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❝ i just couldn't take anymore ❞
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𝘚𝘺𝘭𝘷𝘪𝘦'𝘴 𝘗𝘖𝘝

I reach out and grab the Fedex package, shining my flashlight on it. The words 'For BIRD' are scribbled in the front and I realise the funny 'R' that John B talked about earlier. I head back over to the opening and pass the envelope to John B.

"That's not gold" Pope sighs.

JJ helps me out the hole and I thank him gratefully.

"Holy shit. This is from my dad" John B tells us and we all grin happily for him.

I hear the flick of JJ's lighter and I turn to see a cloud of smoke leave his lips making me roll my eyes with a small smile.

"Code red. Code red. Square groupers! Square groupers!" JJ starts to panic.

"Go" Kiara shrieks, pushing me.

"It's the guys who robbed your house" JJ declares as we hide at the side of the mausoleum.

"Light" Kiara snaps and I turn mine off.

"His light, Vie" Pope snaps at me, pointing to the blonde boy next to me in frustration.

"For fuck sake, Maybank" I huff, reaching over and turning the light off as he puts out his blunt.

"John B, your light!" I hear Kiara scold the brunette.

"Do you think it's them?" She asks me and I shrug.

"Homie's got a gun" JJ announces.

"Screw this" Kiara hisses, grabbing my arm and running forward.

The others follow right behind us and we reach the gate. I throw myself over the wall and land on my feet at the other side. Everyone else does the same and I see Pope climbing the gate.

"Hurry up!" JJ hollers loudly.

"Guys! Guys!" Pope shouts and I realise he's stuck on the fence which makes me giggle.

"Shit" Kiara mutters.

"Pope, come on!" JJ yells.

"Guys, I'm stuck!" The boy on the fence retorts and my giggles turn to laughs.

Kiara and John B rush forward to help Pope while I stay back with JJ.

"Pope, don't move, okay?" I hear JJ say and I turn to see him pointing the gun at Pope but John B pushes the gun down, scolding the blonde.

JJ opens his mouth to argue but it's cut short by a loud rip. I see Pope's feet hit the ground, his ripped shorts stuck to the fence still and a howl of laughter escapes my lips.

"Nice! Come on, dude!" JJ grins.

"Look, it's a little Tootsie Roll!" He adds as the others run to the van and my laughter gets louder.

I double over in hysterics, my hands falling to my knees and tears springing to my eyes.

"Time to go, angel" JJ laughs, swooping me up bridal style.

"Get in!" JJ says, pushing Pope into the van before climbing in and placing me down next to him as I recover from my laughing fit.

"Stupid" Kiara giggles, hopping in behind us

John B doesn't wait before driving off, causing me to fall into JJ who wraps his arm around me. I throw my legs over his lap and he grabs my leg, tugging me closer which makes me smile.

✯¸.•'*¨'*•༻❁༺•*'¨*'•.¸✯

We make it back to the chateau and I watch in disgust as JJ spreads peanut butter onto mouldy bread.

"That bread had mould on it three days ago" Pope states.

"I'll just pull off the bad parts. Plus, mould is good for you. It's just a natural orgasm" JJ explains.

"Do you mean organism?" I ask curiously.

"That's what I said, wasn't it?" He frowns and I laugh, walking over to where John B is sitting at the table with Kiara.

"JJ!" Kiara calls the blonde over as Pope stands next to her.

"Yup yup!" He chirps, jogging over to stand next to me.

"Hot damn! Let's do it!" He says excitedly.

I watch as the boy takes a bite of his sandwich and gags. He spits it into his hand and runs to put it in the bin making me grin in amusement.

"I thought it was good for you?" I ask smugly and he shoots me a glare, poking my side.

I hear the tear of the envelope and JJ throws his arm around me as we all watch John B open the package from his father. He pulls out a large folded sheet of paper and unfolds it to reveal a map with coordinates.

"Holy shit" John B mutters.

"Oh, my God" I mumble.

"X marks the spot" Pope replies, pointing at the marked 'X' on the map.

"Longitude, latitude. Wait, there's something else in there" John B says before pulling out a tape recorder from the envelope.

"What's that?" JJ asks.

"It's a tape recorder" Kiara answers.

"Dumbass" I add and the blonde boy nips my arm, making me yelp.

"Dear Bird" I hear Big John's voice say through the tape recording.

"Who's Bird?" JJ asks in confusion.

"That's what my dad called me" John B answers.

"I hate to say 'I told you so', but I told you so. And you doubted your old man. I suspect at this moment, you're filled with guilt and self-loathing over our last fight, but don't kill yourself just yet, kid. I didn't expect to find the Merchant either" Big John'a voice comes out the tape recording.

I look up at JJ who glances at me with a shocked expression. I share the same look with both Kiara and Pope before Big John starts talking again.

"You were probably right to call me out. Wasn't exactly Father of the Decade. What can I say, kid? I could smell the barn. And hopefully, we're listening to this in our brand new sugar shack down in Costa Rica, living off passive investments and pulling of permits. If not, and you find this for less than optimal reasons, well, that's what the map is for" Big John explains and I feel my eyes welling up with tears for my best friend.

"There she is, the wreck of the Merchant. If something happens to me, finish what I started. Go for the gold, kid. I love you, Bird, even if I didn't always act like it. I'll see you on the other side" Big John finishes and John B turns off the tape recorder.

John B gets up with tears in his eyes and collapses against the doorframe, sobbing in pain.

"Holy shit, he did it! Big John- He found the Merchant" JJ gasps.

"Seriously, JJ?" I snap, glaring at the blonde.

Kiara walks over to John B and wraps him in a hug, making me smile softly. JJ's arm tightens around me and I wipe my teary eyes.

✯¸.•'*¨'*•༻❁༺•*'¨*'•.¸✯

We all sit outside on the dock and we make ourselves comfortable as Kiara plays a soft tune on her ukulele. I sit at the corner of the bench and let JJ try to French braid my hair. Pope hands us all a can of beer and we relax, listening to Kiara play. I hear the blonde behind me mutter curses under his breath and I giggle.

"It's three strands of hair, hot stuff" I remind him and he pauses before splitting my hair into three different sections.

"Ahh, that's the problem. Thank you, angel" He chirps, pecking my cheek before continuing the braid.

"How much was it again?" JJ asks the others in a louder voice.

"400 mil" Pope answers.

"All right, let's talk the split" JJ declares, bring his other leg around so I'm sitting between his legs.

"Now, before we say 'evenly', may I remind you that I am the only one that can properly defend us from those groupers who were after us. Protection? Not cheap, okay?" JJ explains.

"You haven't trained. You've done zero training" Pope retorts.

"YouTube, bro! That's at least a five percent bump right there" JJ states, tying off the bottom the braid with a hair tie.

"You haven't-" Pope is cut off.

"Any objections? Didn't think so" JJ snaps and I roll my eyes, nipping his leg "Ow!"

"Stop being an ass" I scold him.

He pouts and sits back, shutting up completely. I let out an airy giggle and lean my head onto his leg, feeling sleepy.

"What are you gonna do with your 80 mil, Pope?" Kiara asks the boy.

"Pay for college in advance. And also, textbooks. Those are expensive" Pope says.

"You're such a nerd" I tease the boy who smiles back at me before looking up to Kiara "What about you, Kie?"

"Yeah, what does a socialist do when she's rich?" Pope asks, making her scoff with a smile.

"I just wanna make a double album. About OBX, the Pogues. You know, the way 'Catch a Fire' is about Kingston. Record it at Marley Studio, Peter Tosh producing" She explains with a grin on her face.

"Peter Tosh is dead" Her and Pope say in unison.

"I know. Spirit of Peter Tosh will never die" She retorts, lifting up her can.

"Actually, I know what I'll do. I'm gonna get a big ass house on Figure Eight and go full Kook" JJ states.

"You're gonna go full Kook?" Pope asks in disbelief.

"Yup. Gonna get a marble statue of myself, and then I'm gonna get a koi pond. Put a bunch of those fish-" He's cut off by Kiara.

"I'm never visiting" She laughs.

"What about you, angel?" JJ asks me.

I think about for a few minutes before smiling softly and sitting up straight.

"I'm gonna move out and buy myself a house on the beach, as far away from the Cameron household as possible" I explain simply and they all smile at me warmly.

"What are you gonna do, JB?" Pope asks and I turn my attention to John B who has been silent throughout the whole conversation.

The brunette is silent for a moment before turning to face us and lifting his can.

"To going full Kook" He smiles.

"To going full Kook!" We all holler in unison, raising our cans in the air.

✯¸.•'*¨'*•༻❁༺•*'¨*'•.¸✯

I toss and turn in my own bed, trying and failing to fall asleep.

My whole life, no matter where I was or what I was doing, I'd inconveniently fall asleep. Yet when I'm made to come to my house and sleep in my own bed, it takes me hours to sleep and even then, the sleep itself is horrible.

I hear the sound of my window opening and a small smile tugs at my lips, knowing exactly who it is.

For years now, when things are rough at home, JJ sneaks into my window late at night and climbs into bed with me. He thinks I don't know because I usually pretend to be asleep and he leaves before I wake up.

I hear the sound of his boots hitting the floor and I feel the bed dip behind me as he climbs under the covers. I roll over and the blonde freezes, his eyes widening at getting caught.

"Are you okay?" I ask when I notice the purple coloured bruise on his jaw.

"I-I just couldn't take anymore from dad and I had nowhere else to go" He stutters anxiously.

I smile at him softly and lay my head down on his chest.

"You're always welcome to stay with me, hot stuff" I hum, closing my eyes.

JJ's arms wrap around me and he places a light kiss on my head.

"G'night, angel" He whispers.

I try to reply but I start to drift off and it just comes out as a soft hum.