CHAPTER SEVEN
"go to hell scarlett."

( episode four ━━ spy games )

AT THIS POINT, SCARLETT WAS tired of running, but she refused to stop. She needed to know where her friends were and make sure they were still safe. Many disgusting looks were thrown her way as she completely disregarded her manners and pushed past almost everyone in her way, but she didn't care. All she cared about was finding the boys unharmed.

And she almost cried when she saw them, one sitting in a lawn chair and the other on a blanket in the grass.

"Oh my good! I've been looking everywhere for you two!"

Scarlett sighs in relief after finally finding Pope and JJ, happy they were both safe and neither of them looked hurt. She guessed Rafe hadn't found them yet, though that may not be true for much longer.

"What's wrong?" JJ questions, wondering why she looked so scared.

She sits down in the middle of the two boys, taking a deep breath before giving them the terrible news. "Rafe knows."

"We know."

"He came by my house and threatened me then—" Scarlett pauses, finally taking in Pope's words. "Wait, how did you know?"

"They were outside my dad's store, just watching me." Pope explains.

"We are so screwed." Scarlett places her hand on her heart, feeling how fast it was beating.

"Just saw Rafe. He said, and I quote—" Kiara stops talking after spotting Scarlett, the girl she never in a million years would ever picture hanging out with her two friends, and yet, there she was. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Here it was, the interaction Scarlett had been spending so long trying to avoid, but she couldn't run away now, not with everything going on. Part of Scarlett felt her heart leap when Kiara acknowledged her, then it shattered seeing the anger and hurt on her face when she looked at her. Scarlett knew she caused this, this was her fault.

Unsure of what to do, she just gives the girl an awkward smile and wave. "Hi Kie."

"Don't call me that." Kiara glares at her. "Why are you talking to my friends?"

Scarlett glances over to JJ and Pope, giving them a look begging them to help her. "Uh, I—"

"I invited her." JJ interrupts.

"When would you have done that?" Kiara scolds him, confused if her friends listen to her at all anytime she would rant about the blonde girl. "You didn't even want to come, I had to drag you here."

"You didn't let me finish." JJ pauses, trying his best to come up with an excuse, looking to Pope for help but the boy just shrugs. "I saw her walking and invited her to come sit down with us."

"Again, why?"

"Well, because..."

Scarlett jumps in, seeing how JJ was struggling and ready to save the day with a lie. "We just found out that we may be cousins, so we want to spend as much time together as possible. Family blood is so strong."

Kiara raises her eyebrow at this. "Cousins?"

"Yeah, that's what she said."

JJ thinks over what he just said and starts snickering to himself until Scarlett scolds him, trying not to laugh herself considering they were in a serious situation.

Kiara rolls her eyes, perfectly aware the two were lying to her for some reason but couldn't bring herself to care at the moment. "Can you guys see each other any other night, preferably when I'm not around so I don't have to see her."

Scarlett scoffs and tries her best not to show how hurt she was by her former friend's words. "Oh trust me, I'd love nothing more than to be away from you right now."

JJ leans down and whispers. "You sure about that?"

Scarlett looks up at the boy and gently slaps his leg. "JJ stop talking."

"So then leave, goodbye you will not be missed." Kiara moves her arm, gesturing for Scarlett to go and leave them alone.

"I can't right now." She mumbles, wishing for nothing more than to be able to run away.

Well... this was going way worse than she could have ever imagined, and trust her when she said that she's imagined this moment many, many times.

"Hey, what did Rafe say?" Pope interjects. He was growing tired of watching the two girls fight.

Kiara leans back in her chair, adjusting it to be more comfortable as she repeats Rafe's words from earlier. "Tell your boy that we know what he did."

JJ, Pope and Scarlett all exchange panicked looks. They knew that Topper had an idea it was them who sank the boat, but if Rafe told Kiara that just now, it meant they were nearby.

"Uh—" JJ coughs awkwardly. "Where is he?"

"Right there." Kiara points to a few feet behind them.

The four spin around and spot Topper, Rafe and Kelce all staring directly at them, looking way to calm. Of course, they just had to be here. Scarlett really could not catch a break today.

"Great, the whole death squad." Pope says.

JJ quickly grabbed Pope's head and turned it back around, trying to act natural. "Don't stare, bro."

"We are so screwed." Scarlett mumbles. "What the fuck do we do?"

"Just warning you, If they corner me, I'm coming out swinging, okay?" JJ voices and Scarlett could tell by the tone in his voice that he was genuinely terrified.

Scarlett nods her head, agreeing with his idea. "Good."

"No, I'm for real. Slice and dicin'. I'm on edge right now."

"Yeah, sure." Pope goes to turn his head back around to get another look but is stopped by JJ again.

"If that doesn't work." JJ holds up his bag to the two of them. "I got this right here."

"What is your backpack gonna do?"

Scarlett stares at the item in confusion, unsure as to how that was going to help them. Kiara understood right away though. She had little to no idea what they were talking about, but if it was serious enough for JJ to bring a gun, she knew it couldn't be good.

"So, we just gotta stay in the group." JJ continues, ignoring Scarlett's question. "They can't get us in the group."

"Like a school of fish." Scarlett agrees.

Pope nods his head and leans back, trying to relax. "Stay in the school. Can't leave the school."

"I'm sorry, JJ—" Kiara pauses, trying to keep calm and not explode on her friends. "Please tell me that you did not bring a gun here. JJ, there are kids."

"Kie, I didn't bring the gun." He lies. "Everything's fine, okay?"

"Wow, thank you. That's really convincing. I love that, JJ."

"You have a gun?" Scarlett whisper yells. "Why the hell do you have a gun?"

"None of your business. Why are you still here?"

Scarlett places her hand on the bridge of her nose, getting increasingly annoyed with Kiara now. It's not her fault, the girl had a right to be angry and hate her, in fact she should. However, now was not the time considering the million other things Scarlett had to deal with.

"Listen." Scarlett leans forward, moving to face Kiara. "I don't like you, you don't like me, great. I'm gonna need you to tone down the bitchyness and tolerate me for this one night. Then you will never have to see me again."

"Fine." Kiara pouts, giving up the fight.

"Good."

"Good."

"Fine."

"You know what—" Kiara cuts herself off, deciding Scarlett wasn't worth fighting with. Her only concern was whatever her friends did to piss off Rafe so much. "Founding principle, you guys. No secrets amongst Pogues. What is Rafe talking about?"

"Kie—" Pope starts.

"Pope, watch what you say."

Pope ignores Scarlett. He wasn't stupid enough to spill everything to her, but he felt guilty keeping her out of the loop. "Kie, it might go down tonight."

"What does that mean? Might go down tonight." Kiara repeats Pope's words with confusion. "What did y'all do?"

"Deny, deny, deny." JJ whispers.

"Exactly." Scarlett holds her hand out and JJ gives her a high five.

Kiara turns up her nose, annoyed and alarmed at how quickly the girl she hated more than anything was getting along with her best friends.

"Oh, so she can know, but I can't? What are you all friends now?"

"No, we're cousins." Scarlett jokes.

Kiara turns away, shaking her head and facing the front to watch the movie. "God, you are irritating."

"Thank you, I try."

☆

Pope was trying his best to concentrate on the movie, but it was no use. He felt extremely uncomfortable. He knew there was no way that he would be able to make it to the bathroom alone, but he couldn't hold it much longer.

"Hey." He taps JJ's leg. "I gotta take a piss."

"Hold it."

"I can't hold it. I drank too much soda."

No way. They were finally safe, they couldn't afford to take any risk right now, even with the crowd. "It's too exposed." Scarlett gives her input. "They'll totally see you."

Pope squirms in his seat, unsure of what to do. Both options were bad, but at this point he'd rather take the risk. "I gotta go."

The boys both look at Scarlett, almost like they were silently asking for her permission. She sighs and runs his hands through her hair, unbelievably stressed out. "Make it quick and please be careful."

Pope goes to stand up, ready to leave before noticing where the people they were trying to avoid were seated. "They're blocking the bathrooms."

"Come here." JJ tells him, standing up with Pope and hunching over so they won't be seen. "I know where."

"Hey, where y'all going?" Kiara questions.

"We gotta wring it out."

Kiara scrunches her face in disgust. "You gonna hold it for each other?"

"No, you guys can't both leave." Scarlett had assumed only Pope would be leaving, not the two of them. Even if they were watching a movie, she didn't think she could handle being alone with Kiara. Not even for a few minutes.

"We'll be right back." JJ says, reassuring her.

They both ignore the rest of Scarlett's protests, continuing to sneak off. Once alone, the girls exchange an awkward glance before whipping their heads back around to face the movie.

Every part of Scarlett wanted to move closer to Kiara and lay down in her arms, her head on the girl's shoulder as she pretended to be interested in the movie they were watching before accidentally falling asleep. Kiara would wake her up while Scarlett would lie and act like she had been paying attention the whole time, kissing her forehead as she held the blonde girl closer to her.

That wasn't the reality, that never will be the reality. Scarlett could daydream all she wants, but it would never happen.

"Your hair looks really good." She attempts to start a conversation, trying to get her mind off the very vivid picture she just painted in her head. "Do anything different?"

"No." Kiara says coldly.

"Cool."

More silence. Scarlett hated silence, especially awkward silences. Thankfully the movie was playing, but it still didn't take away the fact of how uncomfortable the situation was.

"This movie is cool."

Kiara spins around to face her. "I'd love it if you stopped talking to me, okay?" She declares, the anger clear in her tone. "For whatever reason, you seem to be friends with my friends, but they aren't here right now to force us into conversation, so I don't want to hear the sound of your voice."

"I was just trying to be nice and maybe catch up." Scarlett admits sadly.

"Catch up?" Kiara scoffs. "Why don't we catch up on why you just ditched me?"

Kiara waits patiently for a reply, but never gets one. Scarlett facing forward and acting like she never heard her question. Kiara rolls her eyes and turns back to watch the movie, silently scolding herself for even asking.

"Oh, now you're silent?" She sasses. "Geez. If I knew that's all it took to shut you up, I would have asked that ages ago."

It's silent for a few minutes between them, until Scarlett softly speaks up, surprising Kiara. "I'm sorry Kie, I really am."

"Sure you are."

"I didn't know everyone else at school was gonna ice you out. I thought you'd make new friends easily."

Everything Scarlett had just said was true, she really did think Kiara would have no problem finding a new group. Who wouldn't want to be friends with Kiara? How was it possible not to like her? Scarlett thought she was perfect.

"Well you thought wrong."

"I'm sorry."

"You didn't even defend me." Kiara continues. "Stop the rumours, you did nothing."

"I know, I'm sorry."

"Is that all you're capable of saying?" Kiara has to stop herself from raising her voice, not wanting to cause a scene in public. "Just meaningless apologies?"

Scarlett had enough. Tired of Kiara's attitude and her tone. If she wanted an explanation, Scarlett was prepared and determined to give her one.

"Fine, Kiara. You want the truth? I—"

"Shut up." Kiara cuts her off.

Scarlett narrows her eyes at her, baffled. "Excuse you?"

"No, for real, shut up. Listen."

She pauses for a moment, listening to whatever Kie was paying attention to and hearing faint noises of yelling. She quickly turns around to see if the ones they were avoiding had moved, and they had.

"Oh my god, Rafe and his idiots are gone."

☆

Scarlett learned that she really could not take her eyes off of Pope and JJ for two seconds, because the moment she did, they got jumped.

"Let go of him, Topper! Fascist asshole!" Kiara yells.

It didn't take the girls long to find out where they went. When they made their way behind the movie projector, Kelce and Rafe were already getting a lot of punches in on JJ, while Topper was busy with Pope.

"Hey, listen, Pope. All you gotta do is accept personal responsibility."

"Topper, stop!" Scarlett screams at the Kook, jumping on his back.

Topper lets go of Pope and he runs into Kiera's arms as she checks him for injuries, both of them watch as Scarlett continuously hits Topper over the head.

"Get off of me you psycho!" He tries his best to shake her off but the small girl was relentless, only stopping once Rafe grabbed her and held her back from Topper.

"Oh, let go of me, Rafe!"

Rafe ignores her, harshly throwing Scarlett to the ground not caring about how rough he was. Scarlett groaned in pain, holding her head and Kiara was quick to run over to her.

"Scar! Are you okay?" Kie grabs her head and helps her up.

"Stay out of this." Rafe spits as he points down at them. "Both of you."

The second Scarlett wasn't holding him back anymore, Topper wasted no time going back to choke Pope while Kelce and Rafe handled JJ. It pained her to see them in trouble, over something that was partly her idea, and that made her feel guilty. She especially felt guilty not knowing what to do to help them. Even with it being four on three, the Kooks still overtook them with ease.

"We gotta do something." Scarlett voices, out of breath.

Kiara racks her brain desperately trying to figure out what to do so she could stop her friends from getting hurt, until it hits her. "JJ's bag."

They both quickly crawl over to where the bag was thrown. Kiara opens it and rummages through, taking out the gun to move it out of the way. That was something Scarlett really wasn't expecting to actually see.

She gasps and couldn't believe that all the talk from earlier was real. "Holy shit, he actually has a gun."

"I have an idea, but it's really stupid." Kiara admits, holding the lighter in her hands she took from JJ's bag.

"Yeah." Scarlett turns back around, seeing how intense the fight was getting. "I don't think we have a choice. Do it."

Kiara nods as she crawls closer to the screen projector, using the lighter to set it on fire. The crowd screams, quickly getting up from their seats to run from the spreading flames. The curly haired girl runs after Topper, grabbing his arm and moving off from Pope's neck. "Get off of him!"

Everyone begins coughing and wheezing as the fire continues to spread. The boys end their fight and the Kooks scatter off.

"You good?" Kiara asks the boys, both of them trying to catch their breath.

Pope nods reassuring her and turns to look at the burning projector screen, chuckling. "You're a freakin' idiot."

"I saved your ass." Kiara grabs Pope's arm, throwing it around her shoulder as she helps him walk. "Come on, we gotta get out of here."

"We can take my car." Scarlett offers. "I'll drive you wherever, let's go."

☆

Scarlett drops the crew off at The Wreck, feeling weird and slightly uncomfortable being back at Kiara's family's restaurant for the first time in a while. Last time she was here, it was surrounded by happy memories. Now... she couldn't say that.

Pope and Kiara were the first to exit, Pope thanks Scarlett for driving them while Kiara leaves in silence. JJ opens the car door, ready to leave and enter the restaurant until he notices Scarlett still standing by the driver's side, not following them.

"Hey, you coming in?"

She hesitates, trying her best to think of an excuse for him. "Can't. My parents are probably worried about me."

Not wanting to call her out on her lie, JJ nods sadly and turns around, running over to catch up with Kiara and Pope.

"Kie." JJ starts. "I think you should go talk to her."

Kiara raises her eyebrows in confusion, glancing from JJ back to Scarlett. "Why?"

"Just go, trust me." He pushes her forward, grabbing Pope's shoulders and rushing him into the restaurant to give the girls their privacy.

Truthfully, she had no idea why he wanted her to talk with Scarlett, and whatever reason he had, she didn't care. Kiara wanted absolutely nothing to do with her. Not now, not ever.

"Hey." Kiara starts as she slowly walks up to her. "Thank you for helping my friends, but this doesn't change anything between us."

"I have no idea what you are talking about." Scarlett says honestly, unsure why Kiara was starting a fight right now.

"You clearly became close with my friends just so you could talk to me, and it's not gonna work. I don't want to be around you anymore." Kiara admits.

She knew that was coming, but she didn't expect it to hurt this much hearing.

"Are you really that self centred that you think I went out of my way to make friends with your friends because of you?"

Kiara narrows her eyes at the girl, crossing her arms while she continues questioning. "Well, what else is there then?"

"Maybe cause I like talking with them? God, you are so full of yourself."

"Whatever." Kiara scoffs, turning around before going to leave.

"Hey Kiara." Scarlett calls out to her.

Kiara spins around, anger clear on her face as Scarlett slowly walks over so they were only standing a few feet apart.

"Let's not forget that I'm the one who dropped you. If I wanted back in your life, I'd be in it."

Lies. Everything Scarlett just said was the biggest lie, but she couldn't let herself be vulnerable in front of everyone, especially Kiara.

"Go to hell Scarlett."

"I vacation there." Scarlett sasses.

Kiara marches back into her family's restaurant, but not before getting one last word in. "I hope you have a nice life."

"Oh, I will."

Another lie.

author's note.
jj being the number one kiarlett shipper <33