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"I hate to admit it but I miss the old pope," I hear kie say as I trail up behind them, a basket full of some of my clothes in hand. While I hadn't been present for the monumental "Pope and Kie debacle" I had heard loads of complaining about it from Kiara. Apparently while both JJ and I were spotting out the car at the Camerons, high as a kite, Pope immediately admitted his infatuation for Kie and tried to kiss her. She reacted as any sane person would, she rejected him, and their relationship has been on the rocks ever since.
"I mean you are the one who rejected him so I understand where he's coming from." I set the basket softly into the back of the vehicle, catching a glimpse of someone rushing towards us and I immediately realize it's Kiara's mother.
"Ki! Your mom's 3 o'clock," I hiss but she doesn't hear it in time as her mother stops right in front of us, her arms crossed sourly across her chest. "Where have you been?"
"Uh- I'm fine. I slept here." she gestures to the house but her mother is having none of it. "Well, we were up half the night, scared to death, looking for you. Were you even gonna tell us?" her words are like searing knives towards each of our throats and I glance at JJ, trying to avoid eye contact with her.
"Well, I'm telling you right now." I try to conserve the shock from flashing across my face as the words leave Kie's mouth. If I ever spoke to my mom like that I would be halfway to Europe bye now.
"What the hell are you three up too? I expected more, especially from you Delilah. what would your mother say about this?" I open my mouth to say something but JJ beats me to it, "I'm sorry, Miss Anna, we gotta go."
"No, absolutely not! Have you heard what's going on out there?" her words are hurried as JJ pulls me away from her, dragging me to the other side of the car and we climb into the backseat.
"These cops are armed Kiara, you're going to get yourself shot! I'm not letting you do this!" she yells as kie sticks the key into the ignition, hesitating to look up at her mother. "Mom, John B needs me!" the window is frantically rolled up and all we can here is banging on the window as Kie whispers, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry." her voice breaking every time.
the trip to JJ's house is quiet, Kie trying not to let her feelings get the best of her as rub circles onto the palm of JJ's hand, trying to calm the nerves that are practically radiating from him.
"Home sweet home," JJ mutters as we pull up to the house I've spent so much time in, chickens clucking in the background. "Do you want me to come? Cause I'll come." Kie turns back to her best friend, her eyebrows folding into a furrowed state.
"No. uh- this will only take a second." before he can leave the car, I clamp onto his hand, forcing him look back at me. "Be careful, okay maybank?" he shoots me a weak smile before getting out snd shutting the car door. "Always Covey."
he smacks the side of the car, trying to be playful but it it comes off more of a light touch than anything else. Both Kiara and I watch him carefully as he opens the front door and walks inside. It's now out of our hands.
"he'll be fine del, just take a deep breath. JJ's handled his dad before and this time is no different," she sets her hand gently onto my shoulder and I let out a breath I didn't realize I was withholding. We sit in silence, not letting our gaze stray from the door in anticipation and when JJ finally resurface out of the house and it feels as though I can finally breathe again.
"So how did it go?" my eyes meet his and I can tell he's on the verge of breaking as he holds up the keys, and I reach forward, pulling him into a hug as I feel him inhale a sharp breath. "Hard part's over now, right?"
"Right, everything is going to be fine. The phantom is going to get them out of there quick." he attempts to not only reassure both Kiara and I, but himself as well. I can see that Kiara was about to say something but the sound of police sirens echoing in the air cuts her off.
"shit!" both JJ and I duck as they race past us. "They're still looking for them, so that's a good sign."
"At least they're not dead." I mutter, looking out the window as more cop cars pass by, their lights flashing as their sirens blare. it takes but a few minutes to get to the storage bunker that the phantom is located and JJ immediately jumps out of the car, the keys jingling loudly in his grip.
"There she be. Hey, girl. A1983 Formula 402 SR1. the phantom," he Staes in awe as kie and I make our way into the concrete building, nodding. "The first boat to make the run to Bermuda in 16 hours, you guys. Forty years old! Forty. And it's still the fastest thing kildare's ever seen."
I raise my eyebrows, faking awe for JJ's sake as Kie snorts next to me, "It's kind of a junker ."
"Really? she's right there kie. she can hear you. Let's just put it this way, you would not be smoking weed right now if she never existed, okay?" I purse my lips together, looking at the boy. "Jay, neither of us smoke weed."
"Shut up princess. now let's see how good she runs. she's faster than any cutters the boys in blue got." he leans inside the boat as the sound of a motorcycle muffler comes into earshot and Kie runs to the door, assuming it's Pope with the supplies.
"Dude, what's goin' on? JJ? Delilah? What you guys doin'?" Rafe struts into the concrete building, Barry close in tow. he looks different since the last time id seen him. my distraught and haunted in a sense. he really didn't look like himself.
"Well well," Barry nears JJ and I reach for my boyfriend's hand but he brushes me off, shaking his head lightly as Barry cocks his gun, aiming it right at JJ. "See, don't think I forgot about me and you in the side of the road. I'm here because I want my motherfucking money." the second that Barry's fist connects with JJ's face all hell breaks loose.
JJ's on the floor, Barry on top of them as they wrestle for dominance. Kie gets in Rafe's face, slapping him and all I can seem to do is stand there, frozen in the same spot, like an idiot. Then race's hands are around her throat and I snap back into reality, seeing red.
"Don't you fucking touch her!" I shove him off of her before he can cut off her air supply and he stutter steps backwards as Kie coughs behind me. "Delilah this isn't your fight, now get out of the way before I hurt you."
"I won't let you turn into this monster, Charlotte wouldn't have wanted this to be your fate. Think about how disappointed she would be if she knew that you killed the sherif rafe? The fucking sherif!" I could tell I struck a nerve by the way his face changed when I mentioned her but he pushed it back down, regaining his facade.
"Don't bring Charlotte into this. that's not fair."
"You killing the sherif wasn't fair! Ward killing big John wasn't fair. Charlotte drowning wasn't fucking fair but life doesn't work that way. you can't just kill someone and run from the repercussions Rafe!" something inside him snaps and suddenly he's lunging for me, his hands wrapping around my throat as we clash to the floor. the urge to breath is taken away from me as my lungs get the air knocked out of him and I see stars. his body weight is missing but I can't retain enough focus to determine where exactly it went, all I know is that it's not on top of me anymore.
I frantically blink my eyes, trying to clear up my vision as air starts to fill up my lungs again snd I feel someone wrap their arms around my shoulders, pulling me to a sitting position. "Li are you okay?" the voice is soft, comforting and I nod weakly, letting my body weight collapse into them.
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One more chapter you guys! who's excited? Cause I know I am. now get ready for the finale and the next stop is PART TWO BABY!!
