She was the first person he trusted with his secret. His safe place.
He was the first guy she let all the way in. He could ground her when nobody else could.
-
"𝐓𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲, �...
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"I mean it's obvious, right?" John B asks driving down the street. "A family heirloom. I mean, what's a better place to hide a message? He had to know it was gonna get back to me, right?"
"Yeah, it's possible." Kie replies.
"It could also be possible that you're concocting wild theories to help, you know, deal with your sad feelings." Pope speaks up.
"I agree. Our dad is gone, JB. You're looking for answers that aren't there."
"Pope?" JB warns.
"Bro, you know how I process my sad feels. Dank nugs and the stickiest of ickies. That's how I do it. Except now your sister is trying to cut that down which is rude." JJ says.
I shrug at him nonchalantly.
"I'm not concocting, okay?" My brother denies. My dad's trying to give me a message."
"So, how come I'm dropped from all this dad stuff?" I ask my twin.
"You were never close with him." He says simply. "You were never around."
"So you think our dad decided to just forget I existed?" I was getting annoyed.
"Honestly, probably. You were always off doing your own thing."
"Well excuse me for having a life other than treasure hunting and false reality."
"It's not my fault he decided not to involve you."
"If it helps you believe, John B." Kie says softly.
"Look, I don't need a therapy session, okay? I'm not trippin' out."
"It's okay to trip, bro, but-" JJ starts but my brother cuts him off.
"Look, my dad is missing, okay?" John B snaps. "Missing. You don't know what it's like to have the person closest to you vanish and then have no idea what happened." JJ looks over at me. I knew what he was thinking. I was the closest person to him and he was the same for me. Neither of us could imagine life without each other. I discretely place my hand over his. "Just wake up every morning wondering."
"It's been almost a year." Kie says.
"He's dead." I say emotionless. I had already excepted the death of my father. I knew he was gone, I could feel it.
"Hey, he could have been kidnapped. That's definitely a possibility." JJ tries.
"Yeah, he could be in a Soviet sub getting interrogated by the KGB somewhere." Pope adds
"Absolutely," JJ agrees. "Uh.. or Atlantis.."
"Or six feet under the ground." I say.
"Kat." Kie says sternly before turning back to my brother. "Look, what do you think the message is?"
"Redfield. Redfield lighthouse." He says driving by the sign.
"It was Dad's favorite place." I add.
John B pulls up to the lighthouse and we all get out of the car.
"Right, here's what gonna happen. You're gonna post up and lookout for Bogey's, okay?" John B tells JJ.
"Wait, why me?"
"Because you're not coming." Pope says.
"Why?"
"JJ, there are independent and dependent variables, and you're independent. We don't know what you'll do.
"Shut up! Just shut up!" JJ yells angrily.
"Listen to me for a second." John B says catching their attention.
"Pope, you stand with JJ. Okay?"
"I'll stay with him." I say. "You guys all go."
"You don't wanna go up there?" John B asks.
"No. I think it's pointless and you're excluding JJ so I'll stay."
"Okay. If we get split up, we meet back at JJ's house."
"Great." Kie says starting to turn away. Pope and John B follow her, leaving just JJ and I.
He sits down on the edge of our van, with the door still open. I sit down next to him, throwing my legs over his. JJ smirks at me. "Comfy?"
"Yes, thank you." I say giggling. We had time to just be us and it was great.
He pulls me all the way over to him so I'm sitting on his lap.
"Hi, babe." He says smiling at me. I lean in to kiss him.
"I don't know why we're here." I admit. "I'm not sure what John B is looking for but this was just a place our dad would go. It was never really a research thing."
"He's reaching for answers, Kat. We just gotta let him find the dead ends."
"When did you become so wise?" I tease.
"Oh, stop." JJ laughs.
"I just wanted a calm summer and it's been anything but that."
"I know."
"I do have you to myself right now." I point out.
"Mm-hm." JJ hums.
He adjusts me so I'm straddling him. He stares at me, looking into my eyes. "What?" I ask softly.
"I love you."
A smile breaks across my lips. I lean in, pressing my lips against his. My hands travel up to his hair, running my fingers through his blonde locks. His hands settle on my hips, pulling me as close as possible.
My heart races as his hands roam my body. A chill runs down my spine as his hand grazes my back. He softly moans into my mouth as I rock my body against his. His hands travel down my sides as I slide mine into his shirt. I trace every curve of his abs with my finger tips.
JJ pulls away as he pulls off my t-shirt. He presses soft kisses against my collar bone. He travels up to my neck. I roll my head back giving him better access. I pull him back up to me, kissing him again.
A loud siren erupts from the forest behind the car. I pull away from JJ quickly. "Shit!"
"Babe, shirt, shirt!" JJ says tossing my shirt to me.
I run around the car to the front seat and climb in. I start the car.
