Alone Together • JJ Maybank

Thirty Six.

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Taking another swig from my can of beer I laughed along to the outrageous story that Kiara was telling. We were sat around in the Chateau, too buzzed from finding the gold to even attempt to sleep just yet. Instead we were celebrating our successful night before the hard work of actually coming up with a plan to get the rest of the gold started tomorrow.

I sat crossed legged on the floor around the coffee table, my heart warm with a comforting feeling I hadn't felt in a long time. Kiara was sat opposite me, telling a story from a couple of months ago when the Pogues had broken into an unfinished new build over on Figure Eight.

Sarah sat beside me on the floor, a similar grin on her face. I smiled at her as we caught each other's gaze, giving a knowing nod because I was sure that she was thinking the same thing I was. How did I get so lucky to call these people my friends? To be so included in their unbreakable chaotic self-made family.

JJ and Pope were sat on the sofa behind me. Overdramatically joining in with Kie's story, adding whatever memories they could and reminiscing over other adventures they had been on over the years. We had no idea what the time was by now, but we didn't care. We were in our own little bubble of happiness without a care in the world.

I rested back on my hands, leaning my body slightly into JJ's legs behind me when John B re-entered the room after showering off all of the dirt and mud from the well.

"What did I miss?" His care-free smile matched the rest of ours as he accepted the beer that JJ held out to him, plotting himself on the arm of the sofa.

"Only Kie telling the Abbey and Sarah about the time you tried to skateboard in that empty pool and basically knocked yourself unconscious." Pope reminded him.

"And the time you guys tried to break me out of the Kook academy but accidentally set off the fire alarm." Kiara chuckled at the memory again.

"I feel like I owe you a thank you for that. It got me out of a boring science lesson that afternoon." Sarah laughed as she twisted in her spot, repositioning herself to lean more into John B's lap.

"We might be one step away from becoming fully-fledged Kooks, but it'll never beat the Pogue life, right guy?" John B raised his beer at the memories.

"Right." Everyone agreed.

"And on that note, we should head back before my dad sends out a search party." Sarah sighed as she lifted herself off the ground, playfully slapping John B's knee to encourage him to get up.

"Yep, ok." He groaned as he stood up stretching, his body clearly aching from pulling himself out of the well. "I'll meet you guys back here tomorrow so we can sort out what we do next."

I waved them both off, nodding along to the plan for tomorrow. As soon as they left, Kiara was quick to stand up, collecting the empty cans and walking to the kitchen. "I think I'm gonna turn in too, guys. Escaping from an axe murderer really takes it out of you." She threw the cans in the bin before walking back over to me, leaning down and pulling me into a hug. "Thanks for coming back for me." Her quiet voice was clearly tired.

"Friends that fight off axe murderers together, stay together, right?" I chuckled, pulling her back in for a longer hug.

"Shotgun John B's bed!" Pope announced as he jumped up from the sofa.

"Asshole!" Kie pushed back from me as she glared after Pope. "Fine. I'll take Big John's." She stomped off towards the bedrooms. I laughed gently at the pair, leaning back into JJ's legs again as he pushed himself forward to rest a hand on my shoulder. The gentle touch was still enough to send subtle shockwaves through my body.