MARLBORO NIGHTS [JJ MAYBANK]

gorgeous lie

AFTER THEY SEPARATED FROM JOHN B, Kiara told them that their best chance of getting John B's name cleared was convincing Sarah to go to the police. So, she and Pope went to Tannyhill in hopes of changing something, while Karolina tried to get JJ to remember where the keys to the Phantom were. He eventually concluded that the keys where in his house somewhere, and that they'd have to go first thing in the morning to get them.

So they met Kiara and Pope at The Wreck, where they'd decided too camp out for the night, since they were probably on the cops' radar too. Karolina slept on the deck on top of a random table, and JJ slept on the floor next to her, his hand intertwined purposefully with hers until she fell asleep. He must have woken up first because when Karolina sat up, body aching from sleeping on a freakin' table all night, JJ and Pope stood by the windows on the deck, listening to sirens wail by.

"He's pinched for sure, man," JJ muttered. Pope leaned on the window pane. "No. They wouldn't still be patrolling if they caught him..."

Karolina slid her legs off the table, standing and stretching with a displeased groan. Kiara interjected, "You know, we were in that car. They're probably looking for us, too."

The look in Pope's eyes when he surveyed her was foreign to Karolina, and warning signals instantly lit up in her mind as he shook his head. "Well, if we're gonna be outlaws, we might as well help John B," he said bitterly, moving past JJ towards his bag, pulling out the keys to JJ's bike.

"We need to find him before they do," Karolina agreed, biting the inside of her cheek again. A coppery taste filled her mouth.

Pope stalked off to the door, the keys jingling in his hand. "I'm gonna get gas for the boat."

"Hey, you be careful. Okay?"

Pope's darkened gaze slid over to Kie, who looked at him softly. He said nothing to her, his eyes lingering for a second too long, before he looked back at Karolina and JJ. "Meet me at the dock at three- don't be late." He slammed the door behind him.

"Kie..." Karolina eyed her wearily as the curly haired girl hopped up, running after him. She shared a look with JJ as Kiara started demanding Pope listened.

"Okay, what is your problem?!" she cried, trailing down the stairs quickly. An unsettling feeling lowered in Karolina's stomach. Pope never fought with anyone this seriously, much less Kiara.

He didn't spare her a glance, marching towards the bike. "No problem, officer. Just doing my job..."

"Look," Kiara sighed, approaching him. He started up the motor, revving the engine. "I'm sorry that I hurt your feelings-"

Vroom! Pope gritted his teeth as he twisted the handle, revving it up again and cutting her off. "What was that?"

"I didn't mean to-"

Vroom! "Sorry, I can't hear you, what was that?"

Kiara looked on the verge of frustrated tears. Karolina stopped JJ from getting any closer to them than the bottom of the stairs. The other boy continued revving the engine so that Kie couldn't talk. "Pope, I'm being serious- I'm trying to talk to you!"

But before she could get another word out, he was zooming away through the dirt and onto the street, leaving a cloud of black smoke in his wake.

Kiara watched him go before huffing slightly, turning and making her way back towards the stairs. JJ stared at the ground awkwardly, digging his shoe into the wood, and just as Karolina was going to ask Kie what happened in the half hour they were separated the night before, a helicopter whirred overhead.