Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
chapter seventeen, THE CRAIN HOUSE
"Are you okay?" JJ asked Elaine, his voice hushed so as not to be heard by the others. "JJ, I'm fine. Promise" She reassured him, looking back to the road they were driving on.
"Okay, pull in up here," She told John B, the map laying in her lap. It was old and the coast had changed but if the map was right, this was the spot they had to be in.
Laney couldn't describe what she was feeling when she looked at John B. He seemed to be unbothered by anything and it really made her question everything.
She glanced to the side and JJ met her eyes as she did. He raised his brow and she let out a sigh, focusing back on the road and the map.
When the girl looked back up to the road in front of them she couldn't help but look at John B too. Did she really like him? Or was it all just something she convinced herself of to make her feel not so bad about kissing him? Sure the boy gave her butterflies and made her head spin when he got close to her but does that really mean anything? Plus she had only known him for nine days. Is that even enough for her to have feelings for him?
It didn't matter. She cut her thoughts off. It didn't change anything. She needed to do what was best for her. And letting her walls down wasn't doing her any favours.
She felt JJ nudge her and when she turned to look at him she realized the van had stopped. She tried to shut out her thoughts as she got out of the van, her eyes gazing around at the view. Her steps brought her to the rocks and the group all followed, the map still in her hands.
Pope was the first over. "Here, let me see" He spoke, his hands resting on the map but he didn't take it from the girl's grip. He looked from the map and then up to the view, a confused expression washing over his face.
Laney took a deep breath, breathing in the fresh air as her eyes fluttered shut. She could feel the wind brushing her skin as she let out her breath, her eyes opening back up. She just wanted things to feel normal again.
"Okay, so we're in Battery now" Pope started, looking at the map again. Laney leaned her head down, looking back at the map too. "So if this is parcel nine, then it's somewhere northeast of here" He continued, pointing out over the rocks.
"over there? Guy's, that's not Tanneyhill, that's a subdivision" JJ said as he looked around. Elaine knew practically nothing about the island other than what the pogues had told her so she just continued to look at the view, taking in the sight.
"Tannyhill Plantation used to be the entire island. It just got sold into smaller pieces over time" John B explained and even though she felt sick when he talked, Laney listened. She did however let go of the map and walk over to JJ, who was just looking out at the view too.
"So we're just looking for an old stone wall," Pope told them, folding the map slightly as he moved from his spot. Laney watched, taking a step off the rock she was standing on. She took one last look at the view before following JJ to the van, the rest of the pogues were already there.
