written in the stars - a topper thornton fanfic (outer banks)

t w e n t y s i x

song: 'softcore' by the neighbourhood

one year ago

'I'm telling you guys, Gen's not telling me the whole truth,' JJ said to Pope and John B, as they were sat on the porch of the chateau.

'So what exactly is it you think she's hiding from you?' Pope asked.

'I don't know, but she's clearly hanging out with someone that she doesn't want me knowing about. Or else she's doing something that she doesn't want me knowing about. She could be putting herself in danger.'

'JJ, I think you're looking too much into it. This is Genevieve we're talking about. She's the most sensible of us all. She wouldn't get mixed up in dangerous shit,' John B said, cracking open another can.

JJ sighed and sat down. He hadn't realised that he'd been pacing back and forth. 'I'm telling you guys. I know this girl better than I know myself. She's up to something.'

'Do you think that maybe, just maybe, you're looking so far into this because you...' Pope said.

'Are in love with her?' John B interrupted.

'No. That has nothing to do with it. Who's saying I'm even in love with her anyways. Pass me a can, John B,' JJ muttered.

.....

Later that night, the Pogues were at the boneyard, drinking and talking as they often did. The sun was setting and the air was warm.

Genevieve and Kiara walked along the shore, away from the boys who were wrestling in the sand.

'Is it just me or has JJ been weird today?' Kiara asked.

Genevieve sighed and glanced over at her. 'Yeah. I think I've got something to do with that.'

Kiara glanced over at Genevieve. 'Care to elaborate?'

Genevieve shrugged. To tell Kiara the truth or to spin the web of lies even further was not an easy decision. 'Kiara, let's say Pope started dating a Kook. Do you think that the rest of us have a right to be mad?'

'Pope's dating a Kook?!' Kiara exclaimed.

'No, not at all. Definitely not. It's just a hypothetical. Personally, I wouldn't have an issue with it. Would you?'

Kiara shrugged. 'I suppose it depends on who exactly the Kook is.'

Genevieve nodded, kicking a stone into the distance ahead of them.

'Gen,' Kiara said, sensing that this hypothetical wasn't quite about Pope. 'I wouldn't care who Pope was dating. And if Pope wanted to confide in me about it, I wouldn't tell the others.'

Genevieve looked up at Kiara, who was staring at her with knowing eyes. Genevieve glanced over her shoulder. The boys weren't even visible in the distance anymore; they'd walked pretty far.

She sighed and looked back at Kiara. 'It's Topper, Kie,' Genevieve whispered.

Kiara's eyes grew so wide that Genevieve thought they were about to pop out of her skull. 'Wait, for real?'

Genevieve nodded, her panic-ridden eyes studying every expression that ran across Kiara's face. 'Kiara, he's not like Rafe or Kelce. Honestly. He'd never, ever, lay a hand on any of us. He doesn't even like Rafe. And I promise you, he's never been anything but kind to me. You know that I can tell an asshole from a mile away, and Topper definitely is not an asshole.'

Genevieve fidgeted with her rings as she watched Kiara process the information. 'When did this start, Gen?'

Genevieve sighed. 'We met at that first kegger. And then, I don't know, we just kind of kept meeting. In secret, obviously.'