BAD HABITS || OUTER BANKS

33: my boy ☆

"Who the hell is that?" JJ asked.

"Trouble, definitely trouble," Emerson muttered under her breath.

"Whoever it is, they're probably looking for John B too," Kiara said as she walked up the stairs. She didn't say anything else as she walked back into the Wreck, leaving JJ and Emerson outside on the porch.

Emerson looked over at JJ, seeing the frozen look on his face. JJ was scared but he didn't want to admit it. Emerson put her hand on top of his, trying to make him feel better. JJ looked over at her and gave her a small smile as he held her hand.

"We'll find him," She told him. "We'll find him and he'll make it out of here."

"Yeah," JJ nodded, truly hoping that Emerson was right.

--☆--☆--☆--☆--☆--☆--

"You sure he just wasn't being weird Pope?" JJ asked.

The pogues were now gathering supplies for John B's escape, while Kiara tried to explain Pope's odd behavior when he left that morning. Of course both JJ and Emerson already knew about Pope's feelings for Kiara, except neither of them expected him to admit them out loud.

"It wasn't really the kind of thing that needed interpretation," Kiara told him, as she grabbed some bread and handed it to JJ. "Is that enough food for them?" Kiara asked.

"I mean, for a couple of weeks, and that's all they need so..." JJ answered.

"Look, I think I actually hurt his feelings," Kiara said, continuing the conversation about Pope.

"Look, don't beat yourself up too much," JJ said as he picked up the box of food and they walked to the back door of the Wreck. "He's completely changed his feels. The past 24 hours have been like Jekyll and Hyde."

"I hate to admit it, but I miss the old Pope," Kiara announced. "At least I knew what to expect from him."

"Where have you been?" Kiara's Mom asked as she approached her daughter. None of the teenagers had heard her arrive and they were all shocked to find her standing there.

"Uh- I'm fine. I slept here," Kiara answered, while JJ and Emerson finished loading up her car. They didn't have the time to explain to Mrs. Carrera everything that's happened in the last 24 hours, they knew they needed to get out of there and quickly.

"Well, we were up half the night, scared to death, lookin' for you," Mrs. Carrera told her.

"Would never be my mom," Emerson whispered to JJ, who gave her a concerned look but she gave him a smile saying she was trying to be okay with it.

"Were you even gonna tell us?"

"Well, I'm telling you right now," Kiara replied.

"All right," Mrs. Carrera looked over her shoulder at JJ and Emerson. "What the hell are you three up to?"

"I'm sorry, Miss Anna, we gotta go," JJ told her, completely avoiding her question.

"Sorry," Emerson apologized then JJ took her hand, leading the two of them to the other side of the car. Emerson opened the door to the front seat after giving JJ a sweet smile that convinced him to get into the back.

"No. I'm sorry. Absolutely not," She told the three teenagers. "Have you heard what's going on?"

"Mom, I'll explain later," Kiara assured her, as she made her way to the driver's seat.