MERCEDES, jj maybank

26.

SARAH CAMERON

"No fucking way!" She strides over in front of John B and Sarah, "You brought her here so what, she's in on this now?"

Everyone looks to John B but he just looks at Pope. Pope panics and shrugs it off, "I dunno!"

John B sighs and Kiara is still waiting for an answer. JJ speaks up, "Look, all I care about is her cut comes out of your share."

"You know, I don't remember taking a vote!" Kie shouts, "This is our thing, a Pogue thing minus Trinity!"

Trinity scrunches up her face and looks at JJ who defends her, "Trinity is a Pogue Kie, accept it."

Pope agrees, "Yeah, Trinity is fully a part of this but I gotta say, I'm just a tad bit uncomfortable with all of this,"

"Thank you!"

"When are you not uncomfortable?" John B snaps back.

"I dunno. I rode here on the back of JJ's bike pretty comfortably,"

JJ nods, "It's true. Most relaxed I've ever seen him."

Trinity looks between JJ and Pope and smirks, "That's cute, guys,"

"We were all extremely comfortable until you brought her here."

Sarah finally gets sick of this and stands up for herself, "Stop talking about me like I'm not here."

"Then leave," Kiara says simply.

Sarah scoffs and turns to John B, "I told you,"

"Told him what exactly? That you're a liar--"

"That you're a shit-talking bitch!"

Trinity stifles her laugh and places her hand on Sarah's arm. The boys, JJ and Pope laugh and gasp then pull a few dollars from their pockets placing their bets on the girls,

"When have I ever lied to you?" Sarah asks.

"You know, you get somebody close to you for like a month--"

"I didn't lie about shit--"

"Okay everybody shut up!" John B's voice booms over everyone else, silencing them. "Kie, you are my best friend, right? And Sarah, you're..."

Trinity sits up straighter and eagerly waits for John B to continue and reveal what Sarah truly was to him. "You're my girlfriend," He breathes with a faint smile.

Pope and JJ exchange looks in the background, "That's new,"

Rage starts to fill Kiara, she crosses her arms and asks, "She's your girlfriend now? What was all that talk about you just using her for information? Get a map cut her loose."

"You said you were using me?"

John B realises he's stuck and messed up. He combs his hand through his hair and sighs, "I didn't say that," But his friends don't defend him and tell Sarah the truth.

"Look, love just walked in! I didn't expect it - Trinity you get it—"

"Don't drag me into your dilemma please." She stops him.

"I'm using you as an example, look at how quickly you jumped from Rafe to JJ—"

"I didn't jump to JJ - John B!"

"Look, I'm sorry but this isn't fair, you both have something going on too and I don't know why I'm getting shit!"

JJ and Trinity say at the same time, "No we don't." Then they both look at each other confused.

"We don't?" JJ asks.

"No..."

The group obviously picked up on their odd behaviour but we're focusing on one problem at a time and let JJ and Trinity figure it out in their own time, so Kiara just said her last few bits, "Look, cut the bullshit, John B. If she's in I'm out."

"Kie, I'm not doing this--"

"You are gonna decide! I'm very interested actually me or her?"

"Both."

JJ and Pope, being the commentators let a blow of air pass their lips. "Went for the Hail Mary," JJ mumbles.

And that was the last of that. Kiara had nothing else to say so she just walked off on her own to the docks, leaving the rest of the group to carry on talking or whatever they were going to do but it was still tense and Sarah desperately wanted to leave since in her eyes she caused this.

"I'm gonna leave," She gets up and looks to John B, "Gonna let y'all chat,"

"Sarah don't,"

But it was too late. She had already left and John B felt stuck and frustrated. He put his head in his hands and was counting to ten in his head.

"Now what?" Trinity asks, looking at each of the boys.

"I'm gonna get a beer," JJ heads off to the kitchen,

"I'm gonna check on Kie," Pope leaves to go to the docks leaving Trinity and John B alone together.

"I messed up didn't I?" John B says without lifting his head.

"Not entirely, I think Kiara is blowing it out of proportion - come on let's go get a beer," Trinity stands up and pulls John B up by his arm.

JJ is popping open a beer bottle and handing one to John B, "Mercedes, you having one?"

"No thanks," She smiles, placing her hands against the countertop and pushing herself up so she can sit. She swings her legs back and forth in front of her and listens to John B not knowing how to handle the situation he caused.

"I need them both - they both played a part, how does Kiara expect me to choose between the two?"

Trinity raises her hand and the attention spins to her, "I'm confused on why she gets so worked up, wasn't she the one that got Sarah's birthday party shut down?"

The boys shake their heads, "It was a rumour,"

"Yeah, apparently Sarah just told people it was Kie because Kie wasn't at the party,"

Trinity smiles to herself remembering it, "It was such a good night...until the cops showed up and everyone had to run."

JJ sighs loudly, trying to come up with a solution for John B to get him back on their good side.

"I think it will turn out fine," Trinity says optimistically but the two aren't so sure.

And then Pope returns. John B lifts his head up and eagerly asks how she is while throwing him a bottle, "She said you're an idiot."

"It's a no-brainer. You're picking Kie." JJ adds.

"Look, I can't make that decision."

"What so we're dead in the water because you're pussy-whipped?" JJ asks leaning backwards as he stood between Trinity's legs. Trinity puts her arms around his waist and rests her head over his shoulder so he could still see.

"What and you're not?" John B retorts.

"No this is different," Pope points out.

"We can't do this without Kie and you know it," JJ sips his drink.

"And I can't do this without Sarah, they both have to be on it,"

"Well, good luck with that."

"You know what?" John B hops down off the counter, "I know this was my fault, alright? But it's our problem. I've got a plan and you two shitheads are gonna help me."