The Bends - JJ x Kiara

Mischief

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(JJ)

"Sorry, let me get this straight real quick. Straighter than a dude who loves pussy." I rub my temple.

"Rafe and Ward Cameron are in the Bahamas, why?!" My eyebrows knit together in pure bewilderment.

"Isn't Rafe, like... half dead?" Kiara pipes in, leaning against the counter and crossing her arms. She raises her eyebrows at me. I blink.

"Y-yeah..." I say sheepishly. "I miiiight've forgotten that I basically hit and run the motherfucker." I itch my head awkwardly.

"Saved me from death, though. I thank you, soldier." Kie gives me a sarcastic solute with a pointer finger, and I smirk.

Pope looks between us both, calculating if there's something he should know about. But instead of overthinking it, he looks back at Kie.

"Yeah, I thought so too. But that family is rich as hell. Rafe probably got some expensive treatment and now he's all better." Pope scoffs and mutters a curse under his breath. "Dick."

"Amen to that," I chuckle. "I'd love to see him try and cross us again." I feel my cheeks heat up at the thought of encountering Rafe.

"Can't kill a pogue." Kie shrugs and smiles.

"Hey, I didn't get this for nothing." I pull my pant leg up and expose my p4L stick n poke. Kiara looks skeptical.

"Why do I kind of want one?" She giggles.

"Sorry to break you guys up," Pope interrupts, looking more confused than before. "But Rafe told Topper who told me-"

"Wait." I say, as I step closer to Pope. "Topper talked to you?"

"No- he threatened me. So have already beaten his ass before, I did it again, and he cracked."

I pat him on the shoulder and wipe a fake tear off my cheek. "I'm so proud of my buddy."

Pope chortles. "But anyway, that asshole told me some shit." He releases himself from my grip and walks over to the fridge and grabs two beers. "Ward and Ward Junior are looking for something there." Pope hands me a drink, which feels cool in my hand.

Kiara nods as a "thank you" to Pope as he hands her one. She takes a sip and bites her bottom lip. "What could they be looking for, though?" She mutters.

Pope gives us both a hard, long look. "Remember the night John b and Sarah went missing?"

I flinch on the inside. I remember Kiara intertwining her hand with mine. I remember how she saw how a wreck I was, sniffling like a little bitch on the cold ground. And she held me tight. I felt like I had been saved from drowning. She was my life line.

Kiara looks lost in thought, too. We share a second of eye contact before I look away.

"The way they were drifting... it only takes about two and a half hours to get to the Bahamas from here. Kildare island." Pope pulls out a scroll from the closet and spreads it apart. A map.

"So, if they were out to sea, the boat could've drifted anywhere... it could've gotten somewhere around there." Pope drags his finger downward from South Carolina, into a dark blue spot. The deep blue.

I squint my eyes trying to analyze the map. "And?"

Pope sighs. "Sometimes, these really big cargo ships take trips from Nassau, all the way near here." He traces little circles with his pointer finger.

I blink at him. "I'd love to know what all this means, but I don't. I'm fucking confused."

Pope facepalms. "Look; if John b and Sarah possibly survived that tropical storm... they could've gotten picked up by one of the cargo boats. It could be a possibility."

I think for a moment before the gears start cranking in my probably very tiny brain. I glance at Pope again, who begins to smirk. I look back at Kie, who's mouth is agape in excitement.

"I'm not saying they could be alive; but there's a slim, maybe even percentage that they could be."

"Holy shit," is all I can manage. "Holy shit."

"Let's not get our hopes up, though. I just was thinking about it when I found out where Rafe and Ward were going." He puts a hand on his chin, deep in thought. "Shit, I almost forgot! Okay. Remember the plane that flew out to the Bahamas?"

Kie and I nod, expectant and alert like a couple of grade school class pets.

"It had the gold on it. And imagine... if John b and Sarah were alive... they wouldn't have left Nassau so easily. Because-"

"The gold! The gold is there!" Kie jumps off the counter and starts slapping Pope repeatedly on the back.

"Ow, jeez!" He inches away from her touch as she turns to me and holds out her hand.

I grin, and we begin our handshake. Our hands slap together in one swift motion, and we finish it off with a snap as our fists touch.

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(Kiara)

I would be lying to myself if I said I wasn't starting to be really attracted to JJ. I didn't know if it was something more, or something less. But I hated it.

I really didn't want to; and I've been constantly fighting battles with the thoughts in my mind.

He's starting to look different in my eyes. I don't know what it is. But I'm suddenly so badly attracted to that little dimple that pops out in his cheek; and I think I have a disease or something.

Everyone always says this when they find out my three best friends are all boys. They think I'm gonna start having a foursome with them or some nonsense like that.

Whatever. I don't care what some lifeless tourons or other kooks think about me. Stupid shits.

You know what? Fuck all of this.

For once in my life, I'm not going to hold back.

I grab my skateboard and head outside into the lukewarm breeze. It's about 5:47; and the sun is setting across the ocean. I was always happy my house overlooked the beach. It was something I've always taken advantage of.

I feel somber recalling the memories of John b trying to pry JJ's jaw open like he was a dog, because he'd shoved three sand crabs in his mouth. Pope was sitting under a shady spot with a book, doing his best to avoid the UV rays. We were maybe 8? 9?

I inhale the scent of the salt and feel immediately at ease. At home.

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(JJ)

The security guard sitting behind the desk looks less than happy to be disturbed at this time of day. He has his legs up on the tabletop like you see in the movies.

"Name?" He mutters out in a monotone tune.

"J...JJ Maybank." God, why am I stuttering?

He pushes himself up from the chair and pulls out a ring of keys from his pocket. The dimmed flickering lights from up above send an uneasy nerve down my spine.

I shove my hands in my pockets, awaiting the possible disappointment. I bite the inside of my cheek. Not possible.

Awaiting the disappointment.

I hear the yells of a few inmates from a few cells down the hall.

I knew I'd end up here one day; but damn. I felt so, so uncomfortable.

We eventually stop at a number labeled door, and he mumbles something along the lines of "5 minutes." Or did he say 10?

Either way, I don't know why I'm doing what I'm doing. I'm an idiot.

I keep my head down as I see him in my peripheral vision sat in a tiny chair in an orange jumpsuit. When I pull out my chair, it makes a painful creak against the metal floor. It makes me wince.

I fold my hands in my lap, and decide to look up. A bit more sheepishly than I anticipated. Motherfucker, I'm really on edge.

He won't even look at me. He's staring at some blank space in the middle of the table, not even blinking. His eyes look glassy.

I inhale.

"Hey, Dad."
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