𝕎𝕙𝕒𝕥𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣 𝕀𝕥 𝕋𝕒𝕜𝕖𝕤¹|JJ MAYBANK

1.35 The Argument

"What now? We just go up to the front door and ask, "Hey, have you seen John B?"" JJ asked the group.

"Look, he lives at Tanny Hill now. It's plausible." Esperanza said gazing off towards the house.

"Look, we can play dumb." Kie added.

"Play dumb?" JJ questioned Kie as he stared at Esperanza.

"It's pretty late." Pope added agreeing with JJ.

"Look, I've never seen John B like that. We should honestly be going to the cops." Kie told the group.

"We're worried about our friend because he's o na rampage because Ward Cameron killed Big John and Alex Mendoza?" JJ asked her.

"Like they're gonna believe us!" Esperanza muttered.

"Hey I see ward." Pope informed the group, Esperanza snatched the binoculars to look at him, "Doesn't look dead to me. Let's go home." he added on. Esperanza moving the binoculars to look at Pope in shock.

"Wait, What?" JJ asked Pope with a raised eyebrow.

"Uh... Okay. Obviously, Mr. Cameron is fine, and even if John B was here, he isn't now, okay. Plus, I have the biggest, most important moment of my life in six hours." Pope told the group.

"Okay well our friend is in trouble." Esperanza said taking a step towards him. Pope taking a step back.

"I'm in trouble. Guys, I haven't been home in three days. My dad's probably put all my shit on the street by now." Pope said.

"Okay, so that's it? In a time of need, you're just gonna bail? You're just gonna walk away? Pope my dad was murdered and the man who did it is right up there in that house. Don't think that I wanna be here. But John B is in trouble!" Esperanza yelled at him.

"Hey, I have a scholarship interview in the morning. I can't" Pope yelled back at her.

"Okay, yo, guys, can we not do this right now?" JJ said running a hand through his hair as he and Kiara watched them argue.

"Okay, well, what about John B?" Kiara yelled at him ignoring JJ's comment and finally getting in the conversation.

"Why is it always about John B or JJ?" Pope yelled turning between the two.

"It's not always about John B or JJ!" Kiara defended.

"You're so stupid. It would be any of you in this situation." Esperanza screamed at him.

"Oh! Bullshit!" Pope yelled back.

"Guys." JJ pleaded with the group.

"This is about friendship." Esperanza yelled at him in a pained voice.

"Bring it down" JJ said to her, his voice kinder to her than the others.

"Look," she said lowering her voice as the blonde said,"This is about Pouges for life."

"What about forensic pathology, huh?" Pope asked the girls.

"Forensic pathology? That's what your worried about when John B is who knows where blinded by rage and with a gun?" Esperanza said to him.

"It's my life. Everything I've worked for." Pope said to the girls.

"That's your priority?" she said to him. "I get it. You worked for it. And I hope you do get the scholarship, Pope. But We have to find John B."

"Stop the moral high ground bullshit!" Pope told her.

"Pope, come on. No." JJ told him.

"Excuse me?" She asked stepping towards him.

"No, no. She has no room to talk." Pope said back to JJ before turning back to Esperanza,"Where were you when Big John went missing? You weren't there. You weren't there for John B. You weren't there for any of us. You were two busy hanging out with your new best friend and boyfriend high out of your mind."

"You weren't there for me!" She screamed at him"You ignored me for weeks! Months! When my dad died! And you were there when I found his body!"

"Little wolf, you don't have to ta-" JJ pleaded with her.

"No. He wants to bring up that how about this. You didn't come to his funeral when I needed you most. Kiara went. JJ and John B went. Sasha went. Sarah. Topper. Kelce. Even Rafe. Rose and Wheezie went. Hell... Ward fucking Cameron went he murdered the man..They all went. But you weren't there. Because deep down no matter how hard I tried you didn't like me. You don't care about me Pope just admit it!" She screamed.

"That's not true and you know it. You are just so fucking needy" He yelled back at the girl.

Out of anger Esperanza snapped her finger in his face threateningly. "I don't need you! I don't Fucking need you! I don't need anyone! I was doing just fine on my own!" she screamed.

"You we're literally hooked on fucking oxy, Esperanza! Until a literal month ago!" he yelled."You weren't there. And now you feel guilty about it. Give me a break" Pope said stepping up to her.

"You need a break? Huh? Is that what you need? A break? Guess what? Fuck you! You had your break!" she yelled in his face before she pushed him backwards.

"Move!" Pope said throwing a random medal object out of anger and which had almost hit her face as Kie gasped. Pope's hand flew to his mouth in shock.

"Hey! Yo, yo, yo, cut it out, all right Pope?" JJ said getting irritated with Pope for throwing something at his girl.

"That's what you do now? You are a selfish dick. You're so fucking selfish! ¡Cómo te atreves a traer eso! ¡No sabes que he pasado! You're a bitch Pope." Esperanza said through her teeth as she clinched her fists,"I hate you and I wish I never met you! I fucking hate you!"

(How dare you bring that up! You don't know I've been through!)

"Baby calm down." JJ said softly as he approached her. Esperanza cocking her fist to hit him before deciding to turn around and hit the side of the boat.

"Fuck!" she seethed in pain. She then locked eyes with Pope. "Fuck you." she growled at him with a bleeding cut on her cheek.

"Fuck you, Esperanza." Pope snarled walking forward slightly and standing his ground.

"Cut it out! If I'm the one mediating, we've hit rock bottom." JJ said putting himself between the two,"Pope. Bow, now. Go!" he commanded Pope before grabbing Esperanza's waist as she glared at Pope. "Pope, i'll drop you off." he muttered as he began driving the boat. Esperanza glanced down at her palms where her nails dug into her skin and it was slightly bleeding. She was hardly paying attention after that, she saw nothing but red until Pope got off the boat, Kie stared at her with concern. She wanted to hug her but she didn't know how Esperanza would react, but eventually she sank to the bottom of the boat and put her head between her knees as she cried quietly. Kie slowly moved towards her and pulled the girl into her body as JJ drove the boat unable to get to her.

"Fuck!" she said in a soft cry. She had immediately felt awful about the argument. She knew she shouldn't have gone off on Pope like that. He did nothing wrong and he didn't deserve it.