If you'd ask Danny if he thought he'd ever deceive one of his friends, he'd answer: unlikely.
But, this instance, apparently, fell under the minute, tenth percentile of likely.
It was this: Danny, JJ, Pope, Kie, and John B pulling up to the Crain house. The shrubbery was overgrown, flowers bloomed every other step, and green, green, green appeared with the other step. Pope held Danny's hand the entire time. He needed moral support.
It was this: Hollis Crain, decapitation quadrant, nothing to lose.
It was this: JJ singing deadly lullabies, mosquitoes attacking, and discussing the cinematic masterpiece that was C.H.U.D. It was Kie talking about bad karma and how it was Barbie's fault that the trail's gone cold. It was John B assuming him kissing Kie was the problem. It was slapping under the guise of skeeters. And then it was finally finding water in the well.
It was this: Sarah showing up at John B's and everything going horribly, horribly wrong.
Danny shoved another handful of Skinny Pop into his mouth as he stepped from the living room onto the porch. He paused, hand still to his mouth as Kie shouted, "No effing way!"
"Oh, Jesus," Danny muttered when he saw Sarah sitting on the couch and Kie pacing the walkway. Danny shot a look at John B on the arm of the couch. He slowly shook his head in disappointment.
John B's wide eyes had Danny regretting ever coming over to witness this disaster. John B had no idea the damage about to occur and Danny had no way to stop the train wreck already in motion.
"You brought her here? So what? She's in on this now?" Kie asked.
Danny nearly choked on his popcorn when all eyes looked at him. "Why are you all looking at me? I don't want anything to do with this." He took a step back and leaned against the beam along the screen of the porch. He raised his bag of popcorn in a mock salute and designated himself to the sidelines.
"Look, all I care about is her cut comes out of your share," JJ told John B. He sat across the porch from Danny in the armchair. Pope took up place next to him on the stool.
"You know, I don't remember taking a vote," Kie accused. She stared pointedly at Sarah when she continued, "This is our thing. A Pogue thing."
"I gotta say, I'm just a tad uncomfortable with all of this," Pope added.
"Thank you!"
John B scoffed and said, "When are you not uncomfortable?"
"I dunno. I rode here on the back of JJ's bike pretty comfortably."
"It's true," JJ said. "Most relaxed I've ever seen him."
Danny laughed and ignored the scowl from John B.
John B said, "That's cute, guys."
"You know we were all extremely comfortable until you brought her."
"Stop talking about me like I'm not here!" Sarah finally said.
"Then leave," Kie said coldly.
Sarah shook her head and turned to John B. "I told you."
"Told him what, exactly?" Kie asked. "That you're a liar?"
"No, that you're a shit-talking bitch."
Danny's eyes widened and he turned around to stare at the yard. He shook his head to himself and couldn't help but think that the train finally crashed. There were casualties. Definitely casualties.
"Oh, shit!" Pope gasped.
Sarah's eyes narrowed. "When have I lied?"
"You get somebody close to you for like a month—"
YOU ARE READING
Exception // JJ Maybank
Fanfiction"Don't give me that look. You love me." "Wish I didn't." Daniel Sarver is probably the only Kook on the island who doesn't attend the private school for rich kids and participate in their even more pretentious lifestyle. He's probab...
