𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐎𝐍𝐆 𝐆𝐀𝐌𝐄, jj maybank

FIFTEEN, i love you's

"i got a jet going straight in my butt right now." he told them, giggling. they all stared back at him in disbelief. cassie had stood up for him to all of her friends, for this? "y'all should get in immediately, you hear me?" he sloppily poured champagne into glasses in mini drink floaties. "salud!"

"how much did this cost?" pope asked, as jj took a swig straight from the bottle.

"uh..." jj started, looking around. "well, with the generator, the petrol, and oh, hey, express delivery..." he paused for a second. "...pretty much all of it, yeah."

"all of it?" pope asked, wide eyed.

"yeah, all of it." 

"you spent all the money in one day?" pope continued.

"yeah, burned a hole right through my pocket." he answered, as if it were funny. "but, i mean, like, come on, guys, like, look at this! finest in jet-based massage therapy— that's what they told me." cassie stared at him silently, anger pumping through her veins. "cass, what? can't a man have a little luxury in life? come on, all this scrimpin' and scrapin'..." his voice grew shaky. "i mean, like... guys, we... you only live once, right?"

cassie bit her lip, trying not to yell at him for blowing his restitution money on a hot tub, since she had already hurt him enough for one day.

"enough of this emotional shit. get in the cat's ass. come on." he urged them.

"in the what?" kie asked, tilting her head.

"in the cat's ass." jj replied, smiling.  "that's what i named her." the three stared back at him, stunned. "oh, hey, yo, i almost forgot." he reached over and pressed a button. a disco ball spun above the hot tub and water shot across the hot tub. "huh? yeah, that's right, i know. disco mode. that's right, baby!"

"are you kidding me?" pope yelled.

"you said you were gonna pay your restitution!" cassie scolded.

"or given it to literally any charity!" kie added. cassie rolled her eyes, thinking to herself, not the time.

pope continued to chide him, "or better yet, you could have helped us buy supplies to get the rest of the gold out of the well!"

"okay, well, you know what? i didn't do that!" he exclaimed, standing up. water splashed everywhere off of his body. everyone's eyes lingered on his torso, littered with bruises. they were from his dad, no doubt. "i got a hot tub! for my friends. i got a hot tub for my friends."

every bit of anger was gone from cassie, in an instant. her angry frown softened into a heartbroken one. her furrowed brows lifted.

"you know what? no, you know what? screw friends. i got a hot tub for my family!" he corrected himself, making cassie's lip quiver. after what had happened with his dad, then cassie, he was clearly crushed and heartbroken.

"jj, what the hell?" kie asked, softening up as well.

"i got this for you." he repeated. it was hard to tell, from all of the hot tub water on his face, but he was crying. "guys, look what i did for you! all right? look at this! look at this!" he threw his hands out as he spoke, showing off his fancy hot tub.

"jj..." cassie began, tears streaming down her face.

"no, you stop being emotional. it's fine, okay?" he chuckled, shaking his head. he looked down, sobbing silently. "i mean, it's sweet, right? everything..." cassie climbed into the hot tub, wrapping her arms around him tightly. she didn't care about her shoes getting soaked, or her clothes. she just knew that jj needed someone, and even if she had fucked up earlier, she was going to make it right.