One Stupid Thing

1:6:22

My sister, the Pogues, and I spent that entire day preparing ourselves for the moment we have all been waiting for. Tonight we are finally going to get our hands on the Royal Merchant gold.

Sarah and I went back home to Tannyhill, changed, told another lie to our father, and were picked up in the Twinkie down the road.

"Hey, ladies," JJ greets as we climb in. I settle myself down between Pope and my sister. John B starts the engine and the Twinkie sputters before driving off. JJ looks back at me from the passenger seat and he winks at me before returning his gaze to the road ahead.

"Alright, you guys got rope?" John B asks, beginning to go through the list of supplies that we need.

"Got it," Pope answers, rummaging through John B's backpack to double-check.

"Grappling hook?" he continues.

"We don't have a grappling hook," Pope retorts. "We're not Batman."

"Pulley?"

"Check," Kiara tells him, holding it up.

"Dark clothes?"

"Got it," Sarah responds, looking around at all of us. We are dressed head-to-toe in black, to blend into the shadows.

"Flashlights?"

"Check," I announce, flicking the one in my hand on and off.

"All right good." John B pumps the breaks and shuts off the engine. "We're ready."

"Let's go," Kiara packs everything we brought back into John B'a backpack.

"Let's go get rich, guys," JJ says. He holds out his hand towards me.

"Yeah. Hell, yeah," I reply, returning the high-five. We all cheer in excitement. John B walks around the van and opens the side door. We try to exit, but John B stops us.

"Wait, wait. I wanna say thank you, guys. Seriously," he begins, looking around at each of us. "It means a lot to me that you're here tonight."

His gaze rests on Kie. She smiles at him and rolls her eyes. "Always," she tells him. He smiles back and chuckles softly.

"Of course, man." Pope holds his hand out to John B and they do their handshake with warm smiles on their faces.

"All right, we done with this circle jerk? Can we go do this?" JJ asks. He adjusts the rope slung over his shoulder and looks at John B for an answer.

"Yeah." John B nods. He moves out of the way and allows us all to file out.

"Let's get that wheat in the water," Pope says.

"Weed? I'm up for weed." JJ raises his brow.

"Wheat. I said wheat," I hear Pope reply flatly. Us three girls hop out first. We turn on our flashlights and approach the fence.

"After you," Kie says to Sarah, letting her go before her.

"Ladies first," Sarah responds as she climbs the fence. I giggle and follow closely behind the two of them. The boys hop over after me.

With our flashlights alit, we creep through the overgrown bushes and into a clearing. There we see the Crain House, eerily towering over us. Suddenly, the motion light flicks on.

Sarah gasps in surprise. "Shit!"

"Oh shit!" John B curses. We all run for cover back in the undergrowth.

"Go, go, go, go," Pope urges.

"Flashlights!" Kiara reminds us, turning hers off with one flip of a switch.