season one ; episode six { Parcel 9 }
chapter twenty-five
BROOKLYN HAD HER HEAD RESTED on JJ's lap with her feet kicked up on the armchair. JJ ran his fingers through her hair, tracing gentle circles over her temple and watching the brunette's eyes close and open in the soft feeling of his fingers.
They were interrupted when John B walked into the Château with a certain person on his arm, Sarah Cameron. Kiara walked out of the building to find Sarah and John B sat on the sofa on the porch.
"No effing way!" Kiara yelled. "You brought her here? So what? She's in on this now?"
John B looked over at the other three for answers but all they did was shrug their shoulders and shake their heads. "Look, all I care about is her cut comes out of your share." JJ pointed to John B.
"You know, I don't remember taking a vote. This is our thing. A Pogue thing." She directed that towards Sarah who was giving a deadly stare.
"I gotta say, I'm just a tad uncomfortable with all of this." Pope intervened.
"Thank you!"
"When are you not?"
"I dunno. I rode here on the back of JJ's bike pretty comfortably." Pope looked down at JJ and Brooklyn.
"It's true. Most relaxed I've ever seen him."
"Awe, that's cute, guys." Brooklyn giggled.
"You know we were all extremely comfortable until you brought her." Kiara continued to rant on.
"Stop talking about me like I'm not here." Sarah snapped her head over to the brunette.
"Then leave."
She scoffed, turning her head back to John B. "I told you." He met her gaze, lost for words.
"Told him what, exactly? That's you're a liar?"
"No, that you're a shit-talking bitch, Kiara."
"Oh, shit!" Brooklyn shot upwards, gasping. "My money's on Kie." JJ showed the money to Pope and Brooklyn who agreed.
"When have I lied?"
"You get somebody close to you- for like a month."
"I didn't lie about shit-."
"Everybody shut up!" John B snapped, breaking the girl's apart. "Kie, you are my best friend, right? And Sarah, you're..." He chuckled. "...you're my..."
"Say it."
"You're my girlfriend." Brooklyn's eyes widened. She let out a small laugh along with the others.
"Ohh... that's new." Pope whispered.
"She's your girlfriend now? What was all that talk about you were just using her for information? Get a map, cut her loose." Kiara looked over at the other three for reassurance that he did say that.
"You said you were using me?"
"No."
"Yeah, you did. You said those things." The boys agreed, Brooklyn stayed perfectly silent.
"Look, love just walked in, okay?"
"Oh, vomit."
"I didn't expect it. It just- it kind of happened. And I'm not gonna deny it. Right?" He turned to Sarah to see she was more pissed off than pleased.
"Oh! That's corny." Pope gagged.
"Look, cut the bullshit, John B. If she's in, I'm out. You are gonna decide."
"I'm not doing this. I can't!"
"I'm very interested, actually. Me or her?" She asked, everyone's eyes falling on John B for the answer.
"Both."
"Went for the Hail Mary." JJ whistled. The boys started to tut as Kiara stormed out of the porch and off by herself.
"It'll be cool, right? I'm gonna leave." Sarah rose to her feet. "Gonna let y'all chat. Let me know."
"I'd just like to say, you handled that beautifully."
The Pogues, minus Pope and Kiara sat in the kitchen of the Château. Brooklyn wasn't pissed, she was just pissed that John B was actually considering who to pick. She cared for Sarah but she fucking loved Kiara and couldn't do this without her. Yes, Sarah was partly involved but Kiara is a Pogue and has been in this since the start. She has to be in this just as much as the rest of them.
"Bee, help me out. You like Sarah, right?" John B looked over at his sister, wanting her to be involved.
"Yes, John B, I like Sarah but I love Kiara, she's my best friend, okay. You're picking Kie, JB." Brooklyn rolled her eyes, grabbing the beer from JJ and taking a huge gulp. "Don't know why you're asking me."
"You're my fucking sister, Brooklyn, you should be able to understand." He snapped, seeing the girl scoff at her brother's accusations.
"John B... If I really had to pick, I would pick Kiara because she's been through all of this with us and I like Sarah but she's only just joined. You might be my brother but that doesn't mean I'm always agreeing with you." Brooklyn jumped off the kitchen counter and walked towards the boy.
"Brooke, I don't know what to do." He grabbed Brooklyn's arm. "I'm sorry, okay. I'm just- I don't know what to do."
"You're an idiot, John B."
"Well that was rude." Brooklyn brushed past him and snatched another beer from the fridge.
Pope walked into the house. "What'd she say?" John B asked, throwing the boy a water.
"That you're an idiot." He caught it in his grasp.
"Hey, I said that." Brooklyn smirked over at her not amused brother.
"It's a no-brainer. You're picking Kie." JJ told him, grabbing a beer from the fridge.
"Look, I can't make a decision."
"So what? We're just dead in the water because you're puss-whipped?"
"Oh, you're one to talk." Brooklyn's eyes snapped over to Pope, raising her eyebrow to get him to shut up.
"Uh, what?" John B looked from Pope to JJ.
"Look, we can't do this without Kie, and you know it." JJ cut everyone off before John B found anything else out.
"And I can't do this without Sarah. Okay? They both have to be in on it." John B made his feelings perfectly clear.
"Well, good luck with that."
"You know what? I know this was my fault, all right? But it's our problem. I've got a plan. And you three shitheads are gonna help me out." John B smiled at the others who groaned and rolled their eyes.
John B pushed open the front door and Brooklyn took it upon her self to smack Pope. "Seriously? I told you not to mention me and JJ in front of him."
"I know. I'm sorry, Ro."
"Hopefully he didn't catch on." JJ gulped, wrapping his arm around Brooklyn's shoulders.
"He's gonna kill me if he knows anything."
The next morning the plan was ready to take place. The plan was to have Pope drive Kiara out to Heyward's ship and say that JJ, John B and Brooklyn needed help with the mechanical shit while Sarah was trapped in the hold of the boat, helping them with some stuff down there.
Kiara walked to JJ, John B and Brooklyn. "Can't you guys do anything without me? What happened?"
"Uh, the alternator's, uh, not alternating anymore." JJ spoke, acting like he knew what he was talking about.
"It's not charged."
"Did you check the plugs?" Kiara asked.
"No. No, you should check 'em." JJ handed Kiara the screwdriver. "Give it a whirl."
"You guys are useless."
"Sorry about that."
As Kiara went down to sort out the fake problem, Brooklyn, JJ and John B rushed out to Pope who was on the HMS Pogue, ready to drive them off.
"Guys!" Kiara yelled, seeing what they had done. "Are you serious?"
"Get your asses back here!"
John B climbed onto the boat with JJ and Brooklyn. "We can't. Not till you two figure it out."
"I will kill every single one of you!"
"Y- You can't just leave!"
"There's food in the cabin, and JJ rolled a blunt." Pope have them a thumbs up.
"Hydroponic!"
Sarah began to swim off to the boat but they sped up, getting quicker and quicker. "Love you guys! Bye!" Brooklyn yelled, waving at the girls.
"Whoo! Plan worked!" JJ cheered, sighing back down besides Brooklyn.
"Nice one." Brooklyn gave JJ a high five, leaning into his shoulder. "Let's go!"