𝗠𝘆 𝗘𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗲 ⇉ 𝗝𝗝 𝗠𝗮𝘆𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗸

𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦

"This is the north drain." JJ states as he drags Ari by her arm towards where Kie and Pope were. Ari smiling at Pope. Totally ignoring Kie. "So, if it got flushed out from this drain, it would've been pushed out to, like—."

"Somewhere in this trash." Pope cuts him off sighing as they stared at what was around them.

There was an uncountable amount of trash that laid around them. It was an awful and disgusting view. The smell made you want to gag and seeing the garbage led to making you want to vomit.

"Oh my God." Kie groans. "People who use plastic should be shot."

"Says the one that—."

"Personally, I love plastic. Use it everyday. Love the stuff." JJ cuts Ari off giving her a look. Ari rolls her eye letting go of JJ's hand and crossing her arms over her chest.

Kie gives Ari a slight sad look that Ari just ignored. JJ knew how Ari was going to go about the whole kiss thing. She was gonna be a bitch and snap at Kie and she deserved every bit of it, but he didn't feel like breaking up a fight today.

"Hopefully, you recycle it and don't let it flush into the ocean." Kie answers JJ. JJ just nods looking to his girlfriend. He wraps an arm around her shoulders, giving her a kiss on her forehead. She just leaned into him.

"I thought you'd say something like that.." Pope pulls out a bag of trash bags from his backpack. "So I brought these."

"Did you just proactively protect the environment?" Kie smiles at Pope, her cheeks slightly red.

"Maybe." Pope smiles back, shrugging. The two stood staring into each other's eyes.

"And now she's going for Pope." Ari rolls her eyes whispering to JJ. "Isn't that something?"

"Babe, just relax." JJ whispers back.

"Don't tell me to relax JJ." Ari moves from his arms. "I have every right to be this mad and this is me relaxing. She's lucky I haven't ran to her and slapped her."

JJ says nothing. Only nods slowly and looks back at Kie and Pope clearing his throat putting on a fake smirk. "You want us to leave you two alone? What's going on?"

"Yeah, if you guys want to do whatever your doing." Ari points between them keeping her eyes on Pope. "You can do it back at her car."

Pope snaps out of his and tosses trash bags at JJ who was chuckling. "Just pick up the trash."

And that's what they did. As disgusting as it was they did it and they didn't find a thing. They came up empty handed and Ari was regretting not finishing her bagel this morning because she was starving and getting cranky.

I know you're wondering why they couldn't just show the police the footage on Ari's phone and that's because she no longer had a phone. Ari struggled to find her phone that morning. She doesn't remember what happened and if she even had it on her when they came to the house. All she knows is that it was gone and she just let down John B and Sarah.

"Well that was fun." JJ says sarcastically.

Kie and Ari were knees deep in mud, the blonde still ignoring the girl, while Pope stood there examining the drain. Pope speaks up. "If it's not in the trash, then it's gotta be in the storm drain."

"It's in...It's in the drain." JJ agrees with a nod.

"Of course it is." Ari says with pure sarcasm in her tone. "Isn't that wonderful."

"Good thing I brought the crow."

"So like...are we gonna do rock, paper, scissors? or alphabetically?"

The two boys ignore Kie, Ari laughing to herself knowing damn well none of them would offer themselves and the fact that they didn't fit left Kie and Ari as the only choices.

"On three, Pope." JJ tells him. "One...Two...Three."

JJ and Pope use the crow to open the drain, both letting out grunts as they did so. Ari blocks out their voices as her head starts to throb the slightest. She rubs her temples as she looks between the three.

"In the sewer, there's this worm that you get when you're down there." JJ starts. "It gets into your blood, and then it has to come out your pecker."

"Thats code for he's not going in there." Ari says as she continues to rub her temples. "Isn't that right, love?"

"Yup. Hard pass for me." JJ nods giving her look, silently asking if she's okay. Ari gives him a nod.

"That's gonna be a no from me, too." Pope now agrees with JJ.

"Knew that was coming." Ari mumbles.

"No, I get it." Kie chuckles. "You guys are scared."

"We're not scared."

"It's kind of cute."

"It's the pecked thing!" JJ exclaims.

"You should've just led with that. You don't have to be scared." Kie starts walking towards the drain. "I'll do it."

"Here you go, playing hero." Ari snorts.

"You wanna say it louder?" Kie turns to Ari with a glare.

"I said." Ari raises her voice. "You always want to try and play hero!"

"If you have a problem with me doing it, why don't you just do it yourself." Kie snaps.

"No, please by all means, go." Ari chuckles. "Just make sure you get out quick because you know...we don't want trash in the water."

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Kie steps up to Ari.

"Guys let's just—."

"Me?" Ari laughs stepping towards her, cutting JJ off. "You have some nerve asking that when it was you that kissed my boyfriend!"

Kie goes quiet. She glances at JJ who doesn't meet her eyes, and then to Ari. "It never meant to happen. I—."

"I don't want to listen to your fake ass excuses." Ari snaps. "You made it clear how much of a fake ass bitch you are. It baffles me how you claimed to be my best friend and yet you kissed my boyfriend behind my back."

"I'm sor—."

"Don't finish that damn sentence." Ari grits her teeth. "Just get in there before I smack you. Please."

Kie slowly turns and gets ready to go in, but a hurt Pope calls to her. "Hey, uh, be careful."

"I'll be so careful." Kie mocks him as she climbs inside the drain.

"I deserved that." Pope nods with his lips pressed together.

"No you don't." Ari frowns. Pope gives her a small smile.

"Just, uh, holler if you need anything." JJ clears his throat tearing his gaze away from Ari. "I guess we'll, uh, holler back."

"I think I might leave her down there." Ari mutters.

"That's very helpful." Kie says back. "Thank you."

Minutes pass and they hear nothing from Kie. Pope decides to call down to her. "Kie, do you see the gun?"

"No. Nothing."

"She's not gonna find anything." Ari sighs. "Ward probably already has it."

"No, no." Pope shakes his head. "It's probably at the bottom of the catch basin, Ari. Have a little faith."

He gives her the biggest sweetest smile. She could help, but give him one back. Sometime Pope was a little too innocent, but it was what she loved about him.