020 tiara of thorns

020
tiara of thorns

























Kiara texted Bianca earlier, asking for a ride, considering she was forbidden from driving after stealing her dad's truck.

And since the convertible was totaled, Bianca had no other choice but to beg Reginald to drive her to the Carrera's. JJ agreed to tail them on his dirt bike so he could meet up with her before catching the ferry.

The couple shuffled awkwardly on the front porch of Kiara's abode. They were waiting in their respective vehicles but after twenty minutes, decided maybe knocking was better than standing around. Faintly, they could hear Kiara's parents arguing inside but if they procrastinated any longer, they would miss the ferry.

"You knock," JJ elbowed his girlfriend.

"Me?" Bianca reared her head back. "You do it!"

"Dude, Kie's parents hate my guts," JJ whispered harshly, wringing his navy cap in his hands. "They see me here- they slam the door in my face."

"What makes you think they wouldn't do that to me?" Her eyebrows drew together.

JJ rolled his eyes, "'Cause you're like, Kook royalty- and Kie's mom is obsessed with that shit."

Bianca's frown deepened. She wasn't sure how she felt about her boyfriend still thinking of her family as 'Kook royalty.' It was true, she supposed if one considered the exclusivity of the Island Club her mother was the head of, and how active her grandparents became recently in the local Church and in organizing galas around town.

Bianca didn't like acknowledging it, but the weight on her head did occasionally feel like a tiara. Albeit, a tiara of thorns. But a tiara nonetheless.

Hesitantly, with her lips still tugged downward, Bianca rang the doorbell. It wasn't a moment later when hurried footsteps resounded toward them, as if desperate for any kind of interruption.

Kiara swung the frame open, a heavy sigh falling from her lips upon seeing her friends, "Oh thank God you're here, B," She reached for Bianca's wrist. "I need you to talk them up so they agree to let me go."

"I don't know, Kie..." Bianca shared an uneasy look with JJ who was wearing an expression that read 'I told you so.'

"Come on, please," Kiara begged and tugged her inside without waiting for a response. "They adore you- I just need them to trust me, come on-" She halted in the living room, Bianca and JJ in tow.

"Oh, great," Mike Carrera threw his arms up in exasperation. "Just what we needed. There's more of them."

"Bianca, sweetie, it's lovely to see you again but now's not really a great time," Anna gave her a tight-lipped smile, leaning forward on the couch.

Bianca and JJ merely stared at Kiara's parents, like two deers caught in headlights. Neither of them knew what to do or say.

JJ retreated behind the kitchen island, hoping to put some distance between himself and Mr Carrera. He knew his presence would only aggravate them further. Unlike Bianca, he wasn't a very good influence and he definitely wasn't the kind of guy you bring home to meet your mom.

"Now's a great time actually," Kiara huffed, letting go of Bianca's wrist. "Mom, Dad, just listen to me-"

"Honey, I am listening to you," Anna pinched the bridge of her nose while Kiara's father towered with his hands on his hips behind the couch. "I'm just having a hard time. So- just- I need you to walk me through it one more time."

"The Cross of Santo Domingo, Pope's family heirloom, that we found- we just find out it's- it's going to be in Wilmington tonight!" Kiara continued, waving her arms frantically. "We found it! And then Rafe, Michael, and Ward stole it from us!"

Bianca flinched at the reminder of her father, trying to breathe through the squeeze in her chest. It was actually her dad's idea to turn the ship around. Not only that but he was going to turn the ship around for Her.

At that moment, Bianca truly was the most important thing to him. Not the cross. Not the gold. And she repaid him by shooting him point blank through the chest before watching as he bled out in her arms.

Bianca felt cold all of a sudden. But as she glanced around, there were no open doors or windows. No lingering drafts. It was only her.

Bianca crossed her arms over her chest but it did nothing to soothe her. Instead, she sought refuge in her boyfriend and joined him behind the kitchen counter.

JJ leaned against the sink, flipping his cap in his hand and doing tricks with it. The moment the girl sidled into him, he put his cap on backward so he could wrap his arm around her waist, uncaring if Kiara's parents could see.

But the action elicited a sharp inhale from Bianca, and she stifled a wince at her boyfriend's hold around her bruised ribs. She quickly stepped away, forcing JJ's arm to fall limp at his side, and instead took his hand. The boy frowned but didn't say anything.

"Wait, wait, wait- wait," Mike halted his pacing. "Do you know how insane you sound?"

"Baby-" Anna put her hand up, trying to diffuse the tension.

"Ward is dead!"

"Ward is not dead!" Kiara shot back from her seat on the couch. "We've been over this part a million times!"

"Alright, you understand that this is a little hard to follow, right?" Anna tried to reason. "I mean, we had a funeral for the man."

"Just sounds ridiculous," Mike scoffed harshly, shaking his head.

"I get it, how it sounds but he's alive. I wish he wasn't but he is. Why would I lie?" Kiara pleaded. "He's alive. And Michael's with him!"

JJ felt Bianca tense beside him but she didn't utter a word so neither did he. He knew her father was a sore subject and usually, the topic got her all riled up. But this? JJ wasn't sure what this was, or even what to make of it.

"Michael?" Kiara's father deadpanned, shaking his head. "Michael as in Bianca's father, Michael. The one who has been missing for over a month? The one Lydia and your mother went down to the Sheriff's department to put in a missing person's report for? That Michael?"

He was being sarcastic but Kiara was too worked up to notice, "He's not missing! He's in Guadeloupe with Ward!"

"And does your mother know about this, Bianca?" Anna glanced up at the girl, her tone devoid of emotion. She was clearly exhausted with Kiara.

"I- uh..." Bianca's lips parted with bated breath. She couldn't find the words to lie to yet another person. She could feel her hands starting to tremble and the same nauseating guilt that accompanied her father's name caused her stomach to churn, "Um..."

At her silence, Kiara turned on the couch to face her, "Bianca? A little help?"

Bianca blinked at Kiara's parents but her mouth had gone completely dry. Her entire body grew hot, and her clothes, suffocating, as if she were going to self-combust right in the middle of the kitchen.

"Ward's alive in the Caribbean," JJ came to her rescue and pushed himself off the sink. His hand fell from hers as he began listing everything, "Michael's there too. They're living off the loot that they stole from us. And, uh... yeah, he's flying the cross to Wilmington."

JJ's gaze flickered over to Bianca when he was finished. He knew all her tells. He noticed she was panicking but it was a shame he couldn't read her mind too. Maybe then, he'd be able to decipher what was going on with her.

"Give me a break, man," Mike chuckled humourlessly.

"Yeah, you're right," JJ raised his voice, causing Bianca to finally tune back into the argument. She didn't want this to escalate, "What do I know, though? Just saw it with my own two eyes. So did Kiara- and Bianca. But whatever."

"I'm skeptical, okay?" His hands planted on his hips. "I am skeptical, JJ! As in, I think it's all bullshit! I think that you've been led astray, Kiara. And you, JJ..." He strode over to the boy.

"Mike-" Anna interrupted. "Mike, can we just take it down a little bit?"

"No, no, no, let's get this out in the open," Mike spoke over her while Kiara glared at her father. "No! Let me tell you something, you need to understand that I do get it."

"Sure, you do," JJ chuckled sarcastically, cracking his knuckles. "Yeah. Sure. Sure do."

"Do you hear me? I do! I like you JJ, and I bet you're fricking fun to hang with," Mike's eyes widened. "And to ditch school with and to go down to the break, because I was once just like you, bro."

Bianca's eyes flickered between the man towering above her and her boyfriend. She could feel her temper rising and wondered how much, or rather, how little she valued Kiara's parents' opinions of her.

JJ bowed his head as Mike continued to rant. His jaw remained clenched and his fists stayed tightened but he didn't argue back. Bianca on the other hand, shifted on her feet in anticipation.

"Mom," Kiara deadpanned, waiting for her to step in but she never did.

"I didn't think that anything mattered," Mike lectured. "Thought I could make up any bullshit story and these stupid Kooks would believe it. But then I learned about hard work and about what really mattered."

"With all due respect, Sir, you don't know anything about him."

Mike's eyes narrowed but JJ's mouth didn't move. Instead, his head snapped over to the shorter, dark-haired girl who took a daring step forward. Her once ebony eyes were ablaze and brimming with venom.

"Bianca, sweetheart-" Anna interrupted. "Let's just-"

"No, Bianca, I do. I was from the Cut just like him which is exactly why I don't want the same life for Kiara," The man seethed.

The muscle in JJ's jaw ticked, pushing himself off the counter. He adjusted his cap, still backward on his head.

"What life?" Bianca narrowed her eyes into a glare. "You want to keep her here? Locked up like some kind of prisoner? What kind of life is that!?"

Bianca didn't even know what she was arguing about anymore. Only that she couldn't stand the way Kiara's father spoke down on JJ. If anything, she sympathized with Mike and Anna's concerns about their daughter running around doing dangerous and highly illegal activities with the Pogues.

"A safe one!" Mike crossed his arms over his chest. "One where you're not running around chasing treasure and putting your lives in danger and if your parents knew any better they would do the –"

"Don't talk about my parents like you know what's best for me," Bianca scoffed bitterly. She may not have had the best relationship with them but Mike and Anna were far from perfect.

Mike towered over her, "These Pogues are not a good influence on either of you. This isn't right, you come from a good family, Bianca and I respect you. And everything your mother has done for us these past month but this is family business and I'd appreciate it if you stayed out of it."

"You're talking shit about what's mine," Bianca's voice was low but sharp. "I'm making it my business."

Mike's eyes flickered back to JJ who wore a smug expression, "All I care about, all that I care about is my daughter. That's it," He stared the boy down. "And all that I know is that she was a lot better off before she met you and your friends—"

But by then Kiara had enough. She abruptly rose to her feet and rounded the couch, "Dad, I was never- I was never better off!"

"Yes, you were!" Mike turned to her. "You were."

"I was miserable!"

"Can we please, both of you-" Anna darted in between them, pushing Mike backward. "Take it down, let's just- just- just listen to what they're saying-"

"Miserable?" Mike reared his head back. "No, no, no-"

Bianca could sense they overstayed their welcome. But before she could tell JJ they should leave, he was already squaring his shoulders in front of Mike who was fuming more than ever.

"No!" Mike raised his voice suddenly, almost chest-to-chest with JJ. "These Pogues have ruined my daughter's life!"

Out of instinct, Bianca tensed behind her boyfriend and reached for his arm. This time, JJ tore his glare away from Kiara's father to glance down at her and the way she shifted closer to him. Then, his eyes softened in realization, and felt his anger melt away.

He turned back to Mike, "Didn't mean any disrespect, Mr Carrera," He forced out through gritted teeth and took Bianca's hand. "Y'all have a good day."

"Yeah," Mike's hateful stare didn't leave JJ's back, not even as they turned to leave.

Bianca let out a breath she'd been holding when JJ pulled her away from the kitchen. He paused to brush his hand on the countertop, "Lovely home."

"Come on," Bianca whispered, dropping JJ's hand to lead them out into the hallway.

The moment they disappeared, Kiara whirled around to her dad, "What are you doing?!" She whispered harshly.

"What am I doing?" Mike arched an eyebrow. "I'm protecting my daughter."

"Can we please—" Anna tried to interrupt.

Bianca's chest rose and fell with shallow breaths, trying to regulate the fire simmering behind her ribs. She wished she could've stayed and helped Kiara convince her parents but she drew the line when someone she loved was being spoken to like they were the scum of the earth.

Bianca was busy storming down the porch steps when she realized her boyfriend wasn't following after her. She paused, turning over her shoulder, "JJ?" She called, unbeknownst to the conversation he overheard on the other side of the door.

"Wait a second," Mike ranted. "Everybody says it, that he's a liar and a thief! He's just like his father."

"Okay, no, no, no, don't go there," Anna protested.

"He's just like his father-"

"Don't bring him into this. Please don't bring him into this."

"Don't bring him into this!?"

"He's nothing like his dad!" Kiara cried. "Nothing like his dad! You don't know him. They're nothing alike!"

"I don't know him?"

"They're nothing alike!"

Bianca's frown deepened, "JJ?" She asked again. "You coming?"

JJ tore his gaze away from the side table in front of the doorway which held a small ceramic plate of car keys. Beside it was Kiara's father's money clip with the initials 'MC' painted on the front and loaded with cash.

JJ's glassy eyes fell to Bianca who was waiting for him outside with her arms crossed over her chest. He knew what she would say, what she would think. But for a moment, JJ wanted nothing more than to be free of those stupid expectations that he was some kind of good person.

The truth was, he wasn't. And if the world was only going to see him as a liar and a thief, then there was no point in trying to be anything else.

JJ gave her a small smile, one which didn't really reach his eyes, "Yeah," He mumbled, subtly pocketing the money clip in the back of his cargo shorts. "I'm coming."

And with that, he slipped out the door and down the patio, rejoining Bianca. They headed toward the dirt bike and Reginald's car in silence, the sun beating down on them.

Bianca scoffed, "God, and I thought my Mom was bad."

JJ exhaled sharply in amusement but he wasn't really listening. Bianca could tell he was lost in thought by the way he cast his gaze to his feet, hands shoved deep in his pockets.

"Hey," Bianca paused, forcing him to stop with her. She ducked down to try and get him to meet her gaze, "Don't listen to them. They're not worth it."

"I know that," JJ finally met her eyes with a scoff under his breath.

"Good," Bianca hummed teasingly. "Because this-" She took his backward hat and placed it so the bill was facing forward. "Needs to stay like this."

JJ hesitated, "What the fuck does that have to do with any of this?"

Bianca rolled her eyes, "Whenever you're about to start a fight or think you're going to be in a fight, you turn your hat around backward."

"I do not!" JJ's lips parted.

"Uh, yeah, you do," She scoffed. "It makes it easier for you to see what you're doing when the front isn't in the way and it makes it harder to knock it off your head."

"Are you profiling me?" JJ asked after a moment of silence, unable to look away from her lips.

"How else am I supposed to be able to tell when your shit-talking is about to lead to a fistfight?" Bianca arched an eyebrow at the wonder-stricken look on JJ's face. "What kind of girlfriend would I be if I didn't know when to pull you away from trouble and when to help you throw a punch?"

Before she could get another word out, JJ leaned forward to press his lips to hers, only for the bill of his hat to hit her head, "Shit-" He cursed as he reared his head away and readjusted the cap backward on his head again. "Also makes it harder to kiss you."

Bianca's smile widened, "Yeah, that too," She whispered giddily before winding her arms around his neck and rejoining their lips, pulling away when Kiara jogged out.

"B, wait! The curly-haired girl raced down the stairs, panting all the while. "JJ, I'm sorry!"

Bianca gave her a reassuring smile, "I think I should be the one apologizing," She mused. "I don't think your parents are going to like me anymore after whatever that was."

JJ situated himself on his dirt bike with the brake pedal down. He picked up his bag, prepared to throw it over his shoulders but before he could, Bianca took it from him and put it on hers instead.

The blond's eyes narrowed, unable to stifle the smirk on his lips when he realized what she was insinuating. JJ shifted forward, allowing Bianca space to sit on the back of his bike and get comfortable. She wound her arms around his waist, chin resting against his shoulder.

"No, it's fine," Kiara shook her head. "My dad's literally the worst."

"Yeah, it's whatever," JJ shrugged. "I already know what they think of me."

"They think the same about me," Kiara snorted as she opened the back door of Reginald's Rolls Royce and he greeted her with a simple nod.

"We need to go now if we want to catch the ferry on time," Bianca explained to which JJ nodded. "Pope's going to kill us if we're late."

"Got it," JJ kicked the pedal up and walked the bike over to the side of the car where Reginald was rolling the window down, "You thinkin' what I'm thinkin', Reggie?"

"I most certainly am not, Mr Maybank," Reginald voiced in a bored tone, still staring out the front windshield.

"Come on, dude," JJ's grin widened, ducking his head down to see through the window. "Let's race. Here to the dock. I know you want to," He sing-songed.

Reginald sighed tiredly, "Is this something that would please you, Miss Prescott?" There was a certain edge to words as if asking her whether this was the juvenile delinquent she was in love with.

Bianca contemplated this. After her recent near miss with death and crashing her car, a street race was not something that sounded appealing. But upon seeing the excitement on her boyfriend's face, she couldn't say no.

"What do you say, princess?" JJ glanced over his shoulder, eyes glinting with mischief. "A little Mario Kart action?"

"I'm down," Bianca shrugged to which Reginald rolled his eyes at her.

Kiara winded down the back window, "Um, would anyone like to hear my take on this? About how this is a really bad idea?"

"Miss Carrera, I suggest you put your seatbelt on," Reginald instructed from the front.

"Okay, never mind," Kiara pursed her lips, winding the window back up.

"Ready to eat my dust, Reggie?" JJ teased, revving the bike.

"Is that so?" Reginald arched an eyebrow before flat-footing the gas and sending it out the Carrera's driveway.

Bianca gasped, "That's cheating!"

"Nah, don't worry," JJ hummed, revving the engine again. "He's gonna need all the distance he can get," He glanced over his shoulder. "Ready?"

"Yeah," She nodded just before the bike lurched forward and they sped onto the open road.

"Whatever happens, don't let go!" JJ called over the wind whipping through their clothes and hair.

A surge of adrenaline shot through Bianca as she tucked further into his side. A small smile tugged at the corners of her lips, "Not letting go."























author's note. hi guys !!!! what did u think of this chapter ? super unrelated note but i got a new job ! it's related to my degree so i'm finally working in the field im studying and is also the reason this update was late haha. it feels so surreal i have a big girl job now LOL. when i started 'mirror' i was literally in highschool, look at me being all sentimental and stuff (': anyways, love you guys <3 stay safe ily

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