Sunflower || JJ Maybank/Cassandra Routledge

27: Involving the 'Enemy'

Midsummers 5.04

As she sits down, she carefully grabs his hand and intertwines her fingers in his....
"I need you, big brother."

Once they file in, the van quickly barrels down the road, in complete silence. Thankfully, this time no one is particularly mad at one another, well, other than John B who still feels utterly betrayed by Casey, Kiara, and JJ. But those reasons do not matter anymore. At least not right now. He successfully got the Pogues behind him, even if the girls are skeptical of everything going on between him and Sarah. They still got in the van. They still have faith in him and that is all he can ask for after the argument.

Because she stormed off before John B could tell her where and what they're about to do, Casey has no idea what the next play is. She tries to look out the window for any sort of clue as to where her brother has dragged them out to, but it's hard to see due to the darkness. She squints her eyes as her brother pulls into a small opening, blocked off by a wooden barrier. If she is being honest with herself, from the darkened woods around them and the mysterious looking clouds rolling in, if she wasn't with the Pogues right now, she would think she is about to get murdered. "Hit it, boys! We're goin'. Recon mission." JJ jokes as he gets to his feet, quickly joined by Pope as he pushes the side door open.

Before either can get out of the van, John B interprets them by turning around and jumping in. "Yo, uh..so, uh, I think I'm gonna do this one by myself...tonight." Casey shakes her head as she plops back down onto the bench. It's not surprising he wants to do this alone. Without the Pogues, he can avoid the jabs and sly comments. John B notices the glares from Casey and Kiara, as well as the disappointment from Pope and JJ, and knows they are all slightly pissed. "What?"

"Nothin', brotha'." JJ says quietly as he sits on the floor in front of the bench, Pope directly in front of him. On the ground, he rummages through his pocket and pulls out a small bag of weed and a paper wrap. If he has to be stuck here, while John B takes the lean, he is going to need something to fill up his time.

"I don't want to spook Sarah with the peanut gallery." John B tries to justify.

"I just don't understand why we're involving her at all?" Kiara adds from the seat behind John B. It is obvious to everyone that she is still upset the Kook was brought in. She has kept quiet for the last few minutes, but that has only fueled her anger.

"Kie, we're not involving her, okay?" John B leans his head back in defeat. He thought they were over this. "It's..it's just, uh, like a business meeting." He stutters, struggling to find the right words that will convince her.

Casey rolls her eyes at her brother and glances down at JJ right as he finishes the joint and pretends to give it a blow job. She quickly slams her hand over her mouth, feeling an uncontrollable laugh try and force its way out. Right now is not the time to be making jokes. JJ hears her swift movement and leans back to lock eyes with her, a smirk appearing on his face. He lifts the joint up and with his other hand points at her and then himself, insinuating what they both want to do.

Casey lets out a shaky breath between her fingers, still struggling to keep herself from laughing but when Pope puts the pieces together and starts silently laughing, she can't help it and a snort escapes her mouth. "Look." John B starts, his eyes bouncing between the rest of the group, not happy they are making jokes while he is trying to be serious. "Once we get what we need, we cut her loose, all right? Plus, we need the map."

"Promise me nothing's happening between you two." Kiara frustratingly asks, her focus not changing from him. She hasn't paid the other three even a second of attention. She could care less what they are laughing about. Her only focus is John B meeting with Sarah which pulls Casey back to the conversation.