JJ had his arm around June's shoulders as they made their way towards Kie and Pope who were trying to figure out the pulley. The other two looked at the couple raising their eyebrows and sharing a look.
"Well look who finally decided to show up." Kie said, getting out of the bucket and coming over to the two of them.
"Well we were busy." JJ said, wiggling his eyebrows and then turning to June. He leaned down, getting real close to her face as Pope and Kie groaned. Before they actually kissed she pulled back, laughing at them. JJ popped his bottom lip out, his eyes widening as he gave her his pouty face. June just poked his bottom lip, continuing to laugh. Pope groaned and looked away from the two, breaking JJ out of his pout. JJ made his way over to Pope, pushing him around as they play wrestled for a minute. June crossed her arms, looking around for John B.
"He's not back yet." Kie answered June's question without her even having to ask. June could feel the worry deep into her bones as she thought about Ward Cameron , who was very sketchy right about now.
"Hey...how's JJ doing?" Kie asked, pulling June out of her thought and back to reality. June nodded, running hair through her hair and letting out a sigh.
"I think he's okay. He's better. I guess maybe he was just holding all that in and had to let it out yknow?" June said, glancing over towards JJ and Pope as Kie did the same. They two of them were dipping their feet in the hot tub, splashing each other with water. A smile crossed June's face as she looked at the two of them, wondering how she had ended up here. JJ glanced up at her, his smile slightly faltering at the unrecognizable look on her face but he ignored it, waving at her. Pope followed suit, before turning around and pretending to make out with someone. Kie cackled, shaking her head and walking over to Pope. June stayed there though, watching them all interact while she stood awkwardly to the side. She had infiltrated their hangouts repeatedly now and her insecurities were getting the best of her. She wanted to be a part of them but she knew she never would be. She would always be a Kook and she couldn't even claim that she was a Pogue. Kie turned around, going to laugh with June before realizing she wasn't there. She looked around until she spotted June standing where they had previously been, looking pretty zoned out. Kie made her way over, catching June's attention in the process.
"Are you okay?" Kie asked, furrowing her eyebrows in confusion at the expression in June's face.
"I'm fine." June said, forcing a smile and making her way over to the boys. Kie followed behind her, not believing a word she said. Kie was good at telling when people weren't doing so hot and June was giving off serious vibes right now. Kie shook the thought away as they all got into the hot tub together. June and Pope giggled at something JJ said that Kie didn't quite pick up because she was watching her. Even behind her smile her eyes were telling a different story. She looked full, like she was full of emotions that were dying to be let out but yet they were still just there, right in the surface. And one little thing could push them over the edge. Kie did not know what that event would entail. But she knew that none of them were ready for anymore outbursts.
The group split, Kie and Pope going back to the pulley and June scooting closer to JJ who was playing with the water. She laid her head on his shoulder, kicking her feet around the water. He laid his hand on her leg, a smile crossing his face as he laid a quick discreet kiss on the top of her head.
"How's it feeling?" Pope asked Kie as he pulled her up on the pulley. She nodded, answering him as she gave him a thumbs up.
"Feels good." She said.
"Takin' you down." Kie nodded her head as Pope started to lower the bucket she was in. JJ finally spoke, making June jump from his shoulder because she didn't expect it.
"John B, pullin' a Houdini." JJ said, shielding his eyes from the sun and looking towards Pope.
"He should be back by now." June said, throwing her hair over her shoulder and pulling her legs out of the hot tub. Pope nodded his head, agreeing with the dark haired girl.
"I got my scholarship interview tomorrow. I gotta get this done." Just as Pope said this, John B stalked by, looking like a man on a mission.
"Speak of the devil! Hey! Dude, I set up the entire winch to pull the gold up and everything." JJ said, getting out of the hot tub and making his way over. June was already to him, checking him over instinctively.
"Uh no he didn't. I did that." John B ignored them all, walking into the house. June followed close behind him, watching as he searched around the house.
"Are you okay John B?" June asked, putting a hand on his shoulder. He shrugged it off, giving June the clear indication that he was not in fact okay. The others soon joined, asking him what he was doing, if he was okay, and what he was looking for. June furrowed her eyebrows as he reached under a pillow, pulling the gun out.
"John B what do you need the gun for?" JJ asked, stepping towards him. JJ grabbed his shoulders as he turned around, but John B grabbed him back, throwing him onto the bed and out of the way.
"Hey hey! Calm down." June said, stepping towards JJ and helping him up.
"What's re you JJ now?" Kie asked, following after him as he goes outside. The others follow him, all of them still asking what's going on. June had a bad feeling in her stomach, her mind settling on Ward Cameron. They ran outside as John B started the bike.
"What the hell is going on!" Kie yelled.
"Ward knows about the gold. He killed my dad." John B answered. June felt a pain in her stomach like someone had kicked her, the dread settling into her bones as she stopped in her tracks. John B drove away after that, all of them running after him but he was too far gone now.
"Holy shit." June said, doubling over and trying to process her thoughts. Ward Cameron was a murderer, a murderer that had been in her house, talking to her parents about the gold that he now knows about apparently. June started to really wonder how her parents were involved, her chest heaving as she caught her breath from the running. JJ was standing in front of her, hands on his hat as he tried to comprehend what John B had said. He walked over to June, the both of them turning towards Pope and Kie who seemed to be in shock themselves.
"He's gonna go kill Ward."
