𝐑𝐈𝐏𝐓𝐈𝐃𝐄 , 𝐣. 𝐦𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐤 ⁽¹⁾

𝟏𝟑. 𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐀 𝐃𝐑𝐎𝐍𝐄 (𝐒𝐎𝐑𝐑𝐘)

Days had passed since the...incident, and Elle was now sitting in the back of the Twinkie, staring blankly out the window.

"Pope, we're not stealing a drone. We're borrowing it." John B said, holding a firm grip on the wheel.

The short-haired boy glared at John B. "Humans are the only animal that can't tell fantasy from reality." He said sternly.

"Did you come up with that?" John B asked, causing Elle to look at him with a raised eyebrow. She nudged JJ, who was sitting next to her and he laughed.

Pope rolled his eyes.  "Albert Bernstein came up with it, but it applies to this whole treasure-hunting thing." He turned to lean his arm on the seat. "So, which is it? Fantasy, or reality?"

The blonde boy messed with a ring on his finger. "Why are you so weird, Pope?"

Elle didn't engage in the conversation. She just continued to stare out the window, watching the trees as they passed by. She enjoyed nature. Not much ever changed and everything stayed in one place. Unlike parents who die; and leave their 16 year old daughter to be chewed by the land sharks that are:

foster care workers.

The girl had already been visited by them at the Chateau. John B had talked to Peterkin, and she said she'd throw the two a bone. Stay out of the marsh, she'll get foster care off their backs. Elle has been staying at the Chateau with John B, yet JJ refused to leave her side. She often slept on the couch with JJ next to her. Elle could never sleep though, the vivid dreams of smoke and fire causing her to lack the thing she probably needed the most.

Dark circles had already started to form under her eyes, it was very noticeable.

JJ stared at her, pity covering his face. Now, JJ understood having shitty parents, but this? Both her parents had abandoned her, and she was traumatized. He could have saved Lorelai, and part of him knew Elle knew that.

The others talked around them about how they'd use the money, and well, if it was even realistic to go after it, but JJ couldn't help but stare at the poor girl.

"What's wrong?" She asked, turning to look at JJ.

He quickly avoided eye contact and nodded politely. "Nothin', nothin'." He said, putting his arms on the seat behind him. She raised an eyebrow as he stiffened his back. JJ hesitated before leaning back down. "You okay ?" He asked, reaching for her hand.

Elle nodded hesitantly. "I'm fine." She said, giving the boy a reassuring smile. The two sat there, holding hands and listening to the conversation happing in the background. It was JJ and Elle, the way it's always been.

The way it won't always be.

—————-

By the time they arrived at the junkyard, Elle and Kie hopped out of the Twinkie. Elle fixed her hair as Kie walked over to the driver side window, on her way to talk to JB.

"Hey, don't worry. You got this." He said, crossing his arms and leaning back in the seat.

Elle turned her head as she placed a light brown claw-clip into her hair. "We know!" She yelled, smiling while she walked towards the entrance.

The brunette boy rolled his eyes before turning back to Kie. "Watch her, please."

"Got it." Kiara said with a slight laugh. "Watch them." She emphasized, motioning towards Pope and JJ before running towards Elle.

———-

The two girls walked towards the security window of the yard, waving towards a large man who was sitting and reading from a binder.

"Hello!" Kie yelled, waving her arms back and forth. "Excuse me?"

The man turned towards them and stood up, setting down the binder as he did so. "Can I help you?" He asked, climbing out of the small portable.

Elle nodded with a fake grin. Her freckles showed prominently against her bright cheeks, which indicated that she was very clearly sunburned. Or well, also...house-burned. "Yeah! Uhm, our car has a flat tire. Do you think you could..help us out?"

"Yeah." He said, glancing around. "Yeah, sure."

The two girls looked at each other quickly before smiling back at the man. "Great!" They said in unison. Once the man walked off, they glanced back at each other and Kie groaned.

"Too easy." She said, walking towards the car.

—————

Behind a old car sat three boys with their heads poking out, glancing at Kie and Elle.

"How's it goin' with Kiara?" JJ said, smirking. "I mean, you're all like, close now—."

John B rolled his eyes before squinting at the girls. "It isn't like that, J." He said bluntly, not getting distracted for a second.

The blonde snorted before turning to John B. "I did not think you would listen to me. I mean, kissing her and shit. I mean, I was 100% sure she was into you. Pope would agree."

Pope squinted and turned his head back and forth. "Ehhh."

"She told you too?" John B asked, finally taking away eye contact from the girls.

He nodded before fixing his hat. JJ looked at the two with a raised eyebrow, completely oblivious to what they were talking about. "Huh?"

Pope shrugged his question off. "Nothing."

To change the subject, John B smacked JJ's arm, as if he'd just thought of something. "Listen, so, about you and Elle—-."

JJ rolled his eyes. "Pullin' the brother card?"

"Shut up, alright? I'm serious." He said, pointing to Elle. "She's gone through hell and back in the past week and she doesn't need your dumbass to make it worse. If you dare hurt her, JJ—."

The blonde sighed. "Look, man. I really like Elle, I always have. I'm not just fuckin' with her. I wouldn't do that."

"I know, it's just like, ya' know. She's like a sister. My Dad's always loved her, she always spent holidays over at the house, it's just like, seeing her hurt, hurts me."

JJ nodded. "I get it, bro. Seeing her hurt on that hospital bed—."

Poor quickly interrupted by standing up and pulling JJ with him. "C'mon, it's time."

————

AUTHOR SPEAKS !!

i'm so sorry for the shorter chapter :( i promise i'll write a longer chapter in the next few days. there was just a lot going on this week.

john b as a brother figure makes me sob

JJ AND ELLE. THATS ALL.

MY BESTIE KIRI HELPED WITJ THIS SO GO FOLLOW HER!! routledgeflims

kiara coming out arc 😏

xoxo, kay <3