𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐋 𝐂𝐀𝐓 / / 𝐉𝐉 𝐌𝐀𝐘𝐁𝐀𝐍𝐊

CHAPTER 9

"I mean, it's obvious, right? Family heirloom? What better place to hide a message?"

Stella was not happy about being dragged on another wild goose chase, but Kiara had insisted that she came, using the 'it's for JB' line on her. She had truthfully wanted to go home and wash her hair, stick a little bit of makeup on, make a little bit of effort for her date with Bohdi at least without being in a rush, but no. The minute the boot leggers had left the chateau, they had all jumped in the van and where on there way to wherever John B was taking them, and boy, did he seem in a rush to get there. Pope was next to JB in the front, whilst herself, JJ and Kie sat in the back. She rested her head on Jay's shoulder, eyes heavy with sleep after the days already drama filled antics.

"Yeah, it's possible." Kie agreed.

Pope joined in with a monotone voice. "It could also be possible that you're concocting wild theories to help, you know, deal with your sad feels."

"Bro, you know how I process my sad feels?" JJ spoke, causing Stella to squint up at him. His hair was a fucking mess, but he suited it best that way. "Dank nugs and the stickiest of ickies, that's how I do it."

"Look, I'm not concocting, okay?"

Stella poked the blonde boy in the side. "Speaking of dank nugs, you got any?"

"Yeah, I do. Maybe you tell me what's going on in that pretty little head of yours and I'll roll us one to share?" He suggested, only earning a scoff from her as she moved to the other side of the van opposite him, sitting next to Kie who gave her a strange look. He tutted, "Still acting like a brat, I see?"

"Fuck you, Maybank."

"My dads trying to give me a message." John B continued to explain his reasonings.

"If it helps you believe, John B." Kie said calmly.

"Look, I-I don't need a therapy session okay?" He argued. "Look I'm not trippin' out."

"It's okay to trip, bro, but—"

"Look, my dad is missing, okay? Missing." The teen in the drivers seat began to get more frustrated, even spinning round to give JJ a glance. "You don't know what it's like to have the person closest to you vanish, and then have no idea what happened. Just wake up every morning wondering."

"Don't know what it's like? Both my parents are dead too, yahno?" Stella folded her arms across her chest.

"Yeah and your dad died of a heart attack, Stella."

"And my mom fucking killed herself, John B, it doesn't make it any fucking easier!" She snapped back, flinging herself forward to glare at him through the rear view mirror. His brown eyes softened slightly as they bore back into hers, but he remained silent in the matter.

"It's been almost a year." Kiara whispered softly after a moment, breaking the tension as she too stared at JB, avoiding Stella's glaze and the subject of her parents death. Kie could understand the girls frustrations, John B wasn't the only one of them to loose a parent to misfortune.

"Hey he could have been kidnapped? That's definietly a possibility." Jay added, knocking Stella's leg with his foot to try and get her attention, but the girl stared solemnly out of the back window, refusing to look at her friends. The Pogue's where really testing her patience as of recent.