UNTOLD | JJ Maybank

Chapter 20

"I promise to bring her home at a reasonable time." Malou rolled her eyes at Popes hopeless demands to convince Kiaras parents, that the trip to Charleston wasn't a bad idea. Of course, it was a bad idea and her parents were just being realistic and worried. Malou knew, that Kiara wouldn't let them down, but if she was honest, Malou thought that Kiara did the wrong thing. Her parents were worried and after everything that had happened to them, they had every right to be. Malou thought, that Kiara should listen to them more often and try to get back on good terms with them. As someone who didn't have parents anymore, Malou thought it was stupid to push away the only two people on earth that would do absolutely anything for your well-being. And Kiaras parents did exactly that, even though she didn't want to see it. Resting her elbow on the car door to steady her head, Malou stared outside the window as Kiara still argued with her parents.

"This shit would be so much easier without parents.", Kiara mumbled, once she had climbed in the passenger seat and had shut the door angrily.

"Oh yeah. Poor girl is loved by two caring parents. Man, your life must suck.", Malou responded in dark sarcasm as she still stared outside the window. Instantly, the air inside the car got thicker and Kiara turned around in her seat to look at Malou with raised eyebrows while Pope drove off to the road.

"God, you're so sensitive these days. What's the matter with you?", Kiara asked and Malou felt a little sting in her heart. Turning her head back to look outside the window, she decided to not go any further into this argument.

"Nothing.", she just mumbled instead and felt JJ shift uncomfortably in his seat next to her. She felt his gaze on her, but decided to ignore it. Maybe she was the one who should have stayed home. And for the rest of the day, she wished, that she would have stayed home. Malou was caught up in her mind and she wasn't able to find a way out. The whole day, the girl stayed awfully quiet and chose to keep a distance between her and the pogues. Even when their car broke down in Charleston, Malou just stayed back and watched her friends trying to find a solution. At some point, they had officially missed the appointment with the mysterious woman, that had wanted to meet Pope. Yet, they had missed another chance of clearing John Bs name.

"Malou? We're all tired. Come back so we can get some sleep!", Kiara called for the girl, who had decided to walk around the park for a bit, after they had decided to stay there for the night. The pogues could see her dark silhouette sitting underneath a tree. She was close enough to hear Kiara call for her, but she seemed to ignore it.

"What's up with her?", Kiara asked, quieter this time, so Malou couldn't hear her.

"I don't know, she doesn't want to talk about it.", JJ said and nervously played with his rings.

"Is it because of John B? I mean, it stresses me out, too, but since we know, that he's alive, I feel much calmer. Like she should be better by now, not worse, right?"

"I think there's something else.", Pope suddenly said and shot JJ a quick but telling look. JJ caught it, but didn't seem to understand the meaning behind it.

"Did she say something to you?", Kiara wanted to know and Pope shook his head.

"No, I just... have a feeling that something else is bothering her.", Pope explained slowly and looked at JJ again. Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind and JJ felt caught. Maybe Pope had seen more, then JJ had thought he did.

"You should talk to her.", Pope said again, when he noticed, that JJ had finally caught up to his references.

"I tried to. She doesn't want to talk to me.", JJ said quietly and lowered his head to look down to the ground.

"Come on, JJ. I won't survive another day with her like that.", Kiara sighed and JJ looked up to her.

"Why don't you talk to her? I don't know, maybe she needs a girls talk or something.", JJ said and lowered his head again, missing the look that Pope and Kiara shared.