Js and Cigarettes //JJ MAYBANK//

1

I'm about to show you, baby, slow down

-Slow Down, Chase Atlantic

"That's what, a three-story fall to the deck? I give you about a one-in-three chance of survival." Pope said, looking up at my brother.

I watched as John B, stuck his finger in his mouth and held it up in the air before responding.

"Should I do it?"

"Yeah, jump." Pope said, rolling his eyes. "I'll shoot you on the way down."

"You'll shoot me?" John B replied, pointing finger guns at Pope. "Pow."

I laughed a little from my seat next to JJ.

"They're gonna have Japanese toilets with towel warmers." Kie said, coming out of the house and looking up at us.

"We can't have cold towels." JJ said, nudging me with his elbow.

"This used to be a turtle habitat. But, who cares about the turtles, right?" Kie grumbled. She looked up at John B. "Can you please not kill yourself?"

"Don't spill that beer. I'm not giving you another one." JJ shouted up at him, taking a drink of his own beer.

John B stuck one foot out off the roof and lost his balance for a quick second, dropping the beer to the deck.

"Oh shit." He mumbled.

"Of course you did." I laughed.

"Smooth." Kie muttered.

"A-plus." JJ said, clapping his hands.

"You're a dumbass." I said, standing up and stretching my arms above my head, my shirt pulling up my stomach slightly.

JJ smirked at me and raised his hand, poking my bare stomach as I stretched.

"Hey, security's here." Pope said, leaning over the railing on the deck. "Let's wrap it up."

"Boys are early today. Humpty Dumpty, let's roll." JJ said, motioning for John B to get down.

"Let's go boys." I said, slipping under the metal bar and climbing down the scaffolding, jumping when I could safely jump off.

"Gary is that you?" JJ called out, looking over the railing. "Gary, good to see you, man!" I rolled my eyes and watched as Gary exited his security car.

"Yeah, you're just asking for it now." Kie said as we all ran inside the house.

We all laughed as we raced through the upper level and down the stairs, making a beeline for the exit when Gary came inside, rushing towards us. Making a sharp turn we ran the other direction.

"Get 'em! They're comin' your way!" Gary shouted, chasing after us.

JJ didn't get the memo, and he ran face first into the older man.

"Whoa! Not much of a hugger man!" JJ shouted, shoving Gary off him.

I held my hand out and he grabbed onto me, lacing our fingers together and we ran outside.

"They're going out front!" Gary yelled again.

We all ran towards the fence and hopped over it, Pope tripping over his own feet and landing face first on the grass.

John B and Kie got into the twinkie and honked the horn.

"Get up, Pope. Got fatso coming." JJ said, jumping over Pope.

Gary was close behind, leaning against the fence as we ran towards John B's car.

"Come here, you little pricks!" Gary shouted.

"Bus is leaving, let's go!" John B shouted, honking the horn multiple times.

"Let's go boys!" Kie shouted, opening the side door as JJ, Pope and I jumped in.

Gary chased behind us, shouting for us to stop.

"Hey, check out Gary, gunnin' for a raise!" JJ said laughing.

"You're gonna give him a heart attack." Kie said, looking over at John B.

"You're so close! SO close! You can do it!" JJ said, leaning out of the van. "There you go!" I groaned as JJ pestered him. "They don't pay you enough, bro!"

"JJ, hey, stop." I said, tugging on his torn up shirt.

"Oh, come on. That sort of initiative is begging to be punished." JJ turned and looked at me, a smile on his face. 

We all sat in the back of the van, John B driving. We drove through Figure Eight and then through the Cut on our way home. 

"We're not in Kansas anymore, Toto." I said, leaning against JJ. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and we stared out the window at the rundown houses we drove by.