vibrant

seventeen; together

Ophelia's fingers feel like there are sparks running through them with anticipation as she rides in the back of the Pogue, surrounded by her friends, on the way to the Crain house to look for gold. She pushes her glasses up, looking around at her friend's excited faces. She's dressed in a black long sleeved shirt that she occasionally uses to paint in (which means there are random patches of paint on certain parts of it, black ripped jeans, and a pair of vans. Her long blonde hair is layed in a loose braid down her back. During the day, the weight of her hair in a messy bun at the top her head gave her a headache, so, she took it down and Sarah braided it to keep the strands out of her face.

"Alright, you guys got rope?" John B asks from the driver's seat.

Pope goes through the bag they're using, "Got it."

"Grappling hook?"

Pope furrows his brows, "We don't have a grappling hook, we're not Batman."

"Pulley?"

"Check!" Kiara says, looking over Pope's shoulder into the bag.

"Dark clothes?"

Sarah is the one who speaks this time, "Got it!"

"Flashlights?"

Jj turns on his light, briefly flashing it at Ophelia, who gives him a gentle shove to make him stop, "Check." With a playful grin, Jj puts his hand on Ophelia's knee, giving it a gentle squeeze before taking it back. Ophelia hears Kiara's voice ringing in her mind, you should have that talk with Jj.

"Alright, good," John B says as he pulls over next to the stone wall, "We're ready."

Kiara smirks,"Let's go," The curly headed brunette says, as Pope hands Ophelia a flashlight. John B gets out of the vehicle, his door slamming behind him.

"Let's go get rich guys," Jj says.

Ophelia cracks her fingers before shaking out her hands, trying to ease her building nerves, "Life beyond the canvas," She whispers to herself.

John B slides open the van's door, "Wait, wait, wait," He says to the pumped up Pogues, who immediately settle and stare at him, "I want to say thank you guys. Seriously. It means a lot to me that you're here tonight."

With a warm feeling settling over her chest, Ophelia can't help but smile as Kiara says, "Always."

"Of course, man," Pope mumbles, and he and John B do the Pogue handshake.

John B looks over at Ophelia, who gives him a grin, "Always on your side, remember?"

"Can't forget," John B responds, and Ophelia feels her heart swell in her chest. She loves John B like a brother, and she'd do anything for him.

Jj groans from beside Ophelia, "Alright? We done with this circle jerk? Can we go do this?"

"Yeah," Sarah nods, and John B steps out of the way, allowing for the other five teenagers to spill out of the van.

"Let's go get that wheat in the water," Pope chirps.

"Weed?" Jj says as he jumps out, "I'm up for weed."

"Me too!" Ophelia chimes, earning an amused look from Jj as she steps out of the van and approaches the wall.

"Wheat," Pope corrects, "I said Wheat."

As Ophelia looks up at the stone wall, she can feel eyes on her so she turns to see her friends gazing at her expectantly, "I don't know why y'all are looking at me like that. You know I'm not going first."