"Hell of a job melting it down, Dr.Frankenstein." JJ mocked Kie as he looked at the large blob of gold.

"Like you could have done any better." Kie rolled her eyes in disbelief.

"I could have done much better. I took a welding class." JJ said with a knowing look her way.

"When?" Kie asked in disbelief.

"Chill out, okay?" John B spoke as he got between the two.

JJ gave a look toward both Kie and John B, "Easy for you to say that. You're not the one that has to pawn this piece of shit off."

"If any police show, i'm taken em out." Joey leaned against the van, crossing her arms. "Ask John B, I take people out all the time."

"It's true." John B looked at the Pogues again. "Once she tripped a waiter so we could steal onion rings."

"What is with you and onion rings?" Sarah gave a questionable look toward Joey. "I've seen you munching on them so many times."

"Probably because they're better then my existence." Joey nodded, her backwards hat, that was actually Popes that she stole from the front seat, on her head. "You seem more like a fries type of gal."

"Yeah, but the occasional onion rings aren't so bad." Sarah nodded her head casually. John B looked between the pair oddly.

"You both are idiots. Cheese sticks are so much better." Kie rolled her eyes in disbelief.

"You know what, Kie? I choked on a cheese stick once, you were there." Joey looked at her with a raise of her eyebrows. "That's probably why you like them so much."

"It is. It really is." Kie nodded with a hum. "I purposely scared you so you'd choke too."

"I figured." Joey hummed, Sarah laughed.

"Can we get this show on the road or.." JJ trialed off with a raise of his eyebrows. "Or would you three rather have a little girl party?"

"Don't let anyone bust up in there." John B nodded at Joey, shoving the keys in his pocket. Joey nodded her head, standing by the van as the five walked into the pawn shop. It was in the middle of a shopping center, a nail salon across it, a large market on the corner. She should have known that this wasn't gonna go easy, she should have known that nothing was easy.

"Josephine." a all too familiar voice rung, her head turning. Topper gave her an eye brow raise. "Getting your nails done?"

She blinked, looking at his car, parked infront of the market. She gave an odd look. "What are you doing on this side?"

"Needed groceries for tonight but Home Goods is having a bake sale." Topper shrugged his shoulders, a bright red polo shirt on his shoulders. "What are you doing here?"

Her eyes darted toward the Pawn Shop, if Topper looked over, he'd get a clear view of John B and Sarah on the inside. She walked his way, nodding toward the marker. "Needed to pick up some new planting seeds for Mr Mooney, wanna come in with me?"

She wasn't sure if she did it to protect her friends and the gold or to spare his feelings from seeing John B and Sarah together.

"I never see anyone but you in the shop." Topper spoke as the pair walked in together. He stood out like a sore thumb in his nice shoes and polo shirt, but no one seemed to give a shit. Joey grabbed the basket, letting him push it as they walked side by side.

"He's older, spends a lot of time traveling." Joey nodded her head, speaking of Mr Mooney. "Now he just pays me double for working there. He says I can hire people but I like being alone."

"Yeah, I caught on." he nodded, grabbing a bag of carrots and tossing them into the cart. "You ran off pretty early this morning."

"I didn't mean to fall asleep in your guest bedroom." Joey snorted slightly as she stood up a little straighter. "I was gonna tell you I was heading out but I couldn't find you."

"Kelce wanted me to go fishing, he likes going really early." Topper inhaled with a tired look. "It was still pretty early when I got back, I figured you'd still be out."

"Early riser." Joey shrugged her shoulders, watching him grab a few things of noodles. "What are you making?"

"Planning on making spaghetti with a side of vegetables, but i'm definitely gonna mess it up." his blonde hair looked even brighter under the lights of the store. "So, i'm getting porks chops just in case."

"Pork shops are better then spaghetti anyways." Joey shrugged, picking out a seasoning from the shelf. "Give it a little of this and you're set."

"What is this?" Topper looked at it oddly. "Seems spicy."

"It is, that's why you use just a little." Joey laughed as his face slightly. "Mixed with Italian sauce and garlic, you're gonna fall in love."

"I'll try." Topper took it from her hands, putting it in the cart and pushing it along. "Do you think I should get canned spinach or the leafy kind?"

"What are you gonna be use it for?" Joey gave a questionable look.

"Side salad." he nodded.

Joey snorted. "Not the canned, you fool. It'll just be soggy and gross then."

"So, the leafy?" he helped it up, Joey caught it before he could throw it into the cart. "No?"

"Come." she encouraged, Topper following her as they reached the end of the salad section. Joey grabbed a large bag, facing him. "This one has three different lettuces and spinach. You're gonna want that one."

Topper caught it when she threw it at him, placing it in the front. "Didn't know you were the cooking type."

"I'm not." Joey shook her head, the two walking down one of the isles. "My mom was, she was really good at it too. She'd do all these little dinners every Sunday night and make all kinds of stuff. My entire family would come and it was just nice."

"Does she still do it?" Topper asked, clueless.

"She died a few years ago." the taller girl nodded her head, seeing his head whip her way with wide eyes. "She caught a really bad disease but didn't realize she had it until it was too late. The doctors did what they could but, you know, shit happens."

"Jesus, sorry." he gave a blink, grabbing croutons. "So you live with your dad now? Is that why you moved here?"

"My mom and uncle lived here when they were younger. I never knew my dad, everyone say he was an asshole and didn't want another kid. I live with my uncle." Joey nodded her head, throwing him a pack of cheese. "We came to visit for a summer, see my grandparents, and then he got a job offer a few months after we left."

"Where'd you live before here?" Topper asked her, following her toward the plant section.

"Delaware." Joey flashed a minor grin. "Completely different atmosphere."

"My mom travels there for work sometimes." Topper nodded his head. "She says it's small."

"It's very small." she nodded in agreement. "But I liked it. A lot of historical landmarks."

They stopped, and Joey grabbed two seed packs. She hoped that the van was gone by now, regrouping with the Pogues whenever she could. Topper would definitely see them all together and know something was up. "Think you got everything?"

"Yeah, seems like it." Topper nodded his head, checking the basket that had seemed more full then it was. "It's just me, Kelce, and Lonny so."

"Who's Lonny?" Joey gave an odd look.

"Some guy Kelce has been talking to." the blonde shrugged as they headed toward check out. "Must be serious though, he never wants me or Rafe to meet anyone."

"Rafes not going?" she looked his way, getting a shake of his head. "That's sweet that he wants you to meet Lonny. My uncle hasn't introduced me to his boyfriend yet."

"Kelce thinks you're mean but in a good way." Topper looked over at her with a minor laugh. "He told me that this morning."

"Kelce was talking about me?" Joey looked oddly his way.

"I told him that you passed out at my house last night and he was all like "The pogue chick that hates the world?" and I was like "Yup, that her." and then he just starting saying that you're mean but since you've never said anything to him, in a good way." Topped rambled on, looking over as Joey laughed. "He's a weird dude."

"He seem like a weird dude." Joey agreed, helping him take out the groceries at the check out. Topper grabbed her seed packets, throwing them with the rest of the groceries. "I sometimes forget i'm suppose to hate you."

Topper nodded. "You still hate me."

"But in a good way." Joey mocked Kelce, making Topper laugh as he pulled out his wallet.

"Oh, my fiancé went to that tournament." the cashier looked at Joeys golfing shirt. Topper didn't realize she was still wearing the tee he gave her last last. "Did you compete?"

Joey looked to Topper. "He did."

"He said that it was really competitive." the cashier went on, scanning their items.

"It was, and close." Topper nodded his head in agreement. "We got second, though."

We, meaning him and one of his friends.

"That sweet you two did it together." she smiled at the pair, looking at Joey. "Be grateful. My boyfriend doesn't even like me on the course with him."

Joey hide her laugh, wrapping her arm around Toppers, laying her head on his shoulder. It took him off guard, looking over with wide eyes. "Sounds like you need a better boyfriend. We go golfing together all the time. The country club is always like 'There goes Tyler and Jannette golfing again' and we're just like 'Yeah, let's share a virgin piña colada'. We always go on our golf cart too. It's green."

It was Toppers turn to hold back a laugh. "So many piña coladas."

"That's so sweet of you guys." she gushed, letting Topper scan his card before passing the recite their way. "Have a nice day."

"You too." they said on sync, walking away. When they were out of ears link, they both began to laugh. "That was so stupid."

"Tyler and Jannette?" Topper asked in disbelief, still laughing as they walked outside. "Those are the oldest names i've ever heard."

"It was the first thing that came to mind." Joey shook her head, looking to the right and seeing the Twinkie still sat there. Her hopes it would be gone had fallen.

"Look, I can clearly see you're here with John B. Weather Sarah's here too or-" Topper began but was cut off.

"She isn't. Non of the pogues are. John B and I were just gonna pawn one of my uncles watches off." Joey made the excuse quickly, hide the golds secret. "Kie and Sarah said something about shopping over in Charleston for the day."

"So, you're just hanging out with John B?" Topper gave an odd look. "Why?"

Joey shrugged. "We're still friends."

She was praying to any God that was listening that they wouldn't walk out of the Pawn Shop before he left.

"Why don't you just come hang out at my house again?" he suggested quickly with a nod of his head. "You don't wanna hang out with that asshole."

"He's not an asshole." Joey found herself defending him, even though he was an asshole, though not nearly as much of an asshole as the blonde infront of her. "Your Kooks friends don't want me crashing the dinner party, believe me."

"It's just Kelce and his Touron boyfriend." Topper shook his head. "We can try out one of those virgin peña coladas Tyler and Jannette like."

It made her smile slightly, looking back at the twinkie. In reality, it would be smart to get Topper out of here as soon as possible before he saw anything, suspected they were hiding something. And it was clear he wasn't leaving any time soon unless she agreed. "Give me a second."

He began to load the car as Joey hurried toward the Twinkie. She use to do this all the time, knowing John B would know it was her after how many lipstick stains were on all the mirrors in his house. Pulling the rose shade from her pocket, she wrote on the window.

Someone got in the way. Have to distract them. Regroup at Mooneys tonight at nine.

•

kylie speaks

i think i'm gonna hit
y'all with a double
update bc double date
next chapter is gonna be
cute asf.