Moon River.

Aaliyah's Interlude.

𓆝 𓆟 𓆜 𓆞 𓆡
00. Aaliyah's Interlude

JOHN B (V.O.)
And you see that girl over there, knee deep in a conversation with a Touran who looked like he could be elsewhere? Yeah. That's Aaliyah. Yes, you've heard right. It's the one and only Aaliyah Jackson. She's got a heart of gold, and it's beyond rare nowadays.

    With an opened can of sprite in her hands, Aaliyah sat underneath a towel her eyes barely open due to the harshness of the sun. Sitting next to her was a Touran boy aka tourist. She knew he was only there for the summer and felt the need to get a summer fling going on. Clicking her tongue she rolled her eyes before snapping her fingers in his face, "Hello! Can't you see that I'm talking to you? Eyes over here. As I was saying... turtles need..."

                        JOHN B (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Shes the type of person that'll give you advice and find the need to not sugar coat it. Don't take her kindness for weakness because she will kick your ass and not feel sorry afterwards. Trust me, I know.

Balling up her fists, Aaliyah glared at the teen boy who couldn't help but not keep his hands to himself. It was during a party in the Boneyard, she was a little bit tipsy but that doesn't mean you get to touch her without her consent. Both John B and Pope tried to calm her down (with JJ egging it on) but to no avail. With her hand extended back, she swung it across his face specifically his nose. A loud crack was heard with her bending down a bit to meet his pained gaze. "Next time it won't be your face asshole."

                        JOHN B (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Aaliyah is an honorary Pogue at heart. I mean, her mother was once a Pogue being born on the Cut and her father's a Kook. Somehow the two fell in love and then came Aaliyah. She gets the best of both worlds. Both literally and figuratively. Despite living in Figure Eight, Aaliyah would often be down in the Cut since her parents specifically her mother has her managing a small but trendy clothing store called Tiki's Boutique. (The name is somewhat of a side eye but it brings in customers). The store was also by another shop I'm sure you know about. Ding, ding, ding! You guessed right Heyward's Seafood.

    A beat of exhaustion was written across Aaliyah's face, she'd finally closed the shop and was more than happy to go home to her warm and soft bed. Just as she was about to head over her Jeep, her eyes caught wind of someone whom she'd grown loving to see. Pope Heyward, a smile immediately appeared with her waving to get his attention. "Pope, hey!"

                        JOHN B (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Aaliyah and Pope had grown to be the thickest of thieves. I mean their parents were best friends as kids and even in adulthood they still kept in touch. With them being friends resulted in Pope knowing Aaliyah. Hell, she even invited him to her 15th birthday party.

                        JOHN B (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Unlike most Kooks Aaliyah never acted like them. Snobby, assholes, prudes. She would often get us out of trouble and I mean a lot of trouble. Whether it would be sneaking us into her house to evade the cops, cleaning up after our wounds, (Turns out she took nursing classes and could patch a thing or two), joining in on the mild adventures. She was down for it as long as her parents didn't know.

                        JOHN B (V.O.) (CONT'D)
If I had to choose between falling into lava or saving her from sharks. I'd choose saving her. A million times even. She dropped everything to make sure that I was alright after my dad and that's something I'll never forget. Whenever the time comes and she needs me I'll be there.

                        JOHN B (V.O.) (CONT'D)
The only thing left is making sure that we stay alive this summer.