𝐛𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐞- 𝐣𝐣 𝐦𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐤

22.

🦋☀ 🌊 - 22

With a yawn and a stretch, Olivia looked down at her waist and noticed JJ's arm draped lazily around her. He snoozed lightly against her shoulder, a faint, sleepy snore tickling her ear. She couldn't help but giggle, turning toward him and snuggling closer for a few moments. They finally did it-they had kissed with real emotion, not just the careless sparks of last summer.

"Hey, loser. Let's go," Olivia murmured, sitting up slowly and shaking him gently.

JJ groaned, rubbing his eyes and pulling himself upright. "Hmm?"

"We have to go pick Kiara and Sarah up," Olivia said, making her way toward the kitchen.

"They can wait. I'm sure they're fine," JJ mumbled, curling back up beside her.

Olivia shook her head, smiling. "We have a busy day ahead. Get up, sleepyhead."

JJ rolled onto his back, giving her a mock pout. "You can be annoying sometimes." He watched her toast bread in the kitchen, a soft morning light catching strands of her hair.

"John B wants us all to go back to the Craine house today with Sarah," Olivia said as the toast popped up, the scent of warm bread filling the kitchen.

Speaking of the brunette, John B and Pope appeared, smirking at the scene of the two lovebirds in the kitchen. Neither of them was surprised that JJ and Olivia had slept on the same bed-after all, Pope had endured John B's relentless snoring just to give them privacy.

"Who wants some toast?" Olivia asked, offering the warm slices.

"I don't really have an appetite thinking about what you two did last night," Pope groaned, rubbing his eyes.

JJ and Olivia exchanged a look, and JJ leaned back with a smirk. "Nothing happened," he said.

"Uh-huh," John B muttered from the counter, arms crossed.

JJ grabbed an empty water bottle from the floor and lobbed it at them. "Can you guys shut up?"

Breakfast finished and clothes changed, the four of them grabbed their gear and headed down to the HMS Pogue. Olivia couldn't resist running her fingers through JJ's bedhead, teasing him about his cute, sleepy expression.

"You guys are gross and cute at the same time," Pope commented from the front of the boat, shaking his head.

"You're just jealous," JJ replied, sitting close to Olivia, who laughed quietly.

The boat cut through the marsh, the early morning sun glinting off the water. The group was on their way to pick up Kiara and Sarah, who had spent the night stranded on the boat. John B hoped the ordeal had softened the girls' grudges.

"Uh-oh! Forgot the keys or something?" JJ called out playfully.

"Gotta admit, it's kinda fun," John B said with a grin as they approached the girls, sitting on the edge of the boat.

"John B, mastermind, huh?" Kiara muttered, standing stiffly.

"I like to think that," he said smugly.

"Some patriarchal bullshit," Kiara retorted.

"Yeah, that sucked," Sarah added, running a hand through her hair.

"Still love us though, right?" JJ tossed the rope to Kiara.

"Yeah, whatever," she replied flatly.

"So... did you guys, you know..." Olivia trailed off, waiting for the girls to finish.

"Reconcile our differences?" Kiara finished, hands on her hips. "Not even close."

"But... we're willing to work together," Sarah said, glancing at Kiara.

"Well, we'll take that," John B said, smiling.

The girls climbed aboard and claimed seats opposite the boys, still stubborn and distant but ready to move forward. After a quick stop at Olivia's house to freshen up, the group regrouped at John B's. Tools were stowed, van loaded, and gear checked.

"You got the rope?"

"How about the grappling hook?"

"No, we aren't Batman."

"Dark clothes?"

"Got it."

"Lights?"

"Yup."

"Okay, we're good," John B said, pulling up to the fence.

"Let's go get rich, guys."

The forest around the Craine house was dark and foreboding. Every rustle of leaves made their nerves jump, every shadow seemed alive.

"Scared?" JJ whispered to Olivia as they crept along.

"No, why would I be scared?" she lied, gripping her flashlight tighter.

"Maybe because Mrs. Craine will chop our heads off and toss them into the well," JJ muttered with mock horror, hopping over a bush.

"Can you guys be quiet?" Pope hissed, leading the group. "Now is not the time for ghost stories."

Olivia shivered at the thought, pulling her hood over her head. JJ grabbed her hand, squeezing it gently.

"My knight in shining armor," she whispered, smirking despite the tension.

At the house, motion-sensor lights flashed on. The group dove for cover.

"Flashlights, guys!" John B hissed.

"Maybe we can move really slowly?" JJ suggested.

"Yeah, that's not how it works," Pope retorted.

"Let's throw a rock at it," John B said casually.

"That's actually a smart idea," Kiara muttered dryly.

"Breaker box!" Sarah added. "We used to play hide-and-seek here. We can get to the porch."

"You're not going alone," John B said protectively.

"Watch me."

Kiara and Sarah led the charge, Olivia close behind. JJ tried to stop her, but she wriggled free with a determined grin.

"Three and three," Olivia muttered, raising her eyebrows.

"Fine, they'll be fine," Pope said, dismissing JJ's protests.

The girls reached the porch and found the circuit box, but it wasn't what they needed.

"Where's the cords?" Kiara muttered.

Olivia's flashlight scanned the ceiling. "There it is."

Inside, the house was massive and dark, eerily silent except for a cat screeching as it knocked something over. Their hearts raced.

Kiara turned off her flashlight, signaling the boys. They descended into the basement where John B was already excavating the tunnel.

"JJ, pull me up!" John B called.

The team strained, hands slipping on the wet stones and mud.

BOOM! A gunshot echoed, and chaos erupted.

"Go! Go! Go!" Olivia screamed, dragging Sarah and Kiara behind her.

Mrs. Craine's shots rang out, though it quickly became clear she was blind.

"Why are we always getting shot at?" Kiara huffed as they ducked behind barrels.

Finally, the group regrouped in the van. JJ helped everyone inside, mud and grime clinging to John B.

"Are you shot? Anyone shot?" JJ asked as the van sped away.

"I think we'd know if we got shot," Pope muttered.

Kiara's eyes widened. "What's that?"

John B held up a gold bar, the friends erupting in victory.

"Ayyyeee! Full kook! Full kook! Full kook!"

After all the chaos, they had succeeded-the gold was theirs, just as planned.