fearless

nineteen; not today

"Are you mad at me?" Lettie asks, leaning on the porch's railing across from Kiara. The pair hadn't spoken since the night before when Lettie took Pope's side during their argument outside the Cameron house, "Because if you're mad we should talk it out."

Kiara sighs, running a hand through her hair, "I'm not mad. You guys were right, Pope's scholarship is important. I just-"

"You were worried about John B," Lettie finishes, nodding her head, "You care about him."

"Yeah, obviously," Kiara confirms, "We all do."

Lettie hums in agreement, "You're right. But, I think you care for him in a different way."

"A different way? What does that mean?"

"Have we not gone over what that means?" Lettie shrugs, "What do you want it to mean?"

"Let, if you're suggesting that I-"

"I'm not suggesting anything," Lettie defends, holding her hands up, "I'm just callin' it like I see it. You're the one doing the suggesting," Lettie lowers her hands, moving across the deck to sit beside the brown eyed girl, "I mean, you guys have history. I just think you need to take a while and think about what John B means to you. What we all mean to you. You know? Like, what is Pogue Lyfe really about?"

Kiara nods, sighing and lifting her gaze to look into the yard. Then, her posture straightens, and her eyes widen, "John B."

"Yes, Kie, it's about John B, but also the rest of us."

"No!" Kiara hisses, grabbing Lettie's chin and turning her face in the direction she had been looking, "John B!"

Sure enough, the boy is walking up to the chateau, a sullen expression on his face, "Oh shit! John B!" Lettie exclaims, standing up to her feet, Kiara doing the same, "Uh, I'll go wake up Jj. I'll be right back!"

Lettie opens the porch door, stepping into the house and rushing through it to Jj's room. She doesn't knock as she flies in the door, "Jj!" She shouts, instantly stirring the boy from a peaceful sleep, "Réveille-tu! (wake up!)"

"Let?" He groans, sitting up slightly. He see's Lettie's frantic state, and gets out from under the duvet, just in his boxers, "What happened? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, but John B is here and he might not be," Lettie states. Jj nods, looking around the room and hastily pulling on his clothes from the day before that are scattered around the floor. That's partially Lettie's fault, she had to do the same search for her clothes earlier in the morning. As soon as he's dressed, the couple rushes back outside, looking around for only a second before they spot Kiara and John B on the dock.

Jogging over, Lettie frowns at the sight of John B laying down, his head supported by a life preserver, while Kiara sits on one of the rails, looking down at the boy, "Ward stole it," Kiara says, and Lettie furrows her brows, "The gold."

Lettie's mouth parts and Jj's face falls, "What?" Lettie asks, looking between Kiara and John B, as Jj climbs up to sit on the rail of the dock, overlooking the water, "How-How do you know?"

"I climbed down there, his company owns the Crain estate," John B says, his voice monotone, "He took it."

Lettie's legs give from under her, and she sits against one of the dock's support beams, "I- wow," The french girl remarks, her sad eyes looking over to John B, "I don't know what to say, I'm sorry, JB." She smells weed, and sure enough, Jj is lighting up a blunt. She's close enough that she can reach up and get his attention. He looks down to her, passing the marijuana cigarette and watching as she takes a long drag before handing it back.