JJ was sitting at the end of the dock, and he was not in a good mood. Luckily, he was confident nobody would find him here, it was a pretty secluded location. He tried to skip a rock but ended up hitting a tree which pissed him off even more. He leaned over to grab another rock but hissed in pain and quickly sat up again as his cracked ribs protested. He grabbed at his side and closed his eyes until the pain lessened; his old man had really been mad this time. He didn't even notice Kiara coming up behind him until she touched him on the shoulder. He flinched hard, and moved away. Kiara looked hurt, but she sat down beside him and just said, "JJ, are you okay? You look like shit. What the hell happened?" He sighed, and ran a hand through his hair. She looked him over, noting the split lip, black eye, the cut and the bruising on his cheek and jaw, and who knew what else under his shirt. "It's nothing, I just had a run in with a guy." Kiara looked at him skeptically, "JJ, you know that's a complete lie." JJ cut her off, "Look Kie, you really don't want to know, trust me." Kiara sighed impatiently, "No. I do want to know JJ. I'm your friend and that means I'm on your side and I need to know." "Kie, I hate to break it to you, but there's some things you just wouldn't understand growing up on Figure Eight." Kie was getting mad now, "What are you talking about JJ? I thought I was one of the Pogues? You know the only reason I'm asking you these questions is because I care about you right?" JJ didn't answer, he just skipped another rock across the water and winced as the motion pulled at his ribs. Kie huffed angrily and walked away. "Whatever JJ, I'm just trying to help. You don't need to be so mean." JJ sighed, he didn't want to hurt Kie but he couldn't tell her about his dad, and he couldn't stand it when his friends got so nosy.
Kie stormed back to the chateau. Why did JJ have to be so mean? She was just trying to help and she didn't understand why he got so defensive. Pope was sitting in the hammock on the front porch when she arrived and she sat down angrily in the wooden rocking chair next to it. Pope looked at her quizzically, "Uh-oh, what happened?" Kie sighed, "JJ's just really pissing me off. Have you seen him? He looks like he got run over by a truck. All I did was ask him what happened and then he lied to me and got defensive when I challenged him!" "Kie, I think you just need to be patient with him. He hasn't had it easy you know." "HE hasn't had it easy? He has nobody controlling every little thing he does, he's free to do whatever he wants whenever he wants!" John B looked angry now and it was almost like he didn't realize she was there, "Kie, he also has nobody looking out for him. He could be lying hurt in a ditch and his dad wouldn't even give a shit. I'm pretty sure your situation is a lot easier. You have a mansion on Figure Eight, two parents who love you, and your future is secure. Half the time JJ doesn't know where his next meal is coming from." Kie looked at John B in shock, "Excuse me, what?! Why have you and JJ never told me he was having a hard time with money? I could have helped!" John B looked immediately regretful, "Shit. I got carried away, I wasn't supposed to say any of that. JJ is going to kill me."
"John B, you and I both know it's better that you said it. JJ would starve before he'd say anything." "Yeah, I know but he wouldn't have starved. I always help out if he needs it and he is the toughest person I know. He can handle a lot Kie." "Maybe he can, but he shouldn't have to," she said softly. "Look Kie, as much as I wish it were different, the world is against people like JJ. It's a miracle that he's about to graduate from high school with his grades as bad as they are. His teachers never understood that the reason he didn't do his homework was because he was working two part-time jobs after school and on weekends just to keep himself from starving. They just chalked it up to his bad reputation and called him lazy when he'd fall asleep in class cause he averaged 4 hours of sleep a night. It's not his fault half the times he ends up in trouble with the police either, it's just easier to blame a Maybank than it is to blame a Cameron. Life's not easy for anyone on the Cut Kie, but JJ's got it pretty hard." "John B," Kie said quietly, "where does he get those cuts and bruises and why won't anyone tell me?" John B sighed, "He wouldn't want you to know but I guess you'll probably find out eventually so it might as well come from me..."
The day before...
JJ finished his shift at 3:00 and headed to the back room to change out of his coveralls and into jeans and a black T-shirt. After changing he walked out to the parking lot and straddled his dirt bike. He thought about going home but decided against it since he knew his dad had been drinking and he wasn't suicidal. In the end he made for the local liquor store with the goal of using his fake ID to buy a six pack and spending his evening down by the water. It didn't prove to be that easy though, and once he'd gotten a hold of some beer and walked out the back door of the store, he found himself facing Rafe Cameron. "Well Maybank, looks like someone's drinking underage", Rafe snickered, leaning close with a dangerous look in his eyes. JJ knew he was trying to pick a fight and he really didn't feel like dealing with that right then so he laughed bitterly and tried to back up before realizing he was up against the back wall of the liquor store. "Shit," he muttered under his breath. "What was that Maybank? You got something to say?" That was all it took, JJ launched into Rafe with a hard right hook, knocking him off balance. Five minutes later, they were both on the ground rolling in the dirt when a cop car pulled up and Shoupe and Plumb stepped out. "Get up boys." Shoupe commanded. He grabbed JJ hard by the back of the neck and hauled him to his feet. Plumb had a firm hold of Rafe's arm and JJ was glaring daggers at Rafe. He tried to pull away but Shoupe now had a vice grip around his bicep and he only tightened it the more he moved. "Let's go boys," Plumb said, and they walked to the patrol car and were none too gently shoved into the back seat. When they pulled up to the station Shoupe grabbed JJ by the arm again and led him inside, Plumb brought Rafe inside and they went through the booking process, Rafe was led to his cell after having a heated conversation with his stepmother over the phone, and then it was JJ's turn. Shoupe opened his file and entered information regarding the incident and then looked at him and said the words that always made JJ's blood run cold. "We have to call your father boy. Do you want us to do it or do you want to do it yourself?" "You can do it," JJ sighed. "Alright, Plumb will make the call, let's go boy." Shoupe grabbed him by the arm so hard he knew it would bruise and led him down the hall. JJ pulled away slightly, almost accidentally and Shoupe turned on him. "You watch it boy. I have no patience for you, you need to learn what's good for you." JJ couldn't help but scoff at Shoupe's words and that was all it took to push him far enough that he grabbed JJ by the front of his T-shirt and slammed him against the wall, backhanding him hard across the mouth. JJ shook his head trying to stop the world from spinning and groaned softly as blood dripped from his lip. "That oughta' teach you not to talk back boy." Shoupe pulled him roughly toward the nearest cell and JJ's heart sank as he saw he would be sharing a cell with Rafe.