John b helps Sarah off of the little Druthers.
We walk up the shore of Charleston. This place brings back so many memories.
Mom used to bring me here when I was little, we used to grab coffee in a little cafe beside the huge mall. We'd look out among the poeple walking by and guess what their names would be.
"Hey, listen. We're gonna find some gas, find a phone, and get out of here. All right?" He explains the plan to Sarah and I.
"How are we gonna pay for the gas?" Sarah asks.
"We just won't." I shrug.
We carry the gas canisters up the streets, looking around.
I feel my stomach rumble hard, making me hold it.
I look at a nearby restaurant, practically drooling.
"We need food." John b nods.
"Yes, we do." I groan.
"Just- Okay, just follow my lead."
We walk by a rich couple, a waiter holding drinks on a tray beside them.
John b purposely bumps into the waiter, causing him to spill the drinks out onto the rich man's expensive suit.
I gasp. "Oh, goodness me." I say in a posh accent.
"Are you kidding me!" The man stands up and tears off his suit jacket.
I try not to laugh.
"Oh! Your shoes!" Sarah looks down at his shoes, sucking air in.
"And your face, Oh- no. It was already like that." I chuckle.
"Excuse me?" The man yells.
"Isn't that jacket 1700 dollars? Ouh.. that's rough man, I'm so sorry it's all on me." John b sighs.
I slip their cash into my hand as they frantically take it out on John b.
"You cant ever afford this jacket, because you're pathetic!" The rich man continues.
"All right, was the name calling necessary?" I ask, walking backwards to hide the money I stole.
"Sorry, sir." John b repeats.
"You got a little something.. all over you.." I laugh.
"Darla, you get it?" They ask me.
I hold up the cash with a smile. "Let's eat."
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We get to the gas stall, with a hotdog shop behind it.
"Alright, how many?" John b asks.
"50." Sarah groans.
"double that."
"A hundred? Okay." John b laughs.
He walks into the shop as Sarah and I fill up the gas cans.
"So, you're a wife now?" I look at her.
"Yeah, I guess.." She smiles.
"How's it feel, to be locked off?" I ask.
"I mean- I've already thrown my life away for the guy.. so... the same." She tilts her head as we watch the gas empty out into our canisters.
"Hm." I nod.
"What was Cleo talking about?" Sarah's asks me.
"What? Oh, ahh.." I stutter.
"Oh, uh, ah. Just tell me!" Sarah says.
"Nothing, it's- um. It's nothing." I shrug.
She rolls her eyes. "You know I'll get it out of you one day."
"One day." I conclude.
I turn around to suddenly see the man we robbed from.
"Shit. Get behind the stall!" I whisper shout to Sarah.
We hear the ships bell ding as John b walks out, three hotdogs in hand. "Hey, they ran out of the real deal." He says very loudly, his face stuffed with hotdogs.
"Shut up!" I whisper.
"They're vegan. What?" John b stops.
"Hey! You!" The rich man shouts at John b.
"Oh my god, nicely done John b." I say, grabbing the gas cans and twisting the cap on as we run away.
"Come here, thieves! You stole my money!" He yells.
"Go!" I yell, carrying the heavy cans.
John b carries the hotdogs in his hand, i feel so hungry right now, I just have to eat.
I grab my hotdog quickly and chomp down on it, before spitting it out in disgust. "Vegan hotdogs are ass!"
We run down the street and come to an abrupt stop when we hear very familiar voices.
"Come on, Kie! Go to the alleyway!" I hear Jj call out.
"Oh my god." I laugh.
"No fucking way." Sarah shakes her head.
"JJ, POPE, KIE!" John b screams.
They don't hear us, and just take a sharp turn to the alleyway.
"Get over here!" We hear The rich man yell.
"Oh damn, forgot about this dick." I moan.
John b randomly grabs an electric delivery bike with a huge backseat.
"Hey! That's mine!" The delivery worker cries.
"We'll give it back, just- uh. Just hang in tight!" I say, jumping on the back with Sarah and John b begins cycling away.
We pace through the streets on this huge ass bike, we now have two enemies on our backs.
We keep cycling, I hold onto the gas canisters as we do so. "John b, I swear I'm gonna drop these!"
"Hold on tighter, Darla!" John b yells back at me.
"How the fuck do I do that!"
"We got to find Pope Kie and Jj!" Sarah cries.
"Pope! Jj, Kie?" I scream.
John b keeps using all of his might to cycle.
Suddenly John b pulls the bike to an abrupt stop.
I stand up to see what it is.
I gasp as I face the other half of my heart, and of our group.
Jj, Pope and Kie stare at us with widened- yet delighted eyes.
We all just take in the moment with gaped mouths, until these bitches behind us ruin the moment. "Hey! My bike!"
"Get on, get on, get on, get on!"
Kie sits in beside me as Jj and Pope push the bike with all of their might, John b still pedalling.
I quickly pull Kie in for a huge hug, I haven't seen my sister in forever!
They run the bike into the road.
"Oh my fuck! Pedal faster!" Sarah shouts.
"Push dude!" John b tells to the back.
I cant help but cackle within all of this madness.
Sarah, Kie and I all group hug as Jj quickly hops onto the platform that were sitting on.
"He's gaining, John b! Come on!" He grabs John bs shoulder.
"I'm aware, I'm pedalling.. okay?" John b shouts.
"I cant fucking breath!" I say, tears in my eyes from laughter.
I look behind me. "Who the fuck is that bitch!" I cackle.
"I don't fucking know!" Kie joins in laughing with me.
Suddenly Pope falls and tumbles.
"Oh shit!" I reach my hand out for him as he try's to run.
He grabs it and i do my best to pull him up.
He gets onto the platform and we wave this weird ass bitch behind us goodbye.
"See ya later alligator!" Jj holds up his middle finger.
"See you later asshole!" Pope laughs.
We all laugh at him as he plummets to the ground.
______________________________
We all get into the boat, Jj and Pope push it into the sea and then quickly hop on after.
We cheer as we leave the island all together, in once piece, and reunited.
I lean back.
"It's been so long, man." Jj ruffles my hair.
I smile at him, leaning beside me.
"So.. We need everything. You survived the storm, first of all." Kie laughs.
I tilt my head back and chuckle as John b gets excited to storytell.
"This is going to be a hell of a ride home." Sarah shakes her head.
_____________________________
After explaining all of our adventures about the Bahamas, and how Sarah nearly died.. we pull up to a small dock.
"Anyone else starving? Or.." Jj asks.
"I didn't even get to fully eat my vegan hotdog." I frown, my stomach turning inside out from hunger.
"Vegan hotdog? Ew, the fuck?" Kie laughs.
"John b bought 'em, I don't know." I shrug.
"Well, I'm sure we'll find something to eat around here." Sarah nods.
"We fucking better." I hold my stomach as the three girls walk up the dock.
______________________________
We get to a small little forest and Kie finds huge ass juicy watermelons. "Jackpot!"
I smile widely. "Kiara you saviour." I run over and pick myself a watermelon.
I drag it up from the ground, grunting as I try to bring it over to the bench situated in the middle of the forest. I'm so weak from absolutely no food fueling my energy.
We carve them open and dig in with our fingers.
The watermelon tastes more refreshing than ever, more juicy as ever, more sweet as ever.. literally the best thing i've ever eaten in my lifetime of living.
"Mm, holy shit." Sarah grunts, stuffing her face.
"All right, run me through this again. You really got married?" She asks Sarah.
"Right! I was apparently asleep while they got married, so." I shrug, turning to Sarah as I continue to lick my fingers of their watermelon juice.
"It wasn't exactly legal, but..." She looks up at us from sitting on the floor. She tilts her head, her cheeks uplifting into a little grin. "Yeah."
A helpless smile splashes across my cheeks, they're the cutest.
I turn to look at Kie. "But, am I crazy or is there definitely something going on between you and Pope?"
She shrugs on one side. "Maybe."
"That's not a no." Sarah blinks.
"It's not a no." Kie confirms, taking another piece of watermelon.
"Bitch!" I giggle.
"And apparently, this little girl has a supposed 'love life.'" Sarah points at me.
"Who me? Nooo.." I scoff.
"Awe, did you miss jj, huh?" She tilts her head.
I roll my eyes, chewing on the watermelon with a uncontrollable smirk.
"Oooh." Sarah hits my leg.
"Well, of course I missed him." I shrug my shoulders. "I miss all of you guys." I look at Kie.
"I missed you guys so much." Kie groans.
"Right." Sarah nods.
I agree silently as I eat my melon.
"But.. you missed jj the most." Kie winks at me.
"Jj, huh?" Sarah giggles.
I continue chewing, not saying anything.
"Aow, AOw!" Sarah howls.
"Whew!" Kie cackles.
"Stop.." I feel myself blush a little.
______________________________
JJ POV:
Were sat in the boat, waiting for the girls to come back.
"So, uh, what's up with this Kiara stuff there, big guy?" John b asks Pope.
Soul music plays quietly in the back.
"Honestly, I don't know right now, man." Pope shrugs, a bit devastated to say that. "I mean, I definitely like her."
"Sure." John b nods.
"And I'm pretty sure she likes me." Pope tilts his head a little, doubting his own words.
"Seems like it." John b nods again.
"Right now, there's a lot of conflicting information going on." Pope sighs. "Like, I'm trying to gather all the data and put it into a little folder in my mind.."
"Folder?" John b laughs.
"All right, man, look, women, all right, like, they're just not consistent." I say.
"All right, we're not going to take female advice from jj." John b shakes his head.
"Uh, why's that?" I ask, offended of his words.
"Because, Jj, you haven't pulled Darla in your 16 years of loving her." John b turns to me.
"Pssssh, loving her? All right, listen. It's not like that." I get a little defensive because I'm nervous that I'm that obvious.
"You can stop lying now." Pope nods.
"Lying how? Okay, maybe.. I like her cause she's like hot." I conclude.
"Jj, you're obsessed with the girl. You kept on sighing and talking about her while she was gone." Pope says.
"Pope, shut up." I blandly tell him.
"All right, guys- stop. They're coming."
"Dear god, please give me Darla back, I'll do anything!" Pope says in a high pitch voice, mimicking me.
"Shut up Pope!" I yell.
"Hi." Sarah walks up. They're all carrying huge ass watermelons. "What y'all talking bout?"
I look over at John b.
"Mm.. fishing." He nods.
"Dropping lures." I add on. "That's.. that, you know?"
"Mmm, okay." Darla sighs, holding the huge watermelon.
"You need help?" I ask her.
She drops the watermelon into my hand without hesitation.
"Jesus." I grunt.
"What y'all got?" Pope asks.
"We got breakfast." Kiara says with a smile.
_______________________________
Our boat slowly pulls up to the chateaus dock, I smile brightly as I see it, thought I'd never see it again.
"There she is." John b nods.
"Bet it's good to see her old bones again." Jj says. "Welcome home, guys." Jj walks out onto the dock and holds out his hand to help me.
I take it, smiling. "Thanks!"
"Mhm." He nods with a grin.
We all walk up the steps of the dock into the little hut.
"You know, I gotta he honest, not exactly looking forward to check-in back at home." Kie sighs.
I lean against the railing. "They've probably arranged my funeral, get it? Cause like- I'm dead."
"No." JJ shakes his head.
"Right." I nod.
"I also predict unpleasantries at the Heyward household, after I left the truck in Charleston." Pope sighs.
"That's sucks." I grit my teeth.
"No one knows we're here, right?" Jj randomly says. "And you two aren't gonna get in any more trouble for showing up twelve hours later." He says to Kie and Pope.
I squint my eyes.
"Am I right, or am I right?" He asks.
"You're not wrong." Pope shrugs.
"So that means we have 12 hours to whatever the hell we want." Jj says, his signature cheesy smile across his cheeks. "Huh? A little pogue fellowship. How that sound?"
"Let the shit hit the fan tomorrow." John b laughs.
"Yeah!" Jj whoops.
"The cops could be looking for us. It could be really stupid." Sarah adds, propped up on the railing.
"Sarah Cameron, you've heard of my philosophy, right?" Jj walks up to her, smile still stuck on his face.
I roll my eyes with a smirk, knowing what's coming next.
"Stupid things, have good outcomes all the time." He says.
We all mouth it as he says it. He stands by that.
"Who's with me? Let's get some beer!" Jj winks at me.
I flick my hair behind me and run after him.
He slows down for me to catch up as the others are slowly walking behind.
I catch up with him, us walking side by side.
He looks at me, grinning wide.
"I missed you, dammit." I shove him as we walk.
"Meh, can I say the same thing?" He shrugs, sarcastically.
"Shut up J!" I giggle.
"Of course I missed you, Darl." He wraps his arm around my waist.
I wrap mine around his shoulder as we walk ahead.
______________________________
It's hours later, we got beer from Geekies and the night is dark. Jj made us get in his hot tub, cause he didn't wait all of the money on it just for us not to use it.
I lean back in a fresh bikini that I stole from Kie. My hair washed and done up into a bun, finally brushed it out after ages, and I don't smell like seaweed anymore. Life's good.
Sarah Kie and I sit in the tub when we see Jj, John b and Pope run out and hop into the tub.
"Uh-oh!" I call out.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" Jj laughs.
I swish my feet around, not in the tub just yet. Holding a much needed blunt in my left hand.
John b, Pope and jj all shotgun a beer, then smash the can on their heads and yell out like hooligans.
"Oh my fucking god." I roll my eyes, laughing.
"Darlaaa...." Jj holds an unopened beer in hand.
I tilt my head. "Fine."
Everyone cheers as I accept the can from him, taking a deep breath in as I pierce the bottom of the can with my fingernail.
I crack open the lid and tilt it, chugging out of the hole I just created.
I finish it off in no time, crushing the can against the side of my head like the boys did. "Ugh."
Everyone laughs.
"Still got it in you, hm?" J nods.
I shrug my shoulders, looking to the side. "Feels like I'm 11 again, doing my first shotgun."
"Eleven!?" Sarah gasps.
"That's on having a mom who lets you do what you please and friends who are 100 percent not the best influences." I explain to her.
John b splashes water at me. "Ahem!"
I grab my blunt back off Kie. "Ahem what, it's the truth!"
_____________________________
JJ and Pope stand up and do this arm pushing shit that they always do, where you push each other shoulder and whoever falls first loses.
They push each-other back and forth.
"Come on, Pope!" Kie calls out.
Pope suddenly tackles Jj to the ground.
"Oh shit, Pope for the win?" I cackle in disbelief.
Jj shakes his head and gets up.
"Thought you were better than this, j." I jokingly sigh.
"Shut up, Darl." He shoves my shoulder, laughing a little.
Pope groans. "All right, I'm out of here."
"Did you have to many beers?" J says in this weird ass accent.
I sip at my beer , when I watch Kie stand up slowly, looking at me with a smirk before quickly following Pope.
My mouth widens. "What!"
"Really?" Sarah laughs.
"Way to be discreet!" J shouts.
"We leave, and this is what happens." John b groans.
"You blaming me?" J asks, offended.
"One job jj, you had one job." I laugh at him.
"One job? Uh, you guys like died- for a sec so don't even!"
I scoff, then stand up. "all out of beers."
John b nods. "Same."
I walk over to the beers smiling to myself as Sarah and Jj bicker in the back.
I look up at the tree the beers are beside, noticing something different.
It's a gravestone for me and John b, our names carved into the tree, P4L written at the bottom.
I stare at it, getting teary eyed as John b walks up beside me.
He stares at it too.
Jj walks up to us, he's frowning a little.
I wipe my tears, clearing my throat a little. "Cute art project."
He sighs, nodding.
"Killed the tree, though." John B sniffles.
"Yeah, probably." Jj laughs. "Oops."
I look over at him.
He frowns, looking at us. "I freaking missed you, guys."
We all go in for a hug, all though Jj and John b are hugging too tight cause they're being all bro-motional.
I slip out, feeling like they just squashed me into a piece of cardboard.
"Cute hug, guys." I sniffle.
_____________________________
We stand around the fire, but suddenly see a boat drifting away from us, it's Pope and Kie in the pogue.
"Oh! Alright." J laughs.
I wave them off, smiling brightly. "Have a good time!"
"There he goes, he jacked your boat, dude." Jj takes in a breath as he tells John b, who's looking out at them float away.
"Popes poking on the pogue." He laughs.
Sarah yelps out at them.
"You should probably—"
John b grabs jjs shoulder. "Wait, wait wait. What was that?"
"Your chicken?" I suggest.
"No- I heard a car door."
J clucks like a chicken, trying imitate what he hears.
John b grabs jjs mouth, listening out, and we suddenly hear footsteps.
"Shit." I whisper.
"What do we do," Sarah cries.
"The tree, the tree!" Jj turns around and we all bolt to the tree.
Kk boosts me up and I use all of my very little amount of strength to pull myself up onto a branch.
I sit on the strong, thick branch. J climbs to the one beside me.
We look down, and I see Rafe. I gasp, holding my mouth.
I hear someone else crash things around inside the house.
I see that's it's Barry.
I clench my jaw in anger.
"There's no one in there." Barry sighs.
"There were just here, from the smoke!" Rafe shouts.
"No shit, Einstein!" Barry roll his eyes.
Rafe looks over at The tree, he spots our memorial.
He starts getting angrier and angrier, before he
cocks his gun and shoots at the tree. "Rafe! Chill, bro!"
Barry grabs Rafes arm, making him shoot upwards.
The bullet lands on Jjs branch.
I gasp.
"Dude! you're gonna get our asses busted, dawg! Let's bounce!" Barry starts running, Rafe follows after him.
I look over at jj. "Oh my god."
We both stare at the bullet hole pierced into the tree.
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