𝐑𝐈𝐏𝐓𝐈𝐃𝐄 , 𝐣. 𝐦𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐤 ⁽¹⁾

𝟐𝟔. 𝐓𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐏𝐀𝐓𝐇

The rest of that night was a blur. All she could make out was Sarah's screaming and John B being taken by an ambulance.

Luckily, Elle hadn't stayed overnight at the hospital. If she had, she'd currently be staying in the same waiting room as Sarah, which she really didn't want to do.

Instead, the Pogues made her stay with them. They knew that if Elle had stayed, she'd get even less sleep than normal, which would practically be nothing.

Now, however, it was a hot, july, afternoon. The Pogues were sat down at The Wreck, watching as Kiara and Elle walked around and served customers.

John B walked in, earning cheers from the group as he went to sit down.

They knew he was okay, as earlier they all went to visit him. It was when Elle was alone with him where he had dropped probably the worst bomb of them all.

"Bug, Ward Cameron offered to be our legal guardian. No more foster care run-ins!" He had said as if it were the best thing in the world.

It absolutely WAS NOT the best thing in the world. The last thing she wanted was to be trapped inside of a mansion with Rafe and Sarah Cameron.

But "anything is better than foster care." Right?

Kiara was not very subject to the idea of the two living there, expressing the same disgust and annoyance as Elle.

JJ, as expected, wasn't exactly fond of the idea either. I mean, Rafe lived there, which was enough ammo for JJ to get riled up.

"So, do you both have memberships at the country clubs now?" Pope asked, holding his arm in the air as Elle gave him a plastic cup, filled with soda.

John B sat down as Elle rolled her eyes. "I don't know, Pope."

JJ leaned his arm on the back of a chair as he smiled lightheartedly. "What about those golf carts? The ones they drive around. You get one of them?"

"Yeah, they have our names engraved on the sides, and Booker's has sparkles." Elle joked, grabbing a water for John B.

Pope put his hands behind his head to adjust his hat. "Do they come with sweater-vests or do you buy those on your own?"

Despite the joking, Kie was still upset. Elle was very understanding of course. "You promised." She mumbled, putting her arm on John B's chair. "You promised you weren't with her."

Elle slightly raised an eyebrow as her and JJ made eye-contact. They silently argued about wether or not Kie just hated Sarah, or if she was jealous of John B.

Their verdicts were two very different things.

The next thing they knew, John B was pulling out a map out of who knows where, and everyone was hovering over it.

"..Battery Jasper." Elle heard come from Kiara's pursed lips. She hadn't been paying much attention, which to anyone who was friend's with Elle knew, it wasn't uncommon.

—————

Standing over a large cliff, the Pogues all looked out amongst the trees.

"So," Pope started, leaning over on a rock that sat in the perfect spot for optimal viewing. "We're in Battery right here." He pointed to a scribbled spot on their old map. "So if this is parcel nine, then it's somewhere northeast of here."

Elle pointed her arm out. "So over there?"

"Right." Pope agreed.

JJ's arm mirrored Elle's as he squinted his eyes towards the trees. "Over there? Guys, that's not Tannyhill, that's a subdivision."

The Routledge boy argued quickly. "Tannyhill Plantation was the entire island. It got sold into smaller pieces over time."

"So we're just looking for an old stone wall." Pope said, his finger hovering over the yellow tinted paper.

—————

The Twinkie swerved a corner as John B recklessly followed Pope's directions. The three teens that sat in the back watched out the windows as the trees passed by quickly.

"Are you sure this is the right way?" Elle asked questionably. They were on a long dirt road that caused clouds of brown to follow behind wherever the Twinkie went.

Pope pointed forward as he turned around, obviously expecting John B to follow his silent instruction. "Yes, Elle, we are going the right way. You would know if you took a look at the map."

"I did, Pope." She argued back. "You wouldn't let anyone else be in charge of directions!"

He sucked the air through his teeth before tilting his head in defeat, knowing that he indeed wouldn't let anyone else in charge.

By the time they had come to a slow stop, a large house pulled into view. A large, very old, house.

"Holy shit." Elle mumbled as the house came clearer into view. "That's the Crain house."

The group argued amongst themselves as they stepped out of the van, slowly walking closer to the old, legendary house.

Kiara was the first to reach the stone wall that sat in front. "Are you kidding me?" She asked in annoyance. Well, annoyance or disbelief. You be the judge.

JJ stepped next to Kiara, will Elle walking right behind him. "So, worst case scenario."

"Why'd it have to be here.." Pope started, taking a deep breath between his sentence. "..of all places?"

The blonde boy turned to Elle, a completely serious, and a little scared, glint in his eyes. "I heard that Mrs. Crain buried her husband's head on the property."

"That is not true, J." Elle argued, mostly trying to reassure herself. "I think."

——————-

AUTHOR SPEAKS !

i know it's a shorter chapter leave me along ive been busy.

ANYWAYS!

again, go read Eunoia by @-emacityy

ELLE AND JJ PRACTIACLLY READING WACH OTHERS MINDS THEY ARE SO FODNDKDNKDND

xoxo, kenn.