"𝙀𝙣𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙜𝙖𝙢𝙚𝙨"
"𝙅𝙅-"
"𝙉𝙤, 𝘾𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙚, 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙡 𝙢𝙚. 𝙍𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚, 𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙣𝙤𝙬, 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙙𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩?"
In which five friends go on a treasure hunt that will change their lives.
Or//
In which Calli...
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∵ ∴ ∵ ∴ ∵ ∴ ∵ ∴ ∵
Callie got back to the Chateau as fast as possible. Heading out to the dock, she spotted JJ sitting out on the end of the dock just as he said he'd be.
Walking down the platform, she pulled her sneakers off and sat beside him, dipping her feet in the water. When he didn't say anything she leaned over and gave him a light nudge. "Are you okay?"
JJ shook his head, continuing to stare out across the water. "No. Not really."
Noticing the tone of his voice and the stiffness in his shoulders, Callie reached over and grasped his hand. "What happened?"
"I lost my job," he ground out, letting go of her hand as he stood up. "I lost my fucking job because of those fucking Kooks!"
The boy punched one of the wooden columns holding up the roof of the dock. Callie jumped up, grabbing his wrist and standing between him and the column so that he wouldn't do it again. "Hey, hey, stop! Just. . . just talk to me. What happened?"
JJ threw his hands up, shifting his cap, clearly agitated. "They were talking shit about John B and I wasn't just going to stand there and listen to it. So, I told everyone what really happened. But of course, no one believed the Pogue - so, I got fired."
When he looked like he was about to hit something again, Callie went over and put her arms around him. She pulled him closer, running a hand up and down his back gently. "We'll figure it out."
"I can't keep doing this," he mumbled into her hair, tightening his arms around her. "We can't keep losing to them."
"We won't," she said, although even she knew she didn't sound convincing. "We'll find a way. They won't get away with it."
The words themselves felt hollow. She made sure not to say that she promised because she knew she couldn't guarantee it. But, she sure as hell was going to try.
⋙⋘
Kiara offered to drive them all to school the next morning. One by one she picked them up and they all arrived at Kildare County High School together.
As they pulled into the parking lot JJ pulled a flask out of his backpack, taking a sip as he got out of the car. Callie got out after him, lowering his arm so that their teachers wouldn't see it.
"Hey, chill out," Kiara told the boy when she saw what was going on.
JJ pocketed the flask back into his backpack and closed the car door. "If I black out, just don't remind me."
"That's not funny, JJ," Callie said flatly.
As soon as they began to walk into school they could feel eyes on them. The loud conversations dulled to whispers, the other students not being subtle about their stares.
