𝐀 𝐊𝐎𝐎𝐊 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐀 𝐏𝐎𝐆𝐔𝐄, 𝗋𝖺𝖿𝖾 𝖼𝖺𝗆𝖾𝗋𝗈𝗇

6: "𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚕𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚗?"

The sun was shining through the windows of the high school building in the Outer Banks as students and teachers and janitors could be seen walking around the halls, considering it was lunch time for them and there was no classes at the moment. Only a few classrooms could be seen with some people in them as they ate their lunch in their or tried to get some work done.

The library didn't have many people, only at least two students by the computers while the librarian sat at her desk near the doors of the library, watching as the group of Pogues made their way in, Kiara, Y/n and JJ all calling after Pope after what happened during their test in class just minutes ago.

During their test, Pope had been called out into the hallway by a man and when he had came back in, an envelope laid in his hand and had instantly turned to his friends and sister, showing them the stamp on it that held the envelope shut, the wheat symbol on it just like the gold from before. As they walked into the library, the librarian found herself trying shush both Y/n and JJ since they were being the loudest out of them and Kiara as they tried to get Pope to talk.

"Okay, so that guy was from the scholarship committee." Pope begins, finally giving in and telling them. "Take a look at this. Read it."

Seeing he was holding out the envelope, JJ was quick to reach over the two girls who had placed themselves in the seats they were sitting at by the computers and started frantically taking the letter out of the envelope. The girls shared a glance as JJ looked down at the paper, the other three expecting him to read it to them or so they could be able to hear what was on the letter, but as the blonde's blue eyes scanned through the words he tried to read, he felt his body tense.

"Out loud." Y/n instructs, adding to her brother's demand to read it.

JJ gulps, taking a glance between all of them. "I can't read cursive."

Brows furrowing in confusion and a bit of amusement as they hadn't even known that, considering the blonde never told them, Kiara and Y/n found themselves sharing a glance before the Carrera girl took the letter from the boy, holding it out in front of her, ready to read. Meanwhile, as she did that, the other three crowded around her, JJ even still letting his eyes scan the words as to try and understand what they were saying as they all peaked over Kie's shoulders.

"'Dear Mr. Heyward, I am reaching out because I have material evidence that can exonerate John B. Routledge. It is of vital importance that you come and meet with me in person at my offices at twenty-seven King Street, Charleston at eight p.m. sharp tonight. Please come alone. Regards, C. Limbrey'." Kie reads.

"Charleston?" JJ and Y/n repeat in shock.

"It's like an eight hour drive, plus the ferry." Pope tells them. "How are we gonna get there tonight?"

"We'd have to leave right now." JJ states. "'Material evidence'? What does that even mean?"

"It means he can clear John B." Y/n informs.

"Oh, shit, then we're going to Charleston." JJ blurts a bit loudly, getting a look from the librarian.

Kie sighs. "I gotta tell my mom."

"Look, if we get it this time, we are not giving it to Shoupe." Y/n adds, getting agreements.

Meanwhile, neither one of them had noticed that Pope had bent down just a bit, using the computer right in front of his sister as they had been too busy talking and agreeing with one another. Pope's hand moved the mouse around and google soon showed up on the screen before his fingers were typing on the keyboard, searching what his mind what stuck on ever since Kie had read the letter.

The boy found himself taking a glance back at the letter before his brown eyes went right back to the computer screen. A sigh is what made the others look at him, seeing that the computer was on and he hadn't really been paying attention to whatever they were saying at the moment.

"What is it?" Kie asks.

"I'm not sure, but I think whoever this Limbrey person is, they might be related to the captain of the Royal Merchant." Pope announces, eyes on the screen.

***

Somehow, the group of four had been able to get out of school during lunch time, considering they needed to get to Charleston fast if Pope was to meet the person at eight p.m. sharp tonight like the letter had said. As of right now, a truck could be seen on Figure Eight outside the Carrera residence as the three teenagers who lived on the Cut waited for their friend to join them once she was done speaking with her parents.

Kie had decided it was best they'd wait in the car while she told her parents everything, leaving out the part about their best friends being alive. Shouts could be heard from the porch, signaling to the three Pogues inside the truck that an argument had sparked between Kie and her parents, which also meant that they were protesting on letting her go to Charleston on a school night, or just at all.

Inside the vehicle, the radio could be heard just loud enough for the three inside to listen to, but quiet enough that the family couldn't hear it, even if they probably wouldn't be able to hear it over the loud yelling they were all making right now. Y/n found herself sitting in-between Pope and JJ as they all stared at the small family of three ahead of them by the end of the porch.

"How'd you guys get this rig?" JJ questions the siblings. "I know your old man didn't let you guys have it."

"We undid the intake valves on the carburetor. Made it start pinging." Y/n replies.

"And now you're gonna take it to your cousin Jeff's house. Just gonna get it fixed. Crash overnight." JJ adds with a nod. "I think I'm rubbing off on you, guys. Lying to your guys old man, stealing his truck. Kinda sounds familiar."

"I'd say we have about eighteen hours before he absolutely loses his shit." Pope states, receiving a nod in agreement from his sister. "So as long as we get it back before then, I think we're good."

The sound of Kie's voice shouting caught their attention as they looked back over at the family of three, seeing Kie was making her way down the steps and towards them. JJ hopped out of his side so the girl could get in as she protested against something her parents had told her about.

Kie didn't even seem to care about her parents shouting for her to not go, showing that she was still going to Charleston even if they had said no to her. The other three were awkwardly silent as they listened to the family of three shout at one another.

JJ gives the adults a wave. "It's good to see y'all, Mr. and Mrs. Carrera."

Pope peaks his head out the window to look at them. "Hi, uh, ma'am, sir. I-I promise to have her back at a reasonable hour and safe."

"Kiara, listen to me." Anna starts. "You wanna go, then you can go. But if you don't come back at the proper time, then don't come back at all!"

"She's bluffing." JJ whispers.

Not saying a word as she gives her parents on last look, Kie climbs her way into the truck and beside Y/n as JJ gives the adults a small wave as a goodbye, calling for them to have a good day before following, closing the door behind them.

There's a silence between the four, other than the sound of the radio as Anna and Mike Carrera found themselves staring at the truck where they could see their daughter through the window, disappointment and anger in their eyes that she wasn't listening to them and going against their wishes.

"This shit would be so much easier without parents." Kie mumbles.

Neither of the three said anything else as JJ couldn't help but shrug in agreement to what she said. And with that, Pope turned his hand to start the engine, backing out of the driveway and out onto the open road, driving off, leaving Anna and Mike's angry eyes to watch the retreating vehicle with their daughter inside.