Gold Digger// JJ Maybank- OBX

twelve

"Well, my mum wants me to go to school over on the mainland. You know, to be closer to her brother. And I guess, now closer to you." He smiled. "But my dad really wants me to go to college in New York." He shrugged, leaning his elbows on the counter.

"And what about you?" Scarlett asked, bagging up his shopping. "Where do you want to go to college?"

Joshua shrugged, taking a moment to think about his answer. "I guess I haven't thought about it too much. I wouldn't mind living over here. It would be nice to be near family."

Scarlett smiled. "Well, you've already made a friend over in the Outer Banks." She handed him his bag. "And, not to sound like I'm asking for money, but, you're total will be $7.48."

Joshua nodded and handed her a ten dollar bill. "You can keep the change, by the way. I'm sure my parents wont miss three dollars."

Scarlett opened her mouth to thank him, when Pope rushed through the back door. "Lottie, we've got a problem." Scarlett tilted her head at him in confusion. "We need to get JJ, now."

"What the hell is going on, Pope?" Scarlett asked, putting the money in the till. "Not that I don't mind leaving half an hour early, but why do we need to get JJ?"

A panicked look had fallen over Pope's face. "They know. They know what we did to the boat."

Scarlett's face fell. If the Kooks knew, then they were definitely done for. "Fuck." She tore off her work apron, leaving it unfolded on the back of her chair. "Fucking hell, this is not good."

Joshua looked between the two friends, visibly confused. "What the hell happened?"

"Um, we got revenge on some guys for beating us up and now we are most certainly dead." Scarlett explained, hurriedly locking the till. "I'm sorry, but I really have to go. I'll see ya 'round, Joshua." She called out, Pope pulling her out of the door.

❤❤❤

The sounds of gunshots could be heard, ringing out through the trees as the two approached the Maybank's residence. It had been a while since Scarlett had visited the place. She and JJ used to hang out there every so often after school, but once his father started to become physically abusive, JJ banned her from entering his house- not wanting her to be in his dad's war path. As Scarlett stepped up to the building, she noticed how very little it had changed.

Pope put a hand on the small of her back, leading her round the back of the house and towards the garden. "I think he's over this way." He lead her into the back garden, dropping his hand back to his side. When the pair rounded the corner, they saw the blonde boy firing bullets at an old teddy bear. "JJ!" Pope yelled, trying to be heard through the protective earmuffs the boy was wearing. "JJ!" Pope yelled again, taking a few steps forward.

"Hey, Blondie!" Scarlett called, successfully gaining his attention. JJ turned to face them, taking the earmuffs off his head.

"They know." Pope told him, getting straight to the point.

"What?"

"The Kooks, they know. They fucking know what we did." Scarlett explained, her face set in dead panic.

JJ dropped the earmuffs to the ground and walked over to them, the gun hanging at his side. "All right, chill, bro. All right? Red, calm down, okay? They don't know shit."

Scarlett rolled her eyes at him. "Topper knows I sunk his boat." Pope said, freaking out.

"How do you know they know?" JJ asked, taking a seat on a lawn chair.

"Because Rafe and Topper posted outside of Heyward's and mad dogged us." Pope ranted, beginning to pace.

"Did you see them, Scar?" JJ asked, looking over to her.