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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WHEN CARSON WALKED INTO KIARA'S BEDROOM, she found her sitting annoyed in a purple dress with her hair full of flowers.
"Wow. Look at you, Kook," Carson joked.
"Shut up," Kiara grumbled. "I still can't believe my parents are making me go to this stupid thing."
"And I can't believe you're making me go with you," Carson reminded her.
"I know. I'm sorry, but I just can't do this on my own," she said.
"It's okay, I get it. I'm willing to sacrifice myself for you," Carson said. As she started getting ready, she found herself distracted by the thought of JJ. The sudden realization that she was thinking about him more than a friend was driving her crazy. In fact, she had started to realize it the night of the kegger, but she allowed herself to push it to the side and blame it on her vulnerability that night. Now, it was blatantly clear to her that there was something going on. She was just going to have to try to get over it. Kiara must have noticed there was something on her mind because she cleared her throat.
"So, what's going on?" she asked. "Is it what happened with JJ?" Carson made eye contact with her in the mirror as she was in the middle of doing her makeup.
"Am I that obvious?" she said. Kiara laughed and shrugged, continuing to braid Carson's hair to help her get ready. Carson felt a little nervous talking about it out loud, but she knew Kiara would never judge her.
"No," Kiara said. "I just know what it feels like when you kiss your best friend." She was referring to John B. "Did you talk to him about it?"
"Yeah. He said it was just the heat of the moment," Carson told her. Kiara picked up on the very faint hint of disappointment in her voice though.
"Was it?"
"I mean, yeah," Carson said. "But also no... I don't know." Kiara stayed silent, letting her continue without interruption. "Like, it's JJ! We've been friends since we were 8. He's reckless and aggressive and he smokes way too much weed, but he's also the most loyal person I know. He would take a bullet for any of us. I just, I don't know I feel."
"I think you do," Kiara said. "I just think you're scared to admit it." And maybe that was the truth and that was the harder part to accept. Because what if she did like him and he didn't feel the same?
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"Look at all these people. They're busy getting drunk on $100 bottles of champagne and gossiping about whose yacht is bigger, while the people on the cut don't even have frickin' power yet," Carson said.
"Yeah, and to get here, all my mom needed to do was hand over an absurd amount of money and waste 12 years of her life grovelling," Kiara grumbled.
"That's the price to sell your soul to the Devil," Carson said.
"Oh, look, Pope's here," Kiara pointed out. The two guys made their way over to him and Kiara put on a British accent. "Excuse me, sir. Do we have to shuck these ourselves?" He turned with a completely annoyed look on his face, like he was expecting some rich middle-aged woman. "'Cause it might mess up my costume." He started laughing when he realized it was just Kiara and Carson.
