______________________________________
JJ crashed at the Château after Estrella got him out of the hot tub. She, Kie, and Pope went home, but came back the next morning.
Kie and Pope were checking to make sure the pulley wouldn't break whenever John B went down. Estrella and JJ sat at the hot tub. JJ had his feet in the water, but Estrella hung her feet on the outside.
JJ realized she hadn't said much since last night. He knew why, but he had a tendency to just sweep his problems under the rug. Estrella on the other hand, liked to tackle problems head on. She hated hiding how she actually felt.
JJ looked over at her as she looked elsewhere.
"You alright ?" He asks
Estrella looks to him, "Fine."
"Yeah, right. Since when do you lie about how you feel ?" JJ scoffed. Estrella looks away, but still stays silent. "I was drunk. It's nothing to worry about."
"Nothing to worry about ?" She scoffs, "You have bruises all over your stomach from your dad. That's not okay, JJ."
"Yeah, well, it's normal for me."
Estrella shakes her head as she looks away.
"John B pullin' a Houdini." He says changing the subject
"Yeah, where is he ? I got my scholarship interview tomorrow. We gotta get this done !" Pope says
JJ looks over and sees John B. "Speak of the devil. Hey !"
Estrella furrows her brows as John B keeps walking with a scowl on his face.
"Dude, I set up the entire winch to pull up the gold and everything." JJ says
"No, he did not. I did that." Pope says
"Hey." Kie says
"Hey." Pope tries. He ignores them as he walks in the Château.
"Okay, that's it ?" JJ says
"Uh... what's that all about ?" Pope says
"I was gonna ask you the same question." JJ says getting out of the hot tub.
"John B." Estrella jumps down and walks into the house. "What's going on ?"
"You all right, man ? What... what's up ?" Pope says
"What are you looking for ?" Kie says, but John B says nothing and starts digging around the couch.
"Bro, what's going on ?" JJ says. John B stands up as he pulls the gun out. "John B, what do you need the gun for ?"
JJ goes to stop him, but John B pushes him onto the couch. "Just... No !"
"Talk to us !"
"John B, chill ! What are you doing ?"
"What, are you JJ now ?" Pope says as John B pushes him into the table.
"Oh my god. Are you okay ?" Estrella asks before she follows after John B. "John B, what's your problem ?"
"John B, what the hell are you doing ?" JJ asks as they follow Estrella outside.
John B gets on JJ's bike as they make it outside. "John B, what the hell ?"
"Ward knows about the gold." He yells as they stop. He turns to them, "He killed my dad."
Estrella's breath hitches as John B takes off. Kie tries to run after him.
"John B !"
"Shit." JJ says as they watch him ride off.
______________________________________
It had been a couple of hours since John B left. The others tried to get a hold of him, but had no luck. They looked around wherever they could, but couldn't find him. So, they took the boat and made their way to the Cameron house.
"What now ? We just go up to the front door and ask, "Hey, have you seen John B ?" JJ says as they look toward the house.
"Look, he lives at Tannyhill now. It's plausible. Look, we can play dumb." Kie says
"Play dumb ?"
"It's pretty late." Pope says
"Look, I've never seen John B like that. We should honestly be going to the cops."
"The cops- Yeah, and say what, Kie ? We're worried about our friend because he's on a rampage because Ward Cameron killed Big John ? Like, they're not gonna believe us !" JJ says
"Hey, I see Ward." Estrella says as she hands Pope the binoculars
"Let me see." Kie says taking them from Pope.
"Doesn't look dead to me. Let's go home." Pope says quickly
"Wait."
"What ?" Kie exclaims
"Uh... Okay. Obviously, Mr. Cameron is fine, and even if John B was here, he isn't now, okay ? Plus, I have the biggest, most important moment of my life in six hours." Pope says
"Yeah, well, our friend is in trouble."
"I'm in trouble." He emphasizes, "Guys, I haven't been home in three days. My dad's probably put all my shit on the street by now."
"Okay, so that's it ? In a time of need, you're just gonna bail ? You're just gonna walk away ?"
"It's not like that, Kie. Everyone else has their lives going on too. Not just John B." Estrella says
"Okay, yo, guys, can we not do this right now ?" JJ says
"Hey, I have a scholarship interview in the morning. I can't-"
"Okay, well, what about John B ?" Kie says
Pope huffs, "Why is it always about John B ?"
JJ sighs putting his head in his hands as Kie looks around. "It's not always about John B. You're so stupid. It would be any of you in this situation."
"Oh, bullshit !"
"Guys-"
"This is about friendship."
"Bring it down." JJ whispers harshly
"Look, this is about Pogues for life."
"What about forensic pathology, huh ?" Pope says
"Forensic pathology ?"
"It's my life. Everything I've worked for."
"That's your priority ?" She exclaims
"Stop with the moral high ground bullshit." Pope snaps
"Pope, come on." JJ says
"No."
"Excuse me ?" Kie says
"No, no. She has no room to talk. Where were you when Big John went missing ? You weren't there. You weren't there for John B. You weren't there for any of us. Remember your Kook year ?"
"Dude." JJ says
"Yeah, you forgot about us. Now you feel guilty."
"Give me a break." Kie says pushing him
"Hey !" JJ says jumping up.
"That what you need ?"
"Come on."
"You need a break ? Move !"
"Hey ! Yo, yo, yo, cut it out, all right ?" JJ says splitting them up. Estrella gets up and stands in front of Pope. "If I'm the one mediating, we've hit rock bottom."
Pope and Kie breathe heavily as they stare each other down.
"Bow, now." He says firmly to Pope. "Go ! Pope, I'll drop you off."
Before JJ could start the boat, Kie turns to Estrella. "You know what ? I can't believe you're actually defending him."
"Kie." JJ snaps
"Of course I'm gonna defend him. That interview can dictate his whole life. It's important to him." Estrella says
"Yeah, well, if he were a real friend, he'd be worried about John B."
"He is a real friend. We all are." Estrella exclaims, "But there's nothing we can do, Kiara. He's not here."
"He's not a real friend because if he were, he'd actually be worried about John B and he'd tell you about JJ." She spits
"What are you talking about ?" Estrella says. She looks to JJ who puts his head down as he clenches his jaw. "What is she talking about, JJ ?"
"They bet that JJ could sleep with you, that's what. You're so hellbent on Pope being a good friend and yet he hasn't told you."
"Estrella, I swear I-" Pope starts
"JJ." She says as she starts to get teary eyed. He lifts his head up, "Is that true ?"
"Star-"
Estrella looks down and blinks rapidly as she sits on the other side of the boat. A tense silence falls over the four of them as JJ stares at her before he starts the boat and takes off.
______________________________________