𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐅𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐃─𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐬

twenty one.

─☼☼☼─

"𝙄 𝘿𝙊𝙉'𝙏 𝙃𝘼𝙑𝙀 time for this right now, Kensington." Charlotte huffed, perplexed how her best friend had shown up at the most inconvenient moment.

"Charlotte, please!" Kensington begged, trying to block the clear path to the table where Willa was watching them with wide eyes. "I just need to talk to you for a minute."

Charlotte refused to look at her as she attempted to step around her. "Now is not the time."

"Why not?" the green-eyed brunette pressed. "Just give me a few minutes to explain. Please!"

A frustrated sigh fell from Charlotte's lips, knowing that with every second that passed, Rafe could be doing any number of damage on John B. "I'm sure what you have to say will be very interesting, but I literally cannot do this right now, Kensington. So please, get the hell out of my way."

With her mouth slightly agape, Kensington finally stepped out of her way, her shoulders falling in defeat.

With her body buzzing, Charlotte made her way toward the table as fast as she could managed to gather her stuff. Willa was sitting in shock, eyes flickering between Charlotte and Kensington. "Char, are you okay?"

"Yeah." Charlotte lied, in a fluster as she grabbed her purse and car keys. "But I need to go. I'll text you later, Wills."

The word "bye" was barely out of Willa's mouth before Charlotte was halfway toward the gate, barely even throwing a glance in Kensington's direction as she went.

Charlotte was being cold and she knew it. But there were bigger things on her plate than drama with her best friends.

She needed to speak to her sister and friends and she needed to do it quickly. Whatever they had gotten up to without her supervision had clearly not been good.

The way her hands gripped onto the steering wheel gave away the panic she was feeling. She had called Rafe three different times and had been sent to voicemail each and every attempt. Charlotte knew him well enough to know he wasn't going to sit down and have a civil chat with John B...no, it wasn't going to be a contained, mature discussion. That was for sure.

When she peeled into the parking lot of The Wreck, she found it vacant save for Kiara's car and The Twinkie. Charlotte was thankful the restaurant was closed that day, she wasn't keen on having this discussion in front of a crowd of customers. 

The door banged against the wall as she threw it open and made her way toward the table where Pope, Kie, Sarah and John B were sitting. At the sound of her arrival, they all looked up and then ducked their heads when they saw the look on her face. 

"What the fuck did you guys do?" Charlotte demanded, stopping in front of them with a look so motherly and intimidating it rivalled that of Anna Carrera's angry face. 

"We can explain." Pope reasoned, holding his hands out in front of him in surrender. 

"Oh, you can explain?" Charlotte mocked. "Do I need to remind all of you want 'laying low' means? Because you never seem to get it."

Sarah gave Charlotte a guilty look. "We didn't mean for it to go the way it did. I swear."

The eldest of the group scoffed. "I'm really curious to hear the explanation...so will one of you enlighten me?"