JJ

I wake up to see I'm in a room that's not mine. My face hurts and I have a headache. I then feel small arms wrapped around me and see Azi laying on my chest. I pull her closer to me and rest my head back on the pillow.

We kissed.

We fucking kissed.

Holy shit we fucking kissed!

So what, we kissed. Not a big dead. Just kidding, it's a very big dead.

I look back down a Azi and admire her. Her hair is pulled up into a bun. She's has a small smile on her face. She's probably thinking about me.

I look at the clock and see it's 9:32. I slowly remove Azi's head from on my chest and slide off her bed. I grab a pillow and put it where I was laying.

I wrote Azi a note before I hopped on my bike and headed to John B's house.

When I get to his house I see a black car posted right outside his house.

Shit.

A few minutes later I see John B walking up to his house and I run up behind him. He throws a punch at my stomach and tackles me to the ground.

"It's me, JJ. Stop, stop, stop." I whisper yell. He stops hitting me and lets out a deep breath.

"What are you doing?" He yells. I immediately put my hands over his mouth. "Shut up." I whisper. I grab him by the collar and pull him behind some canoes that are stacked up.

"See that. They're watching us." I say pointing at the black car. "Who?" He ask. "I don't know. Let's sneak around to the dock." I say pushing him.

"Wait, wait, wait. You got the keys to the Pogue?" I stoped walking. We were sneaking around the back in the water.

"Yeah." He says and we continue walking.

We made our way to the Pogue and quietly climbed into it. John B started the boat and the house got farther and farther.

"First I almost get strangled to death by Kooks and now I'm on the hook for 30 grand." I go off. We had finally come to a stoping point after ridding for 15 minutes.

"We should just dip." I say. "Okay where do you wanna go?" John B ask.

"Yucatan." I randomly say.

"Yucatan." He laughs.

"No i'm dead serious right now. Surf all day and then we can just live off lobster we catch with our bare hands." I say trying to convince him. "You just wanna leave because you got your ass beat?" He ask.

"You didn't see the photos." I say, thinking back to want Peterskin showed me.

"Think about it. They're willing to kill for the gold then it's gotta be out there JJ." He says. "Have you lost your mind?" I ask yanking my hat off. "One hundred years man. One hundred years people have been trying to find this Royal Merchant, and no one succeeded. And you think you are gonna be the one to find it?"

"I can't give up on the hunt man. I don't care who's out there, who's gonna try and kill us. Do you understand that?" He ask.

I don't answer him and he walks away.

"Look, I've got a plan. You coming or what?" He ask.

Azlie

I wake and feel JJ's not best to me, just a pillow.

I throw the cover off me and walk over to my bathroom. A piece of paper catches my eye and I walk over to my dresser. It was a note.

Went to John B's house. I'll see you tonight at Midsummers. :)

-JJ

I smiled at the note, but then groaned remembering tonight was mid summers. I literally hate Midsummers. What is it even for?

I go to my bathroom and turn on the water. I strip out of my close and step into the tub.

I throw my towel around my body and walk over to my closet filled with dresses. I grab the dress my grams specifically picked out for this occasion.

I decided to do my hair and makeup before putting the dress on. I put my hair in a tight but loose bun. I pull down a strand of hair on both side of my head and poof out the bun a little. For makeup I just put on concealer, mascara, highlight and a little blush.

I then walked over to my dress. I stared at it before putting it on. It was pretty. It was a somewhat shade of pink and was slit for a part of my leg to show.

I slowly pulled the dress on and admired myself in the mirror. I then put on my pink flower crown. Because, you know, summer.

Just second later I heard a slight knock on my door. I walked over to it. When I opened it I say my grandma with wide eyes.

"Oh my darling, you look beautiful!" She said with her hands over her mouth.

"Thank you, grams but look at you." I say. She was wearing a blue dress and flower crown.

I giggle and she does a little spin around.

-

"These people look ridiculous." I say ask I walk up to Pope. He was at the grill, which in my opinion he should be having a good time instead of cooking for everybody.

He lets out a laugh and gives me a hug. "Well don't you look nice." He teases. I just hold my finger to my mouth and pretend to gag.

"Excuse me sir, do we have to shuck these ourselves?" A voice ask. We turn around and see Ki. "Cause it might mess up my costume." She smile. Pope and I laugh and give her a hug.

"You ever seen this many Kooks in one place?" She ask as we stare at the crowd of people in front of us. "Yeah. Last year." Pope answers. "And the year before that?" I add.

"We're in the lions den." She says. "Exactly." Pope and I say in sync.

All of a sudden we hear sudden applause. I turn my head and see that the clapping is for the Cameron's.

Rafe. Ew. Gag.

"Here come Lord Capital and the Exploiters." Ki jokes.

"She's definitely gonna poke someone's eye out with that." Pope says. I look at Rose and immediately burst out laughing at her outfit.

JJ

"Can you believe this Midsummer shit, man?" John B ask as we pull the boat on the sand. I turn around and look at lights and people coming from the building in front of us.

"Of course I can. It happens every year. No matter how screwed up the rest of us are." I say.

"So like what's the plan?" I ask as we walk closer to the building.

"Okay look, I need you to get this to Sarah." He ignores my question. "Ooo can I read it?" I ask opening the paper. "No. You can't read it." He sighs. "Who's Vlad?" I ask. "God, do you ever listen?" He ask annoyed.

"Hold up. Are you mackin' Sarah Cameron?" I ask. "Would you just shut up." He demands. "You're macking Sarah Cameron!" I say a little louder.

"Alright man. I'm doing it for everybody, all right." He says.

It was quite for a second and I hesitate before saying something. "I'm macking Azi." I softly say.

I look at John B and he stops walking.

"What?" He blankly ask.

"Well not really 'macking' but I kissed her, and she kissed me back," I smiled, "And then we cuddled. Then I promised her I would never let her go, and I'm keeping that promise, so before you start with the while 'no Pogue on Pogue macking, fuck that." I confess.

He smiles. "Technically, she IS a KOOK. She just prefers to be a Pogue."

"Thank you, man. Seriously." I smile.

"Our Azi?" He ask.

"Yes." I state.

"Like Azlia Akano, our Azi?" He ask again.

"Dude, can you just stop." I say, my going a little high pitched.

He just laughs.

"So it's cool?" I ask.

"Yeah, man. It's cool." He says.

I put my bag down and pull out a white suit jacket. "I can't believe you're macking Sarah Cameron." I say butting up the jacket. "You know could you just hold still?" He ask frustrated.

I freeze for a second and he puts a tie around my neck.

"So just give that to Sarah? Huh?" I ask.

"Yes just give it to Sarah." He sighs.

"Vlad. Really?" I ask.

"Are you kidding me?" He ask taking the gun out of my bag. "No, i'm not kidding you." I say. "If you get caught, you're going to Jail." He snaps. "Fine, but if I get ambushed, it's on you." I say.

I start walking towards the building and adjust my servers outfit a little.

"I keep finding glasses half way down the beach Do me a favor. Try to keep em collralled, will ya?" I snap at the man standing in front of the building. I was holding a tray and had to cups on it.

I walk in and try to balance the cups on the tray. I sit them down on a table giving up. Just as i'm about to walk to Sarah, some grand my shoulder.

"Hey." They say. I turn around and come face to face with Pope.

"Dude, don't sneak up on me like that right now." I say with my hand over my heart. Pope grabs me by the arm and drags me over to a different spot.

I pulls me into a hug and I let out a loud grunt.

"Woah, unexpected PDA there, Dr. Spock." I say patting Pope on the back. "But, hey love you too man." I say kissing his cheek and then slapping his cheek a couple times.

"I'm sick over all this shit man." He whispers. "You're sick? You don't look sick." I say "I'm sick on the inside." He says in an obvious tone.

"Did Shoupe do that?" He ask signaling to my face.

"Oh this no. This is- It's my dad. You know. Has the right jab. Can really snap it off sometimes." I joke. "That looks like more then a jab, bro." He sighs. "It's nothing that hasn't happened before." I shrug.

"John B and I got it all sorted out. We're gonna be filthy rich man. We're back in the G game baby." I confess. "G game? I thought we lost the gold game." He whispers. "Yeah, well we're in overtime. Fourth and one, baby. Be right back." I say before walking off to Sarah.

I see Sarah and dance my way over to her. She turns around and sees me. "JJ?" She ask. I put my finger over my mouth. "Yep." I say.

"Got a note from Vlad." I dance giving her the paper. "Shh." I say before dancing away.

All of a sudden someone grabs me by the shoulders and turns me around.

Shit.

"I'm wondering if you could get me a mai tai, my friend." Rafe says clamping onto my shoulders. "Yeah, Pogue how about you make that two." Kelce adds.

"Hey guys JJ's gonna serve us some hors d'oeuvres." Rafe says signaling his friends.

"Well here are the hors d'oeuvres. I'll be right back." I say turning around. "We're actually gonna follow you in here just to make sure-." Before he can finish I take off running.

While I'm running I accidentally run into someone and they let out a little squeal. I stop running and look at who it is.

Azlia.

Holy shit, wow.

"JJ?" She asked confused.

"Oh my goodness, wow you look absolutely stunning and I really wanna kiss you right now but I can't because I have to keep running bu-," Before I can continue I hear Rafe's voice yelling my name and I take off running again.

"You look beautiful!" I yell towards Azi before I run into a room into the bathroom.

I try and open every stall but they're all locked.

I walk around a different way and run into Rafe.

"Hey man what are you doing in the locker room?" He teases. I walk the other way and some dude pushes me.

"Wow, that's cute outfit." I say to the guy as Rafe pulls me back by my arms. I just pushed again and I feel someone grip around my neck.

"Hold him still. What do you think. A four iron, right." Rafe says.

"Your face looks really bad. Starting to look like you're dad a lot more." He says bending down to my level. I just spit in his face.

Just as he's about to punch me the lights flicker.

"Gentlemen." Someone calls and the grip around my neck quickly loosens up.

"Is there a problem here." The man ask. "Pardon me, officer. No there's not an issue. I just-, Actually yes. No, there is an issue. We got a criminal trespass in progress here. Beep call it in, right." I say out of breath.

"I'm in violation of all kinds of shit sir, but these young gentlemen caught me sir and they're about to take me away. And that's what you should do. Escort me out of here." I say sticking my hands out for him to take.

The officer grabs me by the arm and pulls me towards the door.

"You're looking spiffy, too. You Powerpuff Girls have fun." I tease.

"Tell Azlia she looks pretty hot for a Pogue!" Rafe yells.

Fuck no.

I force myself out if the officers arms and charge towards Rafe. The officer grabs me by the stomach and pullls me back.

"Hey, stop! Come here! Let's go!" He pulls me out the door.

He forces me out the door.

"Look man I can walk myself." I say removing his hand.

"I really appreciate what you did back there. Let me just walk out by myself." I say as he swings me around.

I see Mr. Dunleavy and take a gulp of it alcohol.

"It's okay everybody! Don't panic! Leave it to the men and women in uniform! Let's here it for the! Rose, you look like Lady Liberty." I yell getting everyone's attention. I look over and see Azi and her grandpa looking at me as I just interrupted their dance.

"Let go of him!" Someone yells. I turn around and see Ki and Azi standing right next to each other. "You can't just boot!" Azi says. "We invited him!" Ki yells. "We're members of this club." She continues.

I turn around and push the guard off me. He falls into a table and I apologize. "Hey, mandatory power hour at Rixon's." I say pointing to Azi and Ki. "Pope you as well all right."

"Woohoo!" John B yells as I walk over to him.

"Colonel." I salute.

"Captain." He salutes.

"Mission accomplished sir." I say.

I turn around and see Azi, Ki and Pope running towards us. I open my arms out and Azi jumps into them.

I wrap my arms around her body, never wanting to let go...but of course I had to so we could walk.

"Later losers!" I yell before we all ran away.

****

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