𝐦𝐞𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠

002. Third-wheel.

      

     THE NEXT day, Josie pretty much begged Bellamy to call the school and let them know she wasn't going because she didn't feel well. After Bellamy did so, she got ready, putting some stuff into her backpack before grabbing her shoes and her baggy hoodie. She runs her hand through her hair as she runs down.

"Bee, I'm heading out to meet Kie... I'll be home later." She said as she grabs the car keys to her mom's new red Toyota Corolla. She drove to the Wreck and when she got there, Kie was waiting outside for her. "Hey..." She said, walking up to the girl who glanced up. "Oh, Jo, hey." Kie smiled and Josie smiles back.

"So... are you guys sure it's him?" She asked as she pressed the lock button to the car and Kie nods. "It's him. Trust me, Jo..." Kie says and Josie sighs, glancing down. "I'm blowing off school to be here..." She says and Kie tilts her head slightly. "I know. And it'll be worth it. Okay? We're gonna clear his name." She said as she links her arm with Josie's.

"Okay..." Josie sighs. Inside the restaurant, the two girls sat side by side as Josie spoke. "I don't know... things just have been so different lately, Kie. I don't feel right, I don't feel normal, I don't feel like I fit in anywhere. I basically found out I was adopted, JJ sprung his feelings on me and it made me feel more shitty about myself... and everything else after." Josie sighs, shrugging as she looked away from Kie.

"Everything else after? Like what?" Kie's eyes are on her and she just looks down, shrugging softly. "John B and Sarah, I guess. Made everything different in my household. I was mad at my parents at first... but then they got lost at sea, it felt like I had to forgive them? If that makes sense... my feelings were totally valid, right? Being... mad at them?" She looked at Kie who just nods her head quickly.

"Of course, Josie... They lied to you." Kie says and Josie merely looks away. "And... not to mention, I really liked this... person and now I'm not so sure." She said as she rubs her hand onto her pants. "Oh, yeah. Liking someone is always complicated..." Kie sighs, leaning back. "Are we talking about Pope?" She glanced over and Kie just stared straight ahead.

"Yes. And no? I-I don't even know if I like him."

And there it was again. That little hope for her and Kie. Josie looks away, "oh, my God. There they are..." She sighs when she spots JJ and Pope were over at the entrance, the blond boy was chatting it up with Kie's dad before they made their way over to them.

"Hey." Josie waved. "Oh, my gosh, is that really her or a hallucination?" JJ said as he rubs his eyes and Pope just glanced around. "I'm sorry, who are you? You look like someone we know." He said, pointing to Josie who just rolled her eyes and slowly smiled, looking away before she stood up. "Hi." She walked up to JJ and wrapped her arms around the boy.

"Guys, guys, it's really her." JJ says as he pointed at her, while hugging her back tightly and Kiara just chuckled. "Shut up," she said as she poked his waist, pulling away from him. "So, about John B and Sarah?" She said as she glanced around at the other two. They began discussing it right away, the attention was taken away from the subject of her and quickly onto the fact their friends are alive.

They head out of the Wreck, "just for the record, I never doubted them." JJ said and Josie smiles. "I owe you five bucks." Kie says, laughing. "Hey, Kiara, I do need those setups done by five!" Her mother shouted to her. "There are other people that work here!" Kie shouts back. "But ain't none of 'em my children!" Anna shouts back as they walk over to the wooden benches at the end of the dock. "I feel that. On a deep, emotional level, I understand that." Pope says.

They take their seats, "so we going to the Bahamas or what?" JJ said as he plops down his backpack beside Josie. "Dude, there's no way we're getting to the Bahamas." Pope said as he looked at the boy. "John B's gonna get nabbed sooner or later. So if we're gonna clear his name, we need to have done it, like, yesterday." Kie says, glancing to Josie and JJ. "I'll tell you how we do it." JJ stood up.