Alone Together • JJ Maybank

Forty Eight.

A/N

I can't believe how close I am to finishing this story! And that people are still actually reading :-)

I don't know exactly how many chapters I have left, as sometimes I tend to drag out and put emphasis on smaller moments, but there's definitely not many left.

Enjoy this chapter - officially onto the last episode!

xx

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The walk from Nana's house to the Wreck felt like it took forever. After sneaking back out empty handed, JJ and I had to blend into the shadows of the night to make it back to Kiara and Pope undetected by the cops. After a few near misses, meaning we had to jump into the overgrown bushes that lined the road whenever we heard sirens approaching, we finally made it.

"I've never been happier to see this place." I let out a large sigh of relief at the sight of the closed restaurant. JJ grabbed my hand, lacing our fingers together as we snuck around to the side entrance before he knocked quietly.

"Kie." He whispered to let her know we were back. "It's just us, let us in." The rattle of a chain on the other side of the door and the click of a lock unbolting followed, as Kiara opened the door for us.

"Jesus Christ guys, what took you so long? I was getting worried." She glared, but relief was clear in her voice.

JJ and I glanced at each other briefly, trying to disguise the small smirks on our faces. "Navigating the sidewalks while hiding in the bushes every time a car passes kind of slows down the journey." I said as we followed Kie into the dark restaurant.

Kiara nodded, brushing past the topic. "So..." she carried on, "did you get-, everything?" She asked. Her face dropping as she looked down at mine and JJ's empty hands. I shook my head when she looked back at me, confirming what she had figured out for herself.

"That fucking asshole trashed the place and took every last bit of evidence." JJ ranted, anger clearer in his voice now as he came to terms with it and no longer had me to calm down. He slammed his fist down on the worktop beside him as he turned and slumped over to where Pope was sitting.

"How about you?" I turned back to Kiara, letting JJ have a minute to cool down.

"Sarah wasn't in on it. She's going to try and help, but in all honesty, I don't even know how she can at this point." I nodded along, understanding what she was saying. John B had no other option but to run away.

I glanced round at the boys, noticing the frown on Pope's face as he stared blankly at the wall in front of him. He hadn't said a word since we got here. "What's up with him?" I asked Kie quietly as I followed her to the kitchen to grab some chips and water.

She scoffed, grabbing my wrist before I had a chance to walk back to where the boys were. "He- er..." she cut herself off, unsure what to say.

"What happened?" My eyebrows furrowed as I picked up on her hesitation.

"He told me he loves me." Kie said as my eyes went wide in surprise at her bluntness.

"He what?!" I said louder than I intended to.

"Shh! I know!" Kiara glared at me as she pulled me a little further into the kitchen so that the boys couldn't hear us talking.

"What did you say back?" I asked, lowering my voice again.

"That it wasn't the most appropriate time to talk about that. And that it was never going to happen between us." I couldn't control my jaw dropping at her words.