𝐀 𝐊𝐎𝐎𝐊 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐀 𝐏𝐎𝐆𝐔𝐄, 𝗋𝖺𝖿𝖾 𝖼𝖺𝗆𝖾𝗋𝗈𝗇

7: "𝙸 𝚖𝚊𝚍𝚎 𝚊 𝚖𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚔𝚎."

The group had now calmed down after the little invasion back at the Chateau by the men. They, now, found themselves in the campervan together, John B driving, Kiara in the passengers and JJ, Pope and Y/n in the back behind them, sitting side by side.

"I mean, it's obvious, right? A family heirloom. What better place to hide a message?" John B rambles on. "He had to know it was gonna get back to me, right?"

Kie nods with a shrug. "Yeah. It's possible."

"It could also be possible that you're concocting wild theories to help, you know, deal with your sad feels." Pope suggests, getting a slight look from Kie and his sister.

"Bro, you know how I process my sad feels. Dank nugs and the stickiest of ickies, that's how I do it." JJ states.

"I'm not concocting, okay? My dad's trying to give me a message." John B insists.

Y/n purses her lips. "If it helps you believe, John B."

"Look, I don't need a therapy session, okay?" John B fires back. "I'm not tripping out."

"It's okay to trip, bro, but--" JJ begins.

"Look, my dad is missing, okay? Missing." John B interrupts, raising his voice. "You don't know what it's like to have the person closest to you vanish and then have no idea what happened. Just wake up every morning wondering."

"It's been almost a year." Kie reminds in a soft tone.

"Hey, he could have been kidnapped. That's definitely a possibility." Pope suggests.

Y/n nods. "Yeah, could be in a Soviet sub getting interrogated by the KGB somewhere."

"Absolutely." JJ agrees. "Or Atlantis."

"JJ. Look, what do you think the message is?" Kie asks.

"Redfield. Redfield Lighthouse. That's my dad's favorite place." John B informs.

***

After many more minutes, the group found themselves parking a little away from a large and tall lighthouse, the same lighthouse John B had informed them on. The five Pogues hop out of the campervan, looking up at the lighthouse just as John B turns to JJ.

"Right, here's what's gonna happen. You're gonna post up and look out for bogeys, okay?" John B instructs.

"Wait... Why me?" JJ questions.

"Because you're not coming." Pope tells him.

"Why?" JJ asks.

"Look, JJ. There are independent and dependent variables. You're an independent variable. We don't know what you're gonna do." Pope explains.

"Shut up!" JJ exclaims, speaking over him many times.

"Listen to me for a second." John B cuts in. "Pope and Y/n, you two stand look out with JJ. Okay? If we get split up, we meet back at JJ's house."

Kie nods. "Great."

And with that, Kiara and John B walk off, climbing up and over the fence as they begin making their way to the old lighthouse, leaving their three friends back at the campervan to keep watch.

"I'm gonna work on my merit scholarship essay, and I'm trying to keep felonies to a minimum." Pope informs.

"Alright, would you just shut up already?" JJ questions, playing with a hacky sack.

Rolling his eyes, Pope glances at his sister who was seating herself against a tree, resting her back against the trunk. Looking away, he steps into the campervan, doing as he said he would as JJ and Y/n were still outside together, the blonde playing with his hacky sack.

As he played with it, he took a few glances at the girl, watching as she stayed silent, playing with the grass beneath her hands, twisting it between the pad of her fingers. He couldn't help but think of what could possibly be on her mind. Little did he know, it was a certain Kook that invaded her brain.

"Hey, you okay?" JJ speaks up, snapping her out of her trance.

Y/n glances up at him. "What?"

JJ chuckles a little, catching the hacky sack in the air. "Are you okay?"

"Oh, yeah, I'm fine." Y/n assures, but she didn't sound of assuring. "Why?"

"You were out of it. Something on your mind?" JJ asks, seating himself next to her.

Y/n shakes her head, shrugging. "No, not really." The blonde doesn't look so convinced. "JJ, I'm fine. I promised."

JJ nods hesitantly. "Okay."

The air goes silent as they sat side by side, the girl continuing to play with the grass while the Maybank boy watches her, seeming to examine her. He had noticed how different she has been lately. For about a few months now, actually. And he wanted to know why, but didn't want to push.

"Hey, what's going on with you?" JJ blurts out, making him look at her.

"What?" Y/n questions through a nervous chuckle.

"You've been kind of... distant, I guess, lately. You've been acting weird for a few months now. It's like you're hiding something from us." JJ recalls with a shrug, making her tense. Seeing her not answering, JJ grabs her hand. "Y/n/n, I want you to know that we're there for you. All of us. John B, Kie, Pope... and me. I'm there for you."

Y/n shakes her head, looking down. "I made a mistake."

Though she said it was a mistake and continued to repeat that to herself in her head, Y/n knew that it wasn't... She didn't think it felt like a mistake, but she wanted it to be.

JJ brows furrow. "Mistake? What did you do?" She doesn't answer. "Y/n, you can tell me. You're my... You're my best friend. You can tell me anything."

"It's just... something with this-- this guy." Y/n admits, not going too full into detail.

JJ's face saddens. "A guy? What guy?"

Not answering right away, she glances at him, her e/c eyes meeting his blue ones that were already staring right at her. She could see his saddened face, making her wonder why he was so sad all of a sudden, but it also made her sad she was keeping this from him.

She couldn't tell them. She couldn't tell JJ. She knew if she talked about him, or actually talked to him if she answered his texts, then she would just be hooked again. She couldn't have that. Not again. Before either one of them could say anything, Pope exits he campervan.

"I'm bored." Pope announces, making them look at him.

Bringing a forced smile on her face, Y/n stands up, grabbing JJ's hacky sack. "Hey, Pope. Think fast!"

Next thing the Heyward boy knew, his twin was throwing JJ's hacky sack towards him, to which he frails around in attempt to catch it, only for it to fall to the ground. Y/n chuckles at his actions before he throws it back, the two playing.

JJ frowns as he stares at the girl, still sitting in the same spot. Taking a deep breath, he rises to his feet, joining the game while trying to get the conversation out of his head. He wouldn't pressure her. He'd wait until she was ready to talk.

As they played with the hacky sack together, the sound of sirens suddenly filled their eardrums, causing them to look over, seeing a cop car turning the corner in their direction. Curses leaving their mouths, the three sprint towards the campervan, hopping inside where JJ begins driving in the direction of his house.