BRUTAL | jj maybank

FORTY FIVE

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no," John B repeated multiple times.

"I think we miscalculated," Pope spoke up, out of breath.

"You think?" Kyla respond, blinking rapidly in disbelief.

"I knew I should have driven," JJ said before they all had to get out of the van, standing in the murky water.

"Okay, maybe we can walk from here," Pope suggested.

"What, and leave the Twinkie? The — the tide's coming in," John B told him.

"So then what are we supposed to do?" Sarah asked.

"Not stay here," JJ answered.

Kiara seemed to contemplate it for a moment before she said, "We can take our dad's truck."

"Wait, what?" Kyla said, looking over at her sister in confusion. Kiara nodded at her.

"Kie, are you sure?" John B inquired.

"How much worse can it get, you know?" Kiara replied with a shrug, and Kyla had to nod an agreement on that one.

"We're gonna need something to pull her out with. There's a winch at the Château. That's, like, two miles," JJ brought up.

"Yeah, that's a good idea," Sarah said.

"Okay, if you're gonna do it, let's go, okay? Tide's coming in, all right? Twinkie's going underwater," John B said.

"Double time, Kie. We gotta move," JJ urged as the two of them climbed out of the water.

"Hey, wait!" Kyla called out, following them. They both turned around to look at her. "Let me get the truck, Kie."

"What?" Kiara said in confusion.

"I've been sneaking in and out of the house for the past few days without being caught by our parents. And, if they do catch me, you know I won't be as punished as you would be. It's safer if I do it," Kyla explained to her sister, glancing over at JJ who was watching them intently.

Kiara thought about it for a moment before she nodded. "Okay, fine. Just be careful and be fast. We don't have much time," Kiara told them.

"Will do," Kyla said before she and JJ began to walk off together.

"Just you and me," he commented after a moment.

"Yep," she responded, keeping her gaze locked ahead.

・・・・☆・・・・☆ ・・・・

Kyla and JJ finally made it the Carrera household. JJ quickly looked into her dad's truck and said, "He's not in there. We're good."

"Why would he just be sitting in there?" Kyla asked quietly and JJ shrugged before the both of them moved towards the fence.

"Are you sure you wanna do this, a little Dad Theft Auto?" JJ asked as he crouched down.

"Why would I want to? We just need to," she answered before JJ opened up the fence door, urging her to go.

Kyla swiftly walked up the steps to the porch, looking through the windows. She didn't see anyone sitting down on the couch so she quietly opened up the door, being careful not to make any noise.

She then began to slowly walk inside, hearing her parents voices from inside the kitchen area. She walked over and peered around the corner, seeing them laughing and talking together happily. Kyla couldn't help but frown. They seemed happier without her and Kiara in the house.