Rafes words of dropping Lila off at the bone fire didn't fall through when he didn't show up back home in time. Lila headed off on her own, in a good distance of walking to clear her head before. That being said, when she did arrive she hadn't expected the amount of people to be there. Apart of her likes it, another wasn't into it.

"Yo, you're not dead?" Kie laughed as she saw her, walking over, "What's up?"

"Hey." Lila said, accepting her hug, "Sorry for being so MIA."

"Nah, it's fine. We were just worried." Kie said, clearly a little tipsy, "I heard your moms are back."

"And own the Cameron house but I don't wanna talk about all that right now." Lila said as she took Kies drink and downed it, "Right now I just wanna get drunk and pray I don't fall in a fire."

"Fine by me." Kie laughed as Lila gave a minor whoop into the air, gaining the attention of a certain blonde a few feet away. Lila headed over, accepting the red solo cup from, what look like, a Kook. She hummed, giving her a grin as she turned and looked for any sight of one of her friends.

"Did you finally hop off of Rafes dick long enough?" the familiar tone made her smirk, look over and see JJ walking her way, "Don't let me interrupt or anything if you're still going at it."

"JJ." Lila stated as she tilted her head at him, a grin across her lips, "It's been twenty four hours. Did you miss me?"

"Nope. Just thought you were smarter then this." he spoke, grabbing his own drink from next to her. Lilas smile fell as she turned her head right again, a faint red tint of embarrassment across her lips, "But I was wrong, wasn't I?"

Lila turned her head to meet his eye, a minor shake of her head, "It's not what you're thinking."

"It's not?" the blonde boy hummed, switching their drinks to hold hers and she to have his, "You smell like him."

Lila blinked as JJ walked past her, bumping her shoulder. Lila huffed as she turned, going to follow before her name being thrown in the air caught her attention.

"Lila!" Kelce announced as he walked over, "I was wondering where you've been."

Kelce high fived Lila as she gave a minor grin, "Whats up, Kelce?"

"Nothing much." Kelce shook his head, the pair switching positions so she was standing where he was and he was standing where she'd been. Lila did it in hopes of searching for JJ over his shoulder, "I heard you're staying with Rafe. What's going on there?"

"What?" Lila asked, glancing around, "Nothing. He just lost his dad, i'm just trying to be there for him."

"That's all?" Kelce gave her a smirk, "Nothing special happening? You're just living in his house, being there for him."

Lila found JJ behind Kelces shoulder, leaning on the wall while he spoke to a girl infront of him. Lila couldn't see her face, but she had gorgeous hair, long legs, and a great ass. Her attention lingered for a moment before she looked at Kelce, "Kelce, nothing like that is happening with Rafe."

"Not anymore, you mean." he pointed out with a laugh, "That's too bad. You're good for him, you know."

Lila hummed as she sipped her drink, "Maybe so. But he wasn't that good for me, you know?"

"Yeah, I get it." Kelce nodded, "I hope you guys work through it though."

Lila nodded, "Maybe, I don't know yet. He's gotta lot of growth to get through first."

Kelce bumped his fist with hers, "Look, don't be a stranger, Lila."

The blonde gave a grin, "Let's go golfing or something."

"Yeah, let's do it." he nodded, giving her a nudge of his shoulder before walking past her. Lila waited until he was gone to turn her eyes back over toward JJ. Crowds of people were swarmed before her now, crowding together and talking to their own partners. Lila moved through them slightly, attempting to find the boy and explain herself better if he'd give her a chance.

Though he didn't, not when she made it through the crowd and her eyes setting on him and the unknown girl making out against the wall. Lila rose her eyebrows, watching them from a few feet away from a second. She stood for two seconds before JJ's eyes opened, his lips still on the girls mouth and moving at a good rhythm, but his eyes setting on Lila. She didn't break eye contact with him, even when he deeper his kiss with the girl and eyed Lila the whole time.

The blonde girl broke the eye contact as she blinked, turning and walking away in no time. Her eyes found Topper and John B argued, Sarah in the middle and clearly taking some anger out on John B. Lila gave a amusing laugh as she walked over, watching her friends argue back and forth.

"Hey! Hey! She don't want you anymore, bro." Kelce suddenly got in the middle and all up in John B's face.

"Shut the hell up." John B glared at him.

"What you gonna do, John B? Kill me like you killed Sheriff Peterkin?" Kelce laughed at him, John B swinging around and knocking Kelce in the face.

"That golfing trip is so canceled, man." Lila said as she looked down at him, dumping her drink on his face. Topper lunged for John B, taking him down on the ground suddenly. The girl John B was with suddenly shoved Sarah, knocking her off the small ledge as she landed.

"Move, bitch. What's your problem?" Kie asked as she shoved the girl.

"Hey, what the hell?" she asked. Lila pushed through the group of people and suddenly shoved the girl harshly , "What? What?"

"Don't you push her again." Lila said as she shoved her once more.

"What are you gonna do about it? Call your Kook boyfriend on me?" she mocked. Lila lunged for her, taking her down to the ground quickly.

"Yo, Lila!" Kie hollered as she helped Sarah up.

"Don't make me burn your ass, bitch." Lila threaded as she hit the girl in the face, the brunettes hand coming up and pulled Lilas hair until her head hit the concrete. Lila gave a groan of pain, grabbing her wrist suddenly and bending it harshly. The girl yelped as Lila used her other hand to hit her in the face.

"Okay, okay, enough, enough." Pope called as he hurried over, pulling Lila off, "Shes had enough, you won."

"Put your hands on my friends or mock me again!" Lila hollered at the girl as she stood up, her nose bleeding as she looked over at Lila, "I'll burn your ass!"

JJ and John B were running close after, Kie joining in as the five hurried off.

"Dude, you're insane." John B laughed as he looked over at Lila in the front seat, "You completely attacked her."

"With the way she was running her mouth? Had it coming." Lila rolled her eyes, the cold beer resting on her face were the girl hit it on the ground, "You can do so much better."

"That wasn't really anything." he waved it off, "Definitely not after that."

Lila cracked a grin as she popped the beer can open.

"That's was completely unexpected." JJ burped as he leaned on the van.

"Was it?" Kie asked.

"Hey, maybe she'll come around." JJ spoke as he looked over at John B's faint look of sadness. JJ glanced at Lila as she messed with her blooded up knuckles.

"It's like everything that happened to us didn't matter." John B spoke quietly as he held the beer can to his face.

"Hey, it did matter." Lila nudged him, "What you guys have is real and you're good for each other. You can't just let that go, man."

John B looked over at her, "Let's go back home."

"Yes." Pope agreed.

"Y'all, yall." Lila said as she dropped her hot dog and stood to her feet, "I have a very important announcement."

"Oh no." Pope shook his head.

"I'm still a little drunk right now so if it makes no sense, do not question me on it because I will either cry or try to throw you into this fire." Lila cleared her throat behind the chateau, standing infront of the small fire.

"Oh no." Pope repeated. Lila climbed up onto one of the logs of wood, handing her cup to Kie as she sighed loudly, "Here it goes."

"So, I know I left you guys for, like, a whole day." Lila said as she rocked slightly on her heels, "And that wasn't cool of me. Especially because I said i'd be back soon but ended up staying the night and all that. So... I guess i'm just saying i'm sorry-"

"Lila, it's fine." Kie shook her head.

"No, Kie, it's not fine." the blonde shook her head, "I abandoned all of you for Rafe and that was such a dick move. But then my moms showed up, now own the Cameron house, told me Shoupe is my dad-"

"What?" they all asked on sync.

"Shh, this is my moment." Lila scolded each of them, the fire lighting up her dark eyes to illuminate in a orange color, "Rafe was really different yesterday and I just don't know what took a hold of me. You guys were right, I act different and latch on whenever he's around. And i'm just really sorry about that."

Pope looked toward JJ for his reaction.

"I guess I just worry about him. Like, I know he's mentally and physically hurt all of us so many times but I know this behavior. I've seen it before and I didn't do anything about it so now I just feel guilty." Lila said as she climbed off the log and sat down with a bite of the inside of her mouth, "I haven't told you guys everything about my past."

"You're kinda a open book." Kie laughed, "I'm sure we know."

"Guys." Pope warned.

"You know? You told Pope?" JJ suddenly asked.

"Just a part. Just let her talk." Pope shook his head.

Lila crossed her legs as she bit the inside of her mouth, "So, I had this brother. Logan. And he had a mental disorder that caused him to act out, talk to himself, have all these bad thoughts, sometimes hear voices, cause a lot of pain physically and mentally. He was really messed up and he needed help but me or anyone else did nothing for him, didn't get him help. We just pushed it to the side and said he was a different kid, that he'd grow out of it."

Kie reached over wnd grabbed Lilas hand.

"Why didn't you tell us?" John B asked with a sad smile, "You know we wouldn't judge."

"Because this next part is all my fault." Lila shook her head as he stared over at her, "When I turned sixteen, my moms got me this really shitty car but I loved it, you know? I had two friends, that was it and I didn't even know them well. Logan said that we could take it out for a spin so we did. I barley passed my test and I was so distracted that I didn't think to turn my head lights on."

"Lila, you don't have to-" Pope began, seeing the way her eyes glossed in the slightest.

"A truck hit us, it was impossible to see the the dark. One of my friends died, Logan died, and the other moved away. I killed my brother and one of my friends because I was too stupid to think about some freaking head lights." Lila shook her head as she blinked, a tear dripping down her face. Kie laid her head on Lilas shoulders, "And now I just hold so much guilt for it. And when I met Rafe, I thought that maybe I could help him on my own, you know? Maybe it would help but I was wrong and now I feel horrible. I keep ignoring when people have something wrong with them and using excuses to try and justify it and that is so wrong of me."

"It isn't your responsibility." John B spoke her way, "You're only seventeen, you can't carry everyone's baggage around."

"No, but I can at least be a good enough person to point them in the right direction for their sake." Lila sighed as she shook her head slightly, "So now, when I go to Rafe it isn't to betray any of you, or make you think i'm leaving, or turning into how I was this summer. I just am trying to help in the best way I can without having to add more violence to the situation."

Kie hugged Lila, "I hate that you're a good person."

The four laughed slightly.

"Hey." Pope said as he nudged Lilas knee, "You can tell us anything, you know."

"I know." Lila smiled, "Anyways, i'm gonna go get a drink though."

John B nudged her leg as she walked by, "Hey, you're family, you know that? You know it's not your fault what happened and that we love you?"

"We do love you." Kie agreed.

"So much." Pope agreed.

Lila smiled, "I love you guys too."

And she did love them, all of them more then she loved anything else.

JJ waited a second before he followed after her, heading inside of the chateau. John B stalked up on orange fanta for Lila when he got back, it being her favorite and to add just a shot of vodka to it. He walked over to the bar she'd been at, turning to lean on it but her side, "Will you make me one?"

"Yeah." Lila hummed. JJ huffed, grabbing her hands, "You just said to make you-"

"I know, I had to say something while thinking about what else to say." he shook his head with a minor grin. Lila had to give one back out of habit, "How come you didn't tell me about your brother?"

"Didn't want you to think I was a murderer." she said back with a shrug, "Plus, I don't want it to seem like i'm just making excuses to be around Rafe."

JJ gave a guilty look, "That's probably my fault. I always get mad at you for it."

"You have every right to get mad." Lila shook her head at him, "After all the shit he did to you, to all of us? Even I get mad at myself. But sometimes when I say the right things or can be on his level, he chills out a little. If I can get right there long enough, he'll take my advice on the hospital tamplets."

"But what if he doesn't? What if he gets in your head again?" JJ voiced his words to her, "I know you think you have it in control but it's not you, it's him."

"I know that." Lila nodded, "But what happens if I don't at least try?"

"You don't get hurt again." JJ said back with a wild look across his face.

Lila grabbed his shoulders, "It's so close, JJ. He's having a break through with Ward gone now. Just a little bit more and I can get through to him. Do you trust me?"

JJ didn't say anything a second, "Of course I do."

"And it's not what you were thinking either." Lila shook her head as she let his arms go and backed up a little, "Last night, with Rafe. Nothing happened."

JJ blinked suddenly, "It didn't?"

"No, it didn't." she repeated herself with a shake of her head, "I don't w-

She stopped when John B shouted from outside, "Lila! JJ! Come here!"

The pair shared a worried look before running through the chateau, hurrying outside in no time. As they did, a man stood out there

"Is that the guy from Popes interview?" Lila whispered.

"Renfield. He's after the gold." JJ whispered as they walked down, standing close to their friends.

"Look, I, uh... I don't hold a grudge with any of y'all, all right?" he spoke, hands in the air before they dropped, "But this can go hard or this can go easy. You know what i'm here for. Let me give you a little demonstration. You see that swing?"

He pointed to the swing behind JJ with a nod, "I got the best bow hunters in the Army Rangers with me."

Suddenly, a arrow flew through the air and landed on the swing right by there heads, "Now, they're out there. They'll stick you just as soon as I say so."

JJ stepped forward, a arrow flying and landed between his feet. Lila threw a arm across his chest and pushed him behind her some, watching Renfield closely.

"Now, i'm not gonna give you a countdown or any of that bullshit like that. I'm just gonna whistle." he spoke sternly, standing infront of Pope. The boy hesitated before digging in his pocket, and holding it in his hands.

"This key belong to my family." Pope stated.

"I'm losing my patience with you, Pope." Renfield laughed suddenly. Pope sighed as he handed it over, "Did the right thing, kid. Knowing when you don't have a choice is an under appreciated talent. You be safe."

Renfield nodded at Lila and JJ, "Easy there."

"I am so sick of this shit." Pope mumbled when he walked off, clearly hurt by having his families key taken from him.

"Pope." Lila called out as he turned away and hurried off. She looked back at her friends, "What the hell did I miss?"

"A lot." John B said as he lead her elsewhere to catch her up.

•

kylie speaks

long chapters but the
way lila is so certain
she is about to make a
break through with rafe
and get him some help
bc he had one good day
but he's about to go
nuts again is gonna hurt
so y'all prepare yourselves.