▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄
⮑0.4⮐

four, scooter grubbs & keggers . . .
▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄

TO THE ROUTLEDGE FAMILY, DIRTY MONEY WAS STILL MONEY NON THE LESS. Whether it came from a hard working job or a kooks pocket, money was money. Big John Routledge was no stranger to skipping out on bills and definitely not opposed to making shady money. Which is why it always fell on Molly to figure out a way to pay the rent and electric and water and all the shit that her father just didn't feel the need to pay.

She couldn't take all the credit of course. John B did his best to help make money in any way possible, but did he ever work as hard as his younger sister? No. So when John Booker Routledge watched his best friend carry a wad of cash that he soon found out belonged to a dead man, he finally felt helpful.

"Ok. So, um... we didn't see anything. We don't know anything. We need to have total and complete amnesia", Pope stressed.

"Actually, Popes right for once. See, I agree with you sometimes. Deny, Deny, Deny ", JJ spoke up and got up from his spot

Molly's legs hung from the arm rest of the wicker chair that sat next to the previously sat Maybank boy. Her hair dangled from the other end of the seat as she let her head relax back.

"Guys, we can't keep that money".

An unwanted opinion that came from the richest member of their little group. Why did she get a say in this? Kiara got to wake up everyday knowing that the water in her house was gonna run and the lights would turn on. Molly shifted up in her chair, feeling the blood rush back to her head

"Ok. Not all of us can afford unlimited data plans, Kiara".

"Yeah, and not all of us are kooks", Molly nodded along.

"We have to pass that off to Lana Grubbs. Otherwise, it's bad karma".

"You know, some of us like to eat, Kie", The Routledge girl passively said.

"Bad Karma to be implicated in a felony, too. We gotta go dark".

"If that means we get to keep the money, then I agree", JJ strolled back over to Molly, leaning a hand on her chair.

"Pogue style baby", Molls put her hand out, JJ smacking it with his own hand.

"I don't agree", John B muttered.

"What? Why?".

"Just think about it. This is Scooter Grubbs we're talking about, right? Same dude that's buying individual cigarettes at the Porthole. Shit, one time I saw this dude begging for change in the Save-A-Lot parking lot because he needed gas. We're talking about a dirtbag marina rat who's never had more than 40 bucks in his pocket, and all of a sudden, he's got a Grady-White? Just saying".

"Wow. Well, that's a lot to unpack. Mostly just because I thought the Save-A-Lot closed for black mold", Molly squinted.

"Alright, so just think about it, Pope. How does a marina rat get a Grady-White?", John questioned. The group now out on the docks, fishing.

"Prostitution", Pope blankly answered.

Molly chuckled and lied her face against the rustic wood post. She clung to the rickety rail while she sat with her feet off the edge. JJ leaned over the fence with his fishing pole loosely in his grip. Every once and a while, he found himself looking down at the unfazed girl, wondering what could be going on in her mind.

"Square groupers, bro. Okay, flying under the radar, no aerial surveillance. They don't do that stuff during a hurricane. What does that mean, JJ?", John B corrected and turned.

"They we're straight smugglin".

"So true", Molly nodded.

"Smugglin. And I guarantee there's a serious amount of contraband in that wreck".

"Hell, yeah. Oop fish on", JJ exclaimed.

"For the record, if that is a smuggling ship with illegal contraband on the inside of it... it probably belongs to someone else", Pope continued, everyone crammed into Johns tiny room.

"Minor details", Kie shrugged.

"They could come looking for it. Taking it would be catastrophically stupid".

With her legs crossed, Molly rubbed her chin and nodded along to Popes wise words. He always had a point. But, she really could use that money. Even if it was gonna bite her in the ass later.

"Ok, Ok. Uhm Or, we keep the money and do what we want with it cause no one but the people in this room, know we have it", Molly pointed out.

The room was quiet for a moment, everyone trying to take into consideration her thought. JJ leaned over and pat Popes knee.

"Right, and stupid things have good outcomes all the time".

100 dollar bills spread out in JJs hand, holding it in front of his face. Molly had never seen so much money in the hands of a pogue, hell she hadn't seen it in real life in general.

"He has a point, Popey".

"All we need to do is figure out a way to get into the cargo hold of that wreck. Until then, we just lay low. Just act normal".

"Right. And how exactly do we do that?", Pope asked.

The pogues and Kiara exchanged looks, all pretty much thinking the same thing. A thought that Molly Routledge actually got excited for. She really hoped, everyone had the same thing in mind.

"Kegger?", Kiara proposed.

"Yes!", The fifteen year old cheered, tackling Pope to the ground.

• • •

▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄
⮑0.4⮐

four, scooter grubbs & keggers . . .
▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄

KEGGERS WERE MOLLYS EXCUSE TO PULL OUT THE BIN OF CLOTHES HER MOTHER HAD LEFT BEHIND FROM WHEN SHE LEFT. Dresses and skirts that the mom could fit into before giving birth to three of Big Johns babies. But now they were just fabric that held the scent of a woman that betrayed her children. Molly's hands traced along the sewn edges of a blue floral dress that she had seen her mother wear in photos. Her dad always said they looked alike but perhaps it was because she was the only girl in the family.

She discarded the sweaty shirt and shorts that left trails of sand in her room and tried her best to freshen up. The dress was a little big on her, nothing a clothespin couldn't fix. She felt pretty, like actually pretty. Not the sort of pretty that you told yourself you were when you were about to go to school and needed confidence, but a real sense of beauty.

"Molls! Do you think this shirt smells clean oh. You look really uh, clean? I mean like good clean, like fresh and bubbly and stuff?", JJ entered her room, stuttering like a fish out of water.

She furrowed her eyebrows, never hearing the blonde struggle with a simple sentence before. John B poked his head in as he rolled on deodorant.

"Is that moms?".

"Yeah, yeah. I can change if it's too weird ".

"No!", JJ shouted.

The Routledge siblings looked at him in confusion. JJ held a panicked look in his eye while he looked back and forth between the two.

"I mean, no cause you never tell a girl she looks bad in a dress. That's like male 101".

He knew that wasn't the right thing to say, he knew it. But the words had left his mouth before he had the chance to think it over in his brain. Molly grew frustrated, feeling that he just said that cause he felt like he had to and not cause he meant it. The girl shoved the two boys out her room and slammed the door in their faces.

"Molls! It looks good, i'm sorry!", John B groaned.

He lied his forehead against the door and closed his eyes. There was nothing worse than pissing off your adolescent younger sister.

"I said the wrong thing didn't I?".

"Yes J, yes you did", John walked away

Later that day, after Molly forgot about JJs crimes against women, the Pogues found themselves at the beach. Setting up for a much needed party that people from all over the island were bound to show up to. John B swiped a red solo cup of beer from his little sisters hands, swiftly passing it over to JJ who chugged it down like water. He liked to act as if he cared about her well being during these kinds of events. But the truth was that once he started having fun, he would forget all about Molly.

People started to crowd the boneyard with hopes of drinking all their problems away. That was the point of a kegger after all. This was around the time when the kooks and the tourons would start mixing with the rest of the pogues, all pushing past their differences to have one night of fun. Molly sat on a log with her legs crossed. The red cup that she refilled with sprite, sat in her hands awkwardly as she watched everyone have fun. Pope was no fun at parties, Kie was too political, JJ was already hammered and John B was too busy being a social butterfly. Leaving the young girl alone.

The only parties that she ever really had fun at, were with Rafe. When she would get to wear the nice clothes that he bought her so she could fit into the kook crowd. The loneliness sank in and Molly started to wonder why she had gotten her hopes up for this. An arm wrapped around her shoulders, startling her as she spilled her soda.

"M'lady", JJ greeted, the smell of cheap beer on his breath.

"Hi", She said back as she wiped the liquid off her dress.

"You're not havin fun, huh?", His words slur

"Mmm, it's ok. I'm just tired".

"Noo. I told John B that you wouldn't like this cause I know that you don't really like the big fuckin crowds and he was like 'Dude she'll be fine' and I was all like 'No dude, she's not gonna have any fun and then she'll resent you later on in life and stuff' but he just didn't listen".

Molly was good at deciphering drunk people and their words. JJ was a rambling drunk, therefore she had a lot to unpack whenever he got slammed.

"What makes you think I don't like big crowds?".

"I don't know. It's not your vibe. I feel it in my soul Molly Pooh", He bopped her nose.

"That's cute. C'mon, you need water ", Molly stood, putting her hand out.

"Ah man, water?", JJ groaned and took her hand.

"Mhm, water".

She dragged him off the log. Kiara always had a hydro flask full of water for moments like this. Despite how irritating she could be, Kie was rather helpful at times. JJ felt his stomach flutter at the fact that Molly Routledge held onto his hand. He looked down at their hands clasped together and smiled. The jinx hit like a train and he felt her hand leave his. Molly crouched, grabbing the water bottle from Kiara's bag.

"Alright Maybank. Drink up".

He reluctantly took it and began to drink. Being sober at parties wasn't exactly his strong suite but for her? Anything.

"I'm gonna puke", He gagged.

Molly took the hydro flask from his hand. JJ cringed at the sour taste in his mouth. Gulping down water while drunk wasn't the smartest idea but it's not like he was a particularly smart guy. Once more, Molly dragged him to an empty log, pushing people out the way and sitting him down. JJ slumped over and squeezed his eyes shut as he waited to vomit. Suddenly, he felt her hand in his back. A comforting hand that made him feel one thousand times better.

"False alarm, false alarm. I'm ok nope", JJ hunched over and hurled.

Sounds of people gasping and ewing echoed but after a second, no one really cared anymore. The Routledge girl kept a steady hand on his back and rubbed back and forth. God knows this wasn't her first rodeo with having to comfort a drunk person.

"You think you got it all out of your system buddy?", She questioned with pity.

"If people say a hot dog is a sandwich then would that make cereal a soup?", He asked back.

"I'm not completely sure how to answer that J".

Wind blew in his face, calming his stomach in some way. Puke wasn't enough to ruin a Maybanks fun. Shaking the hair out of his face, JJ arose quickly. His balance was off but Molly quickly stood with him to help him from falling.

"Yo Pope! Hit me with another!", JJ instructed.

Pope turned from his conversation with a girl that he was bombing. It was obvious that he had blew his chances with this girl after bringing up the bowel movements of a dead body in the first ten minutes of talking. So Pope poured JJ another beer, handing it to him with easy.

"Why thank you, Dr Pope", JJ bowed.

"JJ, you literally just threw up the last three meals you had today. Are you sure you want another?", Molly asked.

"You know what? You're right. John B! I got this for you!".

JJ held the cup out to the oldest Routledge sibling. John jogged over with a grin on his face.

"For me? Yeah, I'll take a sip".

"Oh, wait. Hey, hey. Hey, Sarah. Sarah, can I interest you in a tasty Milwaukee beverage", JJ shouted.

"JJ, you're drunk. Don't", Molly advised.

"It's cool, it's cool. Shhh".

"No, thanks", Sarah declined.

Something about being face to face with the sister of the guy she was secretly hooking up with, was weird?

"Is it not fancy enough for you?".

"No. We were just leaving".

"Hey, you know what? I'll take it. I'll Thank you, man. I appreciate it", Topper interrupted.

"That's nice, but I didn't ask you. Now, if you said pretty please, maybe. But you didn't".

"Oh? Pretty please? Pretty please?".

"Yeah, Sarah. You can have it", JJ held the cup out.

Topper sent a hard shove to JJs hand, sending the beer into both him and Molly's faces.

"She doesn't want it".

JJ immediately pushed Topper and before he knew it, John B and Molly were holding him back like an angry bull.

"No, no, no no, no, no", John B warned.

"You're so funny man ".

"JJ, stop. Guys, maybe you should just go home", Molly turned her head.

"Yeah ok, dirty pogue", Topper spit.

John B sent a harsh shove to the blondes shoulders. If anyone was a "dirty pogue", it was him, not his sister. There was no middle ground in protecting family, John B would do anything for Molly and defending her from a fucking Kook was the least he could do.

"John B! We're supposed to be incognito, remember?", Pope warned.

"Babe, babe, babe, babe ", Sarah pleaded to Topper.

Toppers fist hit John Bs face hard. Mollys hand immediately flew to her mouth in shock as Pope held her forearm to keep her from getting in the middle of everything.

"No!", Molly yelled and felt her body lunge forward to do something.

Pope wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her back. Obviously he didn't want John B to get the shit beat out of him by Topper Fucking Thorton but would a 5 foot, 15 year old really be able to do anything?

"Guys? Guys! Chill!".

Molly watched her brother lie helpless in the sand before Topper sent him into the water with a kick. He was helpless, unable to get up or fight back. And as much as she loved Pope, she hated him for holding her back.

"Hey, John B, don't make me drown you like your old man, all right?", Topper threatened.

John B looked up at Topper in rage. The crowd cheered while Molly begged for this to just stop. But she knew that the second Topper had mentioned their dad, John wouldn't be able to let it go.

"Topper please! Please stop! Please ", The girl cried.

John B pushed himself upwards and tackled the blond to the ground.

"John B, let it go!".

"Stop, you guys!".

The two wrestlers led in the water. Molly was scared, not because she thought John B couldn't handle it, or because Topper seemed to be winning, but because stuck up Kooks like Topper always got their way. What would happen if he were to press charges? What money was she supposed to provide for a lawyer if she didn't even have a parent around to help? They just couldn't afford this type of behavior right now. Especially with DCS up their asses

It wasn't fucking fair. How Molly couldn't do anything.

"Topper! Stop!".

John B pushed the Kook off him, both teens having a second to breath.

"John! Please let's go home! Just stop!", Molly wailed to her brother.

The brother and sister met eyes for moment. Molly knew her brother like the back of her hand. His face said it all. He shook his head before putting his hands up in fists. She already knew he wouldn't let this go, he never could. John B punched Topper, drowning out the sounds of the cheering crowd and his crying sister.

"That's what i'm talking about!", JJ egged the Routledge boy on.

Topper sent a punch back, making Molly cringe at the sound.

"Stop! John b!".

The wrestling resumed and Molly was able to wiggle out of Popes grip. She jumped to help but a cold hand grasped her wrist tightly.

"Stay outta this Pogue, let them dish it out", Kelsey instructed.

"Go fuck yourself!"The girl barked back.

She spit harshly in his face and he wiped it off with the back of his hand. He stepped closer to her with frustration before JJ got in the middle of them both.

"Hey! Don't fucking touch her", JJ warned as he got in Kelsey's face.

"Guys! Can we please stay focused here?", Kie interrupted.

Their attention went back to John B and Topper. The Kook struggled to find his balance in the water while John B shouted for him to get back up.

"Let's go! Come on!", John yelled.

Topper lunged back out the Pogue with ambition to seriously fuck him up.

"Oh my god", Sarah whispered under her breath.

"Come on man", Topper encouraged.

John B tackled him back to the ground but Topper got on top. With both his hands, Topper shoved John Bs head under the salted water.

"Topper, no!", Molly screamed.

"Topper, no! Stop!", Sarah did the same.

Molly turned to JJ, grabbing his arm with all the power in her body. Shaking him roughly, he looked down at her pleading face.

"Do something, JJ. Please", She sobbed.

It was all he needed for a ringing to start in his ears and a sense of pure adrenaline to take over him. Seeing Molly actually scared made him upset. The way John B gasped for air made him furious.

"He's drowning him".

"I know".

"Please JJ. Do something, please", She continued.

"Ok, ok. I got this, ok", JJ hyped himself up, scurrying away.

"What the hell is he doing?", Pope questioned.

Molly shrugged her shoulders and brought her attention back to her drowning brother.

"Topper!".

"Topper, stop!".

JJ ran past the group quickly. Pressing a gun to the back of Toppers head, Molly heard the crowd gasp and her hands went back up to cover her mouth.

"Yeah, you know what that is. Your move broski".

"Come on. Chill, dude!", Pope shouted.

"JJs got a gun!".

"JJ!", Sarah yelled as she cautiously approached them. "Put the gun down!".

"Did you say somethin', princess?".

"We're good. We're good", Topper anxiously spoke, putting his hand up.

"Put the gun down!".

"All right? Come on, man!".

"Molly! Can you check your psycho boyfriend, please?", Sarah snapped to the brunette.

"Can you maybe back the fuck up, whore!", She shouted back.

"Woah! Everyone calms down!", Pope demanded.

"Okay, everyone, listen up! Get the hell off our side of the island!", The gun in JJs hand raised to the sky as he sent two shoots up.

The crowd ran off the beach with shrieks. Kiara shoved JJ harshly, snapping him out of his insanity.

"Are you crazy?".

"Stupid!".

Molly sprinted past the three who shouted at each other and kneeled by her brothers side. The dress her mother once wore was now drenched in beer and ocean water. Her hands met his bloody face, making sure he was ok.

"Hey, hey, it's ok. Everything's ok. You're ok", She reassured.

He was too shocked to speak, and she understood that. Molly pulled him in for a warm embrace as the waves crashed softly over them. John B held onto his sister weakly while he blankly stared into nothing. His ear was pressed against her chest, the beats of her heart slowing down from its fast pace.

"You're gonna jeopardize everything!", Pope lectured.

JJ turned back to the brother and sister with greif in his eyes. Molly was shaking, her arms were secured around John Bs head as she wailed in relief that it was all over.

"Molls...", JJ lingered.

Kiara, Pope and JJ steadily approached the scene. They had never seen Molly so distraught, so vulnerable. Kiara placed a hand on the girls shoulder and she whipped her head around to look at them. Tears streamed down her face and the scarlet red tint of blood stained her dress. Molly shook her head and sniffled once more before turning back to her brother and petting his wet head.

• • •

▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄
⮑0.4⮐

four, scooter grubbs & keggers . . .
▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄▄

MOLLY ROUTLEDGE WAS FUCKING DONE. By the time the Pogues got back, it was already midnight. JJ and Pope carried an unconscious John B to the van and Molly drove home, seeing as she was the only sober one in the group. A certain silence lingered in the car, JJ in the front with Molls, Kie in the back while tending to John b and Pope on the phone with a very angry Heyward.

"I know dad, I just  I know but I promise I'll Dad can you just Dad Dad I know Ok, I will Yeah I'll let her know Ok Ok bye", Pope settled, hanging up the phone.

"So Popes grounded for life", Kiara sighed.

"Well what'd you expect? The only reason he hasn't called the cops is cause he actually enjoys JDs company".

"Is he ok with keeping him over night?", Molly asked, looking at him from the rear view mirror.

"Yeah, he's cool. Told me to tell you and John B that JD said 'goodnight' ", Pope replied.

Molly nodded and continued to watch the dark rode. The silence wasn't awkward nor uncomfortable, just four tired teenagers and a passed out idiot. JJ leaned his head against the cold glass window. He felt bad for what he had done, even if he thought it was the right thing to do.

"Hey Molls?".

"Hmm?".

"Im sorry for what I did back there. It's just that You know, you told me to do something and I just Did something?".

For a moment her eyes left the road and met with his. JJ was truly sorry for what had happened. But not for one second had Molly been mad at him. He had saved John B and that was all that mattered.

"J", She sighed, tilting her head. "You did the right thing. Don't be sorry".

His nerves vanished away and he watched her turn back to the drive way of the Château. Parking the van, Pope and JJ prepared themselves to carry John B and his one hundred and fifty pounds of pure, authentic Pogue. Kiara and Pope exited the vehicle and JJ reached for the handle before Molly quickly put her hand on his arm.

"Thank you, JJ".

"Yeah, of course", He humbly nodded.

Pope let out a groan as him and JJ dropped the Routledge boy on the couch.

"Careful!", Kie exclaimed.

Molly ran her hands over her face with a sigh. Drowsiness fell  over her body and she felt everyone else's sense of tired as well.

"Thanks guys, I'll see you tomorrow", She tried to kindly dismiss her friends.

"Yeah, night Molls".

"Night Molly".

"I'll tell JD you said good night", Pope nodded goodbye.

"Thank you", The chateau door shut.

Fuck, she thought to herself, looking down at her unconscious older brother. Molly kicked the leg of the couch and scrunched her eyebrows to express the overwhelming feeling of frustration. Like Father like son, except this time she wasn't worried about cleaning up puke the next morning. Her head turned to the phone in her hand that vibrated. The screen brightened as the big letter R appeared.

Rafe. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Topper almost killed John B and by no means did Molly want to be in contact with a Kook right now. Her thumb hit the red circle and she went back to looking at her brother. The phone rang once more, making her shake her head. Trailing to the kitchen, she tossed her phone on the counter and grabbed a cup from the dish rack. Turning the faucet on, Molly let the water run into the glass.

Passing her phone which now read 'two missed calls from rafe<3' she heard it ring again. Molly placed the cup of water on the floor next to the couch, knowing John B would thank her tomorrow morning. She jumped at the loud, obnoxious sound of a car horn. Unfolding her arms and racing to the window, she cursed under her breath. Though it was dark and she was getting blinded by the high beams, Molly knew the silhouette of Rafes truck.

"What the fuck", She groaned before quietly exiting her home.

Rafe Cameron angrily got out of his car and slammed the door shut. The two stormed over to each other, both very upset for different reason.

"What the actual fuck, Rafe", Molly attempted to keep quiet.

"What the fuck? You wanna what the fuck me? What the fuck you Molly".

He looked down and pressed his body against her with rage in his eyes. Rafe was always mad about something, whether it was because she didn't wanna party, or she didn't wanna fuck or even if she didn't respond back in .2 second. But he always got his way. Always.

"Shhhh! You'll wake John B! ".

His hands grasped the sides of Mollys shoulders, slamming her against the black truck his daddy brought him. Her head hit the door with a thud and quickly, her hand clutched her brown hair with a gasp.

"I don't care if Ariana fucking grande is here. Don't fucking test me Molly", Rafe gritted his teeth, his face in her face.

Molly felt herself start to shake a little, scared, tired and now in a bit of pain. The roughness of his hands on her arms made her freeze. Shaking her head, a tear fell down her pale skin. Molly closed her eyes and reached out to hug him. Hesitantly, Rafe reciprocated. She clung to him like a teddy bear and a wave of comfort washed over her as he snaked his arms around her body.

"I'm sorry", She cried in his chest. "I'm sorry. I'm just tired and I I cant do it", Molly cried harder. "I cant do it anymore".

He pet the back of her head and stared into the distance. Rafe didn't care about Mollys problems. he didn't care about her missing dad, he didn't care about her brothers He didn't even know her fucking birthday. But he did care about owning her. Knowing that no matter how much he fucked up she would always be the one crying in his arm.

"Hey", He looked down at her, using his thumb to wipe under her eyes. "I heard what happened with Topper and John B".

Molly looked always but he turned her face back to his.

"It's not your fault that your brothers crazy".

Her face fell a little, Rafe once again pulling it up. The pair connected a deep gaze and let the quiet surround them. Her face reached up to his, their lips connecting. The cold hands of the fifteen year old girl traveled to his cheeks as she cupped his jaw. Fights like these sucked, they really did. But at the end of the day, Molly loved him.

Rafe opened the back seat of his car, lifting the girl up by her waist and placing her in the vehicle. She parted their lips and looked warily at the house. Turning around with a steady grip on her thighs, he eyed Mollys home where John B slept and turned his head back in her direction. His eyes pierced into hers and she nodded for him to continue, ending the chaotic day and continuing her biggest secret.

╰─ - ̗̀♡ ✎ ( envy speaks...)

heyyy 💕👀 guys ily pls don't beat me up for my hiatus. IM TRYING TO BE ACTIVE AND WRITE 😩 4844 words bitchessss. ALSO this took me like SEVERAL MONTHS SO PLS PLS PLS COMMENT OR ILL LITERALLY DELTE THE APP AND JUMP INTO CEMENT. NOT CLICKBATE. all peace tho babez xox ❤️