UNTOLD | JJ Maybank

Chapter 24

And just when Malou thought, that maybe, she could build a real friendship with Sarah, Sarah proved her wrong. John B had been released from jail, after the cops had found fingerprints on the gun, that the pogues had given to Shoupe. At least something did go right. Pope had found the key Limbrey wanted and they exchanged it for the recording that proved John Bs innocence. Well, they actually had given her a fake key, which surprisingly was JJs idea and it had worked just perfectly.

After John B had given the recording to Shoupe, things finally went well for the pogues. The truth was finally told and Rafe and Ward got arrested. Nearly. Ward took all the blame on himself and blew himself together with his kook rich ass yacht. To be honest, Malou didn't quite understood why he had to destroy the nice boat together himself, but she didn't mind either. It was finally over, even though, she knew, that Rafe got away with the murder on Sherriff Peterkin. Things felt off, but she couldn't deny, that she felt relieved. And she wasn't the only one feeling like that. The pogues, and especially her brother, finally seemed to be at peace. Much to the disappointment of Sarah. She couldn't understand, that after all, John B didn't seem to feel any kind of sadness or empathy towards her way. She broke up with him and even though Malou knew, that she needed to be there for her brother now, she also felt betrayed. She regretted opening up to Sarah. She regretted not listening to her gut feeling, that had told her right away to be careful around her. Now Sarah had not only broken her brothers heart, but she also knew Malous secret.

Oh, but Sarah Cameron wasn't the only one that made Malou furious. Pope had found an old diary of Denmark Tanny and had learnt about the Cross of Santo Domingo. Yes exactly, the pogues were on to a new treasure hunt.

"Seriously?! Ya'll are really considering this, after everything that happened?!", Malou had shouted and had angrily thrown her hands in the air when she had jumped off the couch. She couldn't believe, that her friends really wanted to find out more about this cross. That they wanted to find it, knowing, that Limbrey and her henchmen were looking for it.

"It's his family's legacy, Malou. Don't you think he deserves it?", John B had said and had pointed at Pope who had looked up at Malou calmly.

"You know what I think? I think Denmark Tanny had a damn good fucking reason to hide that cross and we should leave it there."

"Malou, come one. Things are different now, it's about Pope and his family. It does belong to them.", JJ had said carefully and he had felt a stung in his heart, when Malou had looked at him with a hurt and disappointed expression.

"It's not, that I grudge Pope the cross or the gold or whatever, I just think that no money on earth is worth our lives! We went through that once, I don't understand how you really want to do all of that again. Limbrey and Renfield are already looking for it. They threathened and followed us! We have seen this movie already and the ending wasn't the best!"

"This isn't about money, Malou. It's about Denmarks and my family's legacy. I don't even want the money, I just want justice.", Pope had said and Malou had scoffed. She had shaken her head, nervously looked around the room while she had felt her friends stare at her.

"I am not doing this. I'm not putting myself through that again."

Malou had left the Château after that. She had gone to the boneyard, where she knew a bonfire would take place that night. And there she was. The alcohol rushed through her veins, leaving an impact on her mind and body, while she tried to ignore her friends, that had showed up to the bonfire a while ago. Even though she didn't like small talk, Malou managed to talk to strangers and schoolmates, just so she wouldn't have to talk to her friends. To be fair, she had drunken a lot so that she could enjoy the small talks.

"Ok girl, you need to slow down now.", a voice eventually interrupted the conversation between Malou and a girl from school. A hand snatched the red cup out of Malous hands, before pouring the beer into the sand.

"What the hell?", Malou asked, when she turned around and saw Kiara standing in front of her.

"We get it, you're mad at us. Not a reason to drink yourself into a coma. I'm taking you home.", Kiara said and linked their arms together.

"Whatever you say, mummy.", Malou said mockingly and Kiara rolled her eyes. Just when Malou turned her head around to say goodbye to her interlocutor, her eyes caught the familiar blonde hair and the familiar flower crop top. Right next to her was Topper Thornton.

"Oh, that bitch gotta be kidding me.", Malou muttered and ripped her arm away from Kiara, before walking up to Sarah and Topper angrily. When Sarah noticed Malou, she choked on her beer and weirdly coughed, once Malou stopped right in front of her.

"Malou, hey.", Sarah greeted her kindly and Malou felt anger rise inside of her right away.

"Oh, don't gimme that innocent shit. What the fuck do you want here? With him?", Malou asked and pointed at Topper with a disgusting look on her face. In the background, Malou could hear Kiara grumble, but she ignored it.

"Well, she's getting her mind off, since her dad just died. Which you guys didn't care to show any empathy towards her to.", Topper answered for Sarah and before Malou could start an argument, she heard someone join the conversation.

"Why don't you get your minds off somewhere else? I bet there's a good kook party somewhere.", John B said and quickly stepped in front of his sister. Topper chuckled darkly, ignoring Sarah who asked him to just leave it.

"Don't tell me what to do, pogue, or-"

"Or what?", John B interrupted him, knowing well how to provoke Topper. Topper pushed John B back, making him stumble right into Malou. Malou fell to the ground. The alcohol hindered her reflexes to kick in and she fell face first, hitting her head on the ground. She felt a sting on her forehead and hissed at the burning feeling. John B looked down on his sister. He noticed the cut on her forehead and didn't hesitate a second to jump right at Topper. While Kiara tried to break apart the boys, Sarah came down on Malous level.

"Oh my god, are you ok?", she asked concerned and helped Malou to stand back up.

"Yeah, fine.", Malou answered coldly as she reached her hand up to touch her forehead. When her fingers ran over the cut, she hissed at the burning feeling again, before she quickly pulled her hand away again to see the blood on her fingers. In the meanwhile, JJ and Pope came running towards them to help John B. While Kiara still shouted at the boys to stop, JJ, Pope and Toppers kook friends eventually broke them apart. In shouting and insulting coming from the kooks, the pogues eventually left the beach and walked to the Twinkie.

"Are you ok?", JJ asked and leant forward a little to run his thumb over Malous forehead carefully.

"I'm fine.", Malou snapped without looking at him and pushed his hand away from her. JJ ignored her attitude and sat back down, staring at the girl intensely while Pope drove the car with John B still complaining about Sarah and the kooks on the passenger seat.

"Oh my god, shut up, John B. You just looked for a reason to fight him.", Kiara said from the back and hid her face behind her hands, once again being sick of her friends. Mostly of the Routledge twins, but to be fair, they both did act like total douchebags. Eventually, they reached the Château and got out of the van. All Malou wanted to do was to lock herself in her room and sleep for the next five years. But as if the night hadn't been shitty enough, it only got worse. Redfield awaited them. He seemed mad and when Pope once again lied about the key, he made clear, that he wasn't alone.

"What the fuck, man?!", JJ shouted, when an arrow hit the tree right next to him.

"The next one won't miss you.", Renfield threatened them and a moment later, Malou watched how Pope dejectedly gave him the real key. The pogues watched how Renfield and his men left. They stared into the darkness a moment longer, all trying to process what had just happened.

"Being shot at with arrows. But sure, let's go look for the cross like they won't kill us.", Malou eventually mumbled and quietly walked inside the Château and into her room. This is what she meant and she couldn't understand, that her friends didn't see the danger.