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CHAPTER FORTY ONE Broken promise ‿︵‿︵‿︵
(PRESENT)
They were parked in the state park, Kildare Hawk's Nest.
The van was getting warmer the longer they sat and waited for John B to return. Avery was staring out at the sky, watching the dark clouds rolling over them and the infrequent flashes of light streaking through them. She loved storms, swore she could sit and watch them for hours, sometimes she actually did. They made her think of her father, who dislikes them unlike her.
With her legs dangling out, Avery shifted on her spot for the hundredth time. Her dress was getting uncomfortable and whenever she moved, it bothered her even more. Sitting behind her was JJ, tapping his lap in a rhythm. He stole glances at her and observed the calm look on her face as she dazed up at the sky above them.
"Did you know that there's a one in five hundred thousand chance of you getting hit by lightning. And there's a one in ten chance that you don't survive" Avery randomly said. She peered over to meet the confused, and slightly concerned, faces of her friends. "What?"
"You aren't wrong but it's still unsettling" Pope blinked at her, raising his eyebrows at her.
"Could have said that staying in a vehicle doesn't decrease the possibility of being struck" She shrugged, biting back the laugh that bubbled in her neck at Pope's wide eyes.
Once she looked back up at the sky, conversation started again. Avery was glad that it had steered away from Kiara, she had grown bored of hearing her complaining about the Kook Princess. Her best friend started talking about what happened at the party, when Rafe and Kelce chased him.
Through the rumbling thunder and fine rain, Avery heard a quiet shout. For a second she was convinced that she hadn't heard it right, thinking it was just her mind jumping to conclusions. Yet, she heard it again. Her stomach dropped and skin prickled, she felt her mind starting to spin with so many thoughts.
Before she knew it, she was scooting off the edge of the van. Everyone's attention flickered over to her and was about to question, hearing a voice yell. They all tumbled out and followed Avery out, trying to keep up with her as she was already running ahead. JJ feared that whatever was happening could be dangerous and she was speeding right towards it, subconsciously picking up his speed to get closer to her.
"Avery!" JJ called out after her, failing to reach her as he stretched out an hand in hopes to touch her.
The blond was running as fast as she could in her heels, feeling the heel sinking into the ground with every pounding footstep. One hand had grabbed a fistful of golden fabric and hoisted it up to prevent her stepping on it and toppling over. In the distance, two figures came into view, growing clear the nearer she got.
"No, John B, no! Sarah, hey!" Avery's voice echoed through the air.
A whimper escaped Avery's lips as she froze in her tracks, staring down at John B fragile body. He was laying on the ground, quiet groans of pain falling from his lips. His eyes barely glancing her way. Sarah hovered over him with his hand cupped in one of hers. The girl's body quivered and bounced as she let out muffled, breathless sobs.
"I don't know what to do. He needs help. Topper shoved him" Sarah's voice was thick with panic and tears, not easing Avery at all.
"Where the hell is he?" JJ snapped. His body bumped into the back of Avery's, causing her to snap out of her daze and crumble to the ground to crouch besides her friend, completely forgetting the silky dress she was wearing.
"Hey, Johnny, buddy. It's me. Come on, look at me, please" Her voice was trembling as she tried her very best to hold back to tears that burned the backs of her eyes. Avery cursed out loud once she got no response.
"Oh, please, please, please get help. I don't care who. Just call someone" Sarah desperately begged. JJ rushed and shoved Pope away to get help, the crew hoping that he wouldn't take too long and they will be able to reach out to someone, for John B's sake.
"John B, stay with me" The Kook whined, giving him a light shake. Sarah leaned down to place a kiss on his closed lips, caressing his cheek with her shaking hand.
"Oh, shit. Okay" Avery blurted out, surprised to finally witness the affection between the two.
Her eyes peered up, briefly meeting JJ's, giving him a curt nod to reassure him as much as she could, before looking at Kiara. The girl in purple stared at Sarah, her eyebrows pinched together and lips apart, frowning downwards slightly. Avery clenched her jaw, knowing that John B promised her that nothing was going on with Sarah Cameron, and that promise had just been broken.
JJ's bellowing voice made Avery flinch, "Pope! Come on!"
From that point onwards, the night turned into a blur. Avery briefly remembered the flashing lights of the ambulance approaching. The medics aiding her friend, arguing with her as she tried to get any sort of answer from them. JJ and Kiara had to pull her away before she got physical, noticing the glimmer burning in her eyes.
"Let's go home," JJ mumbled into her cheek, holding her close. Her body was heaving with emotions, he was holding her together. He rested his forehead against her temple and whispered, "come on, baby, let's go"
Reluctantly, Avery let him pull her back towards the van. She watched over her shoulder as the ambulance drove off, switching on their lights as they did, with Sarah in the back with John B. At least he would have someone with him when he wakes. That was enough for her to give up, sighing heavily and looking ahead of her.
The drive back to the Chateau was awfully long. None of the Pogue's decided to speak. Kiara sat in the passenger seat in silence, most likely thinking about how John B lied about Sarah and contemplating her feelings. Pope was putting his focus on driving and worrying about his friend. JJ and Avery cradled in the back. His hand in her hair as they sat on the van floor, and she rested her head on his shoulder.
Avery let her mind wonder, regretting as she ended up thinking about how she felt jealous of Sarah. Even the forbidden love between a Pogue and Kook hadn't stopped them. Yet, here she was, not able to admit her feelings for her own best friend.
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AUTHORS NOTE! hello, hi! while i have been editing and tweaking my drafts, i have sparked a whole new idea that I'm determined to go through with. I have been seeing and read loads off comments and its been encouraging me, so thank you! I just really hope you are still with me and sticking around, and will continue to enjoy the story!
