𝐇𝐄𝐋𝐋 𝐂𝐀𝐓 / / 𝐉𝐉 𝐌𝐀𝐘𝐁𝐀𝐍𝐊

CHAPTER 24

"Alright, you guys got rope?"

Stella sat silent in the twinkie, her back pressed against the wall as JJ dug through his backpack, checking off the items they needed. He was invested in making sure this operation was going to go correctly, but Stella was far more interested in what had happened on that boat to swing Kie back round onto Sarah Cameron's good side.

The Kook in question glanced over her shoulder from the front seat where she sat next to John B, cracking a joke which caused Kie to let out a belly laugh. The Swayer girl didn't catch the joke, but that didn't stop her from narrowing her eyes at the situation.

There was no deny that she was wary of Sarah Cameron. A Kook, Topper's ex girlfriend and Rafe's sister? Why did nobody else share the same views she did? She scoffed, leaning back and eyeing the beaten up roof of the van. She felt a warm hand on her knee and a hot breath against her cheek.

"You good?" JJ asked as he leaned in.

Stel tilted her head and raised a single eyebrow. "What do you think?"

He shook his head. "C'mon, you gotta give her a chance right? Kie was a Kook once—"

"You know my stance on that, JJ." She cut him off. "Don't make me bring it back up."

Jay knew exactly what she meant. Once a Kook, always a Kook. Sure, Stella and Kie where the best of friends, but even he knew that the Princess of the Cut would never fully trust her. She was set in her ways, too stubborn for her own good. "Alright," he said defeatedly.

The sky began to darken as they drove closer to the Craine's house, the sun setting beautifully on the horizon. By the time they arrived, darkness had completely engulfed the warm summer sun and the moon replaced her. Stel remained quiet as the rest of them chatted amongst themselves, silently smoking a cigarette and picking the ruined nail varnish off from her finger tips.

It wasn't that she cared whether or not Kiara and Sarah where friends, what they did with their own lives was up to them. What bothered her was how easily they had just welcomed each other back like nothing had happened. How do people trust so easily? How can you let go of things from the past just like that? Stella was baffled by it. She could forgive when pushed to, certainly found it difficult to do so but she could if she tried, but she would never forget. If Sarah Cameron had lost Kie's trust before, whose to say she wouldn't do it again, but to all of them this time? And again, for Christ sakes, she was Rafe's sister! Had they all forgotten about that, especially JJ? The rest of the Pogue's might of welcomed Sarah with open arms, but Stella did not.

The van came to a stop in the dimly lit road beside the Craine's home and Stella felt the teens excitment around her as she remained forever placid. She pulled the hood over her head as JJ glanced down at her with a smile, taking her hand in his to pull her along. Stel rolled her eyes, but took it anyway and he grinned in triumph as they began to climb out.

The sliding door to the twinkie was pulled open, revealing John B on the other side, flash light in tow. "Wait, wait." He said, pausing for a moment as the rest of the rabble stopped their movements, glancing at him in question. "I wanna say thank you, guys. Seriously. It means a lot to me that you're here tonight."

"Always." Kiara said.

"Of course man." Pope agreed, the two of them sharing a brief fist bump.

"Alright, let me out." Stella rolled her eyes once again, letting go of JJ's hand to push past the rest of the group, landing on her feet besides John B. "That's enough cringe for me today."

"We done with this circle jerk?" Her boyfriends opinion mirrored her own. "Can we go do this?"

The group agreed with a brief nod of assurance and began to pull themselves from the old van. Stella stood to one side, arms folded against her chest as she carelessly swung the flashlight around on the string it hung loosely from. It wasn't until JJ, the last person to exit, glanced at her with furrowed brows that she realised Sarah was standing next to her. She wore a kind smile as she looked at Stella with support, but the Swayer girl didn't appreciate how close the Kook was standing to her.