Chapter Text
*note: this chapter includes references to abuse*
Sneakers slapped against asphalt. Ragged breathing echoed through the tunnel as JJ and Cassie sprinted like their lives depended on it.
"Hey!" They heard someone scream from behind them.
"You kids get back here!" They sounded close, but not close enough.
Cassie whipped her head around to gauge the distance between them. Her heart raced. Her lungs burned.
"Keep going Cass!" JJ encouraged, "Don't look back."
Cassie picked up her pace and glanced at JJ. The wild smile plastered on his face contrasted with the look of terror etched on hers. She shook her head – half laughing, half whimpering. The graffiti-covered walls seemed endless.
As soon as they reached the end of the tunnel, Cassie stumbled, unsure where to turn. Before she could react, she felt a hand grab her wrist and tug – her body lurched to her left and next thing she knew she was sitting in a bush, panting hard.
JJ turned to her and motioned for her to stay silent with a finger to his lips. His blue eyes met her amber ones, completely deadpan. He quietly turned back around and peered through the branches while the sound of pounding feet slowed to brisk walking. The figure eventually slowed to a halt, hunching forward with their hands on their knees attempting to catch their breath. They were about 20 feet away, back turned toward the bush JJ and Cassie were hiding behind.
It was the owner from the convenience store they were just in. A burly, middle aged man with shoulder-length dark hair and a thick beard. His beer belly hung out from under a muscle tank that was one size too small. Faded light wash jeans sat too low around his waist with a worn leather belt that was barely doing its job, but still managed to stay intact. The hint of an ass tat peeked just above the belt line.
"Ew." Cassie breathed.
JJ slapped his hand over her mouth.
Cassie pulled back and glared at JJ, but he didn't notice. His gaze stayed glued to their pursuer – smirk deepening as he lazily dropped his arm back over his knee. She studied him for a second. Her best friend since she was 5 years old. His scrawny body was leaned over in a crouched position. An oversized All-American Rejects t-shirt – thrown over baggy, distressed jeans – swallowed his frame. Long, floppy blonde hair fell into his eyes and his worn black high-top converse looked one wild chase away from falling off his feet. She noticed him side-eyeing her, so she diverted her gaze back towards the poor, wheezing old soul.
Once the store owner straightened, he put one hand on his hip, while the other shielded his eyes from the late afternoon sun as he looked around. He walked over to the dumpsters sitting just outside an older building that looked more like a prison and less like a motel. He took a clean sweep and called out once more–
"Wherever you're hiding, count yourselves lucky!" his voice thick with frustration over anger. "Next time I catch you stealing from my store, it's juvie for you punks!"
He kicked a nearby rock and headed back towards the direction they just came from. He quickened his pace – retying the knot from his apron that came loose during his unexpected workout for the day, eventually disappearing back into the tunnel.
When the coast was clear JJ threw his head back and laughed while Cassie fell back into the grass – hands covering her face, uncontrollable giggles escaping her throat. When she finally regained some composure, she sat up half way – leaning into her elbows and staring at JJ with a smile.
"What?" JJ smiled back – tossing his backpack in front of him, shifting to a seated position.
Cassie shook her head, "that was the second time this week and fifth time this month....if we keep doing this we're going to get caught."
JJ waved her off.
"Doubt it, a couple more trips to the bar and donut breaks.." JJ rolled his eyes. "Guy won't stand a chance." He started unzipping his backpack.
"I dunno, J..." Cassie sounded doubtful. "He sounded pretty serious this time." She tilted her head. "Not a big fan of the thought of juvie at the ripe age of 12...are you?"
JJ paused and looked up at Cassie's face – trying to see if she was joking or not.
"Who, Remy?" JJ laughed incredulously. "Dude's a coward. My dad worked for him last summer. Took about twenty no shows, ten "extra long breaks" and three drunk and disorderlies before eventually giving him the boot." JJ shook his head, "He even got one of his employees to do it for him. He won't do shit, Cass. We're good."
Cassie sucked in her cheeks, nodding slowly, not entirely convinced. She shrugged it off anyway and sat up scooching closer.
"Alrighty then. Let's see the goods, Maybank." She grinned, "Whadya get us this time?"
JJ peered up at her and smirked. "Well miss Taylor, let's see." He started emptying the contents of his backpack with too much confidence."Since your distraction was a step up from our last mission," he said, "this time around we have a much better selection, if I do say so myself."
Cassie laughed and reached in front of her, "Capri suns? Siiiickkk." She took a couple sips before reaching over for a twinkie. She sighed sarcastically, "I hate to admit this," She looked at him fighting a grin, he met her gaze with an arched brow. "You have taught me well, master."
JJ snorted, before taking a sip of his own capri sun, stretching his feet out in front of her. "You have done well, my young padawan." She kicked his shoe with hers and rolled her eyes.
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The sun dipped low casting a pink and orange glow across the summer sky. The smell of charcoal, burning wood and grilling food wafted through the breeze, signaling that it was getting close to dinner time. JJ and Cassie were halfway through a box of Mike and Ike's – their usual – and JJ just finished reminiscing on the time he and Cassie got sent to the office in 5th grade after sneaking off to play baseball during recess resulting in a broken school window.
Cassie groaned, pushing herself up and dusting the dirt and grass off her denim shorts. "Do not remind me." She smoothed out her pink baby tee and tied her golden locks up into a high pony tail with the scrunchie from her wrist. Her neck slick with sweat from the summer heat. "That was the most attention my mom has ever given me, it almost made me miss her usual absence." JJ was still stretched out in the grass – watching her with his jaw set. "You deserve better, Cassie."
She shrugged him off and sat back down. "Whatever, you know how it is."
He nodded slowly and looked away. "Yeah. I do."
Cassie cleared her throat, "Speaking of...you don't think your dad will eventually find out. Do you?"
JJ didn't flinch, staring straight ahead while he thought about it.
Then a slow smile spread across his face.
"About what?" his eyebrows raised, "Stolen snackies courtesy of his kleptomaniac kid from his old boss' drug store?" he teased waving his now empty capri sun in the air.
Cassie just stared at him.
He stopped smiling then looked away.
"Nah." he eventually said, waving off a mosquito. "And if he does..." he trailed off, shrugging. "My old man's gotta mean right hook, but it's nothing I can't handle." He sighed. "The bruises might as well be a flippin badge of honor at this point."
Cassie shook her head "J-"
He sat up, cutting her off, "It's getting late." He stretched slightly and started packing up his backpack. He handed her the box with the rest of the Mike and Ike's, as always.
She took it without pressing him further.
He slung his backpack over his shoulder and turned to her smiling like nothing happened. "Same time tomorrow, yeah?"
She smiled back, "Yeah. Always."
He stuck out his pinky. She took it with hers, connecting their thumbs together and kissing it. He did the same.
He turned and started walking away, tossing a "Later, Cassie-girl." over his shoulder.
She waved. "Later, Maybank."
She stood there for a second longer than she needed to, watching him walk down the street deeper into the cut – hands shoved in his pockets, whistling the tune of 'Stand by Me' by Ben E. King like nothing in the world could touch him.
She turned and headed in the opposite direction toward her aunt's house for dinner.
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The next day, JJ didn't show up at their meeting spot like he said he would. It turned out his dad's drug dealer saw the whole convenience store fiasco and narced.
She tried calling him and sneaking to his house to find him, but no such luck. She figured he would come around eventually.
Later that week, Cassie's world turned upside down. To her surprise her mom had been planning a move down south. Her dad got caught cheating again awhile back and apparently her mom was planning this whole thing like a silent assassin move without so much a fair warning to Cassie. The divorce is finalized and her mom's new job starts in two weeks.
"I can't believe you never planned on telling me until now!" Cassie screamed.
"Because I knew you would fight me on this, like you are now." Her mom said evenly.
"I can't leave JJ. Not my best friend. Why can't I live with Aunt Jen?" Cassie was on the verge of tears.
"Because you are my daughter, Cassie. Get in the car." Her mom was getting impatient now.
"Not until I say goodbye to JJ. It's not fair."
"There isn't time! We. are. leaving. NOW."
Cassie threw her hands up in the air. "Unfucking believable."
"Excuse me??" her mother snapped.
"Fuck this!" Cassie tried to walk past her mom, but her mom grabbed her by the wrist and...
SLAP.
This was shocking to Cassie. Her mom was neglectful from time to time, sure. Got drunk and yelled occasionally, sure. But she never got physical with her. Ever.
Cassie's eyes widened. Hand on her cheek where her mother just made impact. The tears threatened to fall, but she didn't dare let them. Not in front of her mom.
"Get in the car." Her mother repeated.
"Fine." Cassie whispered, defeated.
She walked outside, slowly towards her mother's silver 2002 Volvo. She felt like she was in a fever dream.
She slid in the back seat, arms crossed. She wanted to be as far away as possible from the ruthless monster that just changed her life forever.
Her mom shut the door and sat in the front seat for a second before glancing at Cassie in the rearview mirror. She sighed.
"I'm sorry for slapping you Cassie, but you do not speak to me that way." Cassie didn't budge. "This is for your own good."
Cassie glanced over meeting her mother's eyes, jaw tight. "Sure mom. Whatever you say."
As soon as the car started to move Cassie looked out the window towards JJ's house. At the last possible second she saw him sprinting towards her car.
"Mom, stop!" Cassie screamed, but her mom ignored her.
Cassie looked back out the rear window and helplessly watched JJ stop in the road, hands tangled in his hair.
'Yeah. Always'
The promise echoed in her head as the car carried her farther down the road.
The tears she had been fighting finally spilled down her face.
"I'm so fucking sorry, JJ."