IN WHICH after a friendship blow up, Talia Anderson chooses one friend over the other and realizes she either has to stay an ousted kook or learn to live life like a pogue. Problem one, she's a kook through and through. Problem two, pogue king John...
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❝i keep giving people blank stares i'm so different when you're not there it's like something out of Shakespeare because i'm really not here when you're not there❞
-everytime, ariana grande
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chapter nineteen, THE STAKE OUT MISSION
Talia Anderson was pacing back and forth, bewildered and anticipating eyes watching her movements as the four teenagers attempted to make sense of what had been presented to them.
Every few seconds her eyes would steady on her phone screen, staring at the last sent text and the lack of response waiting below it. She couldn't help but worry about why the boy had stopped answering. The thought made the girl laugh dryly to herself, earning another stolen glance from one of the pogues.
She didn't have the mental capacity to explain to them that she found it oddly funny, in a competently normal and not mind-breaking way, that the boy had essentially come back from the dead and it was his ignorance of a group chat message that concerned her.
"He's alive" The words came out as whispers and without noticing it, Kiara approached Talia. The girl jumped in her skin momentarily before accepting the contact the Carrera girl's hand brought to her shoulder. The semblance of comfort offered.
"he's alive" Kiara repeated as if to drill it into all of their brains. John Booker Routledge was alive, even if it made no sense and the pogues couldn't process the fact, It was still a fact.
"he's alive" Talia's ramblings were coming off as slightly psychotic and rather concerning for those around her. Pope's face was drawn with worry, his features setting as JJ and Kiara watched.
Pope, his parents, Talia and Andrea Wallace were the only ones to know about the girl's secret hideaway. Kiara and JJ had still yet to figure out how to ask why the girl was already sitting in their school's courtyard when they found out. Gears turned in Kiara's mind as she watched Pope move towards her and Talia.
"he's actually alive, like not dead" Talia turned to Pope as he reached out for her, the pair sharing a look. Pope nodded as to reassure her.
"that's kind of what alive means" JJ Maybank snarked and Kiara turned to him with a glare.
"stop" She attacked, a protective instinct taking over at the boy's crass attitude.
"fuck you JJ" The roll of her eyes and pointed stare had Pope letting out a quick sigh of relief, the girl he knew had not been lost in her grief nor had she been psychologically altered due to the news.
"oh, I'm sorry am I just supposed to stand around while you go all cuckoo?"
"I'm not going crazy you piece of shit, like are you even listening to yourself? John B is alive, like practically back from the dead and you're just chill?"
