Everything had started at the beginning of summer. The pogues only mission had been to have a good time, all the time. But things went very differently, very fast. Hurricane Agatha had struck the Outer Banks and well, she had been a real bitch. It had led the pogues to find a sunken boat. To find a compass that once belonged to Malous and John Bs father, to be followed and shot at and in the end, Malou found herself on a treasure hunt for the Royal Merchant. She knew about this ship. Of course, she did. Her father had used to tell her the story as bedtime stories. She had watched him look for that wreck for her whole life. She had watched how his obsession grew and how someday, he had lost himself in it.
Unlike John B, who had always looked up to their father and had always been very interested in his work, Malou had started to dislike what their father did. She didn't like how he spent more time looking for a wreck than spending it with his children. How he just disappeared for days, leaving them alone at the Château at a young age. How her and John B had to work a lot to pay the bills, because their father neglected his real jobs for his obsession. At the point her father had went missing, Malou and him hadn't been on the best terms and she never had the chance to make up with him. Of course, she missed him. But she couldn't deny, that she felt angry at him. That he lost himself in this obsession, that he took it so far, that he never got back home to them.
And now, there she was. Following his footsteps. And she hated it. She had seen this film before. And she didn't like the ending. Much to her dislike, her brother and her friends were really into the treasure hunt. The G-game, JJ would call it. Not wanting to let her friends down, Malou agreed to find the gold and to her surprise, they did find it. After being followed, shot at, solving a lot of riddles, breaking into houses, translating old languages and watching how her brother fell in love with a kook, they really found the gold.
After they had found it, they had spent the whole day trying to melt it down. It wasn't perfect, but it was enough and they were close to go full kook. To get their minds off for a little and celebrate their victory, the pogues decided to have a little party at the Château. That's where we find Malou and the pogues.
"No, no, no! Why would you do that, Malou?", John B groaned, when he watched his sister take a hit of the joint that JJ was smoking. With big eyes, Malou shrugged her shoulders and innocently blew out the smoke again. JJ chuckled and took the joint back, when Malou handed it to him.
"I'm stressed.", Malou answered unimpressed and John B rolled his eyes.
"Doesn't she smoke usually?", Sarah asked and watched how John B shook his head as he still tried to kill his sister by looking at her.
"She does, but she gets emotional as fuck, when she mixes weed and alcohol.", John B explained and Sarah looked back at Malou who smiled back at her cheekily.
"You gave her, you babysit her.", John B threatened JJ and pointed his finger at him. JJ nodded his head as he blew out some smoke by himself. He never minded to take care of Malou, whether she was sad, high or sick.
"Last time, she cried over never seeing a baby shark.", Pope said and heard the pogues laugh right after. Sarah leant her head against the shoulder of John B, but her eyes never left the girl with hazel eyes, the nose piercing that looked absolutely naturally on her and her brown, wavy hair. Of course, Sarah felt very comfortable around John B. Pope was a very kind and smart person, JJ spoke up whatever was on his mind, so he was very easy to be around with and Kiara, well – they still worked on their friendship, but even though it was hard sometimes, Sarah at least knew, where she stood with her. It was different with Malou though. It wasn't, that Sarah felt uncomfortable around her, she just felt, like she didn't really know her yet. She wasn't sure, if Malou trusted her and what she thought of Sarah being with her brother. As the night went on, a few rounds of never have I ever and truth or dare, gave Sarah a little insight of Malou. While the alcohol slowly showed it actions on the pogues, the weed slowly showed it actions on Malou, just like John B had called it. JJ and Kiara seemed to enjoy the childish state Malou was in, while John B could only shake his head at his sister.
"Yo, Kie, have you heard of the theory, that whenever someone gets a tattoo, a baby unicorn dies?", JJ asked loudly and Malou quickly raised her head to look at JJ in shock.
"What? Kie, you killed a baby unicorn?", Malou asked in disbelief and Kiara innocently looked at her.
"I didn't know before. But it must be in unicorn heaven now, playing with the millions of other baby unicorns.", Kiara explained and smiled at Malou, who broke into tears right away. Kiara and JJ chuckled and even Pope and Sarah couldn't help but smile.
"I wanted to get a tattoo, now I can't!", Malou cried out and hid her face in her hands. For a few more minutes, the pogues told Malou all kinds of ridiculous stories of baby animals. Even John B had to suppress laughter at how childish his sister was and Sarah laughed, until she cried. It probably was a mean thing to do, but the best friendships consist of mocking each other, right? And when Sarah saw, how sweetly the pogues took care of Malou after making fun of her, she knew, that their friendship was a real one.
"What happened then to the baby leopard?", Malou asked with big eyes and stared up at JJ, who had told her some weird story of a lost baby leopard. Chuckling, he looked down on her sweetly.
"He found his family.", JJ said and smiled at Malou.
"Really?", Malou asked and JJ nodded his head.
"Really. They lived happily ever after." Malou smiled and hummed in relief, before she rested her head against JJs shoulder and wrapped her arms around his left one. Knowing exactly what she wanted, JJ placed his hand on Malous lap immediately. Sarah watched the both of them and smiled to herself, when Malou sleepily played with the bracelets that JJ wore around his wrist. Slowly, it got quieter and Sarah caught JJ running his hands through Malous hair a few times, until she eventually drifted off to sleep. Gently, JJ picked her up and carried her into the Château with Sarahs gaze following him. A few minutes later, he came back outside. JJ sat on the stairs of the porch and lit up a cigarette.
"I'm just gonna get another drink.", Sarah told John B and watched him nod, before he went back to his conversation with Pope. Sarah walked past JJ, grabbed another beer from the fridge and went back outside to sit next to him.
"You alright?", JJ asked and turned his head to look at the blonde girl.
"Yeah. Why?", Sarah answered with a smile and JJ shrugged his shoulders.
"You watched Malou the whole night." Sarah blushed and quickly took a sip of the beer to cover up her embarrassment.
"You saw that?", she asked and saw JJ smirking.
"I have a sense for someone staring at her.", JJ explained with a cheeky smile and Sarah nodded.
"I see. You're very protective over her. I mean, you're protective of all your friends, but it's different with her.", Sarah stated and JJ nodded, when he blew out some smoke.
"You saw that?", JJ repeated Sarahs earlier words and she smiled.
"I guess everyone can see that.", Sarah smiled and JJ shook his head.
"Nah, it's not like that. The pogues know we're just friends.", JJ answered and let the cigarette drop to the ground, before he stepped on it to expire it. Resting his arms on his knees, he stared ahead.
"But are you really?", Sarah wanted to know and looked at him with raised eyebrows. JJ looked at her and huffed, before he turned his head back again.
"Yes."
"But do you like her?", Sarah asked further and even though he stared ahead, she could see him smile a little.
"Are you kidding me? I love that girl to death. She's my ride or die. It's her or no one.", JJ answered honestly and chuckled quietly at Sarahs sudden, shocked expression.
"I don't get it.", Sarah admitted confused and JJ nodded his head, as he looked at her again and smiled sadly.
"I'm not good for her. I know it, you know it and even worse, John B knows it. He would never allow me to be with her and it's probably for the best. I can barely deal with myself, I get in trouble a lot and I will probably end up dead or in jail before I turn 30. She deserves better than me.", he explained sadly and Sarah tilted her head as she looked at him with sad eyes.
"JJ...", she started, but JJ shook his head.
"It's fine. I mean, I get to spend my life with her anyway, right? I get to see her every day and I can make sure, that she's fine. It's all I need. Anyway, Sarah Cameron, you're officially a pogue now and I need you to know, that it's strictly forbidden to share secrets of another pogue. To be fair, there's also a rule, that pogues don't lie to each other, but I like to bypass that rule, when it comes to secrets. I mean – hiding something from others isn't exactly lying, right? Anyway, you're in the power of my secret now and if you want me to live any longer, you better not tell it anyone, especially your boyfriend." JJ said and smirked cheekily again, like he hadn't just told her the most heart-breaking secret.
"I promise.", Sarah smiled and bumped her beer can against his to make a toast on his secret and her promise.