THE POGUE CODE ❤︎ JJ MAYBANK

Chapter Five

When Mackenzie awoke the next morning, there were a million thoughts in her mind. If there's one thing she hates, it's not being able to focus or understand her thoughts. When there's too many in her head she feels dizzy and can't think.

So she finds a way to clear her mind before dealing with anything else. Guitar. Mackenzie takes her guitar onto her balcony and begins to play a melody she created when she was seven. It was originally made from a ukulele but as she grew older and started the guitar, she fixed it up.

Sometimes though, when she's clearing her mind, she gets lost in the melodies and time flies over her head. What seemed like maybe ten minutes to her would actually have been just over an hour.

So when there was quick knocking on her door before Kiara opened it, she finally snapped out of her trance. "Zie what are you doing? We're going to John B's, said they need to tell us something or whatever." Kiara says, out of breath. "Shit okay, let me get dressed and we'll go."

Mackenzie went to her walk-in closet, changing into her light blue bikini, putting her old black t-shirt with the beatles on it over top along with light faded blue shorts and a dark green cardigan. Her fiery red hair pulled up into a messy bun as she couldn't be bothered. She slipped her vans on and left with Kiara.

"So are you gonna tell me what's going on? Or are you just gonna keep sitting in silence like that?" Kiara asked her as they drove to the chateau. "What are you talking about?"

The dark haired girl laughed lightly, "come on Zie! There's totally something going on between you and JJ. I mean, sunshine? Princess? And now bear? No way you two are just friends." Kiara scoffs, "well we are. We're just friends Kie. They're just nicknames it's not a big deal."

Kiara didn't believe it one bit, but she decided not to ask again in that moment. She'll just ask JJ himself later. "What about you and John B huh?" Mackenzie questioned her best friend.

"Hey can I ask you something?" Kiara wonders, taking a deep breath in, "avoiding the question but.. yeah, what is it?" Mackenzie giggled softly. "Why do you hate the Kooks so much? I-I mean, why'd you switch to Kildare County when you had it so good at the Kook Academy."

Mackenzie gulped visibly, shuffling in her seat. "I hit a nerve. Zie I'm sorry." Kiara instantly countered herself, "no... no it's... I didn't have it great at the academy. I mean, at twelve I wanted to die because of what was being said about me." Mackenzie teared up.

"They were gossiping about you?" Kiara asks, parking her car at the chateau. "Rafe Cameron... he completely ruined everything for me because I said–" Mackenzie sighed, cutting herself off and looking to her lap. "I-I'm sorry for bringing it up Zie, I didn't know."

Mackenzie cracked a small smile, "Kie it's fine. I'm fine. I've got you guys and that's all I need." the redhead tells, stepping out of the car and walking toward the screened-in porch where the three boys waited.

JJ was pacing back and forth, visibly stressing, taking several hits of his Juul. When she opened the porch door, JJ looked over at her, seeing her unusual sad expression. Mackenzie's normally a very happy person, it's rare for her to feel sad. So JJ rushed over to her, standing close to the smaller girl. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, what's going on?" Mackenzie shook off, sitting down in one of the wicker chairs as John B began talking. "We went to see Ms. Lana, to ask why Scooter had my dads compass."

Kiara furrowed her brow, looking between the boys. "If that's all you did why is JJ freaking out?" she asked, pointing to the pacing distressed blonde, breathing smoke from his mouth. "The guys that shot at us were there. And not in a friendly way at all."