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.*･｡. EFF IT! .*･｡.
————THE FORBIDDEN ZONE
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021.
HAPPY NOT KNOWING.
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━━━━━━━☆☆━━━━━━━

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   She didn't know much about Carrera's.

Not other than the fact Kiara was their only child and that The Wreck — their restaurant— was a big tourist hit. Sonny never tried to learn anything else.

   She'd eaten there a few times, but it was ages ago.

   Her parents were big fans, sometimes renting the space to throw parties and business events, but Sonny didn't really go with them often. There'd never been a real reason to. It had always felt awkward when Kiara was there. You know— since she was a Pogue, despite her parents' wishes, and Sonny was considered Kook Royalty. Even if they weren't in each other's presence for long, and even if the place had a good vibe and ever better food, it still felt weird. Like she was invading their territory, or something.

   Sonny decided it was easier to steer clear.

   And yet, there she was— climbing out of the twinkie and about to head into The Wreck for the first time in ages, and with Kiara Carrera at her side. How fucking weird was that?

   She couldn't quite believe it.

She was glad no Kook teenagers really went to The Wreck. Topper had kind of liked it until he became close friends with Rafe and Kelce, who decided that anything related to Pogues was scummy and gross.

If she'd walked inside to find them all at a table, she had a feeling she'd walk back out.

    "Stealing drones makes you hungry," Kiara announced, a smile on her lips as slid the van door shut. There was a quiet chorus of agreements.

    "What I would do to a beer, shrimp and grits, right now... man," JJ swooned, wiggling his shoulders as he thought. The boy smirked, "It would not be pretty."

   Kiara snorted, nose wrinkled.

    "Gross," she said.

   Pope and John B agreed with her, though quickly started a list of what food made them feel the same right now. Kiara's eyes rolled, turning to look at the newbie to see what reaction she had. Usually Sonny looked impressed with anything they had to say — especially JJ — but she wasn't really paying the Pogues any attention. Her eyes had instead turned to analyse her phone, scowling at the screen like it had offended her. An eyebrow quirked, Kiara watched her. She thought over it, her lips pursed, then turned away.

   She sent the boys inside, telling them to keep quiet and not make a mess. When they did as told, claiming they never made mess, Kiara looked back at Sonny.

   She was still glaring at her phone, her fingers squeezing it tightly, so hard it was a shock it didn't break there and then.

    "What'd that phone ever do to you?"

   Blinking, Sonny looked up.

    "Funny," she said after a minute. It lacked fire.

   There was a moment of silence before Kiara sighed, eyes softer. "Are you... okay?"

    "Fine," Sonny replied instantly.

"You sure?" Kiara asked uncertainly, chewing on her lower lip when Sonny nodded. She didn't seem okay but it wasn't fair for her to push it. After all, they weren't really friends yet, even with everything going on. They hardly knew each other. "Well are you coming inside, or...?"

"Sure," Sonny agreed. She scratched the back of her neck, glancing at her phone once more. "Just gotta text the 'rents. I guess me disappearing is kinda new for them,"

   Kiara smiled.

    "They won't get used to it," she teased.

"Probably not," Sonny agreed, lips twitching. It wasn't an actual smile, but it was progress.

"Okay, well you better hurry your ass up." Kiara said, her long legs carrying her towards the doors. She twirled around and walked backwards as she looked at Sonny, waggling one finger. "JJ'll eat all the food in literally five minutes— so if you want any, you gotta be quick."

   Sonny rolled her eyes.

"Got it, mom."

"Good," Kiara nodded her head.

With that, she span on her heel and disappeared into the building. Sonny shook her head, unable to decide if Kiara's attitude irritated or amused her, and turned back to look at her phone, eyes squinted once again. Sonny wasn't actually about to text her parents, they knew she tended to disappear occasionally, but what was she supposed to say to her? That Topper had been texting her all day? Telling her to show at the party he was throwing? That he clearly only wanted her there for the chance to worm his way back in? That she'd no clue how to feel about it?

PARTY AT MINE, PLEASE COME

WHERE ARE YOU?

I'M SORRY

How was she supposed to feel?

Sonny sighed, scratching her nose.

   She didn't want to go around in the same circles again. It just wasn't worth it.

That was all she and Topper ever did. Circle each other at arms length, too proud to get closer, too scared to get further away. They could never decide.

They just danced around until they argued, backing away until they snapped back together like a bungee cord. Totally involuntary, but completely unavoidable. And if Sonny tried, then Topper would get her to come back anyway. Convince her that he was worth it, that his mistakes weren't worth the loss of their friendship. Their history.

   Sonny didn't understand.

   Why couldn't she just let him go? It was long overdue, all they ever did was fight, and he was getting shittier by the day.

Maybe it was her fault. As stubborn as she was, she never stuck to her guns. Not before now.

   This time, Sonny wasn't going to give in.

Dragging over her face, tired eyes drooping, Sonny swiftly deleted the messages and shoved her phone into her pocket. She just had to pull her shit together, like she had been over the last few days. A lot.

   She made her way towards The Wreck, slipping her body through the doors as quietly as she could. It wasn't a difficult task finding the boys — they were near the back corner, eyes hungry as they loomed over the other customers like greedy pelicans. Sonny didn't doubt they would start to peck if they were given the chance.

   From across the room, JJ caught her eye. He smirked and threw up his middle finger.

   Charming.

   Rolling her eyes, but returning the gesture anyway (Sonny thought it would be ruder not to), Sonny slipped towards the bar where Kiara stood.

    "—everybody at Kook Academy hates me, dad."

    "You never gave them a chance—"

    "I did give them a chance!" Kiara told the man in front of her, who Sonny recognised as her father. "They got stuck up. They care more about shoes than surfing, what am I supposed to do with that? Like, really?"

   It was true. Sonny could vouch.

   As a reluctant member of Kook Academy, she knew they were more concerned with material goods than knowing the best way to catch a wave. She also knew they all hated Kiara from the get go — apart from Sarah Cameron, who made a real effort in the year Kiara attended. The two had started a good friendship until their mysterious falling out. No one on the island knew how or why it happened, but it really wasn't long before Kiara changed school, never to he seen in Kook Academy ever again.

   Sonny remembered vividly how lost Kiara had been. She wondered what would've happened had she reached out. If things would be totally different.

   Would they be somewhere else, right now? Or would they have ended up in the exact same place?

   She couldn't decide.

    "These are my friends," Kiara sighed, looking over at the boys with fond eyes. She cared about them. It was obvious. She looked back at her father, "We got a new addition, too. Not who I ever expected to hang with us, but..." she thought about it, "She's alright, really."

   He rose a brow, "She?"

   Taking the chance, Sonny took a step forward, leaning up against the bar with a small smile. She tried to make it seem genuine, but she was still getting used to it. How did anyone do this all the time?

    "Mr Carrera." She greeted, "What's good?"

    "Sonny," he smiled warmly, following a moment of shock. The man liked her parents well enough, and she seemed like one of the more decent kids around, but he'd never seen her and his daughter talk. Either way, he wasn't disappointed. In fact, he looked the happiest he had in ages. "You— you guys are friends, now?" He asked.

    "Yes, dad!" Kiara rolled her eyes, "Totally the new addition I just told you about, so..."

    "That's— that's great," he sounded genuinely excited, eyes flitting between them. When his daughter raised one brow at him, he nodded. "Really. I'm glad you guys found each other eventually," they shuffled awkwardly, "Means I don't have to worry about those urchins over there sucking the life outta my baby girl," the man added on.

   Urchins = John B, JJ and Pope.

   Sonny snorted, ducking her head as Kiara groaned.

    "Dad—!"

    "Okay, okay. I guess I'll feed them, but only for today." The man relented, gently pushing his daughter away from him as she grinned and swooped in for a hug. It was sweet. Kind of reminded Sonny of her and Ed. "I'm only gonna throw that stuff out anyway, so you guys might as well take it."

   That sounded like a result to Sonny.

   He glanced at her, "I know they're hungry, but what about you? I'll make you whatever we got."

    "Thanks," Sonny said.

    "It's all good," he replied. "Now, go. I'll bring it out,"

   Kiara clapped her hands and grabbed a water jug, telling the boys to sit down at a table far away from everybody else sat in the restaurant. They all cheered loudly, so she had no choice but to tell them to shut up or they'd go hungry. They all pouted but obliged.

   No wonder her father wasn't keen.

   With Kiara gone and her dad in the kitchen, Sonny peered around and slipped some cash from her back pocket. When it was clear no one was watching her, she placed it on the bar in a neat little pile. Sonny knew how money worked. In business, you didn't just hand out free food without taking a blow. They mustn't have earned enough.

    "Princess!"

   Having not heard the nickname in a while, Sonny turned around, shooting JJ a quizzical look.

   He was seated closest to the bar, reclined as far back as he could go without the legs of his seat slipping out from under him. A small voice in the back of her head told her it would be amusing to kick the wobbly legs and watch him fall to the floor, but she swiftly grew distracted by his charming grin. It was a strange, unsettling thought.

Charming? JJ hadn't ever been charming before.

Not to Sonny, at least.

Because JJ wasn't charming— actually, he was brash and hyperactive, and a major liability. He was ballsy and hostile and reckless in all the wrong situations. In the time she had known him, Sonny had never thought JJ Maybank was even remotely charming....

   It made her eyes narrow.

    "What, sunshine?"

    "Bring over the ketchup, would ya?"

————

   Mr Carrera was a good cook.

Sonny was reminded of that as she ate, hungrier than she had been in weeks. She could understood why the boys had been so eager to hang out here, and it wasn't just the food or the company that came with it.

It was a mixture of just about everything.

They had been talking and stuffing their faces for hours; it was like the Pogues never stopped eating. Like they'd been in the same state of starvation for at least a week. That said, the most Sonny had seen any of them eat was when JJ decided it was a bright idea to make a sandwich on mouldy bread, and this was easily a step up from that.

Sonny had found herself growing more comfortable in the restaurant, appreciating the low lighting, the music, even the people she sat with.

Apart from when they ate like pigs.

"Shut your mouth, dude!" She groaned, shoving John B's shoulder. Her just laughed back at her, sending her a smirk.

"What?" He chewed louder.

"Stop—"

"Open my mouth?"

Shooting him a nasty look when he opened his mouth to show her his half-chewed fish, Sonny crossed her arms and chose to face the other direction. On the other side however, was JJ — who, honestly, wasn't eating with any added grace when compared to John B.

There were two fries hanging from either edge of his lips, acting like teeth, and he kept burping, trying to gain a laugh from Pope with whatever the fuck it was he was trying to do with the fries. It didn't make sense, really, but judging by the snorts Pope let out in between comments of gross! and quit it, you idiot!, it seemed like it was working pretty well. Sonny sat up straighter, taking a sip of her soda.

"You're all disgusting," she sighed, "Why am I here?"

"'Cause you're a Pogue now," JJ told her, words muffled by the fries. He ran his tongue over his mouth to lick up the salt, smirking. "Princess doesn't sit in her castle anymore. She gets down and dirty with island scum!"

"Ah, I love that fairytale," John B joked.

Sonny nodded, "I bet you do."

"Oh yeah?" He looked at her inquisitively, maybe almost challengingly. "What's that mean?"

She shrugged, acting mysterious and nonchalant. It made him squint expectantly. "Always took you for the fairytale type, Booker. And you've proven me right."

"There is no way you thought that," Pope piped up.

"Really?" She asked.

Pope nodded.

She watched him adjust the cap on his head, wondering if he really didn't see it. If any of them saw it. Did they not know they were living a cliche?

"He is literally on a treasure hunt, Heyward." Sonny said as though it was completely obvious. It was. "And us? We're just his little helpers. The four friendly dwarves or whatever. But I'm not friendly, you're not short and JJ would be too fucked on green to work the mines."

"That's..."

Pope digested it, for a moment. His cheeks flushed red in realisation, it was totally obvious.

They were John B's little helpers as he hunted for treasures. John B was living a fairytale, a literal fairytale: absent parents, on the run from the authorities, perhaps even stealing from a rich man to give to the poor. They were his merry men. This was one of the stories that Pogues always heard of, but never actually lived. They weren't raised wishing on stars, or fairies that didn't exist. But this was it — a chance to live like one of those stories, albeit a weirder one.

"...scarily specific."

Sonny shrugged, taking one of his fries.

"But she's right," JJ spoke, after a moment.

John B frowned, "About...?"

"I am fucked on green."

"Jesus, JJ." Kiara muttered as she refilled their glasses with water, stopping to smell him as she passed by, "You're always fucked on green. You stink of it."

"It's better than blow," he shrugged.

That was pretty right. Sonny had seen too many kids get hooked on cocaine; it was what Kooks seemed to thrive on. Maybe because it made them actually feel something beyond endless expectations set by their parents because, you know, even Kooks had it hard.

    "This is my song!"

They watched Kiara grin, placing down the jug.

Sonny almost rolled her eyes. Kiara had a lot of songs on this playlist that she'd called her song.

Still, she made her way to the empty space by their table, a hand beckoning John B towards her. She wanted him join in, to dance with her, and judging by the grin on his lips, John B wanted that too.

   He pointed at himself, and then at her, acting nonchalant. Kiara nodded her head and danced from foot to foot, rolling her shoulders to the beat. It didn't take long for him to give in and get to his feet, taking his drink with him as he shimmied over. Sonny scoffed, smooth, but she didn't make a snide kind of comment about it. She just watched as the pair continued to danced together, pretending not to notice the longing that lingered in Pope's deep eyes.

   He really sucked at being subtle.

Maybe Sonny had only been slumming with the Pogues for three days, but she could clearly see that Pope was head over heels for Kiara Carerra— but John B was too, or at least had been, and she wasn't all that surprised.

If anything, it was more surprising that JJ seemed to be the only not madly in love with her.

   Sonny tugged her eyes from the party they had going, and Pope's puppy-eyed face, and set them on JJ — who, like her, still sat there in his seat.

    "Can I help you, princess?"

   She bit her lip, "What happened, earlier?"

   JJ frowned, could she be any less specific?

   "When we all got split up at the yard," Sonny explained, vaguely. She shrugged her shoulders, "'Cause when you got back, you looked..." she thought for a moment, "...like shit."

He scoffed, "Thanks."

"Okay," Sonny huffed, "Upset. You looked upset."

That made him freeze up.

    "...I did?"

    "You did," she said.

   He scratched the back of his neck and avoided her eye. It suddenly felt awkward sat there, he didn't know what to say.

JJ didn't really want to admit that he'd burst into tears to stay out of trouble. Lying about his father hitting him to get off the hook would sound fucked to anyone who didn't know what his father was really like, why it wasn't really a lie, and Sonny was one of those people.

   Sonny had no idea. JJ liked it that way.

    "Just bullshit my way out of it," was what JJ decided on, "Acting skills of the century."

   At that, Sonny's brows shot to the top of her forehead. It amused her slightly, "Acting? Sure... never pegged you as the thespian type, but I totally see it now."

   JJ rolled his eyes, forcing another handful of fries into his mouth to hide his growing smile.

"Why? Do you care?"

Sonny frowned, "No, 'course not."

"Not even a little?"

She shot him a mean look.

JJ chuckled, backing off with his hands in the air. He went back to watching Kiara and John B dance, but his attempt to end their conversation failed when his gaze trailed back over to Sonny's face. JJ was pleasantly surprised, and embarrassed, to find her already looking at him. Like he was her sole focus in that moment. It was actually quite unnerving, and he felt like his forehead was sweating when their gazes met half way. He smiled, though. Couldn't help it somehow.

    "Do you think we'll find it?"

    "Find what?" He knew what she meant.

    "You know what," she sighed, setting her chin on the palm of her hand, "Just tell me those odds, Sherlock. Let's hear it."

    "I think there's a good chance," for once, the blonde spoke with pure honesty and zero shit. He looked over at John B and then at Sonny, again. "We've gotta find it, really. I'm not sure he'll cope if we don't."

   A dejected hum, "S'what I thought you'd say."

    "Really?"

   Her nose wrinkled, "No, I lied."

   Breathing a laugh, JJ shook his head. She must have been tired; usually their conversations didn't last this long without some sort of fight, mean remark, or spacey comment. They would go back to normal tomorrow, he was sure, but as JJ sat there watching her, he kinda cherished it. When they weren't bickering, they got along pretty well.

Woah. That was a scary thought.

Maybe they were both tired.

   A hand flew in front of Sonny's face, snapping her awake, no longer staring at JJ with a small smirk. One look up at the person it belonged to and her face switched, adorned with a bored expression.

    "No."

    "C'mon!" John B groaned, "Dance with me!"

   Sonny groaned, "No."

    "Why not?"

    "You've got save the turtles, over there." Sonny ignored the glare Kiara sent, "You're sorted, Booker."

    "Sonny — yesterday changed the course of history as we know it. You became an official Pogue," John B jumped into another one of his speeches. They happened often. Sonny's patience with them was already thinning. He pointed at her, "You're a Pogue, okay? It's time you got up and danced like a Pogue," he told her, eyes narrowed.

   She glanced at his hand. He wiggled his fingers.

    "...and if I said no?"

    "Get up," John B rolled his eyes, taking her by the elbow. "We're celebrating, asshole."

   Before she could get out of his grip, John B hauled her up from her seat and spun her around. When she stopped, their chests bumped together.

    "Seriously?" She huffed, irritated.

    "Seriously," John B moved from side to side and took her with him, laughing when she tried to get away. "Come on, I know you're a good dancer. Your mom told me you went to ballet 'till you were, like, twelve,"

   Sonny gawped, "When the fuck did she—?"

"I made that up, but damn, Penbroo—"

"Watch it, Booker!"

    "Kie!" John B called over his shoulder, avoiding Sonny's swatting hands. "Tell her to lighten up!"

    "Lighten up!"

   Sonny shook her head, scoffing, but they didn't quit it. Not even five minutes later, Sonny was being danced between the duo despite the frown on her face. John B prodded at her side once, then again, and she finally succumbed to a small smile. Kiara cheered, and she John B danced away with each other to celebrate their victory.

   Gnawing on her inside of her cheek, Sonny watched them go and set her sights on Romeo in the corner. She squinted at him. Looks like he needed his Juliet.

   Sonny sighed heavily but made her way over, offering him her hand, which had his brows cinching in confusion. After a few seconds waiting, Sonny gave him a pointed look, "D'you wanna get the girl?" She asked, "Or d'you want her to think you can't dance?"

   Pope frowned, "You didn't wanna dance."

    "I'm a hypocrite," she deadpanned, "Let's go, Romeo."

   He sighed.

   But still, Pope gave in and grabbed her hand, moving with her to see if whatever she was talking about even worked. The boy hadn't told her about his crush on Kiara, but he was just so obvious that he didn't need to. She could tell; there was no point denying it. Besides, Sonny was the kinda girl to call out his bullshit. She knew, and now the only one who didn't know was Kiara. Well, so he hoped.

   Bobbing her head and rolling her shoulders, Sonny guided him across the floor.

   Her brows jumped. He wasn't bad.

   Like her, he could actually dance, he just preferred not to. Most of the parties Sonny went to weren't for dancing, and she had never truly enjoyed ballet classes or tap. Before now, Sonny wasn't sure of the last time she had let her hair down and danced with a guy— albeit nerdy Pope Heyward, but it was okay. Pope was cute, in an awkward way. Her main goal mission was to get him dancing with Kiara anyway, exchange him for John B in the process. He moved a little more fluidly than Pope. Confidently.

   "Okay, I see you Heyward."

   Sonny let Pope spin her under his arm.

    "You've got moves," she told him, impressed.

    "Mathletes can dance," he shrugged, laughing under his breath. He looked nervous, but her words had calmed him.

    "I'll remember that," she promised.

   With a smug smile, Sonny pressed both her hands against Pope's chest, dancing him backwards until he linked up with John B and Kiara. They happily welcome him, giving him a spot in their little triangle.

   He flushed when Kiara slung an arm over his shoulder. It made his eyes flicker back to Sonny, his stare owlish, but she just wiggled her fingers at him.

   After a minute admiring her handy work, impressed with her own actions, someone spoke up from behind her. There was a smile in their tone.

    "My turn, princess?"

   More of a shit-eating grin, actually.

   That was more  JJ.

    "Thought you might not dance with Kooks," Sonny said she span around to face him.

    "Last I checked, you were a Pogue now." JJ shrugged. He slowly closed the space between them and held out a hand, fluttering his ocean eyes at her as he bowed. "But I'll always have a place in my heart for you, Kook."

    "Always?" Sonny challenged.

    "Unless you steal my eighty mil," he said.

   Sonny rolled her eyes but placed her hand in his, where JJ smoothly twirled her and tugged her close, one hand moving to rest on her hip as the other gently guided her arm to wrap around his neck. The other followed almost instinctively and stayed at the nape of his neck, just below his hairline. Sonny let out a sharp breath.

   Pogues really could dance.

    "I didn't take you for a dancer," Sonny mused, tone light. It was true, she hadn't expected it. Then again, she hadn't taken him as much of an actor either but apparently his acting skills were as good as his dancing.

   Actually, JJ Maybank struck her as the guy to get a girl into his bed before he even thought to dance with her. But what did she know? Sonny wasn't in his bed.

    "There's plenty you don't know about me," JJ winked.

   He did a childish slide on his feet, arms out to finesse it. It brought him to the back of her and he carefully slid his arms around her waist, lacing his fingers together and resting both hands on her stomach. Sonny shook her head, gently trailing her fingers across his arm.

    "I don't like mysteries," she told him.

   He snorted, "Shit— fine, what d'you wanna know?"

   She let out a small laugh and leaned into him. Their feet moved in synchronised steps to the beat. She just shrugged.

    "Nothing, actually." Sonny spoke in a teasing tone that he could just hear over his humming to the music, "I'm kind of happy not knowing you, right now."

   God, JJ thought, he was so glad they were in good moods.

   JJ knew he wouldn't be dancing with Sonny Penbrook come morning light, or perhaps ever again, so he made the most of it. He took her all in. Drinking her up, every last drop. And it left him feeling woozy snd intoxicated, shaky at the knees but wanting more and more. As much as she would hand him. As much as he could handle.

   There was something about Sonny— something he noticed six months ago, but couldn't quite put his finger on. JJ didn't understand her. She said she didn't like mysteries, and yet she was one. The biggest one, to JJ.

   Would he ever figure her out?

   JJ rested his head on her shoulder and smiled.

    "Happy not knowing you, either."

━━━━━━━☆☆━━━━━━━

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