𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗲𝗹 𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿.

fifty nine.

   I drop to the ground as we finally make it to the van, air flooding my lungs, my face flush red. I yearn for a moment of silence, but no such luck.

   "My dad is in South America right now with a knife to his throat and we're what? Moving weight? Going goblin mode?"

   "How many times are you gonna complain about me trying to help you with your dad?!"

   I look up at the two boys.

   Why're we always fighting?

   "Help is the exact opposite of what you're doing right now!"

   JJ sighs, "you know what? You're right."

   Wow. JJ has never admitted being wrong.

   "But you know who's fault that is? You and your treasure obsessed father."

   Of course.

   John B shoves him backwards, causing the blonde to chuckle, "oh that's where we're going?"

   JJ shoves him back, "looks like we just went there too. Come on man!"

   John B charges at him, the two boys falling to the ground as they roll on top of one another, trying to win their little spat.

   I stare at them.

   They used to fight like this when we were drunk at the chateau, seeing who would tap out first. And now this?

   At the sound of a siren I look up, Shoupe standing not far from us next to his truck. "Howdy boys, Cat."

   They both pause, looking up at him.

   They stand and straighten themselves out.

   I bring myself to my feet as well, taking a spot next to them.

   "Sup Shoupe," John B brushes himself off.

   "You boys okay?"

   "Yeah we're uh," he pats JJ's shoulder, the boy shrugging him off, "we're good."

   Shoupe makes it to the back of the twinkie, bending down and pulling off a device I didn't even know was there. "Tracker makes it a lot easier to keep an eye on you hoodlums."

   His radio buzzes, "all teams en route to the abandoned uhaul over."

   "Sounds like duty calls, "JJ nods, "we wouldn't wanna hold you up."

   "Hold on," Shoupe stops us, "we just found a uhaul full of drugs over on 158. Y'all wouldn't happen to know about that would you?"

   JJ looks at me, then John B, "you guys hear that? That's called profiling and I really don't appreciate it. You think because we're pogues we're drug dealers? We been busy-"

   "Busy beating people up and breaking up parties."

   I shake my head, "Shoupe there's an explanation-"

   "I hate to break it to you kid but I've got a warrant."

   My eyes widen, "Topper? He pressed charges?"

   "For what?" John B asks, shocked, "he started it!"

   Shoupe leads John B to the van, instructing him to put his hands by his head.

   "Shoupe, do you know what Topper did to John B?!"

   "Nope but I know what your boy here did, beat him in front of the whole town. You should know better than to hit him while he's down."