Gold Digger// JJ Maybank- OBX

forty one

SCARLETT'S EYEBROWS furrowed as she walked into the Château, spotting her friend sitting on the pull-out couch. "Kie? What're you doing here?" The brunette looked really low, the saddest she'd seemed since three weeks ago. "Are you okay?"

Kiara shook her head. "No. I'm not okay."

"What happened?" Scarlett asked, taking a seat next to her friend. She crossed her legs, leaning back against the edge of the sofa. "You wanna talk about it? Or just get high and block it out?"

Kiara sighed as Scarlett pulled out the Juul she'd borrowed from JJ. The blonde held out the object to her friend. "I went home, to see if my parents would help pay for a lawyer for John B so we can help him. But it ended in a massive argument and they kicked me out."

"Oh." Scarlett said softly, dropping the Juul onto the couch next to her. "I'm sorry they did that to you."

Kiara nodded, turning her face towards the girl. "What about you? You look like you've been through hell."

Scarlett scoffed. "Fucking feels like it as well. JJ and I went to see John B as part of his stupid prison-break plan. Bumped into my step-dad in the hallway and... well, you can guess what happened next." She gestured to her face. Her eye was completely bruised, her lip was swollen and covered in patches of dried blood and her nose was crooked.

"Shit." Kiara breathed. "He did a number on you, Lottie."

Scarlett nodded. "And then I went home. Dad and Isobel were proper mad. Told me I wasn't allowed back 'til I've cleaned up my act because Maisie needs a better person to look up to. Luke drove me here. Out of all of my new family, he seems to be the one who actually gives a shit about me." The blonde picked up JJ's Juul and held it up to her lips. "Parents are shit." She breathed out, taking a long hit.

Kiara watched her friend as she eased herself into a new high. "Yeah." She whispered as Scarlett passed her the Juul. "You gonna do what they've asked you to do? You know, clean yourself up and all that?"

Scarlett shrugged, leaning her head back against the back of the couch. "Maybe. I don't know if they'll let me back in the house, even if I do. You should've seen them, Kie. They were so mad. I thought they would-" She paused, taking a deep breath. "I thought it would be a repeat of the interaction I had with my step-dad." She sighed. "They don't like me like Maisie and obviously Luke. It's all just an excuse to kick me out."

Kiara took a hit from the Juul before passing it back to her friend. "Your step-dad is a complete asshole, Lottie. And your new family aren't going to treat you like that." She reached over and patted the blonde's leg. "I promise. But maybe stay here for a while until this shit blows over. I'm sure everything will calm down once we free John B. And you'll sober up properly when that time comes."

Scarlett nodded, blowing out a puff of air. "Thanks Kie." She leaned her head on the girl's shoulder. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

Kiara smiled slightly, leaning her head atop Scarlett's. A comfortable silence overtook the girls for a few minutes as they passed the Juul back and forth. "So, you mentioned JJ's plan to free John B. What's he planned this time?" Kiara asked, breaking the silence.

"I've got no idea." Scarlett answered honestly, blowing out a puff of air as she passed Kiara the Juul. "Well, I've got a vague idea. He's gonna get his cousin to help."

"Ricky?" Kiara questioned, taking a hit.

Scarlett nodded. "Mmm. Something about John B faking being ill and being transferred to the hospital. I think then instead of the hospital they'll bring John B here. Just got to hope it works for once and let JJ do his thing." She sat up straighter, her eyes scanning round the interior of the Château and noticing how quiet it was. "Where's Pope and Sarah?"