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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The afternoon sun cast a warm light over the house as JJ and Pope stood in the front yard. As they walked across the well-maintained lawn, it was clear the house had escaped the worst of the hurricane's damage—aside from a fallen tree that lay sprawled across one corner of the large garden.
The two Pogues made their way to the back porch, where JJ's gaze was drawn to the second-story window, conveniently left wide open. Pope shifted uneasily, glancing around as if expecting trouble.
"You sure this is a good idea?" Pope whispered, his anxiety at an all-time high as he nervously fumbled with something in his pockets.
JJ shot him a look. "No, but do we ever have good ideas?" Without waiting for a response, he stepped toward the wall and grabbed the nearest ledge. His fingers dug into the rough white brick as he started to climb. "She's not gonna let us in if we just knock on the front door."
The boy on the ground groaned, rubbing his temples. "I mean, we could at least try. Sydney seems nice."
JJ grunted, focused on the climb. "Oh yeah, real nice. All she's done is throw up everywhere and spy on our conversations to tell her Kook friends," he muttered, frustration evident in his voice. "Look, John B said we just need to get her to agree not to say anything, and he's gonna meet us here after getting the gear from the Camerons."
Despite JJ's grumbling, he managed to haul himself halfway up the side of the house, his boots scrabbling for safety. "Just boost me," he mumbled through clenched teeth.
Pope hesitated, then stepped forward, climbing a bit before reluctantly giving him a push.
"This is way harder than it looks in the movies," JJ complained, his legs flailing as he struggled to find a foothold. His fingers finally reached the windowsill, but he was still awkwardly half in and half out of the window.
"Just get up there already," Pope urged, trying to steady him. "I don't think her parents would be thrilled about us breaking in."
"I'm trying!" JJ snapped back, his arms shaking as he pulled himself through the narrow opening. "Why does she live on the second floor, anyway? Kooks and their fancy houses..."
"Hurry up," Pope hissed, nervously glancing around. "We're gonna get caught."
With one last grunt, JJ managed to pull himself fully through the window and into the room. He took a moment to steady himself before turning back toward Pope, who was still clinging to the side of the house. "Relax," he called out, brushing off his hands. "Come on. Get in here."
After making sure Pope was climbing up, the blonde boy turned around, taking in the room he had just broken into. The space was clearly lived-in, and he automatically assumed this had to be the girl's bedroom.
The walls were covered in photos of a younger version of Sydney out in the ocean—surfing, swimming, and fishing. JJ tore his eyes away from the pictures and over to the corner of the room, where a neatly organized desk sat. It was cluttered with textbooks and a small, framed photo of a dog. A surfboard leaned against the wall beside the desk, decorated with stickers and a few scratches. His eyes went over to the light blue bedding of the huge bed in the center of the room and the couple of stuffed animals peeking out from under the covers.
