Carson Keller used to think her biggest problem was their rivalry against the Kooks, but that was until buried secrets rose to the surface. Now her biggest problems included a dangerous treasure hunt and a hot-headed teenage boy.
✰ season 1-3 ✰
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SNEAKING INTO KOOK TERRITORY WAS EASY, and sneaking into the salvage yard was even easier. All that was needed was a pretty distraction. In this case, it was Kiara.
"How's it going with Kiara?" JJ asked as they waited for the coast to be clear.
"It's not awkward, weird, or anything," John B said.
"Honestly, I did not think you were gonna actually listen to me," JJ said. "I was 100% percent sure she was into you." He was referring to the fact that John B had kissed Kiara and she did not react the way they had thought she would.
"When has listening to JJ ever done anyone good?" Carson said.
"Aren't we listening to JJ now?" Pope reminded her, considering it was his idea to sneak into the salvage yard for the drone.
"Good point. We're screwed," she said.
"Love the support, Car," JJ said. She bumped her shoulder against his with a smile. She was somewhat serious when she had said it because really, JJ's plans were not always the best. But again, she would always support him, just like she had supported John B with his plan. "So, Kie, she like definitely gave you the Heisman?"
"Oh, no question. Yup," John B said.
"Maybe she's just into somebody else," Pope said. They all turned to look at him and Carson smiled. She could tell what that meant. The look on Pope's face gave it away. Whether John B and JJ could tell too, they didn't say so. Maybe it was just because they didn't have time to considering the gate to the yard had started to open.
As soon as the gate started opening, they got up and ran towards it. They barely made it through before it shut again. JJ started putting the code into the lock when they got to the unit that the drone was in, but it wouldn't open.
"Do you have the right numbers?" Pope said.
"Alright, so I might have the wrong numbers," he admitted.
"Ah, dammit!" Before they could do anything else, a large German Shepherd came running towards them, barking viciously to alert his owner that there were trespassers. John B was the first to ditch, not willing to get attacked by the dog. JJ ran after Carson as she tried to find another way out but stopped when he realized Pope was still by the dog.
"I got a toy, boy!" he said, holding up his red cloth to distract the dog, who just turned to run after them instead. "Wait, no, I was just kidding. Shit! Go!" He pushed Carson forward, grabbing her hand to pull her along with him so she wouldn't get attacked by the dog. It was a good thing they were both fast, but the dog was still hot on their heels. "Come on! Up here!" They quickly climbed up the ladder that led to one of the boats. The dog continued to bark, so they made sure to hide below not to be seen. Clearly it didn't work too well though.
"What's that, huh? What's that, Tebow?" the security guard asked. "What you got, huh? What you got? Whoever's up there better come on out! I mean it! Don't make go up there and get your ass!"
"Shit," Carson whispered. "What do we do?" JJ looked over at her before he sighed.
"Wait, Bobby!" he said. He nodded at Carson, silently telling her to follow his lead. He put his hands in the air and slowly stood, so she did the same. She wasn't sure what he was planning on doing, but she was at a loss herself so she would follow him. "Don't shoot. It's me, JJ. Luke's kid? And this is my friend, Carson."
"What are you doin'?" the man, Bobby, demanded.
"I swear, okay? I didn't want to, okay?" JJ said. Carson glanced over when she heard that his voice shook and saw there were tears in his eyes. She was surprised by the sight but kept a straight face to go along with whatever he had planned. "My dad made me."
"Don't you lie."
"He told me that Captain Leo kept his cutting torch," he said. "You know, after he got fired. He said if I didn't get it for him, he was gonna... he was gonna hit me again." This time Carson couldn't help but furrow her eyebrows a bit. She knew JJ was just saying what he had to to get them out of the situation, but there was something in the way he said it that made her sense that it wasn't based on something he just thought of on the spot.
"Son of a bitch," Bobby said.
"I'm sorry," JJ said.
"Come on down. I almost killed you!"
"I know," he said. "I'll just come up with somethin'. Tell him I couldn't find it." As they walked away, Carson saw JJ blink away the tears. He looked down at her and smiled at the fact that he did it.
"You're a damn good liar. I'll give you that," she said. He laughed. She wanted to ask him if it was a complete lie though, but she also didn't want to assume anything and have him get mad. His dad was a complete asshole and a drug addict, but if he actually beat JJ, that was something he kept hidden.
✰
"Stealing drones makes you hungry," Kiara joked as they pulled up to her family's restaurant.
"What I would do to a beer and shrimp and grits right now," JJ said.
"It would not be pretty," Pope commented.
"Hey, Dad," Kiara greeted happily.
"Hey, Mr. C!" Carson said as she walked by.
"Hey girls," he replied. Kiara's dad wasn't a huge fan of the boys, but he actually liked Carson. She was always respectful and friendly whenever he saw her and he knew that she was a really good friend to his daughter. The boys were too obviously but they also didn't always rub off the right kind of vibes to those who didn't know them. Maybe he was just glad that Kiara had another girl around that she could rely on.
The restaurant was pretty much empty at that point so it was theirs for the night. Music played from the speaker as Kiara's dad started to cook them some food. Carson laughed as Kiara motioned for John B to go dance with her. She jumped up and grabbed JJ's hand, yanking him out of his seat.
"Really, Carson?" he said.
"Yeah, come on! Dance with me," she said, swaying to the music around him as he just stood there staring down at her with an amused look on his face.
"You know I'm not much of a dancer," he said. Carson knew that wasn't really true, but he was just trying to be difficult to make her work for it. She wasn't going to stop until he danced with her and he knew that.
"For me you are," she said, continuing to pulling on his hand to get him to move. He was eventually going to give in, but it was funny to watch her try to get him to dance. She had a carefree look on her face and a smile to match it, like nothing in the world mattered. It was that smile that made him give in.
"Fine, but only for you." He grabbed her hand and spun her around. She laughed as he threw his arm around her shoulders and across her chest, pulling her into his body so that they swayed to the music like John B and Kiara were doing. For once in a long while, being there with her friends made her feel like absolutely nothing could break her happiness.
