The Pogues

Chased

Cassie guessed the Pogues didn't get it when she said that this was a shit show.

She had seen people close to her being in deep trouble enough for her to know that there was no good way for this to end for John B.

To be completely honest, Cassie blocked out most of their voices. Her leg was bouncing up and down, she was rubbing her hands on her thighs before JJ took her small and delicate one into his rougher, larger one. He gave her a look like, It's going to be okay. I won't let anything happen to you.

She only started paying attention when JJ started yelling. "Can you all just shut the hell up for a moment? You're stressing Cassie out. Cool it!"

The car went silent. Cassie's faze was fixed on a boy who seemed to be putting some pieces together. "It's that guy. Right there." The boy started pointing to the car as Cassie muttered a, "Shit."

JJ pulled Cassie closer to his body, "We got a snitch. Pope, turn the car on."

Soon after the boy pointed, a larger man loomed over John B's window and smiled manically. He banged on the window, "Hey! He's right there!"

Kie tried to speed Pope up, "Hey! We gotta go!" "Turn the car on!" JJ yelled as Pope frantically tried to start the ignition. And after many yells between them, Pope finally got the car to start, ramming into the car behind us. Cassie closed her eyes, almost praying for a way out. JJ's arm was the only thing she focused on while she drowned out the yelling and screaming.

Pope finally got the car out of the lot and began down the road, hitting and swerving, making tensions rise even further. "I'm livin' my best life now," Pope breathed out while Cassie wanted to rip her hair out. "Pope, focus!" JJ nodded, "I should be the last to say this, but you are not okay to drive. Stop!"

Pope slammed on the breaks and turned to the back, "John B, get out." "He's right," JJ agreed, "We'll draw the cops, you run. I'll get the rig, and I'll meet you in the dump tomorrow, okay? Three o'clock, okay?" John B stumbled out of the car but before he could run, Cassie grabbed his wrist. "Be careful, Brandy, I mean it."

He nodded and looked at JJ, "Three tomorrow at the dump."

JJ kissed Cassie's head, "He'll be okay. He'll be okay."

~~~

After a few rounds of driving absolutely nowhere, Kie stepped up and glanced between JJ and Pope. Cassie had resorted to JJ's side and staying quite as the two boys smoked and laughed with the radio turned up. "Pull over." The car took a hard swerve as Kie got out of the car and slammed the door, "JJ, it's not funny. He shouldn't be driving."

"Mama's mad," he muttered as she walked around the car. She belted herself in as JJ looked up, "Where are we goin'?"

"The last place they're gonna look."

Moments later, Cassie groggily looked up from JJ's chest. She hadn't fallen asleep but she was in a slight daze. JJ cooed her away and yelled out to Kie, who had gotten out of the car with a flashlight. "You sure this is a good idea?" Kie kept her path, "She's the only one who can clear John B."

The cement wall wasn't too high, enough that the four were able to scale the wall that bordered the Cameron estate. JJ rolled his eyes at her answer, "Last place they'll look because of how stupid it is." Cassie easily jumped it and stayed near JJ, just in case anything went wrong. Darkness shadowed them at the tree line, the night surrounding every place in sight. "Okay, I've got a plan," Kie started before she was interrupted.

"Yeah, I have plans. We can do plan. Let's do the plan thing. Let's get it. Let's plan it out." Pope's awkward personality certainly was highlighted when he was high, that was clear. Cassie internally groaned and JJ whispered a, "Sorry." But she pushed his chest playfully, earning a cocky grin. Kie whipped around in annoyance, "Can you handle a plan right now?"