Together Again • JJ Maybank

Three

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Grabbing the brown paper take-out bag by the handle, I walked back to the counter where Kiara was stood, pretending to clean the worktop as she quietly filled Pope in on what Topper had told me about the remaining gold on the island.

I forced a polite smile at the waiting customer, wordlessly shoving the order into their hand before turning my attention away. The sour look of offense on the customers face from my poor customer service was not lost on me, but I brushed it off. Bigger things were on my mind right now.

Sat on a bar-stool in front of us, Pope played around with the last remaining fries in the bowl in front of him as he pondered over everything. "Are we really going to trust Topper? Topper Thornton? Of all people?" His cynical tone questioned. 

Kiara shrugged, still unsure of the situation herself, before they they both turned to me with expectant looks. I sighed, joining closer to Kiara's side and keeping my voice low enough so that no one else would hear.

"My experience with the Kooks hasn't exactly been great in the six months I've been here. So naturally I wouldn't trust a single one of them. But there was something about how he looked, how he spoke. This whole thing has changed him you guys. So yeah, I think I do. I trust him."

Kiara and Pope looked at each other hesitantly and I could tell they still needed a bit of convincing. "Look, it's been what, three, nearly four months? I'm all out of ideas and we've got nothing to lose."

"I am feeling quite outnumbered by the girl to boy ratio of the group now." I forced a smile at Pope's words, hiding the flicker of pain from my eyes at the thought of JJ not being with us right now, as I looked to Kiara to get her thoughts.

She rolled her eyes as the tiniest hint of a smile threatened to break out on her lips. "Fine, fine. But you're on Kook baby-sitting duty." She pointed the rag in her hands in my direction. "I refuse to become some weird alternate-universe besties, exchanging secret text messages with him. Ugh". She added in an exaggerated shudder as if the thought sent a literal shiver down her spine. 

"Heyward!" The three of us looked instantly in the direction of the kitchen, seeing Mr. Carrera holding up a take-out bag. Kiara walked towards him, collecting the food as her dad shook his head in an amused-but-disappointment way at us. 

Ever since we were all under strict curfews, Pope had managed to convince his family to get take-out from The Wreck almost twice a week as a way for us to hang out without breaking the rules. Our families could see right through the obvious plan but turned a blind-eye, comforted by the fact that we were only hanging out at the restaurant under constant surveillance by the Carrera's.

Reaching for the bag, Pope stood as he prepared to leave. "Same time Thursday?" He nodded a goodbye towards Kiara, and to anyone else it would have been harmless, but I couldn't help but notice the way his eyes lingered on her a little longer than normal. Waiting until he was safely walking out of the door, I narrowed my eyes as I turned to Kiara.

"What?" She chuckled awkwardly, quickly moving to occupy herself.

"Are you two still bullshitting me with this just friends shit, right?" 

I could see the very subtle blush creeping onto her cheeks as she tried her best to control her reaction. Rolling her eyes she replied. "It's not bullshit. We are friends."

Grabbing an empty tray, I followed in her direction. "Even after he confessed his love to you. And you kissed?" 

"For the thousandth time Abby, yes. Even after that. It just... didn't feel right." She paused for a moment as if thinking about it. "And Pope agrees."