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❝ cut him a little slack, okay? ❞
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𝘚𝘺𝘭𝘷𝘪𝘦'𝘴 𝘗𝘖𝘝

"Welcome to Crackhead Wasteland" Sarah announces.

"If you close your eyes it doesn't look that bad" I say sarcastically and the girls smile in amusement at my remark.

"I don't know about this, man" Pope worries.

The van comes to an abrupt stop and I look out the window curiously to see Barry's worn down house, causing me to frown in confusion.

"Dude, why are we at Barry's?" Pope asks.

"This'll only take a second" JJ says vaguely, getting out of the van.

"Where are you going?" John B huffs.

"Yo soy justicia!" JJ replies in Spanish before disappearing into Barry's home.

"Did you glean anything from that?" Pope asks us.

"You know somebody should probably-" Kiara drawls off.

"Yeah, I got it" I assure the girl, turning to John B "Coming, Johnny?"

"Let's go" He nods.

We quickly hop out of the van and make our way inside together after our angry blonde.

"Yeah, so what's your plan, slick?" John B asks the Maybank boy who is trashing Barry's living room.

"Well, as thou hath stealeth from us, we shall stealeth from ye" JJ explains, looking under sofa cushions.

"That kind of got lost in translation" John B mumbles and I roll my eyes.

"An eye for an eye, John B" JJ snaps as if the brunette is stupid.

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

"I'm not scared of this guy" JJ scoffs.

"JJ, don't-" John B cuts himself off as JJ heads further into the home, ignoring him.

The brunette turns to me accusingly and I hold up my hand to him, letting him know I don't want to argue with him. He slaps my hand away in frustration and I look at him in disbelief, my brows raised.

"Tell your boyfriend he's being an idiot" John B demands.

"You tell him" I retort.

"I already have! He doesn't listen to me" The brunette huffs in irritation.

"I'll do what I can, Johnny. But he's not all that in the wrong" I tell him.

Before the brunette can argue with me further, JJ enters the room with an old gym bag and I furrow my brows quizzically.

"All right, took care of business" The blonde states.

"Hey, look at me. If you keep going down this road you're gonna end up just like your dad-" John B is cut off when JJ grabs him by his shirt and pushes him against the cupboards.

"You watch your mouth, man" JJ warns him.

"JJ, let him go" I sigh, tugging the Maybank boy back and shooting the brunette a glare for his unnecessary comment.

"Aren't you tired of being messed with?" JJ asks me.

"That's not the point, J" I tell him with a frown.

"Cause I am" JJ adds.

JJ storms away angrily and I tug John B's arm with a groan, following the manic blonde out of 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" JJ declares to the others who are standing next to the van.

"So that's what we're doing now? We're robbing drug dealers?" Kiara scoffs in disbelief.

"This Barry guy's gonna find out. And he's gonna come after us" Sarah adds worriedly.

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

"How'd you guys like havin' a gun pulled on you?" JJ retorts snippily.

"Relax" John B tells the angry blonde.

"He had it right here on you, bro" JJ replies, poking John B's forehead.

"Look. We've gotta go get the gold, okay? Just give me that shit. We're putting it back" John B snaps, trying to take the gym bag from JJ.

In one swift movement, the blonde slams John B against the van and my eyes shoot wide open in surprise, not expecting the violent action towards his best friend at all.

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

"We punch him in the throat" JJ declares.

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

"I'm not putting it back" JJ states, getting into the van.

Everyone stays exactly where they are, pausing in their places to watch the Maybank boy in concern and I glance back at the girls who give each other a tired look.

"You guys getting in or what?" JJ asks.

We all stay silent and I take a step towards the van but Pope grabs my arm, pulling me back to stand next to him. I turn my head with a confused expression but the Heyward boy's eyes are trained on JJ who jumps out the van.

"What?" He snaps.

"We're sick of your shit" John B declares.

"Johnny, stop it" I frown deeply, but I'm ignored.

"Oh, my shit?" JJ asks sarcastically.

"Yes" Kiara replies.

"Yeah, your shit" John B nods.

"Your pulling guns on people shit" Kiara elaborates.

"You acting like a maniac" Pope adds.

"Okay, Pope, I took the fall for you, man! Know how much money I owe because of you?!" JJ snaps.

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

"I just did! Pay it back. Right here, right now, by myself" JJ tells the boy.

"You know what? That's exactly what I'm gonna do. Go off by myself" JJ sighs, walking away.

"JJ, stop!" I call out.

"Hey. Wait, Vie" John B says, grabbing my arm.

"Just let him go" Sarah tells me.

"Don't touch me" I scoff, shaking the brunette's hand off me.

"Sylvie" Pope sighs.

"No, Pope. Don't 'Sylvie' me. That wasn't fair at all and you know that. All that boy ever does is be there for us. You need someone? JJ's there. Want something? JJ will get it. Need to breakdown? JJ's got you!" I rant angrily, flailing my arms around as I yell "Yet when he messes up, you're all on his case. JJ's acting crazy. JJ's gone psycho. He's reckless and unstable. Fuck that! He's trying his best! Whatever the fuck that little intervention was, he'd never do that to you. Especially not in the insensitive way ya'll done it!"

After taking a couple deep breaths and looking around the shocked faces of my friends, I let out a shaky breath and run my fingers through my hair.

"He's trying. Just cut him a little slack, okay? He'd do it for you guys" I sigh and they collectively nod.