𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗬𝗗𝗔𝗬, 𝟮𝟰/𝟳

Chapter 13

We awoke bright and early, so that Pope would have enough time to talk with Carla Limbry about The Royal Merchant. Or whatever she wanted to talk to him about. After Kiara, JJ, and I carefully dropped Pope off at her house, we waited for him to come back.

"He should be back by now," I fretted.

"I don't know ..." Kiara worriedly chewed on her lip.

"There he is!" JJ shouted, pointing out the window of the car to where Pope dashed out of Carla Limbry's house at full speed.

"Step on the gas!" I yelled at Kiara.

"We can't leave Pope!" Kiara threw open the side door of the truck and ran out after Pope.

"Kiara—!" JJ and I looked at each other, then abandoned the truck to run after her and Pope.

We joined Pope, and quickly realized what—or who—he was running from. It was Limbrey's crazy brother, who chased us with a weapon, running after us like mad.

"Run—faster—" Kiara gasped at Pope who led us.

"I'm trying," Pope said, also panting.

"Not talking—just run!" I yelled.

"This is why Pope shouldn't have been on the math team!" JJ yelled from the back of our pack as we ran.

"What?!" I said.

"Never mind—run!" Pope turned the corner of an alley, so we all ran out, spilling onto the road. We screeched to a stop when suddenly a bike pulled up in front of us, with—

—John B and Sarah?!

Everyone gaped at each other for a full ten seconds, shocked, but then John B started to get us moving again. "Get in! Get in!" I guess they were also running from people too.

We all tumbled into the bicycle that had a bench, and JJ yelled at John B to "Step on the gas!"

"There isn't gas on this bike," John B grunted and peddled harder.

"Whoo—hoo!" We all cheered as we left our pursuers in the dust. (Turns out Sarah and John B had been running from this rich guy they'd shoplifted from. Figures. Limbrey Brother had also tripped and been left in the dust.)

↬——✾——↫

We got on the boat that John B and Sarah had stolen, and zoomed over the ocean from Charleston back to the OBX. Kiara, Sarah, and I went to go get a couple beers to celebrate John B and Sarah being alive, and we caught up while we paid.

"Guess what—Pope and Kiara are a thing now!" I told Sarah excitedly while we picked out a couple six packs.

"No. Freaking. Way!" She squealed.

"Shut up," Kiara mumbled, but I could tell she was smiling.

"So what was all that 'it's complicated' business?" I pressed as we left the convenience store, arms loaded with cans of beer.

"I—nothing," she said, a little aggressively.

"Okay," I side–eyed her.

"Oh come on guys, let's get ready to party!" Sarah cheered, threw one arm around my shoulder, and the other around Kiara's, and led us back to the boys in the Twinkie. That's why I loved Sarah, she was the in–betweener between Kie and I. She settled things out, and generally, she was a very good social person.

I got why John B was head over heels for her. Who wouldn't be?

We drove back to John B's place, and by the time we got out, laughing, it was night time. JJ got the Jacuzzi running, Pope and John B set up the LED lights around the trees, and us girls brought out the beer.