𝐑𝐈𝐏𝐓𝐈𝐃𝐄 , 𝐣. 𝐦𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐤 ⁽¹⁾

𝟐𝟓. 𝐀𝐏𝐎𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐈𝐄𝐒

Once John B was almost done with explaining the Tannyhill situation, he accidentally let it slip that he was with Sarah Cameron that day.

Kie and Elle both sat up as they heard her name slip his mouth.

"Sarah?" Kie asked, glancing around the fire. "Wh-
why Sarah?"

Elle nodded in agreement and glared at John B.

The brunette boy rubbed behind his neck before answering, expecting that whatever he said would not get a good reaction from the girls.

JJ looked down, avoiding eye-contact with Elle as he chuckled slightly to himself. "This is gonna be good."

"Sarah-uh-uhm, she got me into the achieves in Chapel Hill yesterday." He stuttered, anxiously shifting glares between the two. "That's where I got the letter."

Kie's mouth gaped open as she leaned forward. It was very obvious that she wouldn't let John B let this go. "You were in Chapel Hill with Sarah Cameron?"

For what it was worth, Elle wasn't exactly pleased with him either. "Are you serious, John B?"

The boy tried to speak up in his defense. "Yeah, um-"

"He was mackin' on her." JJ said bluntly, earning a stern look from the brunette.

John B rolled his eyes and leaned his head to the side. "I wasn't macking."

"You were totally macking Sarah Cameron." JJ rebutted.

Elle looked down at the dirt. Her dress had small wood chips and dirt scattered along the shimmering fabric due to being in the woods.

She didn't want to hear all about how John B was supposedly "macking" on Sarah. It wasn't exactly the ideal conversation.

"I wasn't macking on her, okay? I was using her for access." John B said, putting his arms up in denial.

JJ took a smaller strut towards the fire as he tilted his head. "There was an access all right."

Kie's shoulders grew more broad as she got more and more visibly upset. "Did you tell her about the treasure?"

"I was trying to get into the archives!" John B replied, his annoyance becoming more apparent.

Elle looked up at him with disbelief strung across her face. "You told her? You seriously told her? All because she helped with your boo-boo?"

"I left out key details!" John B denied, his voice getting louder.

Kie shook her head. Her deep expression really showed the group how much this hurt her. "What? You let a Kook in on our secret? What about Pogue life? What about the T-shirt company bro?"

The brunette stuck his hands out as JJ and Pope watched, very entertained. "I was just using her for information."

Elle rolled her eyes at that statement. John B wasn't the type of person to use someone for something. As many flaws as he had, one thing he did have going for him was his loyalty.

"Why don't I believe you?" Kiara said, moving her hands as she moved her head.

John B laughed nervously as he squinted at her, his voice shaking more than usual. "I'm trying to make us filthy rich here!" Kiara looked back. "Okay? So that we can pay off a boat, or—or, uh.." He motioned towards Pope. "send you to autopsy school to study dead bodies!"

Elle's expression softened as John B continued listing the things that they could do if they had money. "Alright, we get it."

"Look," John B continued, hopefully finishing his rant soon enough. "you guys know me. Do I look like the type of person to fall for Sarah Cameron?"