xix. the lion's den

458 25 1
                                    

CHAPTER NINETEEN:THE LION'S DEN(episode six: parcel nine)

Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.

CHAPTER NINETEEN:
THE LION'S DEN
(episode six: parcel nine)

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

BOTH ARDEN AND JOHN B were released from the hospital overnight. Haven woke the next morning to Pope gently shaking her awake, showing her a string of texts from John B who asked for them to meet at The Wreck for breakfast. Naturally, they got ready and snuck out as fast as they could, the first signs of life beginning to stir downstairs. Fortunately, they managed to get away before anybody noticed them, arriving to Arden munching on a plate of sandwiches while JJ and Kie sat with her.

"Is John B here yet?" Haven asked as she sat down beside Arden and stole one of her sandwiches. She let out an outraged squawk as Haven took a bite, reaching for it despite half of it already being gone. "Ard, you have four sandwiches left! Sharing is caring, okay?"

Arden pouted at her. "But I don't want to share."

"Too bad. I haven't eaten yet and they look good."

"And how is that my problem?" she grumbled before her frown changed to a smile as John B arrived and hobbled over to their table. "Hey, I heard you came out with the exact same injury as me. Twinsies!" John B barely had time to comprehend her abrupt mood change before she turned around to grab a bowl from the counter, shoving it into his hands. "Eat. I don't know when the last time you had a proper meal was."

"So he can have your food and I can't?" Haven rolled her eyes. When Arden just ignored her, she sighed and took another bite of her sandwich. "Fruit isn't even a proper meal."

"Anyways, how's life with the Cameron's, John? Are you legally John B Cameron now? Wait a second, that's a bit weird, don't you—"

"I'm sorry, you're staying where?" Kie cut off Arden's rambles as John B avoided looking at her.

"Uh, Tannyhill," he mumbled.

"So you're living with Sarah Cameron."

"They're adopted siblings now, Kiara, keep up," Arden smirked, though she went quiet as John B shot her a dark look. "Okay, I'm just gonna go over there." Snatching the plate of sandwiches out of Haven's reach, she moved to the table beside them, John B just shaking his head before going back to the subject at hand. "Okay, look, the only reason I'm living there is because her dad bailed me out, alright? And it's way better than foster care which, by the way, is where I was about to go if Ward didn't—"

"Hey, so do you have a membership to the clubs now?" For once, it wasn't Arden with the smart remarks, but Pope. He was leaning back in his chair beside Haven, an arm around her shoulders as they listened to John B in disbelief. This was not what they got woken up for... right?

"And what about those little golf carts they drive around?" JJ snickered. "Do you get one of them?"

He was yet to look in Haven's direction despite standing right beside her. From the corner of her eye, she spied just how tense his crossed arms were, undoubtedly caused by her presence. She didn't get it. Before she and Pope arrived, he chatted away to Arden like nothing had changed, a fond smile on his face as he watched her talk to jellybean about the different foods she was eating. Yet, when Haven sat down, he went quiet and only spoke to the others. She supposed she deserved it, but it wasn't getting any easier.

LOVEJOY ━━ outer banks¹Where stories live. Discover now