higher. She was the last person he looked to, the corner of his lip unable to stop itself from pulling up, but he looked away before her smile completely entranced him.

The pawnbroker then continued with her testing, a small dropper with clear liquid held above the gold. She dropped a small dot into it, and to her surprise, nothing happened.

"Well, it ain't plated," She tilted her head. "And it ain't painted."

"Ma'am, I'm telling ya, this is as real as the day is long," he eyed her suspiciously.

"It looks like somebody tried to melt it down," She brought the gold closer to her eyes, trying to see if she could notice any abnormalities.

The others in the shop glanced around at each other wearily, but JJ was quicker than any of them. "My mom. She had all this jewelry laying around the house, and she thought it was best to- to melt it down. To 'consolidate' it." He made air quotes, and Sarah had to look away to hide her laughter.

"Seven pounds?" She read off the scale, glancing over her shoulder at JJ. "That's a lot of earrings."

"Okay, to be honest, ma'am," he shook his head. "It's really hard to see my mom fall apart with Alzheimers."

"Mm-hm," She hummed, not seemingly believing his lie. But, the pawnbroker had enough of questioning, so she began moving towards the back of the shop. "Give me a minute."

"Take your time, ma'am," he sniffled, feigning sadness as she walked off. As soon as the older woman was out of sight, JJ lifted his gaze, face going blank.

"Oh, my God," Meredith whispered in disbelief, shaking her head. Before JJ could hear her, Pope was already approaching him, eyes widened.

"Alzheimers?" He scoffed. "Seriously, dude?"

"What?" The blonde shrugged. "She believed me- she's coming out... she's coming out- go."

Pope lurched back into his spot beside Kiara, the woman appearing from the back doors. Meredith cleared her throat, turning around from the group and back to a rack of old watches.

"So, I, uh," She started. "I talked to my boss."

"And?" JJ questioned.

"And, uh, this is what I can do," She moved back behind the desk, check in hand. Meredith watched JJ's gaze flicker up in disbelief.

"Fifty-thousand?" He arched an eyebrow incredulously. JJ scoffed. "You think I walked in here not knowing the spot price? Ma'am, I know for a fact, this is worth 140 at least."

"Well, sweetie," JJ scowled at the belittling dripping from her tongue. "You in a pawnshop. This ain't Zurich. Do I look Swiss to you?"

"Ninety, or I walk," JJ dropped his hand in agitation.

"Seventy," She offered. "Half price... and, um, I don't ask questions about where you got this."

JJ shared a look with John B, the brunettes eyebrows raised and lips pulling into a smirk.

"I'm gonna need that in large denominations, please." He had no choice but to take the deal, the Pogues all sending him expectant looks. If they didn't take this offer, they'd never get what they so badly worked for.

"Well, here's the snag," the woman sighed, forcing everyone's smiles to drop. "I don't have that much denominated, not here anyway. I can write you a cashiers check."

"Cash..." JJ cut himself off, head shaking defiantly. "No, ma'am. I want the cold hard. That's what the sign says. Cash for gold. And that's what I expect. I'm gonna get it in cold hard."

"Well, I have to send you to the warehouse," the woman shrugged. "I have the money there. Is that alright?"

"Where's this warehouse?"

"So, they keep money out here?" Pope questioned slowly, taking in the green scenery. For miles, it had been nothing but tall looming trees and a small winding road. Meredith had to admit, this warehouse was sketchy, and why it was so secluded was unknown to her.

"That's what she said," JJ shrugged, Meredith sitting on the floor of the van in front of him. She had made sure to keep her distance, making sure he didn't think she was clingy or obsessed.

He chuckled. "That's what she said-"

"Stop." Pope demanded.

"I've never even heard of Reassurection Drive," Sarah glanced around nervously, looking over at the group in the back.

"'Cause you're rich," JJ retorted.

"You've never heard of it either," Meredith defended Sarah, sending JJ a harsh glance over her shoulder. She didn't mean to sound so hostile, but he was making it extremely difficult when he wouldn't even acknowledge her.

Kiara and Pope shared a cautious glare, picking up on the unspoken hostility between the two. Before anyone could speak on the fact, Sarah spoke up.

"Thank you," She hummed, turning back towards the front.

From his spot above Meredith, JJ rolled his eyes at the blonde. She seemed to be acting as if she hadn't just betrayed her best friend.

"There's nothing but weeds back here," Kiara glanced around suspiciously.

"All right, just 'cause it's just weeds, doesn't mean it's like..." JJ paused, unable to find his words with the sun glowing an ethereal hue on Meredith.

He was silenced completely, however, by the deafening sound of sirens. All at once, the Pogues and Kooks spun around, all following the sound. Meredith's lips parted in disbelief, watching the cop car grow closer to the van.

"Cops? Out here?" The curly-haired girl whipped around, eyes widened in fear.

"The hell?" Meredith scoffed, moving up to the seat above her, which just so happened to be beside JJ.

"God!" JJ groaned. "Are you kidding me?" He threw his hands up in exasperation, eyeing the approaching vehicle with resentment.

"What did we do?" Sarah spoke over him worriedly.

"Why are we getting pulled over?" Pope's eyes never left the car behind them, John B now pulling the van to a park on the side of the road. JJ began to find a spot to hide the gold, head moving frantically.

"Stash that," John B urged.

"Chill, guys." Kiara pleaded in a hushed tone.

Finally, JJ had found a spot, patting Meredith's lower back so she could get off of her seat. She quickly moved to the other side of Kiara. JJ lifted the cushions she once sat on to stash the gold underneath them.

"I hate cops," the boy commented, looking at John B.

"Did you bring the gun?" John B ignored his previous comment, knowing that it wouldn't do them any good if they were not only lugging around a suspicious seven pound, melted pool of gold and an un-registered gun.

"No. Okay?" He wrapped the gold in an old rag. "Everybody told me to leave it back at the place."

"Thank God," Kiara spoke sharply, sighing in relief. "Please, everything else in your bag."

"Okay-" Pope also added, beginning to order JJ around. "Dude, hurry up."

Meredith watched the way JJ's jaw ticked in frustration, their various comments and orders overwhelming the already stressed boy. She looked between Kiara and Pope, who continued rushing him.

"Guys-" she sighed. "Calm down-"

"I am! I am, all right?" JJ shouted over her, referring to the others' non-stop orders.

"How much weed do you have on you, bro?" Kiara's lips parted in worry, watching as Pope began shoving the boy's things into the seat, careless if it was hidden or not. The Waters girl pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration, taking a deep breath.

"He's walking up," Pope told JJ.

"Nothing better to do-"

"He's walking up!" Sarah repeated Pope's words in much more of a frenzy. Then, just as the brunette driver turned to persuade the officer, the sound of a shot gun being cocked back froze his movements, everyone in the back halting.

John B's breath hitched in his throat, the barrel of the gun staring him down menacingly. His darty eyes trailed to the man behind it to see a dark-haired man with a bandana over the majority of his face.

"Why don't I go ahead and see them hands in the air?" His voice spoke behind the bandana.

Kiara's widened eyes traveled towards Meredith, but she was too busy turning to JJ. And amidst his anger and misunderstanding towards her, he still held her eye contact, silently assuring her that he would protect her.

When nobody moved, the masked man grew angry. "All y'all's hands up in the air now!"

The four in the back lifted their shaky hands, Meredith's grazing JJ when it remained in the air.

"You, out of the car!" He pointed towards John B with his shot gun barrel. "Let's go!"

One hand moved to the door handle, while the other remained in the air. Slowly and shakily, John B got out of the van, his eyes never leaving the masked man. From the passenger side, his girlfriend whimpered, watching as John B was left defenseless outside of the van.

"Out of the car! Let's go! Hurry!" John B shut the door, lifting his other hand. "Let them out."

"What are you waiting on?" The masked man shouted, watching as the Routledge son rounded the other side of the parked vehicle. "What are you waiting on? Let them out! All y'all!"

As John B slid the back door open slowly, Meredith wasn't sure if this was what she signed up for. Sure, she knew of the never-ending hunt and adventure, but this was far too much. They were being robbed.

"Go on! Go on!" The man shouted. "Let's get out of the car! Let's go!"

Sarah was the first out, her lips downturned in fear. "There you go, pretty girl. Here we go! Get out of the car, let's go! Hurry up!"

Then, Pope went next, his eyes fear-stricken. "There you go!" Kiara followed him, Meredith close behind as her shaky legs took her to the open door. The second she was out, JJ didn't waste a second to move after her, body shielding hers like it was his sworn duty.

The other Pogues were far too scared to speak, but JJ's rage must have been clouding his logic because he opened his mouth. "We're broke-"

"Shut the hell up!" The man thundered, taking a threatening stride towards the blonde pogue.

"All right!" If anything, it only stirred the infuriation inside of JJ because he matched the man's tone. "Just relax!"

"Shut the hell up!" He repeated, shaking the shotgun in his face. "Shut up!"

Meredith's whimper brought the boy back to reality. The sight of the gun inches from JJ's face rose a different kind of fear inside of her that she wasn't even aware was there. Her shaky hand fell to his forearm, trying to pull him closer to her and further from the threat.

"Blow your damn head off!" He raised the barrel of the gun. "Lay down in the ditch! Lay down in the ditch!"

One by one, the teenagers moved to the hill on the side of the road, bodies slowly falling to lay against the dirt. John B was on one end, Sarah holding his hand while Meredith was on the other end, taking fearful steps towards the ditch.

"On your goddamn hands and knees!" He thundered. "Down! Put your face on the ground!"

"Stay here just like that!" Then, the fear was replaced with rage when the robber forcefully shoved JJ down into the dirt, the blonde's chest hitting the ground.

Meredith's jaw clenched, taking heavy breaths through her nose as the masked man continued patting JJ's shoulder, trying to force him downwards. As much as it risked her literal life, a sense of protectiveness overcame her, and she was hitting his arm away before she could stop herself.

"Get the fuck off of him," She spat, trying to rise to her feet but JJ's hand was grabbing her.

"Put your head down!" Her action only forced a more murderous side from the unknown man, aiming the barrel of his gun in the center of her forehead. "Put your face in the fucking ground! I better not see you do that shit again! Don't let me see you look up, all right?!"

A surge or rage washed over JJ as he looked over at Meredith, the one girl who would put his life before all else. At that moment, in the face of death, he didn't care that she didn't trust him or that he had found out about Rafe's drugs from someone else. He wasn't even mad she did it. He was mad that she so carelessly risked her life for him. For a Pogue. JJ Maybank didn't have much to live for before he met her. He was useless and told that he was worth nothing.

He was worth nothing, and yet, the girl worth everything put him before herself.

"That's all yall gotta do," Then, the man disappeared inside of their van, surely searching for anything valuable he could steal. It was almost as if he already knew what they had.

"It's a setup, guys," Kiara muttered, hands shielding her head terrifiedly.

"That old bat shanked us," JJ spoke through gritted teeth. "Fuck! Goddamit!"

Suddenly, his fist collided with the dirt beneath him twice, leaves rustling underneath his force. Meredith flinched at his sudden violence, teary eyes watching his jaw rock back and further, and his hands balled up around his cap.

Without another thought, her trembling hands moving to his. Instead of pulling back, he let the comfort of her touch sooth his hidden panic away, fingers tangling with hers.

"It's okay," She whispered, pulling his hand towards her to place a chaste kiss to his knuckle. He kept his head down, but he had to admit that Meredith's gentle touch did wonders for his anxiousness. "It's okay."

"Wait. No, no, no, no," Sarah's pleading voice caught the attention of the two teens, Meredith lifting her head to look past the others.

"John B... no..." Sarah whimpered, everyone but the masked man watching as the Routledge son rose to his feet silently.

"John B," Pope whispered harshly. "Don't be a hero, man."

"Sh," the tan boy held his finger to his lips, taking cautious steps back towards the counterfeit vehicle, which wasn't really a cop car at all.

JJ's shuddered breath brought Meredith's attention back to him, running her thumb soothingly against his knuckle.

Together, they watched as John B disappeared in the inside of the car just feet away, running into the back door and quietly shutting it. Not even seconds later, the man returned from the privacy of their van, and Meredith's eyes locked onto the wrapped gold in his hand.

"All right, yall stay like that," She was surprised to see that he hadn't noticed the disappearance of one of the pogues, but she wouldn't be surprised if he was completely high off of his mind- he certainly looked the part.

"Unless you want your brains blown out all over this road, don't move your goddamn heads, okay?!"

The man sported in a plumbers jumpsuit returned to his vehicle, gun now at his side. Meredith's breath hitched in her throat when JJ's body tensed, preparing to be at his best friend's side if need be.

Then, from a distance, they could hear commotion and grunting, the group watching as the two struggled in the car, John B's arms wrapped around the seat.

"Guys, I got the gun!" They could hear John B's strained voice, and JJ was rising to his feet in an instant. He jolted forward, dropping Meredith's hand and sprinting in the direction of the two boys.

The back door flung open, John B tumbling out, shotgun in hand. The others rose to their feet, running after JJ, who was dodging a hit.

JJ threw his fist onto the man's back, but he was much quicker, shoving the blonde onto the ground with a grunt. Kiara was next to reach him, but the man, too, had pushed her out of his way.

While he was distracted with Kiara, John B striked him in the back with the barrel of the gun while Pope rummaged through the glove box to find their gold.

Meredith moved to Kiara, the girl dusting off her dirty knees. She pulled her up the rest of the way, the sound of Sarah's shrieks drawing their attention. Whipping around, they saw the blonde repeatedly slamming the car door into the man's body, falling limp to the ground.

"I got the gold!" Pope shouted over the chaos.

Together, Kiara and Pope threw continuous kicks to the masked man's abdomen, forcing his attempts to stand back up to fail. He fell against the car in pain, the teens slowly moving to surround him.

"You son of a bitch!" Kiara shouted.

Through rugged pants, John B tore the bandana from the man's face, revealing his hidden features.

"I know this piece of shit!" JJ proclaimed, breathing roughly in rage. "He's a basehead."

"He probably knows my brother," Sarah breathed out, running her hand through her tussled hair.

"He sells coke to my dad," the blonde boy added, his words forcing Meredith's gaze to peel away from the unknown man. Her deepened frown softened in sympathy, wishing she had known before.

"Listen," the man began, eyes trained on Meredith. When he looked at her, he saw a certain weakness behind her solemn eyes. However, behind that, was a severe need to defend everyone before herself, to be brave. He had seen it before, and it only pissed him off to no extent. "I could've hurt any single one of y'all-"

JJ picked up on the threat dancing behind his eyes when he looked at Meredith, and it surfaced an anger he wasn't sure he had. Without hesitation, he lifted the gun, bringing it back down violently on his cheekbone.

"JJ!" Kiara warned, shouting over the man's groans and labored gasps.

"Dude, chill, man." Pope pushed the blonde backward, John B planting his hand on the other shoulder.

But JJ didn't seem to care much for anyone's opinions, leaning down to fish through his pockets. He ignored the wheezing of the masked man, finding a wallet.

"Come on, let's get outta here," John B pleaded, watching his friend in confusion.

After finding a license, JJ tossed the wallet back into the dirt, shoving past his friends. "We got one last stop."

He didn't look back, and he definitely didn't spare Meredith a glance. She had risked her life, careless of the consequences. Careless of herself. It was as if she was perfectly fine with harming herself.

That was what infuriated him.

She cared so little about her own well-being. He wished he could get her to see what he saw. Meredith Waters was perfect in his eyes, but she just couldn't see it.