When a shy girl from Figure Eight suddenly gets whisked into a dangerous treasure hunt involving four pogues known for their knack for trouble, she finds herself navigating not only the troubled waters of adventure but also the complexities of frien...
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Sydney let out a soft groan as her eyes fluttered open, instinctively pushing away whatever was brushing against her. "Go away, Sunny," she muttered, trying to sink back into sleep despite the pounding headache building in her temples.
"Who's Sunny?" a male voice asked, jolting her awake. Her eyes snapped open in surprise, quickly realizing she was in an unfamiliar bed. Panic surged through her as she sat up abruptly, worsening her headache. She turned to see a boy standing beside the bed, concern etched across his face.
She looked across his familiar face as she tried to pin a name to it. "John B?" she croaked, clutching the blanket tightly. Confusion deepened as she stared at him. "What the hell," Sydney mumbled to herself, her mind scrambling to make sense of it all.
John B looked equally perplexed. "Sydney Lyons," he mumbled, finally recognizing her but growing more confused by the second. What was a Kook like her doing here? "What are you doing in my house?" he asked, his confusion mirroring hers.
Sydney's mind raced, trying to piece together how she ended up in this situation. "I... I don't know," she stammered, rubbing her temples as the headache throbbed painfully. "The last thing I remember is... the fight, and then everything's a blur."
John B sighed, glancing around the messy room. "You were friends with Kie when she went to the Kook Academy, right?" Sydney nodded. "She probably brought you back here. I don't remember much after the fight either."
Sydney let out a shaky breath, trying to steady herself and her thoughts as she brushed the brown hair out of her face. "Are you okay?" she asked, noticing the bruise around his eye.
"Yeah, yeah. It's fine," John B waved her off, though his dismissive tone didn't quite match the tension in the room. "Look, I need to talk to Kie and the others. Do you want to stay here until they get here? I'm sure Kie can give you a ride home."
Sydney hesitated, cheeks warm as she still clutched onto the blanket. "That... that would be great, thanks. I'm really sorry about all this."
John B offered a reassuring smile. "Don't worry about it," he said, turning to leave the room.
As the door closed behind him, Sydney let out a long breath, trying to calm down. Her heart still raced, the remnants of fear and confusion lingering. She leaned back against the pillows, taking in the dimly lit room. Sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting a soft, golden hue over the cluttered space. Photos of the Pogues were pinned to the wall, clothes were strewn across the floor, and various trinkets were scattered about.
Sydney's thoughts drifted to Kiara. She remembered their friendship from the Kook Academy—how they had bonded over their shared dislike for the other Kooks, their love of surfing, and their hatred of their grumpy history teacher. A small smile tugged at Sydney's lips as she remembered the times they had whispered and laughed together in the back of class. Maybe, just maybe, this could bring them closer.
