𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗬𝗗𝗔𝗬, 𝟮𝟰/𝟳

Chapter 16

We were at John B's place. The others were celebrating Ward's death, while Sarah set a far way from them, staring out into the distance. Eventually, John B went to speak with her, and they went for a little walk along the beach.

"This is awesome!" JJ cheered. "Ward gone, Rafe gone, John B's a free man! We finally get our 400 mil—"

"Can you shut up, for once?" I snapped at him.

"Seriously, JJ," Kie breathed.

"What?" JJ said defensively.

While they argued, nit picking each other back and forth, I fell into a deep thought. I'd seen my father in what had felt like a month. I hadn't seen him since the start of August, and now, it was mid September and I was at an entirely new school.

He had finally arrested Ward. But it was only after we gave him so much evidence that pretty much a rock knew that Rafe had shot me and killed Peterkin. He had needed me to place the evidence in front of him, like he was some baby, for him to finally move two fingers to arrest the right culprit.

He hadn't believed my own words—as the person who'd gotten shot and who had survived—even as his daughter, and as I had worked alongside him for years. It had hurt, and that final move had ruined our relationship forever. I ran away, expecting to never see him again.

And now what was he going to do; expect me to come home into his arms, all pleased that he took down Ward? No, I scoffed, fuck him. It was too late. It was too late for him to apologize, and I would never be coming back.

John B came back into the house from his little "talk" with Sarah, interrupting my thoughts. He was crying.

"What's wrong?" Pope immediately stood up and led John B to a spot on the frayed couch.

"She dumped me," John B cried into his hands. I'd only ever seen him cry once; when he found out his father was really dead.

"What? What do you mean, she dumped you?" I said frantically. They were the "it" couple, the perfect couple. Sarah Cameron didn't just go around dumping John B! He was all she could talk about, John B this, John B that, so what the fuck did he mean she "dumped" him?!

"I don't know," John B said, his eyes welling up.

"Did things get complicated because of Ward?" Kiara asked wisely.

"I don't know, Kie! I don't know, okay?" John B said aggressively, before JJ led him away to speak with him as his best friend.

"Kie, can I borrow you phone?" I asked. She handed me it, and I stepped into the other to call Sarah. This was major news, and I couldn't believe she'd ran off without even counsoling her best friend. After ringing her several times, she still wouldn't pick up. I was worried, but not too concerned. I decided I would give a her a bit of time, and then would try to talk to her again.

↬——✾——↫

Later that evening, just around 7PM or so, Pope and I were sitting out on the dock, dangling our feet into the water. Every so often, we would start kissing just for the sake of it. I don't even know why exactly I kept putting my mouth on his, but it felt good. It felt like we were doing something forbidden, and it was thrilling. Besides, everyone else was doing their own thing. JJ and Kiara were with John B, trying to help him with the sucky news.

It was one of those moments when Pope and I were making out when someone purposely coughed behind us.

Immediately we sprang apart, and Pope scooted several inches away from me. I turned around to see Kiara staring at us, arms crossed. She did not look happy.

Oh crap. I'd forgotten about her. I'd forgotten what would happen if the others "caught" us together. In fact, I'd only accounted for JJ to figure this whole thing out anyway.

"Mercedes, can I speak to you?" Kie said.

"Oh, um, yeah. For sure," I hastily followed her as she led me to the hammocks, until we were alone and far from the other Pogue's ears.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing," she spun around to face me.

"What?" I said, shocked at her abrupt change of tone.

"What game do you think you're playing—with Pope?"

"I'm not playing any sort of game!"

"You're using him. He's not a game, he's not some sort of thing you can use to break his heart!" She said angrily.

"I'm doing no such thing!"

"You know exactly what the hell you're doing. He's not some chess piece or accessory you can use to get back at JJ. Enough. Let him go."

"You're just jealous!" I threw out at her, desperate.

"Excuse me?" She raised her eyebrows at me.

"You have no right! No right to say that I'm "breaking his heart"! You did that! You broke his heart, Kiara."

"I—"

"So what. I'm "using" him! Sue me! But you're just as bad as me anyway. You crushed him, Kiara. So maybe he does need this. Maybe he does need someone else to help him." I said bitterly.

"No. You doing this isn't the same thing—it's worse. It's evil! At least I left him. But now, you're giving him false hope, you're pretending this whole facade!" She cried.

"I'm not," I insisted. "It isn't fake."

"Well," she laughed. "Keep lying to yourself then. Maybe you will start believing it anyway. You're so desperate anyways for him," she knew exactly who she was talking about. So did I.

"I—no I'm not!" I said. I could feel myself starting to get hot.

"Let him go. It's cruel to use someone to get to someone else."

"Well, too fucking bad." I snapped, and stormed away from her.

a/n: um why is this literally 2.8 pages. probs gonna be a double update since it's short/mercedes is pissing me off like what is this gurl