The Pogues

What Have You Got to Lose?

Cassie felt herself cling to the sheets below her body. She pulled the blanket up to cover her legs that were bare on the bed as she felt another body next to her. The frame made her sit up in shock to make sure her clothes were on before sighing in relief, it was only JJ.

After the gun incident, the Pogues brought John B back to his house to settle him down and make sure he was alright from the fight. After they pulled John B into the bed, JJ had insisted he make sure Cassie got home safe, protecting her from any loose Kooks on the run for revenge. When they arrived at her house, JJ hesitantly tried to leave before Cassie persuaded him to stay the night.

She was sleeping in one of JJ's old shirts that he had worn freshman year. It was still large on her, but smelled like the beach in the summer. He wore just some shorts and went to bed shirtless. Cassie had to remind herself it was normal for best friends. Not anything special to him.

She poked his chest as he turned and smiled at her, "Morning."

She smiled, "Morning."

When they were about to go back to sleep, the phone rang, making Cassie groan and sink into the sheets as JJ got up and looked at the caller ID. "It's my dad," he said, making Cassie sit straight up. She nodded for him to go into another room to take the call as she got up and walked downstairs for some breakfast. She could hear the yelling between them in the kitchen which made her heart sink.

When he was done, he came out to see her sitting on the counter, "I gotta go back to my dad. You'll be okay?"

Cassie smiled and nodded, putting out her arms for him to walk over, "Be careful okay? Please, JJ."

"I promise. Don't worry too much, Cass." He snuggled into her embrace as they both held each other for a moment that both wished could last forever. She finally pushed him away, "How could I miss an asshole?"

JJ grinned and waved goodbye as he left to go back to his home. But what she didn't know was that JJ was home wherever she was.

~~~

"Look, I'm callin' it off. All right?" John B walked over to his friends who sat under one of the covers, just moping and teasing one another. JJ sat on a table in the open, throwing rocks to see how far his throw would take the rocks while Pope was reading and Kiara testing her drum skills. Cassie sat in one of the metal red rocking chairs, humming some songs as she strummed her guitar. She was wearing a white tight buttoned crop top with bold retro shorts that hid her bathing suit underneath. Her usual jewelry was hanging off of her body, making her fiddle with the lowest necklace. John B propped himself on one of the posts, "Peterkin said, if I stay out of the marsh, she'll help me with DCS."

JJ focused his attention on him, "And you believed her?"

"Yes, I believe her, JJ," he defended. JJ couldn't believe it, he confirmed, " An actual cop, John B. You believed a cop."

John B argued back, "All I gotta do is stay out of the marsh for a couple days, and she'll help me out. It doesn't help that your ass was the one shooting a gun."

JJ rolled his eyes, "You know what I should have done? Just let Topper drown your ass."

"Topper wasn't gonna drown me," John B looked at Cassie who looked back. "Brandy," she said, in the are you serious?  tone. JJ backed her up, "Sure looked like it. I mean have you looked in a mirror?"

John B stood up to him and taunted, "Tell me some more. Come on."

JJ walked over to where Cassie was sitting, putting his hands on the back of her seat, hovering above her, "They always win, don't they, man? Kooks versus Pogues. They always, always win!"