Lost At Sea 2 ⋆ JJ Maybank

𝖝𝖝𝖎𝖎. Out of the Woods

Kat and Pope scream some 'hi's to Max and Henry – Billy is unaccounted for – downstairs before they rush upstairs to the studio. They don't have time for small talks, or for the delicious smell of cheeseburgers coming from the kitchen. No, instead, they run and almost trip on themselves as Kathryn bursts into the room.

Kie is already there, waiting on a couch. In fact, Billy is next to her. They look like they were talking, and Billy is smirking. Oh? Oh, that's interesting.

Kathryn blinks. "I wanna ask."

"We don't have the time."

"No, but I really wanna ask."

Kie frowns at the pair. "Why are you in such a rush?"

"Why aren't you?" Kathryn asks back. "I sent a text to meet here and called you whores, that didn't scream urgency to you?"

"My phone's dead. Whores?"

She sighs. "Why is that the part people get hung up on?" Then, her eyebrow cinch together in confusion. "Wait, so, why are you here?"

A distant look clouds Kie's eyes as she looks down at her knees. "My mom snapped and I got booted."

Pope's jaw falls. "Wait, what?"

"It's not a big deal," she promises.

But Billy shakes her head. "Kiara showed up at our doorstep so I let her in. Max and Henry said she could stay."

Kathryn stops herself before saying that Billy always loved to rescue stray dogs. "Of course, yeah," she agrees. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah," she says, but that doesn't convince her. "I'm gonna stay here a couple days, hang out with my friends. We have stuff to figure out anyway." She looks back up at the pair. "How did things go with you?"

Pope is suddenly hyper aware of the key in his pockets, as a rare smile graces Kathryn's face. "Well–"

"Pops was upset," he starts.

Kie can't help the smirk on her face. "Upset? After you left his truck in Charleston? What for?"

"Uh, you know, I'm actually trying to figure that out myself. I can't really see any reason..."