One Stupid Thing

1:9:35

JJ and I walk into the Wreck and sit down with Pope and Kie at our regular table.

"So, what's the plan?" I ask.

"Well, I have decided that we need to figure out where Sarah stands on all of this. Maybe sneak her out if it comes to that," Kiara says, shooting a sharp glare at Pope, who is higher than a kite.

"Ooh, ooh, ooh! I'll drive!" Pope grabs the keys before Kiara even has a chance to protest and speeds out the door to Kiara's car.

"This'll be fun," JJ states. Kiara rolls her eyes and we head outside. Pope is already in the driver's seat of the car with the engine running. He flashes the brights at us and laughs.

Kiara hops in the passenger seat to supervise. "Stop messing around!" she scolds. "We can't afford to attract any unwanted attention, so please, just drive carefully. Don't go too fast. Blend in."

"Yeah, yeah! Whatever! Let's get this show on the road." Pope puts the car in reverse and, without even checking behind him, jerks the car backwards out of the parking spot. Once he clears the vehicles he switches gears and sharply turns the car to the right.

The sudden movement sends me sliding, squishing JJ between me and the other side of the car. My whole body is pressed up against him. He looks down at me with a classic JJ smirk and I have to fight the urge to smash my lips against his once more.

"You don't have to make excuses to be this close to me, you know," he flirts. I immediately break eye contact and look away. He only said a single sentence, yet it has me beet red.

"Oh, trust me I know, but we agreed to keep this on the DL, remember?" I whisper back. He puffs out his bottom lip and gives me puppy-dog eyes. "Jay, we need to focus on helping John B, okay? Adding 'this' to the mix would just add unnecessary stress."

"Okay, okay, fine, but I don't like not being able to kiss you whenever I feel like it." He looks out the window and crosses his arms.

"Well, I'm not going anywhere. Well, except for back to my side." I check to make sure that Kiara and Pope aren't paying attention— she's reaching across the car to prevent him from swerving— and lightly kiss JJ's cheek before scooting back over to the passenger side.

"JJ! I can't be the only one having fun in here!" Pope reaches back and dangles a joint in front of JJ's face. "You know you want to."

JJ smirks, takes the joint, and smokes it. Pope, who was only driving with one hand, almost collides into a car parked on the side of the road. I grab the handle on the roof to brace myself, but nothing happens. Kiara had grabbed ahold of the wheel and yanked it to avoid a crash.

"Pope, you almost clocked that car, man. Like, that would've been so bad!" JJ laughs. Some odd hiphop music blares over the stereo and the bass is loud enough to be heard from miles away.

Pope takes another hit. "I'm just glad I'm not driving now." Kiara looks back and shoots me a fed-up look.

"Pull over!" she commands. Pope swerves the car to the side of the road and it skids to a stop. "JJ, it's not funny. He shouldn't be driving." Kiara slams the door behind her and swaps places with Pope.

"Mama's mad," JJ comments.

Kie pulls the car back onto the main road and brings us safely to Tannyhill. Even though it has been my home my entire life, seeing it towering in front of us makes my skin crawl. Every single memory I have here has been tainted by my father and brother's sinful acts.

Kiara grabs a flashlight from the glove box, flicks it on, and hops out of the car. We all follow after her, JJ a bit hesitant. "Are we sure this is a good idea?" he asks.

"She's the only one who can clear John B. Just be look out," Kiara tells him. She scales the wall bordering the property and disappears on the other side. Pope hurries after her.

JJ walks around the car and stands next to me. I glance over with a cheeky smile. He returns it. Sometimes it seems like we function on the same wavelength. He pulls me towards him with only a single hand on my lower back and our lips collide. It feels like it's been days since we last kissed, when really it's only been an hour.

I feel myself melting into him and wanting, no needing him closer. Reaching up and combing my fingers through his beach-blonde hair, I feel his grip tighten on my waist, which makes me inhale sharply. JJ walks me backwards and my back presses up against what I assume is the concrete wall. We pull apart from the kiss and gasp for air.

"Woah," JJ exhales, brushing a strand of my hair behind my ear.

"Yeah, you've been missing out," I flirt, adjusting my hand from the back of his head to resting on his shoulder.

"I definitely have." JJ pauses and his eyes narrow. "Something's bugging you. Look, Sarah's gonna help. I know she will." 

I sigh. "That's not what I'm worried about...."

JJ's eyebrows raise with realization. "Oh... you won't be alone. Kie and Pope will be with you, and besides you probably won't even see them."

"Stella! You coming?" Kie whisper-shouts from the other side of the wall.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm coming!" I kiss JJ goodbye and climb over the wall. When I drop on the other side, I am met with solemn faces. Kiara stomps away towards the house without another thought and even in the darkness I can't miss the tears springing up in the corners of Pope's eyes. "Kie! Wrong way," I whisper. She sighs and follows me. Pope hurries off in a different direction to create a diversion.

I sneak around the house and underneath the porch that wraps around the upper level of the house. From behind some bushes I pull out a ladder and set it up against the house.

"So, you guys just have a random ladder back here?" Kie asks.

"Yup. Sarah would always use it to sneak out," I tell her. Wrung by wrung I climb up to the balcony and over the fence. Kiara waits till I'm up to follow. "C'mon. This way. Sarah doesn't have actual access to the balcony, but her window does."

Kiara follows me around the corner of the house and we peer into Sarah's room. She is sitting on her bed with her knees pulled up into her chest. I knock a few times and when Sarah looks up and sees us, her crestfallen expression brightens.

"Stella! Kie!" her muffled voice calls. She rushes over to the window and goes to open it, but it doesn't budge. Kiara and I attempt to help her, but it's no use. Sarah sits back and sighs.

"Show her the poster," I say to Kie. She nods, swiftly pulls it out of her pocket, unfolds it, and presses it against the window. Sarah's eyes skim the page and her face falls.

"Are you in on it?" Kiara asks her.

"Did you guys think I was?" Sarah looks back and forth between the two of us. We shake our heads.

"No," I utter. Sarah swallows hard to choke back her emotions and places both hands on the glass. Kiara and I each press a hand against one of hers.

"Sarah!" My father's voice calls. My sister jumps up from her window seat.

"Go! Hurry!" she tells us. Kiara and I hurry back around the corner and down the ladder. JJ and Pope are waiting on the other side of the wall in the car. JJ sees us jump down and starts the car engine. Kiara and I pile into the back seat.

"So? What side is she on?" JJ asks us.

"Ours," I pant. "I never doubted it."

"Yeah. Ward locked her up there like some modern-day Rapunzel. Even her window is sealed shut," Kiara informs them. "We had to peel before he saw us."

"Damn," JJ remarks. He puts the car in drive.

"Wait! Guys, where are we going to go? The Chateau is still swarmed I'm sure," I point out.

"The Wreck. I have a key. My parents won't know," Kiara tells us.

"Alright. To the Wreck."

——
And the next episode is the last one of season one! Thank you for the support everyone!!