A Chapter| Chapter Twenty-Three

"How the hell does this even happen?" Lila asked after the trio told Lila about John B taking off to Wards after finding out Ward killed his dad.

"My question exactly." JJ spoke as the two held onto the side of the boat for balance.

"What now? We just go up to the front door and ask 'Hey, have you seen John B'?" JJ spoke up as they stopped the boat quickly.

"Look, he lives at Tannyhill now. It's plausible." Kie spoke as she looked back at the three.

"Well so do I, it would be a lot easier if I just go up there and look. I've got a key." Lila said as she held up the key to the Cameron's house around her neck.

"It's pretty late." Pope said as with a knowing look, "Besides, wouldn't that be suspicious for you just to roam the house when Rafes not there?"

"Look, i've never seen John B like that. We should honestly be going to the cops." Kie said as Lila gave her a insane look.

"Are you a idiot? The cops will arrest him and put him away for life with the background he has. Rich people like Ward Cameron don't sit in jail, guys like John B from the cut do." Lila spoke with a huff as Kie looked at her, "Besides... ACAB."

"And say what, Kie? We're worried about our friend because he's on a rampage because Ward killed Big John? Like, they're not gonna believe it!" JJ took Lilas side, not coming to a shock to any of them as Pope grabbed the binoculars.

"Hey, I see Ward." Pope said as the three looked over.

"Doesn't look dead to me. Let's go home." Pope said as he huffed and gave the binoculars to Kie.

"Do you see Rafe?" Lila asked, not hearing anything from him since the pill thing yesterday.

"Rafe?" Kie asked with a odd look.

"Yeah, we were suppose to meet up last night to watch ghost documentaries... he never showed." Lila said with a frown as she looked around the property for any sign of her boyfriend.

"Obviously Mr.Cameron is fine and even if John B was here, he isn't now, okay?" Pope asked annoyed, clearly just wanting to go home.

"Plus, I have the biggest, most important moment of my life in six hours." Pope added in as Kie scoffed and looked at him in disbelief.

"Yeah, well our friend is in trouble." Kie snapped at him.

"I'm in trouble! Guys, I haven't been home in three days. My dad's probably putting my shit on the street by now." Pope said as he looked down, not wanting to meet Kie's eye.

"Okay, so thats it? In a time of need, you're just gonna bail? You're just gonna walk away?" Kie asked him with a look of disbelief while throwing her hands up, JJ and Lila stayed quiet a few feet away from the two.

"Okay, yo, guys, can we not do this right now?" JJ asked as he pulled his backwards hat off before putting it back on.

"Look, lets just bring Pope home so he can get ready for his interview and then we'll go look for John B." Lila said as she tried to reason with the two.

"We don't have time for that! What about, John B?" Kie snapped at her before looking back at Pope. Lila sighed as she got out of the boat and onto the dock with a sigh, knowing whatever she said or did Kie would always have something to say about it if it wasn't something she wanted to hear.

"Why's it always about John B?" Pope shot back at her, jealousy and annoyance in his voice.

"It's not always about John B. You're so stupid! It would be any of you in this situation!" Kie yelled at him, motioning to the three before her.

"Oh, bullshit!"

"This is about friendship!"

"Bring it down."

"Both of you are just wasting time here."

"This is about Pogues for Life!" Kie said loudly, clearly worked up over the topic.

"What about forensic pathology, huh?"

"Forensic pathology-"

"Yeah, that's my life! That's what i've worked for!"

"That's your priority?"

"Stop the moral high ground bullshit!"

"Don't talk to her like that, Pope." Lila snapped at the lanky boy quickly after he got into Kies face.

"No, no, she has no room to talk. Where were you when Big John went missing? You weren't there. You weren't there for John B. You weren't there for any of us. Remember your Kook year?-" Pope began, not being able to stop himself as Lila listening closely, not knowing any of this.

"Dude." JJ said, feeling it getting slowly out of hand.

"Yeah, you forgot about us. Now you feel guilty." Pope said as he got closer to Kie with a glare.

"Give me a break!" she yelled at him, pushing the dark boy away from her.

"Hey!" JJ yelled as he tried to break the two up, yelling over Kies hurtful words she was throwing back at Pope.

"Cut it out alright? If i'm the one mediating, we've hit rock bottom. Bow, now! Go!" JJ said as he got between his two friends, making Pope walk the other way.

"That was eventful." Lila said with a eye roll.

"Shut up, Lila." Kie said to her as Lila hummed.

"I'll shut up when everyone gets their heads on straight and we're all safe again." Lila said annoyed as she adjusted the bandana on her head and stepped back onto the boat.

"Pope, i'll drop you off." JJ said as he started the boat up again, looking back at Lila to make sure she didn't want off, didn't want to go back home. With a shake of her head he nodded and speed off.

"Rafe?" Lila asked as she walked into the house he'd been staying at, watching him pace around with money in his hand. There were bottles everywhere, drugs and even her own pills mixed in.

"Lila, hey." Rafe smile, sniffling as he saw her while putting the money on the table.

"What's going on? Why didn't you come see me last night?" the blonde asked as she put her bag down, watching his dilated eyes stare down at her as he stumbled on his feet.

"I-jesus. I'm sorry, I guess I just- I don't know, forgot." he said as Lila stared at him, seeming like she was judging him when she was actually worried, "Things have just been really messed up lately."

"I know, I'm sorry, I know I need to be here for you more." Lila apologized, feeling guilty for her absence from Rafe recently.

"I just-i'm getting my shit together, right? For us! For you, all for you, right? We-we can be good, you know? I can do business again and get us somewhere good, somewhere good, yeah. I'm getting it together, just- just taking a little time." Rafe spoke in a odd way, stumbling over his words in the slightest as he talked out of his head. Lila knew this, she'd heard it so many times by now.

"I know." she lied while rubbing his back.

"Come on, you need to shower and take a nap... i'll clean all this up." Lila said with a sad smile, helping Rafe stand as she kissed his forehead while leading him off toward the bedroom before coming back and throwing away the dozens and dozens of empty bottles.

••••••
i've gotten a couple comments talking about how lila has changed from the beginning of this book and that's what i was WANTING to show btw... it's not bc i'm being unprofessional but a lot has changed in her life and being stuck in such a toxic relationship with rafe has done a toll on her which has made her different!

also i'm so fucking sorry this took so long and is so short, i've been binging harry potter but i'm done down so i should be back on my updates soon!