This is Me Trying ⭑ Rafe Cameron

two

"I'll get your waiter." JJ says.

Cassie stays close, knowing JJ's excuse about the kitchen wasn't true. Wiping down a nearby table, she hears the group's conversation switch topics.

"...I'm just saying, John B's going to hell for what he did to Sheriff Peterkin."

JJ glances up at one of the many outdoor TVs playing the news, John B's picture on the screen like it has been every other day since he died. Cassie watches him, the tables turning on who was monitoring who.

"They're still investigating." She hears Topper say.

JJ picks up some empty plates from some tables nearby, trying not to listen in. She could see his lips press into a thin line, forcing himself not to stay quiet.

"Yeah, I don't know why. It's obvious who did it."

Just as Cassie was beginning to think it'd be okay, and was on her way to return the dirty plates to the kitchen, she hears her brother raise his voice.

"Shut up." He says. "Shut up, Topper!"

"JJ, just walk away man, it's not the time."

Cassie felt the restaurant quiet all at once, everyone turning in their seats to see what was happening.

"I don't think we were talking to you, Pogue." Kelce says.

JJ grabs an empty glass from his tray of dirty dishes, then begins to tap the edge of it with a knife. "Can I have everyone's attention, please, I have an announcement to make—"

Cassie set her stuff down quickly, walking back over to her brother. "Control your brother, please. Jesus." Isabella laughs.

She swallows harshly, ignoring her, and starts to pull on JJ's arm, but he waves her away, continuing his speech.

"My best friend, John B, did not kill Sheriff Peterkin." He announced to the entirety of the restaurant. "Rafe Cameron killed and shot the sheriff in cold blood! That's what happened."

Kelce scoffs from the table. "Wow."

"Is that so hard for you to believe?" JJ turns to him.

"JJ, enough." Cassie speaks up, seeing their boss approaching from the corner of her eye.

JJ whips his head towards her. "Cassie, come on! He's your friend too!"

"It's always... The Kook's fault; it's never the Pogue's fault." Kelce says, standing up from his chair.

Cassie didn't realize what had happened until it was over. JJ had grabbed a full pitcher of water, and tossed it all in Kelce's face.

Then they were fighting, yanking each other around by their shirts, knocking glass off the table and letting it crash to the ground.

Cassie had a hand clutched over her mouth, frozen, not sure what to do. Topper had pulled them apart, and with it, JJ was ripping off his own apron.

"JJ!" Their boss yelled, furious.

"Yeah, I know man. I'm fired." JJ says, shoving the apron into their bosses chest, before storming off.