ᴀᴜɢᴜsᴛ | ᴊᴊ ᴍᴀʏʙᴀɴᴋ

Tʜᴇ Gᴏʟᴅ

"Estrella." She calls out. The girl turns and furrows her brows at Kiara walking up to her.

"Something wrong ?"

"No, no, um," Kiara sighs, "How have you been ?"

Estrella is taken aback by the question, but answers anyway, "I'm fine."

Kiara knows she's lying. She knows because she had been telling her parents the same thing even though she knew deep down she wasn't.

"That's good." Kie nods, "I like your hair."

At the mention of her hair, Estrella rakes her fingers through it. She had cut it to just above her shoulders. A very big change for her seeing as she's had long hair her entire life, but that's what she wanted. A change.

"Thanks." She says, "Is there something you want to say, Kiara ? Because just jumping around with small talk isn't going to get us anywhere."

Kie sighs, "Look, Estrella, I'm sorry, okay ? For everything that happened. But we need each other. All of us."

Estrella looks away as Kie continues, "We all lost someone. Someone so special to us and we all need someone to lean on. The whole island is against us. They all think we're liars and that John B was a murderer, so we need to stick together."

Estrella looks back over at her. Kiara's eyes hold a certain hopefulness. A feeling that Estrella had lost a lot time ago.

"It's hard, Kie. It's hard to act like John B is the only thing wrong."

Kie knew what she was talking about and Kie had no idea what that felt like. But she knew that it couldn't be easy to walk around thinking that someone who was your best friend betrayed you.

"I know." Kie says stepping closer, "And I'm not saying that you have to let that go. I'm just saying that right now, John B is gone and we're all going to regret not coming together through this knowing that's what he would've wanted. For us to get through this Pogue style."

Estrella chuckles with teary eyes. "Pogue style."

"Yeah." Kie smiles hoping that she somewhat got through to her

Estrella nods to herself, "I can try, but that doesn't mean it's gonna work."

"That's all that matters. Is that we try." Kie says, "I'll even talk to JJ."

Estrella's breath hitches before she takes a step back. Kie's smile faltering, "I'll see you at school okay ?"

"Yeah, okay. I'll see you later, Estrella."

She doesn't respond and just walks away. Kie sighing before turning back to the Château.

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Estrella closes the front door behind her before locking it. She goes straight to her room to try avoiding her mom. Since everything got out, Estrella's mother had done a complete 180. The woman she once known as this happy, free-going woman had now become someone who watched Estrella like a hawk. Estrella was barely able to convince her to let her go to the Château.

Unfortunately for Estrella, her mom had heard her walk in.

There's a quick knock at the door before it swings open. Estrella sighs, "You know, usually people wait for someone to tell them to come in before they walk in."

"I just wanted to check on you. How was it hanging out with Pope ?"

"It was fine. Aside from the fact that we're having a memorial for our dead friends." She mumbles as she moves around her room

Her mom's eyes follow her, "What else did you guys do ?"

Estrella looks up at her mom's accusatory tone. She narrows her eyes, "What else would we be doing, mom ?"

"I'm not sure what you do anymore." She shrugs, "I certainly didn't know you were hanging out with someone like your friend."

"He didn't do it. I don't know how many times I have to tell you that."

"Everything's right there in front of you, Estrella. Your friend obviously wasn't everything you thought he was."

Estrella sighs heavily, "What do you need, mom ? If you just came in here to remind me that my friend is gone, I really don't need that right now."

Her mom walks further into her room and sets a pamphlet down in front of her. Estrella furrows her brows, "I've been talking with Kiara's parents and they mentioned boarding school. They're thinking about sending Kiara and considering everything that you were doing, I think it'd be good for you."

Before Estrella could say anything, her mom walks out of her room. Estrella looks down at the pamphlet. Her mom couldn't be serious right ? Boarding school ? Her friends had just died and she was worried about sending her daughter to boarding school ?

Estrella sighs as she just tosses the pamphlet on her desk. She hurries to close her door before taking her jacket off. As she sets it on her chair, she looks down at the bandage sitting on her right wrist. She feels herself become saddened as she thinks more on what had happened. She blinks rapidly as she goes to her closet to take out some pajamas.

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