021
can't argue with science

Once when Bianca was little, she sat atop her father's lap and asked him why he wore that same golden ring around his finger every day. He never seemed to take it off.

Michael told her it was because he loved her mother, and when two people loved each other that much, they got married. The wedding band itself had no end and no beginning. It sealed the promise of forever between precious metals and gemstones.

The next day, Bianca made a new ring for him, with a pipe cleaner and a button. It was no precious metal or bedazzled jewel but she was determined to prove how much her daddy meant to her. Michael laughed and told her it wasn't quite the same as a wedding ring but wore it anyway.

The sound of her father's laugh wasn't something Bianca thought she'd ever forget. But now, as she stared at the table in front of her, fidgeting with his wedding band around her neck, she wracked her mind to complete the end of that memory.

Dread sunk her insides like an anchor. It was only when a gentle hand landed on her shoulder, causing her to go rigid, did she remember where she was. Her muscles relaxed after realizing it was only her boyfriend.

"Honestly, the hardest part is gonna be security, alright?" JJ rubbed her tense shoulder blade, already having noticed the frown on her lips. He leaned on the arm of her chair, "So, most of the guys are gonna be at the rail yard."

The Pogues, minus John B, gathered around a table on the roof of the ferry. The breeze was slightly harsher up there but it beat having to whisper between the crowd below deck. There were still some locals leaning against the railing to enjoy the view of the ocean or at the bar, chatting away, but here, they could talk without others eavesdropping.

"Alright, so, we're gonna need to find someplace and guard it," Pope hummed. "Maybe a little further down the line, like a whistle-stop or something."

"Yeah," Kiara nodded.

Cleo tutted, "You guys are getting ahead of yourselves per usual. We don't have a way to transport the cross. What you think? On JJ's motorcycle?"

JJ pulled the cap off his head with a groan, "That's not my fault."

"No one said it was your fault," Bianca's eyebrows drew together.

"Okay, so, other options..." Pope trailed off, glancing between the group. His eyes landed on Bianca whose gaze was firmly planted on the table in front of them.

She hardly said a word to him since they got on this ferry, or even since the Chateau. Bianca was usually the first to pitch an idea to the group or concoct a mastermind plan but lately, she seemed so hollow. Lifeless, almost.

Guilt crept up from beneath the collar of Pope's shirt and made him all bothered. He hadn't even asked how she was doing since he found out the cross was back on the island.

Pope missed her. He missed his best friend and found himself wondering if, maybe, she missed him too.

"Oh my god," Sarah's breath hitched, drawing him out of his thoughts. She straightened her back and hid behind Kiara's frame.

"Oh my god, what? Cleo deadpanned.

They all followed her gaze to where Topper leaned lazily against the bar with a drink in his hand. Bianca couldn't help but think he looked exactly the same, with his frosted tips and aqua shorts, like every other polo-wearing, trust-fund baby.

But then again, it had only been a little over a month since she last saw him. She couldn't have expected things to be that different. Maybe, it was her that changed.

"Is that Topper?" Pope scoffed.

"Why... is he everywhere?" Kiara reared her head back.

"Perfect," Pope nodded with a smile, surprising the group. "Hey, Jayj-"

"What?"

"Bet you Topper has a way to transport the cross," He challenged.

JJ hesitated, "Actually, Pope's right. He does have a rig."

"No," Sarah interjected immediately.

"Yes," JJ argued.

"No. Absolutely not."

"Yes- come on!"

"No, it's perfect," Bianca lifted her head to meet her best friend's eyes. "Sarah makes him weak. And penis-dumb."

"Penis...dumb?" JJ's eyebrows furrowed.

"No, I get it," Kiara nodded. "Like JJ when Bianca ties her hair up."

"What are you talking about?" JJ frowned.

"You know," Kiara began. "Like, for example, when guys associate a girl tying their hair up with..." She trailed off.

"Kie, don't tell him!" Bianca shot her a look.

"So, next time you ask for something or want to get something done," Cleo explained instead, pretending to tie her hair up in a ponytail. "Pope, I have an appointment at the salon but I don't have a ride there, do you mind picking me up at five?" She faked an American accent.

"That was good," Sarah hummed and ignored the still confused expression plastered on JJ's face.

"Thank you, thank you," Cleo grinned.

Pope's mouth parted before directing an accusatory gaze at Bianca, "Have you been classical conditioning him?" He pointed to the said boy.

"Um," Bianca pursed her lips, pretending to think. "...No?"

"I have no idea what that means and I don't wanna know," JJ interrupted before turning back to the group. "Look, Sarah, you already got him whipped anyway, alright? So, why don't you just take one for the team?"

"What would John B say!?" Sarah threw her arms up in exasperation.

"I think John B will completely understand," Pope vouched. "Think about the circumstances. It's about treasure."

Bianca scoffed in amusement. The entire scene reminded her of when Pope, JJ, and Kiara practically blackmailed her to get inside the storm drain.

"We can handle John B," Kiara reassured. "Just talk to him."

Sarah's frown deepened by the second. She glanced between each of the Pogues who wore expectant looks. Finally, her eyes landed on her best friend.

Bianca gave her a small smile, "I find it's usually easier not to fight it," She pulled the hair tie off her wrist and slid it across the table. "Do it for the plot, S."

Sarah glared at the girl before snatching the hair tie in front of her. The chair she sat on screeched against the floor as she pushed it out and stormed over to Topper while the Pogues cheered silently.

Sarah eventually managed to get the boy alone near the front of the ship. The two leaned against the railing with the setting amber sun as their backdrop. Bianca stood beside Sarah, while the Pogues hid below a short staircase leading to the lower deck.

"I just can't believe you guys are here. I saw the news. I- I texted you," Topper glanced between the two girls. "I didn't even know if you were alive. Bianca, I'm so sorry to hear they still haven't found your dad-"

"It- it's fine, Top," Bianca cut him off. She came over here as a mere courtesy considering she and Topper practically grew up together but she was quickly realising she couldn't do this, "I'm gonna give you guys a moment."

"Wait-" Sarah's eyes widened.

She tried to protest but Bianca was already walking away, sipping a Shirley Temple by the straw. Topper bought it for her, as a sort of celebration after her arrival back on the island.

"Yeah, thanks, B," Topper gave her a grateful smile. "So, Sarah, how are you? You okay?"

Bianca didn't wander far and stopped a short distance behind the boy, still within eavesdropping distance. She took another sip of her drink and waited for Sarah to respond.

"You know, Top..." The blonde trailed off, glancing out into the ocean. "Things are a little tough right now," It wasn't a total lie. She was, pretty much, homeless.

"Yeah?" Topper blinked at her. "Tough how?"

After an extended pause, Bianca glanced up at Sarah who was hesitating. She gestured for her to continue, quietly mouthing 'truck!' to remind her. Behind them, JJ was doing the same while all the Pogues waited expectantly.

"We've been... after this... family heirloom," Sarah forced out begrudgingly. Something about this didn't feel right to her, "Which is why we were gone and we ended up losing it and uh, unbelievably there might be a chance that um, we can get it back tonight. In Wilmington."

"Okay," Topper nodded intently.

"It's crazy," Sarah shrugged.

"Okay, how- how, how can I help?"

Sarah's head snapped to his, "No, I- I can't ask you to do that."

Bianca arched an eyebrow at Sarah whose eyes briefly flickered over to her and then back to Topper. She had him in the palm of her hand, she just needed to seal the deal. Bianca pointed to her own eyes and batted them exaggeratedly for her best friend to do the same.

"No, seriously."

"Topper," Sarah sighed, fluttering her eyelashes as requested. "I feel like if I ask you. Like- just, like, the person you are-"

"What do you mean, 'the person I am'?" He chuckled.

"No, I didn't mean it like that," Sarah protested. "I guess, I mean, you're such a giver, Topper. You're just such a helper and I feel like if I ask you, you're going to feel like you-"

"Sar- Sarah," Topper shook his head. "That's just- that's just who I am. That's just the way I was raised."

Bianca rolled her eyes as he started rambling and began mimicking his speech from behind him. Sarah couldn't help but giggle when she noticed and threw her hand over her lips to stifle it.

"What? What's funny?" Topper's laughter sobered, following Sarah's gaze to Bianca. Before he could turn and figure out they were making fun of him, the blonde threw her arms around him in a hug.

"Nothing, you're just- you're so right," Sarah pulled away with a small smile.

"And anyway, remember when I said I would do literally anything for you?" Topper scoffed, arching an eyebrow. "Remember that?"

"Yeah," Sarah whispered, eyes flickering to where JJ motioned for her to hurry up and Bianca gestured for her to tie her hair up.

"I meant it," Topper continued. "Unlike some people who will just say whatever to get you to go along with whatever they want. I'm not that person okay? When I say something, I mean it-"

"I need your truck," She cut him off.

"My- my- my dad's truck?" He questioned.

"Four wheels," She nodded, reaching for the hair tie so she could tie a ponytail.

"Oh my god," Topper watched the girl run her hands through her hair. "He would literally kill me. He's like super anal about it-"

"So are we!" Sarah piped up, dropping her hands from her hair. "We're super anal!" JJ did a double-take and Bianca almost spat out her drink. "We, like- we- we- we'll take such good care of it."

Topper chuckled awkwardly, "You put me in a tough spot. I know I said I'd do anything but..."

This was it. Bianca made a motion telling Sarah to touch his arm to which the blonde girl shook her head furiously. This made Topper glance over his shoulder at Bianca who pretended she was merely watching the seagulls fly overhead.

Sarah's touch on his shoulder drew him back to the conversation, "I'm so sorry about everything..." She held his gaze. "I totally understand. You have no reason to help us. Actually, you have all the reasons not to help us."

Topper lost himself in her doe eyes before chuckling humourlessly. He turned over his shoulder at Bianca, "You in on this too, B?"

Bianca gave him a small smile and shrugged. For a moment, as she watched him slowly concede, it didn't feel like they were Kooks or Pogues. It was as if they were friends again. Kids. Just like they used to be.

Topper turned back to Sarah with a resigned sigh, "Why do I feel like I'm going to regret this?"

Sarah threw her arms around Topper once again, a wide grin on her face, and gave a thumbs up to Bianca who smiled to herself. She joined the Pogues a moment later, high-fiving Cleo's outstretched hand and sidling next to JJ.

"Did she do it?" Pope asked to which Bianca nodded. Immediately, they began silently cheering while JJ did the Pogue handshake with the Heyward boy.

Bianca lifted her drink for JJ to take a sip through the straw. When he pulled away, he sent her a knowing look, "Should I be worried how good you are at that?"

"What? 'Course not," Bianca's eyes softened, tilting her head at him. She lifted the cherry from her drink to her mouth and took a bite, ensuring her boyfriend's eyes were on her lips before asking, "Hey, baby, do you mind getting me another drink? Tell the bartender it's on Topper's tab."

"Hm?" JJ hummed, tearing his eyes away from the cherry between her teeth. "Mhm, yep- sure- I'll-" He began backing away, accidentally bumping into another passenger and then a chair as he headed toward the bar. "Sorry, my bad- yes. Yes, I will."

Pope watched the interaction with amusement, "Classic-"

"Classical conditioning," Bianca smiled and took a seat beside him on the bench. "Can't argue with science."

After securing Topper's truck, Sarah got stuck trying to butter him up the rest of the ferry ride. Now that their transportation was sorted, it left the other Pogues to discuss the rest of their plan and how the heist was going to go down.

Bianca, however, couldn't seem to shake the unease that came with being out on the open ocean again. She excused herself not too long later and headed toward the upper deck.

It was less crowded here, almost empty considering the sun's glare at sunset was harsher than ever. Many of the passengers had taken shelter in the cabin but Bianca didn't seem to mind all that much.

She leaned on the railing, watching the white water crash against the side of the ferry. A lump formed in her throat as her fingers fidgeted with the wedding band around her neck.

Lost in her thoughts, she didn't hear the footsteps behind her, "Thought I'd find you up here."

Bianca's breath hitched at the warm hand against her shoulder, "Pope..." She trailed off in relief.

"My bad," He chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "I shouldn't have snuck up on you like that."

"No, uh-" Bianca shook her head to clear it. "Sorry, I don't know what's wrong with me today."

A nagging voice in her head reminded her just how stupid the words sounded, even to herself. Maybe it was the fact that she murdered her own father, or that she was lying about it, or even that a revenge-seeking drug dealer crashed her car and was now threatening to come after the people she loved most.

Yeah... Maybe that.

"If you came out here to be alone, I can leave?" Pope offered but shifted on his feet as if he wanted to say something.

"Don't," Bianca reached for his wrist before he could turn back. "Stay."

Pope pursed his lips, watching as the wind blew through her ebony strands and she struggled to tuck it behind her ears. He leaned against the railing beside her, squinting through the amber sunset.

They lapsed into a comfortable silence until finally, Pope cleared his throat, "B, hey," He sighed. "Listen, I'm... I'm sorry for the way I acted at the Chateau. I was out of line."

Bianca glanced up at the frown on his face, "You don't have to apologize to me, Po'. I know how much this means to you," She reassured. "I guess Sarah's kind of right. We are pretty anal about the cross."

Pope let out a groan of frustration, surprising the girl, "I know, which is why it was so stupid of me!" He turned to face her. "B, I miss you. Like- no, I just mean, I know we've spent every day for over a month together but it's- it's not the same."

Bianca could read between the lines at what he was hinting at. She was there but she wasn't really there.

Suddenly, the wind felt colder and she crossed her arms over her chest to block it out, "I get it. Um, everything's just been really weird since we got back."

"God, tell me about it," Pope threw his head back in exasperation. "It's like- I want everything to go back to normal but- but-"

"But you don't know what normal is anymore?" Bianca hummed, watching him with amusement.

"...Exactly," He nodded with a half-smile. "After everything that's happened... I don't know if we can go back to being normal anymore."

A new silence engulfed them like a wave until it sounded like they were underwater. This one was more tense. Like an unspoken truth had been aired.

"Can I be honest with you about something, Po'?" Bianca chimed in after a few moments.

"Always," Pope answered without hesitation.

"But you can't tell the others," Bianca warned with a dire expression. "I don't think they'd take it so well."

"Of course," His insides turned with unease, unsure where she was going with this. "What's wrong?"

"It's just- I..." Bianca's chest rose and fell with shaky breaths. "I think I'm having... Second thoughts? Or- or cold feet?" She shook her head, eyes squeezing shut. "I don't know. The thing is, I'm not sure why I'm doing this anymore."

Pope's frown deepened and he moved closer so their shoulders were bumping, "What do you mean?"

"It's just-" Bianca blinked out at the vast expanse of the ocean. It haunted her just like the guilt did, "Lately.... It's getting harder to remember why I'm... here."

Pope contemplated this for a moment. He never really thought about why Bianca would help them. Even though she had a nice house, a family business, blood money, and a trust fund, she still tagged along for every adventure. She had the most to lose, lost it, and yet here she was.

As much as her confession stung, Pope didn't blame her for feeling that way, "Does this have something to do with whatever's going on between you and JJ?"

"What?" Bianca's eyebrows drew together. "No, JJ gives me so much. More than I could've ever asked for. It's... It's me, I don't know," She rushed out in a single breath.

"Hey, it's okay," Pope wrapped an arm around the girl's shoulder.

Bianca swallowed thickly, "I know how it sounds with the cross, and- and the gold, and all this El Dorado treasure hunting bullshit. I know it sounds selfish of me to say, maybe because I already have so much but... I don't really care about any of it."

"Bianca, you're not selfish," Pope ducked his head down to meet her gaze. "If anything, you're the most selfless person I know. I mean, think about it. You could've easily gone back to living your life, pretending we don't exist but you didn't. You did what you thought was right even if it hurt you in the end. Don't you see, Bianca? You're doing this for us," He smiled lightly at her. "And that is the most selfless thing anyone's ever done for me- for us, sorry," He chuckled awkwardly.

Bianca's heart wrenched at his words. He had no idea how much she needed to hear that, "Thanks for the pep talk, Pope," She shook her head. "I don't know, I guess I'm just tired. Aren't you?"

"I'm pretty tired too," Pope agreed. Sometimes it felt like one loss after the other. He too often wondered when it would end, "Hey, when this is all over, how about we all take an extra long vacation?"

"What? Being stranded on a deserted island wasn't enough for you?" Bianca mused, causing the boy to break out into a laugh. Once he sobered up, she leaned into his embrace, "I like talking to you, Pope. It makes me feel... normal. Well, as normal as we can get."

"I like talking to you too, B," Pope glanced down at her, tucking her into his side in a half-hug. "Um, so, how are things with you and JJ? It's just, I know- I saw you guys on the boat and-"

"We're fine," Bianca hummed. "I think. How about you and Kie? You know, since we've been back on the island."

The boy inhaled sharply before continuing, "Well, the good news is I think I'm officially over her. I mean, before I used to think about her, like, a lot but now..." He peered onto the deck below where the other Pogues were messing around. "I look at her and... Nothing."

Bianca scoffed, "Nothing?"

"No, I mean of course- she's amazing and smart and talented that's why I was like, in love with her, or whatever, in the first place," His voice dropped to a low murmur before shrugging. "But I just don't feel it anymore."

"Good for you, Pope," Bianca pursed her lips. "You deserve to be happy."

He smiled, "Thanks, B. So do you."

Bianca's next words died on her tongue. She appreciated Pope's words but it was a little hard to agree when her father's blood was on her hands. She wasn't a good person, she didn't deserve that happy ending little Bianca always dreamed of. But when Pope said it, she almost, almost believed him.

"So, Cleo, huh?" Bianca nudged him, trying to change the topic.

"Hm? Oh, yeah," Pope chuckled distractedly, watching Cleo steal JJ's cap from his head and dangle it over the ferry's edge. "She's... she's something else."

Bianca's lips tilted up at the sight of Kiara trying to mediate their heated argument, "It was really nice of you to give her your room. She told me she never had her own before. How's she settling in?"

"Yeah, good," Pope's tone was firm. "She's always helping around Pop's shop. Sometimes, I'll even walk in and find her working after closing time. We'll sit around the table after helping Ma make lunch or- or dinner and she'll tell the wildest stories about her, Stubbs, and Captain Terrance. They'll be laughing away long after the food's gone cold."

Bianca studied the small smile on Pope's face, "So, your parents must really like her then?"

"Love her," Pope rolled his eyes with a scoff. "Won't shut up about her."

"Like I said," Bianca stifled a knowing smirk but chose not to interfere. "You deserve to be happy Po'."

Pope watched as Cleo threw her head back in a chuckle. Compared to the girl who held a knife to his throat, this one was more carefree. Pope found himself leaning further over the railing to catch the sound of her laughter again, "...Yeah."

author's note. hihi what did you guys think of this chapter? we had a cute lil moment w pope at the end too. p.s just a couple more chapters till we see rafey poo. also, p.s.s i take my last a/n back, this job is sooo stressful i am dying pls help