𝐏𝐈𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐄 ━ ᴶᴶ ᴹᵃʸᵇᵃⁿᵏ

𝟭𝟮. 𝙈𝙞𝙙𝙨𝙪𝙢𝙢𝙚𝙧𝙨

  WHAT THEY FOUND IN THE WRECKAGE was nothing short of anticlimactic and disappointing. All the hopes and dreams that they'd conjured up the moment that they would found the gold in pieces of the Merchant went into the drain, never to be seen.

To be completely sure of the discovery, or lack thereof, Pope went in circles a few times with frantic, searching eyes. Any alternatives he could conjure up in the moment were spewed out in hopes of not giving up. But, with a firm command from John B, Sierra was pulling the drone back up.

  The Routledge had already accepted defeat the moment they didn't find it in the first sweep. The tension thick and awkward as he remained seated on the floor, hood pulled over his head. Now, Sierra sat inside the cabin, keeping JJ company whilst he drove back to Heyward's. Slowly, Kiara stepped in, sitting beside the Ray girl.

  "So..." The curly haired girl began quietly, swinging her legs gently from the edge. "would not be a good time to ask you something?"

  Sierra peered over, smiling softly, ever the kindest even in such a situation. "Yeah, anything."

  "Come to Midsummers with me."

  "Anything except that."

  "Oh, don't be stubborn, Si!" Kiara whined, face scrunching up into a pleasing look. "Please, my parents gave me permission to bring a plus one, and then they said the plus one can only be you."

  "Do you want me assassinated?" Sierra argued, a flicker of her attack against Topper and Rafe flashing in her brain. Marching into Kook territory after something like that only called for one thing, trouble. "I step one toe into whatever country club is hosting the event and there'll be a sniper waiting to gun me down."

  "Don't be dramatic." The Carrera girl countered, clueless on the knowledge that Sierra held. "It won't be that bad."

  "Is that suppose to reassure me or you?"

  "Maybe a bit of both?" The girl revealed, shrugging sheepishly. "But that's not the point! The point is that you're going with me, no arguing, no saying no."

  "I have no way in dropping out of this, do I?"

  Kiara feigned thinking, looking up and tapping her chin to really sell the act. "Nope, your appointment for the dress fitting is the day after tomorrow."

—

  SEVERAL HOURS HAD PASSED AND Kiara invited Pope, JJ, and Sierra to join for the annual Outerbanks get together. Of course John B would've came along if he was even present at his house, which he wasn't. And with no way of contacting him they shrugged it off and drove down to the open field.

  The actual location sat on the cusp of the Cut and Figure 8, though the activity itself was mostly a Kook thing, but few Pogues stood out in the large crowd of people. Walking past those people were the four Pogues, Kiara walking with an extra, excited pep in her step, tote bag slug over her shoulder. Pope was forced to carry the lawn chairs and his backpack, speaking of which, JJ had his own hugged on his back along with a cooler in his right hand, the other protectively held Sierra's.

  The blonde was antsy, looking around in fear as they walked through. Had Kiara not been rambling enthusiastically the whole time she would've noticed, but it was the girl by his side that was only one to see it.