ISSUES II outer banks

hawk's nest

"Can't help who you fall in love with."

❥

"Good and what's the plan now?" "Good question. So, Sarah Cameron is going to bring us the original map at midnight-"

"Wait, wait a second", Kie stutters next to me, "Sarah? Why Sarah?" "It's going to be funny now", JJ comments but doesn't sound amused.

"Sarah.. uh.. she brought me into the archive in Chapel Hill yesterday and I found the letter there", John B stumbles knowing that Kie wouldn't like it. Well, I have to admit, I'm surprised. "You've been in Chapel Hill with Sarah Cameron?" "Yeah-"

"He hooked up with her", JJ chips in. "I didn't hook up." "Of course you hooked up with Sarah Cameron." "I didn't hook up with her, I only used her to get into the archive." "Ah, she let you in."

"Did you tell her about the gold as well?", Kie asks John B. Well, that is a good question. 

I like Sarah and I do count her as one of my friends. Actually, the only one besides these four people here. But it's a weird feeling since we've been doing all of this together, the five of us. Now that's what JJ meant with ‚to the five of us, there's one more'.

❥

"I only wanted to get into the archive-" "Is that a yes?", Kie yells shocked. I mean, how much time did they spend together? A day? Quite a little to talk about the gold. "I skipped important details."

"What did you do? You're reveal our secret to a kook? What about our pogue code? What about our mutual plans?", Kie goes on. "I only tried to get information." "Why is it hard for me to believe you?"

"I only want us to become damn rich so we can pay for the sunken boat or you could go to an autopsy school to examine dead bodies. Guys, you know me! Do I look like someone who falls in love with Sarah Cameron?", John B laughs nervously. "Do you really want an answer?"

I'm not so sure right now what I should think. John B is like the sweetest guy I know. Fine, there are Pope and JJ but Pope is too shy for me and JJ can be stupid if we're honest. "Just be quiet, alright? Iz, tell us your opinion. You're literally both, a pogue and a kook."

"Seriously? Can you like drop this pogue and kook discussion for once? I'm a pogue and I don't care if Sarah is a kook or not but I know her and she's my friend. I'm not going to talk about her behind her back."

"You don't really know her yet. But I do. You cannot trust her." Kie emphasizes her words and give me a disapointed look which I ignore. I didn't talk about Sarah in so long just because of her. "Her brother hit me with a golf club", Pope argues.

"Sorry but Sarah and Rafe are totally different people", I hold against it. It wouldn't be fair to compare her with him. "Oh, really, are you defending her now?", Kie hisses at me now with an angry glance.

"What exactly did she do to you?", JJ asks the ultimate question. I'm Kie's cousin and best friend. Of course I know what has happened between the two of them. 

I would have gone to Sarah's party until I realized that Kie wasn't waiting for me so we could go together. When I opened the door to her room, I found her crying. She told me how everyone was invited except her although they've been best friends. So I decided to not go to the party. I was angry with Sarah at that time but Kie called the police to the Cameron's house so they were even in my eyes.

"She's like a poisonous cobra. First, she'll blind you and-" "That's a bad comparison." "Let me finish. In the end, she'll take away everything that we find."

❥

It took us some time but we could calm Kie down for a few minutes. John B would meet Sarah at midnight and we're going there with him. Plus, she's literally helping us so she deserves to know about it. And honestly, I've had enough of fights the past days. "Let's go." "Alright."

"Oh, yeah, I thought it's better if I do it alone", John B tells us as soon as the others where ready to step out the bus. He's looking at Kie in particular. "I'll go alone." "Oh yeah?" 

"What?" "Nothing, brother." "I just want to ease Sarah past your comments", John B explains. "Hey, I didn't say anything about it. Sarah's my friend", I hold against furrowing my eyebrows. I didn't even make a comment about John B and her earlier.

"You've been dating Rafe, that doesn't count", Kie shoots back, "I don't even know why she's getting involved." "Kie, she's not getting involved. It's just some kind of business meeting. As soon as we've got what we need, we'll dump her. But we definitely need this map."

"Promise me that there's nothing going on between you two", Kie demands. "There's nothing going on, Kie." "I mean it, seriously." "Sure."

"It's not about you or us, it's about her. You cannot trust her. Promise me that there's nothing going to happen between you." "I promise." Woah, John B, that was a little fast. I'm excited to see if he'll keep that promise.

"That was very convincing", JJ comments whereas Pope agrees with him. "Totally." "Yeah, I'll take care of business." "Oh yeah, you'll probably take care of it so well." "We're going to wait here in the hot crate and count the thunderbolts."

❥

"Kiara, if you keep on grumbling it would be like drinking poison and hoping that Sarah will die of this", Pope tells her and JJ agrees with him. "Yeah, right." 

I think he's right, too, but should I say something? Kie wouldn't only be mad at John B then. I know about her and Sarah, she expects me to defend her. But well, if John B really likes Sarah and she's going to join us, they need someone who defends them as well.

"Kie, I didn't say anything about it", I begin slowly, "But could you calm down a bit, please? We don't even know what's going on between them and even if they were dating, it's John B's life. We cannot choose who our friends are falling in love with." Oh well, that sounds as if I'm not only talking about John. JJ gives me a confused look. Oh, I said fall in love with. Fuck, he could think that I indirectly said it.

"Okay, I'm so done hearing this. First you fall in love with JJ now John B and Sarah? What's next? And don't forget your fling with Rafe which you didn't tell us about. I can't choose for you but I can tell you that they're going to hurt you." "Can we like stop talking about Izzy and I for a moment, please?", JJ asks shaking his head.

"Wait, did you hear that?" "What?" "Help!" That's Sarah. Wait, if she's asking for help... what about John? "Fuck, let's get out", I mutter immediately jumping out of the bus and running towards my two friends who lie on the ground.

"What happened to him?", I ask Sarah quickly. "He fell off the tower, Topper shoved him", she answers worriedly as she holds John B. Topper? When will Rafe and him understand that they go too far?

"Where did he go?", JJ yells but I push his arm back lightly. "It's not the right time to look for Topper. Go and get help!" "Pope, hurry up!"