𝐑𝐈𝐏𝐓𝐈𝐃𝐄 , 𝐣. 𝐦𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐤 ⁽¹⁾

𝟏. 𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐔𝐍

Elle ran out of the empty , half constructed building. She smiled as she leaned against a wooden pillar.

"John B!" the girl yelled , laughing as she did so. She took a small sip of her beer. "You're gonna' kill yourself !"

The brunette boy took a small sip of his drink , hanging his foot off the edge of a roof. "I'm fine , Elle. See ?"

"That's what a .. 3 story fall to the deck ? I give you bout' a one in three chance of survival."

John B licked his finger and stuck in into the air , allowing the wind to blow onto it. "Hm." the boy looked down. "Should I do it ?"

Pope held up a nail - gun and aimed it up at the brunette . "Yeah you should jump." He squinted. "I'll shoot you on the way down."

"Yeah?" John asked , pointing a finger gun at Pope. "You're gonna shoot me? Pew-"

Kie walked in from behind Elle , holding onto a metal pole. "They're gonna have Japanese toilets with towel warmers !"

The blonde boy that stood next to Elle responded quickly. "Of course they are , why wouldn't they ?"

"This used to be a turtle habitat , but who cares about the turtles I guess ?"

JJ smiled and turned to Elle. "I can't have cold towels !"

The girl laughed and took another sip , looking back up at the boy on the roof.

Kie squinted and smiled , looking up at the roof as well. "Can you please , not kill yourself ?"

JJ leaned on a metal beam. "Don't spill that beer man , i'm not giving you another one." His lips touched the outer rim of his beer can.

"WOAH- oh shit !" John B yelled , dropping the can out of his hands.

Elle watched as the can then slipped from her friend's fingers , and crashed onto the ground. She laughed as it did so. "That's ironic."

"Of course you did." J said , trying not to laugh. "Like right when I told you-"

John B reached his arms out towards the beer and groaned. "Noooo."

"A+" Pope said , swinging around a railing to see a security car pull into the parking lot. "Hey uh - security's here. Let's wrap it up."

Everyone started getting up , as John B climbed off the roof .

"Let's go!" Elle yelled , practically jumping off the wall. "They got here early today !"

JJ stood in-front of the doorway and bowed , allowing his friend to go ahead. "M'lady."

The blonde girl laughed and smacked his arm. "After you , I insist ." She said , repeating the same action as him.

The two walked in , as JJ leaned out a window . "Gary is that you ?" He laughed , and pointed towards the guard. "Gary ! good to see you man !"

Kie laughed and nodded towards J. "Yeah , you're just asking for it."

Everyone started running through the empty house , laughter was heard throughout. Gary ran toward's Elle , trying to grab her.

"Hey !" The girl yelled , running around corners , trying to lose the guard. "I'm a minor !"

Kie laughed and pulled her arm , allowing the blonde to get away.

"HEY STOP !" Gary yelled , trying to keep up with the teens.

JJ quickly squirmed out of a guard's grasp , laughing as he turned a corner. "Not much of a hugger man !"

Kie , Elle , and John B ran around to the front , climbing into the Twinkie. They laughed as they started the engine and started driving towards the side of the house , allowing Pope and JJ to climb in.

"Bus is leaving !" John yelled , honking the horn. "Let's go !"

Elle laughed and grabbed Pope's hand , allowing him to jump into the car , JJ followed behind him.

The officer ran towards them , but struggled to keep up. "We're gonna' kill him !" She laughed , looking out the open door.

"Come on Gary !" JJ yelled , climbing next to Elle. "Wait slow down , slow down!" He yelled , holding his beer out the door.

"Guys , you're gonna give him a heart attack !" Kie yelled , laughing as she did so.

JJ held his beer out , taunting the poor guard . "C'mon you're so close ! You can do it !" He threw the beer towards Gary. "There you go !"

Kie pulled on his shirt , causing JJ to fall back into the van. "JJ , stop. stop."

The blonde just laughed and climbed back into his seat . "Aw c'mon. That sort of initiative is just begging to be punished ."

Everyone laughed as John B turned the radio up. Summer days were never better .

———

Elle groaned as she woke up. The girl leaned over and looked at an old clock that sat on the table next to her ."

"9 am..." She sighed , sitting up and rubbing her eyes. She looked around the room . She'd spent the night at John B's. The Pogues often did that . Especially Elle. When things were hard at home , that's usually where she stayed. Which was ..often , to say the least.

The girl stood up and walked into the kitchen. Kie was laying on the couch , smoking , and John was sitting on the counter .

"Morning." Elle grumbled , grabbing a water bottle from the fridge.

John B lifted up an old beer can as if to say 'cheers'. She smiled and sat on the other side of the counter.

Kie looked up from her phone , and at the two sitting on the counter. "Did you see the hurricane Agatha thing ?"

"Oh shit !" Elle said , taking a sip from the bottle. "Yeah , I did . Isn't your DCS meeting today ?" She asked John B , who was looking out the window.

The brunette turned and nodded. "Yeah , I called and they're gonna reschedule." He said as he eyed the surfboard that was leaning against the old walls.

Kie raised an eyebrow as she stood up. "Surfing , seriously JB ?"

He laughed innocently. "What ? No , no. I'm not stupid , there's a hurricane !"

The two girls looked and each other , obviously able to tell that their friend was lying.

Elle and JJ have been friends since the first grade. Elle's dad was like , best friends with Luke , JJ's dad. Unfortunately, her dad passed when she was 8. Leaving her and her dearest mother alone on the cut.

John B met them both in third grade , and the three of them instantly became friends , and here they are , 16 and going strong.

They're family. They're always considered each other that.

———