𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐬𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐥𝐲

twelve: Stealing.

ON the way to the salvage yard, they tried their best to reassure or convince Pope. "Pope, we're not stealing the drone. We're borrowing it." John B said and Kai glanced to the boy who spoke up next, "humans are the only animal that can't tell fantasy from reality." He says, his arms crossed over his stomach as he stared out the window.

"Did you come up with that?" John B asked and Kai furrows his brows. "No. Albert Bernstein came up with it, but it applies to this whole treasure-hunting thing." Pope simply says.

"Oh."

"So, which is it? Fantasy or reality?" Pope says as he turns to the side, facing the others. "Why are you so weird, Pope?" JJ asked and Kai kicks his leg. "It's fantasy, but possible reality." Kie answers Pope's question. "Reality." John B says, glancing over at Kie sitting in the passenger seat.

"Virtual reality." JJ says, about to light a joint he put between his lips when Pope took it and flicked it towards the back of the van. "Keep the signal clear." He says and Kai crosses his arms, slouching down in his seat with a small glare.

The van came to a stop and that's when Kie hops out of the van, "you know what your problem is?" JJ says to Pope who looks back at him. "You?" He asked and JJ shakes his head. "No! It's that you need to relax, man. You're always so tense!" JJ said and Kai glanced between the two.

"I'm not too tense."

As the plan was set into motion, Kai gets a phone call and he groans. "I-I have to take this, I'm gonna stay in here, okay?" He asked John B who saw the caller ID and grinned widely. "Sure, sure, we'll be right back." He says as the three boys all rush out of the van to retrieve the drone.

Kai sighed, answering the call from Sterling. "Sterling? Why are you calling me right now?" He asked and Sterling sighed. "I-I just wanted to know why you've been ignoring me." He says and Kai groans, putting his hand against his forehead. "Things have been weird and hectic... I'm sorry. I've been meaning to but my friends and I have been busy!" He says to him.

"Wow... so when I needed you, you were busy probably partying and shit with your little friends." He said and Kai's brows furrow. "We-we weren't partying... if it means so much to you, why don't you come over tonight then?" He asked and Sterling sighs. "I have a party to go to..." He says and Kai rolled his eyes at that.

"Okay..." He says as if it didn't bother him. "What? So now you're mad?" Sterling said and Kai glanced out the window of the van. "No... It's whatever, I don't give a shit. Go party or whatever, but I thought you were the one who said you needed me and now you don't need me?" Kai says and Sterling just sighed. "I'll text you later, I gotta go... my mom's calling for me." He says and Kai doesn't really say anything, he just hangs up.

"Stealing drones makes you hungry." Kie says as they now get into park outside the Wreck. "What I would do to a beer and shrimp and grits right now." JJ says as they get out of the back of the van. "It would not be pretty." Pope says as they head on inside the Wreck. "Hey dad," Kie greets her dad. "Hey." The man says to her.

"How'd we do?" Kie asked. "Didn't turn it over once." Mr. C says. "It's probably just bad luck because of the storm." Kie says as she brings her father into a hug. "Yeah, I'll be sure to tell the banks that." He says, hugging her back.

"Guess now is not the best time to ask for free food for me and my friends?" Kie says and Mr. C looks at the four boys. "Look at them. They're greedy pelicans." He said as the four look at the food the costumers were enjoying.

"So hungry."

When they notice Kie and Mr. C both looking at them, the group of boys don't think of anything else to do than wave at them. Kie turns to them again, "sit down." She tells them. They go to sit down at the tables, digging in almost right away. Throwing food at each other and then Kie starts dancing, gesturing John B to dance with her.

Kai takes out his phone to see a text from Sterling. Where are you? He replied quickly by saying he was at the Wreck, not thinking much of it as he put down his phone and started talking with JJ who was staring at him. "Oh, Sterling," Mr. C suddenly said and Kai looks over right away, getting up from his chair. "Hey... I-I'm here for Kai." Sterling just says as Kai walks over to him.

"Hey..." Kai said and Sterling just stood there. "Do you think we can head to your place?" He asked and Kai looks over at John B and Kie still dancing and Pope and JJ still eating. "Um... sure. Hey, do you wanna meet my friends first?" He asked and Sterling smiled a bit. "You want me to meet your friends?" He asked and Kai nods.

"Yeah..." He says and grabbed Sterling's hand, leading him over to his friends. "Hey... guys?" He catched their attention and they all turn to him. "Uh, this is Sterling. And sorry to ditch but uh, we're gonna go." He says and Sterling noticed the way JJ was staring at them. "Oh, that's okay." John B grins widely and walked over.

"Hi. I'm John B, Kai's best friend." He said and gave those weird bro hugs to Sterling who chuckles. "Cool. Kai tells me all about you, all of you actually, he's so happy being friends with you guys, you're all he talks ab—" "okay, okay," Kai laughed loudly and patted Sterling's shoulder.

"We're gonna go now." He smiled and turned Sterling around so they can head to the exit and leave the Wreck. JJ glanced down, turning back towards his food as the realization hit him. Kai is really taken. And now it was something he's seen right before his own eyes.

authors note the fact john b is so supportive of kai is what's really getting to me rn