Rule breaker •• John B

The one that got away

Pope sat on the cold chair while the tent that surrounded them didn't do much to protect them from the rain and wind. The radio chatter sounded muffled through his ears as the sirens echoed through. Pope turned to Kiera and JJ just as three officers with yellow rain jackets entered their tent.
Immediately, Pope recognized Officer Shoupe. They stood from their chairs. "Did you find them? John B and my sister, did you find them?"

"No." Shoupe said, evenly.

"So, they got away?" Kiara asked, hopefully. Pope knew it wasn't likely. It was the only time he wished he was wrong. Thunder crashed, the sirens got louder. The weather around them matched the storm of emotions the pouges were feeling.

"We, uh....we lost them. I'm sorry."

"You lost them?" Pope exclaimed, "what do you mean you lost them? Like, they're gone? What are you talking about? Where's my sister!?"

"They took an open boat into a tropical depression, Pope." Shoupe said, solemnly. The officer could tell they were upset, he was too. They're just kids.

"So they're dead?"  Kiara asked. Pope shook his head. She wasn't dead. He wouldn't believe it until he saw solid proof.

"We don't know, okay?"

"You drove them straight through the storm, man!" JJ yelled, "are you kidding me? Come here! I'm gonna kill you!" JJ launched towards Shoupe, but Shoupe pushed him back.

"JJ, stop! Pope!" Kiara shouted, while the other officers held him back. Pope was just as angry. Yelling back at Shoupe, Kiara pulled him back and just then, their parents arrived. Pope pulled away from Kiara and turned to his Dad, who looked at him with an expression he was too familiar with. Disappointment and sadness. Despite it, his father took his son and hugged him, but all Pope could think about was shoupe telling them that they didn't make it.

———

"How'd you guys get away? I'm still trying to figure that out." Pope questioned Rowan. Rowan held a drink in her hand as she and Pope sat further away from the rest of the crew, who were all chatting and laughing to themselves while the sound of soft music played in the background.

The Chateau hadn't changed a bit, it was crazy how much she missed it. It was crazy how much she missed everything. She shook her head at Pope's question though. Even to this day, she still couldn't figure out how they managed to survive the storm.
"I don't know, honestly. I....i woke up on the side of the boat, then, we saw one in the distance. It just gets crazier from there." Rowan explained, taking a sip from her drink. She looked over to Kiara, who was looking over towards Pope, but he was oblivious to it. Or at least pretending to be. Rowan smiled.

"So, Kie, huh?"

"Oh, we're done talking about you now?" Pope resorted back, rolling his eyes. Rowan laughed.

"I told you about getting shot...told you about John B....your turn."

"If Dad ever finds out about you getting shot, not once, but twice, he's gonna finish the job and kill you himself."

"Yeah, I know. If Dad finds out about me and John B, he's gonna kill me. Are we still talking about me? So you took my advice and asked her out, why do you look so scared about it?"