Deep Water [OuterBanks]

14: the fallout

Hot air tumbled in through the open door of The Chateau's sunroom, activating the bamboo wind-chime dangling from a rusted nail, and carrying the stagnant scent of the marsh. The air was stale and balmy, but the words plummeting from Kiara's lips were laced irrefutably with the chill of December. The wooden floorboards groaned tenuously underneath her canary colored vans, but halted as she came to a stop in front of the beige couch accommodating none other than John B and Sarah Cameron.

"No effing way." Kiara bit out, both hands at her hips. "You brought her here? So what? She's in on this now?"

Alana sat on the arm of JJ's chair, her cerulean eyes flitting between her curly-haired best friend and John B. She waited to hear what excuse he could muster up this time, though it seemed that the cat had gotten his tongue. Instead, the Routledge boy inched his gaze over to Pope, who in turn shrugged his shoulders while muttering an almost inaudible, "I don't know."

"Look, all I care about is her cut comes out of your share." JJ bargained, indolently pointing a finger at John B.

"You know, I don't remember taking a vote." Kiara cocked her head to the side angrily, her nostrils flaring as her stare settled upon John B. "This is our thing. A Pogue thing."

"I gotta say, I'm just a tad uncomfortable with all of this." Pope chimed in from his seat atop of a wooden stool next to JJ's chair.

Alana tapped her index finger obliviously against her thigh as Sarah's brown eyes went rolling with annoyance. The rich girl was spread out on the secondhand couch, one leg crossed over the other as if she had been coming around The Chateau her entire life. Alana was fine with John B dating the Kook, but clandestinely making her a part of their crew was incredibly far-fetched. "Well, if we're all being honest, then I'm growing tired of this treasure hunting shit all together." The blonde haired girl admitted nonchalantly and Kiara threw her hands up expressively in agreement.

"When are you not uncomfortable?" John B looked over to Pope, opting to ignore Alana's comment. Even if she was in fact bored with the way the Pogue's had been spending their summer, he knew that she had nothing better to do. Therefore if not for the possibility of getting her hands on eighty-million dollars, she'd tag along for the hell of it.

"Well, I don't know. I rode here on the back of JJ's bike pretty comfortably." The smart Pogue argued while adjusting the olive green canvas of his fitted cap. 

"It's true." JJ affirmed with a nod. "Most relaxed I've ever seen him.

"That's cute, guys." John B replied blankly, his honey eyes ahead on the oak tree just outside of the sunroom; preferring to get lost in the way it's leaves danced against their branches, than entertain the drama.

"You know we were all extremely comfortable until you brought her." Kiara enunciated, dark curls moving as she snapped her head in the direction of the Cameron girl.