𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐓𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐎𝐍 ━━ 𝘫𝘫 𝘮𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘬

𝐂.17

"Wait.. you are? You never told me that," JJ interrupts.

"Well, I've been thinking about it for a while now J —I know he has a lot of money and power in this town but there's physical proof."

"Marty, I believe you, but what kind of proof?" John B reassures his big sister. He felt so bad for what she must've gone through, but thankful and proud that she finally trusted him enough to share her story.

"I know a rape kit won't do anything now but, he- he has pictures of me, I know he does. Kelce and Topper have seen them, I don't know who else. And y'all saw how I was the following day! How I was walking! If anything I can get him on defamation of character charges if they don't book him for physical or sexual assault."

JJ walks over, "wait wait," he squats down, gently placing the ice bag on top of his best friend's eye.

He was now at eye level with John B and looking up at Martha. The orange candlelights highlighted his hair, his blue eyes almost glowing more ominous and angry with anticipation and hatred. "When did he physically hurt you?"

"JJ, don't pry," John B warns.

"Were you ever going to tell me, McFly?"

"Of course I was, I trust you more than anything. I just remembered it now, J, I think I blocked it out."

"Don't worry Martha, we'll support you and whatever your decision is, won't we J?" John B says, taking Marty's and JJ's hand, and holding them in his own.

"Of course baby, pogue's honor."

She smiles, "I got to go home, my parents must be wondering where I am. JJ wanna come with? Johnny, are you gonna be okay here?"

"Yeah, don't sweat it."

"Yeah, your mother would kill me if I didn't go back with you. I like her, but she scares the shit outta me."

➵ ➵ ➵

THE NEXT MORNING, right around early noon, four pogues and one touron were hanging in the Château's backyard.

They were lounging about in what looked to be where John B stored the HMS POGUE, but in its place was a yellow plaid couch, some old lawn chairs, and a woven table. The ground was covered in dirt, sand, small twigs, and leaves as if someone didn't even bother about insulation. There was a tool bench against the back wall; a dartboard with game tallies scratched into the wood; clutter and junk thrown about but that's what made it cozy. Coastal decorations, like old buoys and fishnets, came down from the ceiling. John B's surfboard leaned against a wooden column.

Kiara sat on the plaid couch, her fingers tapping on the bongos. JJ was a few feet away, he was throwing rocks into the water as he sat on an available picnic table. Pope was in an old metal lawn chair reading The Great Gatsby, he was deep into it too. Martha laying upside down next to Kie, she was watching John B pace back and forth lost in thought.

"Look, I'm callin' it off. All right?" John B states. "Peterkin said if I stay out of the marsh, she'll help me with DCS."

"And you believed her?" JJ questions, his voice sounds annoyed.

"Yes, I believe her, JJ." John B answers back quickly as if he thought JJ was being sarcastic.

"An actual cop, John B. You believed a cop?"

"I mean, she is the sheriff, I trust her more than the deputy," Martha states, flipping her body upright. This time she receives a huge head-rush compared to the ones she's done before. "That guy is a creep."

"Look, all I gotta do is stay out of the marsh for a couple of days, and she'll help me out. And it doesn't help that your ass," he throws down his walking stick —barely missing Marty's leg— "was the one shooting a gun."

"Uhh, actually that's my fault I—"

—"You know what I should've done, man? Just let Topper drown your ass."

"I stop talking now, I guess," Martha mumbles as Pope laughs quietly. Kiara rolls her eyes, giggling softly at her too.

"Yeah, cause Topper was gonna drown me?" John B talks over her.

"Sure looked like it. Isn't that right, McFly?" JJ points to Marty, before getting up from his seat.

Martha looks up, absolutely bewildered that JJ would throw her under the bus like that, "I- uh, I mean, yeah, just a little bit—" she nods her head in a hurry.

—"Don't bring her into this." John B mumbles as JJ gets increasingly amped up.

"I mean, have you looked in a mirror, man?"

"Oh, real funny. Tell me some more. Come on." John B entices.

"They always win. Don't they, man?" JJ saunters over, placing his left arm onto the corner of the column. "Kooks versus Pogues." He bites his lip in frustration. "They always, always win!" he exclaims, hitting the old buoy line.

No matter how many times she saw him get angry, it was like he got more and more attractive each time.

"It's okay!" Kiara reassures him but it doesn't help one bit.

"No, it's not okay!" He yells back, hitting the old buoy one more time before coming closer to the table. "It is not! They don't want us to go down into the marsh. That means there's something valuable down there," he turns his head quickly and points at his best friend, "and you know it, man."

"I know you do." He looks down at Pope, "and I understand why you don't wanna go. You're the golden boy. You got way too much to risk. You—" he looks over at Kiara, "I mean, you're already rich as fuck anyway." She scoffs.

"And you—" he points at Martha, his expression immediately changes, "I mean you're such a sweetheart that didn't deserve any of this. So why would you bother?" Martha blushes instantly at his choice of words.

"But you and me, man. We got nothin' to lose! We really don't, all right?"

He could lose me... but that won't happen, right? Right?

"And I know it didn't use to be that way for you."

"I don't want to talk about this. I don't want to talk about," John B states as the whole mood of the group drops substantially.

"So that's it? You're just gonna give up?"

"Get out of my way, bro! I said no!" John B shoves JJ out of the way.

"John B, listen to me. I have a plan." Martha, Kiara, and Pope connect eyes as he says this, knowing that it isn't a good idea.

"You got the key to Cameron's big boat, right? There's scuba gear inside, right? We just borrow that, and then we go down to the wreck this afternoon, and that is what is gonna save you, man."

"You know, I could just get the scuba gear," Martha speaks up, regretting it instantly.

The boys turn around, shocked at what they hear. JJ smirks proudly at his girl. "Really?" John B states, letting out a breath he didn't know he had.

"I mean.. yeah. I have a better rapport with the Camerons than you do right now, I mean both of you beat up men that have close ties to the family."

"But what if Rafe—" Kiara says, JJ nodding along with her.

"I'm pretty sure he's still hungover, he won't be on a yacht."

"Okay, but I'm coming with you," John B says, smiling at the brunette.