https : *⋆❝ sadiesinkhergf ! ❞
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🪷 . . . chapter twenty one
┈➤ 𝗚𝗟𝗢𝗥𝗬 𝗕𝗢𝗫,  jj maybank
❦༄

🪷 chapter twenty one !
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THE SILENCE IN THE TWINKIE was stifling, jj's foot heavy on the gas as the van barreled down the road, his simmering anger infecting everyone inside. valentina stared down at her lap, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her shirt. she could feel their eyes on her- glances laced with confusion, maybe even suspicion. barry's cryptic words still hung in the air, and her impulsive move with the gun had left questions she didn't know the answers to.

her chest tightened, but she couldn't look up. embarrassment burned hot under her skin, and nerves coiled tight in her stomach.

when the scenery outside began to shift, her head snapped up. her heart dropped as she recognized the road they were on, the familiar overgrown brush and rusted mailboxes lining the path, and her pulse quickened.

no, no, no, no.

she swallowed hard as the realization hit her like a punch to the gut. jj was driving them to barry's. her mouth opened instinctively to protest, but she caught herself, the words dying in her throat. saying something now would only make it worse. instead, she pressed her lips together and shook her head slightly, hoping no one noticed.

"welcome to crackhead wasteland." sarah spoke dryly, her tone sharp enough to cut through the tension. she leaned back in her seat, arms crossed tightly over her chest, while pope looked out the window, his brows knit with uncertainty.

"i don't know about this, man." pope muttered under his breath.

jj said nothing, his jaw locked as he stared straight ahead. he didn't stop until they were directly in front of barry's trailer, the engine rumbling as he shifted into park.

"dude, why are we at barry's?" john b asked, his voice tinged with both confusion and concern.

"this'll only take a second." the blonde muttered, unbuckling his seatbelt with quick, deliberate movements.

valentina groaned softly, leaning forward to tap john b on the shoulder. her eyes were wide with urgency, silently pleading with him to stop jj before he did something unbelievably stupid.

"where are you going?" john b called out as jj opened the door and hopped out.

"yo soy justicia." he replied, throwing the words over his shoulder with an exaggerated flourish.

valentina slapped a hand to her forehead, letting out a frustrated breath. "oh my god." she mumbled.

"did you glean anything from that?" pope asked, glancing at her with a small, incredulous smile.

"i think he was trying to say he's getting justice, but um..." she trailed off, her voice flat, and pope snorted quietly, but whatever humor they found in the moment dissipated as sarah sat up straight with a sharp inhale.

"you know, someone should probably-"

"we'll go," valentina cut her off, her tone firm. she offered sarah a tight smile before patting john b's arm. "c'mon, b. let's make sure he doesn't burn the place down."

john b groaned but slid out of the van, slinging an arm around valentina's shoulders as they made their way to the door. "he's so fucking stupid." he muttered under his breath.

"you're telling me." she replied, her voice laced with frustration but softened by a faint trace of worry.

the second they stepped inside, she froze. her breath hitched, and she had to bite back a gasp. the trailer was a wreck- more so than usual. beer cans and empty bottles littered every surface, a stale stench of sweat, cigarettes, and something unidentifiable filling the air. the furniture looked like it hadn't been touched, let alone cleaned, in months.

it hit her all at once, a wave of memories that felt like they belonged to another lifetime. she used to come here all the time, back when her life felt like it was crumbling, and barry had been... well, not a savior, but a means to an end. she'd kept the place tidy back then, a silent thank-you for the free supplies he gave her. now, standing here, it was like seeing a reflection of how far things had spiraled.

"jesus christ," john b muttered beside her, his nose scrunching as he glanced around. "this looks worse than the chateau."

"meh, hard to top that." she joked, but her voice was tight as she stepped over a pile of trash, her eyes scanning the room for jj. her stomach churned at the sight of what the place had become, and she couldn't shake the thought that maybe, in some way, if she would've stayed-

"yeah, so what's your plan, slick?" john b cut her thought off, his voice sharp with concern as he watched jj rummage through barry's drawers, pulling out random objects and tossing them carelessly onto the floor. the clutter only added to the chaos, and valentina's patience snapped.

"jj, stop making a mess!" she scolded, shoving him lightly to the side before crouching down to pick up the discarded items. she muttered under her breath, shoving things back into the drawers. jj paused for a moment, his gaze flickering to her, but he quickly resumed his frantic search.

without looking up, he finally answered john b's question. "well, as thou hath stealeth from us, we shall stealeth from ye," he gritted through his teeth, his tone dripping with determination.

the other two exchanged a look, their exasperation palpable.

"yeah, that kinda got lost in translation, buddy," the brunette boy said with a huff, folding his arms, and jj turned to him, rolling his eyes dramatically.

"an eye for an eye, john b."

valentina's lips parted, shock written all over her face. "are you serious right now?" she asked, but jj didn't acknowledge her, so john b stepped forward, gripping the boy's shoulders firmly, desperation creeping into his voice.

"yeah, that's great, jj. but what happens after you rob a drug dealer, huh?" jj's jaw tightened, his expression hardening as he shrugged off john b's hands. "he knows who we are!" the boy continued, gesturing wildly.

"i'm not scared of this guy." jj scoffed, his tone almost daring someone to challenge him before walking off. with a shake of her head, valentina hurried after him as he moved toward the back of the house, her steps quick and purposeful.

"you should be scared, jj." she tried again, stepping closer and placing a hand on his shoulder as he yanked blankets from the closet. her touch made him whip around, his movements sharp and furious, and she instinctively flinched.

"oh, should i?" he snapped, his voice raised as he leaned into her space. his anger was palpable, but she didn't back down, instead straightening her shoulders as her own frustration boiled over.

"yes!" she shouted back, jabbing a finger into his chest. "do you even realize how insane you sound? stealing from a fucking drug dealer?"

his jaw tightened as he stared at her, the muscles in his face twitching. he didn't answer, his eyes darting to the side as he poked the inside of his cheek with his tongue, letting out a low scoff.

"and on top of that," she continued, her words spilling out before she could think them through, "i know him, he will fuck up your life!"

his eyes snapped back to hers, his expression twisting with disbelief and anger. "oh, so you know him now?" he asked, his laugh dry and bitter as he threw his head back, nodding to himself. "of course, how stupid of me- seemed like you two had a lot of history."

"i- no, i don't mean it like that-" valentina stammered, her voice breaking slightly as she shook her head in disbelief. "how the fuck is this even relevant right now?"

"because hanging around drug dealers isn't normal fucking behavior!" he fired back, his voice raised and raw, and valentina blinked in surprise, letting his words sink in before her face hardened.

the girl folded her arms tightly over her chest, letting out a sharp, humorless laugh. "oh, and what you're doing right now is?" she shot back, gesturing wildly around the room. "hypocrite."

jj didn't respond immediately, his jaw clenched as he shoved past her to dig through another closet. the tension between them was thick, the air practically buzzing with unspoken frustrations. suddenly, his eyes lit up as he yanked out a bag, unzipping it to reveal stacks of cash inside, and he smirked.

"there we go."

"you're being impulsive right now, and it's making you look really fucking stupid." valentina hissed, reaching out to grab his arm and stop him. her grip was firm, her gaze burning into his, but he didn't immediately pull away.

instead, he froze for a moment before letting out a sharp laugh, stepping closer to her and pointing a finger directly in her face. "you know what, valentina?" he started, his voice low and mocking. "maybe you should stick with barry, because you'll come crawling right back to him anyway, right, pretty girl?" he mimicked barry's words with a sneer, the venom in his tone slicing through her.

her breath hitched as her face crumpled momentarily, a shameful expression on her face. "don't turn this to me." she snapped, swatting his finger away from her face. her voice was quiet but filled with warning. "and it's none of your fucking business."

"oh, i see." he clicked his tongue, his tone laced with accusation as he raised an eyebrow. "y'all fucked?"

"what the fuck, jj?" she shrieked, her face twisting in disbelief. "are you fucking kidding me?"

"no, i'm not fucking kidding," he snapped, his voice rising again. "it's a simple question. yes or no?"

"no!" she yelled back, her exhaustion showing in her voice. "what's the matter with you?"

"nothing." he shrugged, though his tone said otherwise. his eyes bore into hers, frustration and something deeper swirling within them. he was so focused on her that he didn't notice john b step into the room until the other boy placed a firm hand on his chest, gently pushing him back while moving valentina behind him.

"hey, hey, hey, leave her alone, man," he interjected, and valentina's heart swelled in relief at the sight of him sticking up for her. "what's your problem?"

"me? i don't have a problem," jj muttered, turning away as he began stuffing the cash haphazardly back into the bag. she let out a dry laugh, her lips curling in disbelief as she shook her head and shot one last glare at him. "ask the kook here."

valentina's heart shattered at his words,the sharpness of them cutting through her like glass.

a kook. a fucking kook.

the term itself wasn't inherently offensive to her- she had long stopped caring about the division between kooks and pogues. but it wasn't what he said that hurt. it was how he said it. the disgust in jj's voice cut deeper than she thought it would.

is that all i am to him? the thought bubbled up unbidden, making her feel small and exposed. just another bitchy kook, no better than the rest? she knew jj had a tendency to lash out when he was angry, to weaponize his words when he felt cornered, pope had told her this before the two were even speaking. but no matter how much she tried to rationalize it, she couldn't shake the sting. it wasn't just a careless insult; it was a reminder of the walls that still stood between them.

she inhaled sharply, her chest tightening as she met jj's fiery gaze. she heard john b jump to her defense, but the words blurred in her ears. she clenched her jaw, forcing herself to stay composed even as her emotions bubbled dangerously close to the surface.

her next words formed on the edge of her tongue, and she knew they were going to be childish- petty, even. but right now, she didn't care. she was hurt, and if jj wanted to see her as nothing more than some kook, then maybe she'd lean into it, just to spite him.

"you know what?" she hissed, her voice low but biting. "do whatever you fucking want, pogue. i don't care."

jj's expression faltered, her words clearly catching him off guard, and guilt flickered across his face, but she didn't give him the space to process it.

"just don't be surprised when barry pulls up with a knife pressed against your throat." she continued flatly, shrugging as though she was already over it, before she glanced at john b with a small, appreciative smile. "i'm going back to the others."

neither boy said a word as she walked out. john b gave her a tight nod, his frown deepening as his gaze shifted back to jj, who stood frozen, guilt flickering in his eyes.

valentina hadn't mentioned jj's reckless plan to the group, her anger at him simmering too hot for her to speak. instead, she stormed past them all, muttering curses under her breath as she climbed into the twinkie.

"all right, so we're looking at five grand each," jj began as he approached kiara and pope, stopping in front of them with a calm expression. his voice was light, but the tightness in his jaw betrayed him. "for reparations, for putting us through that bullshit. sorry about that, y'all."

"so that's what we're doing now?" kiara's voice cracked, her face etched with disbelief. "we're robbing drug dealers?"

"this barry guy is gonna find out," sarah interjected, her frown deepening as she eyed the bag in jj's hand. she glanced at kiara, her concern evident. "and he's going to come after us."

"yes he will," pope added, pointing an accusatory finger at jj. "this is not the time to start wilin' out."

valentina, who had been listening silently from her spot in the twinkie, finally stepped out. she marched over to sarah, reaching for her hand instinctively. the blonde gave her a small, reassuring smile, though valentina could see the worry written all over her face. she knew sarah had questions- and she couldn't blame her.

"how'd you like having a gun pulled on you?" jj snapped suddenly, his sharp words directed at john b but lingering on valentina as his gaze shifted to her. "you looked like a ghost after you almost shot him."

she flinched, nervously biting her lip but saying nothing. she hated how right he was, but what was she supposed to say to that?

"chill," john b tried to mediate, his voice tense but steady as he attempted to calm jj down.

but the boy ignored him, his voice rising. "he had it right here on you, bro." his hand shot up, gesturing to his head.

"look," john b snapped, stepping closer and locking eyes with jj. his patience was wearing thin, and everyone could feel it. "we've gotta go get the gold, okay? just give me that shit."

john b lunged to snatch the bag, but jj was quicker, shoving him back against the van with enough force to make the twinkie rattle.

"should we...?" valentina whispered hesitantly, her voice breaking the tense silence. but no one even glanced her way, their eyes glued to the standoff before them.

"you feel like a tough guy, huh?" john b scoffed, almost laughing despite the tension. "what are you gonna do, when he comes for us."

"we punch 'em in the throat." jj spat back without missing a beat, his anger brimming over.

"oh my god." valentina muttered, slapping a hand against her forehead.

"yeah, good fuckin' idea, jj." john b sneered, his sarcasm cutting through the air like a knife. jj didn't flinch, shaking his head as he clutched the bag tighter.

"i'm not putting it back." he merely declared, his voice firm. he stepped into the twinkie, waiting, his chest rising and falling with sharp breaths. the others just stared at him, none of them making a move to follow.

"you guys getting in or what?" he shouted, stepping back out of the van when no one joined him. "what?"

"we're sick of your shit." john b scoffed, his voice heavy with frustration.

valentina's heart sank as she saw jj's face fall. for a brief moment, his walls cracked, and she could see the hurt flicker in his eyes before he covered it up with a scoff.

"oh, my shit?" he laughed bitterly, his tone dripping with disbelief, and kiara rolled her eyes.

"yeah, yeah, your shit." john b shot back, anger rising.

"yes, your pulling guns on people shit." kiara chimed in, and jj scoffed loudly.

"and nobody's saying that about valentina, huh?" jj hissed, his eyes darting to her. "the princess can do no wrong, right?"

valentina froze, biting her lip. she wanted to defend herself, to stop him from dragging her into this, but the words caught in her throat.

she didn't know where his anger toward her came from, but it hurt more than she wanted to admit. she'd grown used to people resenting her for simply existing- for having a name, for a life they assumed was perfect. it was a lesson she had learned young: people would never be satisfied, and she'd built walls around her heart because of it. their bitterness usually rolled off her like water, never leaving a lasting mark.

but she couldn't shake jj's bitterness off, because he wasn't just someone to her.

"because she saved our asses back there." pope was quick to step to her defense, speaking up so she didn't have to.

"oh, so i didn't save john b's ass back at the boneyard?" jj retorted, his voice shaking with rage.

"you're acting like a maniac!"

"okay, you know what, pope?" jj's voice cracked as he stopped the back-and-forth, throwing his hand toward pope with frustration. "i took the fall for you, man. do you know how much money i owe because of you?"

valentina's stomach dropped as his words hit her. she had almost forgotten about topper's boat, about what jj had done for pope, and guilt clawed at her chest. his outburst suddenly made perfect sense, it wasn't just random anger- it was a breaking point, and instead of being patient with him, she had yelled, adding to the weight already crushing him.

"i'm gonna pay you back!" pope shot back, his voice rising, though there was a tinge of desperation beneath his anger. "and i didn't even ask you to do that!"

"i just did!" the blonde's words were sharp, cutting through the tension like a blade. he stepped closer, his eyes glassy as they bore into pope's. "pay it back, right here, right now, by myself."

pope's face fell, his wide eyes filled with sadness and guilt. he opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out. jj bit his lip, the rawness of his emotions bubbling to the surface as he glanced toward valentina.

her heart twisted painfully when their eyes met. she stood frozen, her sorrowful expression mirroring the regret in her chest. she wanted to say something, anything, to ease the storm inside him, but the words just wouldn't come.

"you know what? that's exactly what i'm gonna do," jj muttered, his voice low and resolute. without another glance at the group, he turned and strode to the van, yanking the money out with a clenched jaw. "go off by myself."

"jj-" pope called after him, his voice breaking, but john b stepped forward, placing a firm hand on his shoulder.

"hey, wait, man."

"just... let him go." kiara said, her voice laced with defeat. the group watched in silence as jj's figure retreated into the woods, the bag of cash clutched tightly in his hand.

valentina's gaze followed him until he disappeared from sight, her heart tugging painfully in her chest. she wanted to run after him so badly, to grab his arm and tell him he didn't have to carry this burden alone, but her feet stayed rooted to the ground. was it her place? did he even want her there?

the others knew jj better than she did, she reasoned. if they thought it was best to give him space, then maybe she had to trust that. but it didn't make her feel any less helpless.

"fuck."

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valentina sat at one of the tables at the wreck, her fingers tracing absent-minded patterns on the wood as her friends' voices ebbed and flowed around her.

she stayed quiet, trying to focus on the conversation, but her thoughts kept drifting. the warmth of sarah's gaze on her didn't go unnoticed either, but she couldn't bring herself to meet her best friend's eyes. instead, her attention lingered on john b, who was doing his best to break the tense, somber atmosphere.

"look," he began, his tone even but not quite optimistic. "he'll come around, alright? it's... he's doing a jj thing."

"you think he'll go home?" kiara asked, her voice tinged with worry as slouched back in her seat,

the idea of jj going back to that house, to the chaos and hurt valentina knew existed there, sent an icy shiver up her spine. she exhaled shakily, but before she could dwell on the thought, pope's voice cut through.

"there's about a zero percent chance jj goes home." he muttered from where he stood, leaning against the window with his arms crossed. his words hung heavy in the air, a truth none of them wanted to acknowledge, and for a moment, silence settled over the group.

the quiet broke when john b shifted his focus to sarah, asking gently, "you okay?"

sarah gave him a soft, reassuring smile, and the way they looked at each other- like the rest of the world didn't exist- made valentina smile softly, she was grateful. at least sarah had found her anchor.

but her smile faded as soon at it came.

she couldn't help but feel a deep, gnawing sense of unfairness on jj's behalf. sure, his actions were reckless- downright stupid, even- and his way of handling his emotions left much to be desired. but it felt like everyone, herself included, was brushing it off, like they weren't giving the situation the weight it deserved. it seemed like the people he cared about most- the people he'd do anything for- were barely scratching the surface of what he was going through.

she hated how easy it had been to yell at him, to feed into the very thing that was breaking him.

pope sighed, pushing himself off the wall and walking toward the table with renewed determination. "okay," he started, his tone firm as he began pacing. "it's too dangerous to pawn this thing off piecemeal."

valentina tried to blink away her spiraling thoughts, forcing herself to focus on pope as he launched into a detailed explanation of his plan.

"so our best bet," he continued, "is to go down there and get the rest of it. bring it all up at once. put it in a safe or a vault or something, i- i don't know. just until we can find someone who won't rip us off, okay?" he paused, glancing at each of them. "i can figure it out tonight, get it done, and we can head out tomorrow morning."

"all right, let's do it." john b murmured, nodding, but sarah was quick to interject, glancing at him with concern.

"what about that thing with our dads?" she asked, and the question hit valentina like a slap. her head shot up, her brows furrowing as she processed the words.

"what?" she asked, her voice horse from not using it.

"shit." john b muttered under his breath, grimacing.

"what thing?" valentina and pope asked simultaneously, and john b's hesitance only made the girl's curiosity grow.

"i... have to go fishing with ward and louis." john b admitted, his tone reluctant.

"are you fucking kidding me?" valentina groaned, leaning back in her chair with an exasperated shake of her head. the mention of her father ignited a mix of frustration and dread that churned in her stomach. of course, louis archibald would find a way to insert himself into everything.

was this his plan all along? to take john b under his wing just to fuck his life up again?

"you can't get four hundred mill 'cause you're gonna go kill fish?" kiara scoffed, disbelief lacing her voice. valentina nodded in silent agreement, but john b merely sighed.

"look, i have to go-"

"blow it off!" pope urged. "it's four hundred million in gold!"

"make something up!" kiara added, her voice insistent.

john b ran a hand through his hair, guilt etched into his face as he defended himself. "i have to, okay? your dad-" he glanced at valentina, hesitant. "he saved me, alright? if it weren't for louis, i'd be in foster care right now."

"fuck, b, listen," valentina breathed, her voice trembling as she leaned toward him. "i don't know if my dad has the best intentions right now, okay?"

her words made everyone pause, their eyes locked on her at the vulnerability in her tone. the quiver in her voice wasn't subtle, and it made john b hesitate, glancing between her and sarah.

eventually, he sighed, his expression softening. "i can handle him," he said, offering a half-hearted smile. "i'm a big guy."

"john b, i'm serious," she pressed, but he cut her off with a playful grin.

"it'll be better to do it at night anyway," he added, his tone lighter. "and ward will be with us."

valentina frowned, clearly unconvinced. "i just want you to be... safe or whatever." she muttered, her cheeks flushing as the group chuckled at her awkward attempt to express concern.

"ahw, so you do care?" john b teased, his grin widening as he nudged sarah with his elbow. "i think she finally likes me."

"yeah, yeah, whatever," she replied, rolling her eyes but unable to hide her small smile. "just be back as soon as you can. your friends need you."

"yeah, we need you." kiara echoed, shooting him a pointed look, and john b sighed but smiled, glancing around at the group.

"tomorrow night, then?"

pope and kiara exchanged a hesitant glance before pope dropped his head in resignation.

"fine, fine. go fishing."

"and who knows," valentina muttered, her voice soft but tinged with hope. "maybe jj will be washed up by then."

kiara nodded in agreement, and john b gave them a small smile, the weight of the conversation lifting just slightly.

"alright," he said, standing. "that's settled."

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🪷 . . . MAISSA !
hi angelsssss

i don't like the way this turned out at all & i was dreading finishing it BUT finally this chap is over ugh

valentina is becoming toooo corny but don't worry... mother!val will be back soon❤️

i love dramatizing everything so please don't mind the long ass paragraphs

i love you alllllll❤️❤️