┌──❀*̥˚───❀*̥˚─┐

└───❀*̥˚───❀*̥˚┘

She held out the FedEx envelope through the hole, hearing Pope’s disappointed voice: “That’s not gold.”

Cali landed on her feet gracefully, dusting off her shorts before turning her attention to the FedEx envelope now in John B’s hands. Written across it in bold, uneven handwriting were the words: For Bird.

JJ wandered off slightly, lighting a blunt, while John B stared at the envelope, stunned. “Holy shit,” John B breathed. “This is from my dad.”

Cali raised an eyebrow, a small smile forming on her face as John B looked at her with a mixture of gratitude and disbelief. “Thank y—”

“Code red! Code red! Square groupers! Square groupers!” JJ’s alarmed voice cut him off as he darted back toward the group, waving his arms frantically.

“Are those the same guys from before?” Cali asked, her tone shaky as they all scattered behind the mausoleum. She stumbled, almost falling, but JJ’s arm shot out, his hand gripping her waist to steady her.

They all hurried to turn off their flashlights. “John B, your light!” Kiara hissed in a sharp whisper.

“Shhh,” Cali shushed them as she leaned against JJ, peering around the edge of the mausoleum to catch a glimpse of the approaching vehicle.

JJ stiffened as her breath brushed against his ear, the warmth sending an involuntary shiver down his spine. He swore he could feel her rapid heartbeat through his back, matching the pounding in his chest.

Kiara’s voice broke his thoughts. “Is that them?” she asked, her tone nervous.

JJ shook his head quickly, clearing his mind, before focusing on the figures ahead. “Homies got a gun,” he muttered grimly.

Cali backed away from him, and JJ almost protested, but he stopped himself, thinking, What the fuck, JJ?

“Oh, hell no. Not again,” Cali muttered, suddenly bolting toward the cemetery fence. She wasn’t about to stick around and play hide-and-seek with these guys again. She heard pounding footsteps behind her, a clear sign the others had decided to follow suit.

She jumped the fence with ease, landing in one fluid motion. Or so she thought.

From behind her, Pope’s voice rang out in a loud whisper. “Guys! Guys! I’m stuck!”

Cali skidded to a halt, as did the others. Kiara rushed back to help, tugging on Pope’s arm, while JJ pulled out his gun, aiming it toward Pope. “Pope, don’t move, okay?”

“What the fuck, JJ!?” Cali hissed, grabbing his arm and yanking it down.

“What? I was gonna help him!” JJ said, feigning offense, though the grin tugging at his lips gave him away.

Cali shook her head, muttering under her breath, as she dragged him toward John B’s truck. Behind them, Pope finally managed to free himself from the fence, landing with a thud.

When Cali turned back, her eyes fell on Pope, now clad in white boxers, his pants snagged and torn. She burst out laughing, doubled over as JJ’s teasing voice chimed in beside her: “It’s a little Tootsie Roll!”

As the group piled into the truck, Cali helped Kiara climb in, both of them still laughing as John B revved the engine and drove off.

────୨ৎ────

Back at the Chateau

Cali sat quietly in the corner of John B’s living room, watching with a mix of concern and disgust as JJ smeared jam onto a piece of moldy bread.

She opened her mouth to say something, but Pope beat her to it, his tone casual. “That bread had mold on it three days ago.”

“I’ll just pull the bad parts off,” JJ replied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. He finished his creation with a triumphant grin. “Plus, mold’s good for you. It’s a natural organism.”

As he took a bite, his face twisted in horror. He gagged, spitting the bread out immediately. Cali wrinkled her nose, the disgust plain on her face.

Still sitting in the corner, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she didn’t belong here. Watching John B open the envelope felt too personal, like she was intruding on something sacred.

Just as she was about to excuse herself, John B stopped her. “You’re staying,” he insisted firmly, meeting her eyes. “You found the envelope—you deserve to know.”

To her surprise, no one protested. Not even Kiara. That small gesture left Cali feeling something unfamiliar—acceptance.

The sound of rustling paper broke the silence, followed by John B’s astonished voice. “Holy shit.”

JJ glanced at Cali, gesturing with his head for her to come closer. She hesitated, but her curiosity got the better of her. Slowly, she joined the group around the table, standing next to Pope.

For a brief second, JJ's face fell, disappointment flickering in his eyes, but he quickly masked it with a grin as he focused on the map.

“Oh, X marks the spot,” Pope muttered, pointing at a red mark on the map.

“Longitude... latitude...” John B murmured, his finger tracing the lines. Suddenly, he paused. “Wait, there’s something else in here.” He reached back into the envelope, pulling out a small, dusty tape recorder.

“What’s that?” JJ asked, leaning closer.

“It’s a tape recorder, dumbass,” Kiara quipped, rolling her eyes.

Ignoring the banter, John B pressed play, and the crackling sound of a man’s voice filled the room.

“Dear Bird,” the voice began, weathered and faintly trembling.

“Who’s Bird?” JJ asked again, his curiosity getting the better of him.

Cali reached over Pope to smack JJ lightly on the back of his head. “Seriously?”

JJ shot her a mock-offended look, rubbing the spot she’d hit, but his grin quickly returned.

John B didn’t even glance up as he answered, his voice soft and filled with emotion. “That’s what my dad used to call me.”

The room fell silent. Everyone’s attention was locked on the recorder filling the air with the voice of a man long thought lost

────୨ৎ────

Cali sat on the hammock outside the chateau, the soft creak of the ropes breaking the quiet stillness of the night. She’d slipped out quietly when things inside had gotten too personal, too heavy.

She didn’t do emotions—not her thing. She didn’t know how to sit there and offer comforting words. And when she couldn’t handle it, she removed herself. It was her go-to move.

The hammock swayed gently as the salty breeze rustled the nearby trees. Cali stared up at the stars, her mind drifting, when the faint sound of footsteps on the porch pulled her back to reality.

“Guess we’re playing hide-and-seek now, huh?” JJ’s voice broke the silence, light and teasing as always.

Cali glanced over her shoulder to see him standing there, hands shoved into his pockets, the faint glow of a cigarette tucked behind his ear. Before she could respond, he plopped down beside her, making the hammock sway wildly.

She shot him an annoyed look, gripping the edges to steady herself. “You’re gonna tip us over, dumbass.”

JJ smirked, leaning back comfortably, his weight making the hammock dip further. “So... what’s up with you, Calz?” His tone was casual, but the glance he gave her was sharper, like he was trying to read her. “You just peaced out in there. Gotta say, pretty stealthy for a Kook.”

Cali exhaled sharply, debating whether or not to answer. But the way he sat there, relaxed but expectant, made it feel less like pressure and more like... curiosity.

“I felt like an intruder,” she admitted finally, her voice quiet. “I don’t know. Everyone in there—they’re so close. And I just... I didn’t belong.”

JJ tilted his head, his grin fading slightly. “Intruder, huh?” He flicked the cigarette from behind his ear and twirled it between his fingers. “I hate to break it to you, but you’re one of us now, Calz.”

She let out a short laugh, shaking her head. “Yeah, sure.”

“I’m serious,” he said, his tone lighter now, a teasing lilt creeping back in. “I mean, come on—almost dying together? That’s, like, the ultimate bonding experience. You’re basically family now.”

Cali glanced at him, surprised by the sincerity hiding behind his playful words. “Family, huh?”

“Yep,” JJ said with a crooked grin, popping the ‘p.’ “The dysfunctional, trouble-making, always-running-for-our-lives kind. But family’s family.”

For the first time that night, Cali smiled—a real, unguarded smile. “You’re so weird, you know that?”

“Yeah, but I grow on you,” JJ quipped, leaning back further. “Like mold. It’s natural, remember?”

She laughed softly, and for a moment, the awkwardness melted away. Sitting there under the stars with JJ felt... okay. Maybe even good.

.....

The Pogues were sprawled across the deck, the cool night air carrying the faint scent of saltwater. Cali sat on the ground, her back leaning against the wooden railing, while JJ balanced precariously on top of it, his legs swinging casually over the edge. John B was sitting slightly apart, a beer dangling loosely in his hand. Kie strummed her guitar absentmindedly, the soft notes blending with the gentle lapping of the water below. Pope, ever practical, had claimed the one sturdy chair, looking as though he were preparing for a debate.

Before Cali slipped out of the room, she pieced together the story that had been unfolding around her. John B’s dad—or Big John, as they all called him—had been searching for something legendary: the Royal Merchant.

She’d heard about it before, in passing, but never thought much of it. Said to be one of the most famous and elusive shipwrecks in history, the Royal Merchant was rumored to hold $400 million worth of gold in its belly. It was the kind of treasure people dreamed about but never actually found.

That’s what Big John had been chasing when he’d gone “missing.” It wasn’t just some wild obsession—it was a calculated mission, and now John B was following in his footsteps.

And supposedly, this “X” on the map they’d uncovered marked the spot where the Royal Merchant—and its gold—rested.

JJ let out an exaggerated sigh, straightening up on the railing. “All right, let’s talk the split,” he began, his tone mock-serious. “Now, before we say ‘evenly,’ may I remind you all that I am the only one here who can properly defend us from those groupers who were after us. Protection?” He paused for dramatic effect. “Not cheap, okay?”

Cali didn’t even look up, her voice dry. “You can’t even use it properly.”

Pope chuckled, leaning forward in his chair. “She’s right. You haven’t trained. You’ve done zero training.”

JJ held up a finger, undeterred. “YouTube, bro!” he declared triumphantly. “That’s at least a five percent bump right there.”

“You haven’t—” Pope started, but JJ steamrolled ahead, ignoring him.

“Any objections? Didn’t think so,” JJ said, smirking as he looked around the group, clearly enjoying his self-appointed authority.

Pope raised his hand immediately, joined by Kie and Cali. “Yeah, we do,” Pope said flatly.

JJ glanced at them, unbothered. “I don’t hear any objections, so...”

Cali rolled her eyes, crossing her arms. “I’m not taking any of it, so you can cut me out of this whole ‘split’ discussion.”

JJ froze mid-smirk and leaned forward, squinting at her. “Wait, wait, wait—you’re just not gonna take a hundred mil? Are you nuts?”

“I don’t need it,” Cali said, her voice nonchalant as she leaned her head back against the railing.

JJ tilted his head, clearly not satisfied. “Okay, fine. But if you took it—what would you do?”

“JJ, let it go,” Kie interjected, strumming her guitar.

But JJ ignored her, sliding down from the railing to sit beside Cali on the deck. “Nope, not letting it go. Spill, Calz. What’s your big one-hundred-mil dream? Fancy house? Yacht? A lifetime supply of... whatever Kooks buy?”

Cali sighed, her fingers instinctively finding the bracelet on her wrist. She twisted it absently as she stared at the water, her voice softer now. “I’d travel,” she said after a moment. “See the world.”

JJ blinked, caught off guard by her sincerity. “The world, huh?”

“Yeah,” she said, her tone distant. “I don’t want to stay in OBX forever.”

Her words lingered in the air for a moment, drawing curious glances from Pope and Kie.

“Damn,” JJ said, leaning back on his elbows with a low whistle. “Big dreams, Calz. I can respect that.”

She shot him a small, half-smile, and he grinned back before standing up, letting the moment pass.

“What are you gonna do with your hundred mil, Pope?” Cali asked, shifting the attention away from herself.

Pope straightened up, looking thoughtful. “Pay for college in advance. And also... textbooks. Those are expensive.” His tone was so serious that Cali couldn’t help but smile.

Kie chuckled, plucking at her guitar strings. “What about you, Kie?” JJ asked, his mischievous grin returning. “What does a socialist do when she’s rich?”

Kie smirked, her fingers pausing on the strings. “Just wanna make a double album. About OBX. The Pogues.” She glanced at the group with a warm smile. “You know, the way Catch a Fire is about Kingston. Record it at Marley Studio, Peter Tosh producing.”

Pope snorted “Peter Tosh is dead.”

“Peter Tosh is dead,” Kie echoed without missing a beat, her expression unfazed. “But the spirit of Peter Tosh will never die.”

JJ laughed, leaning back precariously on the railing. “I know what I’ll do,” he announced, his voice brimming with mock enthusiasm. “I’m gonna get a big-ass house on Figure Eight and go full Kook.”

Pope raised an eyebrow. “You’re gonna go full Kook?”

“Yup,” JJ said with a nod. “Gonna get a marble statue of myself. Real classy. And then, I’m gonna get a koi pond. Put a bunch of those fancy fish in there.”

Kie grimaced, shaking her head. “I’m never visiting.”

“What about you, JB?” Cali asked, glancing over at John B, who had been uncharacteristically quiet.

John B took a long sip of his beer, his gaze fixed on the horizon. After a moment of silence, he lifted his bottle with a small, wry smile. “To going full Kook.”

The group erupted into laughter, raising their drinks—or in Cali’s case, an imaginary glass—in response.

“To going full Kook,” they echoed together, their voices overlapping as the sound of their laughter carried over the water.

────୨ৎ────

Water was everywhere.

It pressed against her from all sides, cold and unrelenting, dragging her deeper into its suffocating grip. She couldn’t breathe—her lungs screamed for oxygen, but all that came in was salty water, sharp and burning as it filled her chest.

Panic clawed at her as she thrashed against the pull of the current. Her vision blurred, her body growing heavier with every passing second.

And then she heard it.

A faint whisper, cutting through the murky silence.

“Lily...”

Her heart skipped a beat, the sound igniting a strange, desperate hope. Her eyes stung as she forced them open against the salty water, searching frantically for the source of the voice.

“Lily...” the whisper came again, soft but insistent, wrapping around her like a tether.

Was it real? Or was her mind playing tricks on her?

Her chest ached, her limbs weakening, but she couldn’t stop herself from reaching out, her hand cutting through the darkness as she tried to find whoever—or whatever—was calling her name.

She spun around suddenly, her heart pounding in her chest as the whisper grew louder.

And then she saw them.

Her parents.

They floated in the water, their faces pale and blue, eyes clouded and lifeless. Their lips moved slowly, as if calling to her, but the words were garbled, distorted by the currents.

“Help us, Lily,” her mother’s voice echoed faintly, soft and desperate. Her father’s head tilted unnaturally, his hand reaching out toward her, trembling as if asking for her to come closer.

“No... no, this isn’t real,” Cali whispered, her voice lost in the oppressive silence of the water.

But then she heard it again, clearer this time. A different voice.

“Cali, help me!”

Her blood ran cold as she turned toward the sound. Her brother.

Andro was there now, thrashing against the water’s grip, his face twisted in terror. He was drowning, his hands clawing at the water as if trying to break free.

“Cali!” he shouted again, his voice ripping through her like a knife.

“No! Andro!” she screamed, her voice hoarse as she kicked her legs, trying to swim toward him. The water felt heavier now, like it was fighting to pull her back.

“Cali... Cali...” his voice began to echo, growing louder and louder, overlapping with her parents’ ghostly pleas until it was all she could hear.

“Cali!”

She bolted upright, gasping for air, her lungs burning as if she’d truly been underwater. Her chest heaved as she blinked rapidly, her bedroom slowly coming into focus.

It was a nightmare.

It was a nightmare

She chanted in her head trying to calm herself. Her hand instinctively went to her chest, feeling her racing heartbeat as she tried to ground herself in reality. The salty tang of the ocean still lingered in her mind, the image of her family’s lifeless faces burned into her memory.

She exhaled shakily, brushing the damp strands of hair from her face, her brother’s cries still echoing faintly in her ears.

“Cali, are you awake?” Andro’s voice came from the other side of the door, his tone impatient.

Cali jolted upright, still shaken from the remnants of her nightmare. “Y-yes,” she stammered, her voice unsteady as she tried to calm herself. “Yes, I’m awake.”

“Okay,” Andro replied, his tone softening slightly. “Come downstairs. Sarah’s here.”

Cali froze, her brows furrowing in confusion. Sarah? Why was she here? They hadn’t talked since that party—and even then, things had been... strained.

“Five minutes,” Cali called back, her voice steadier now. “I’ll be down.”

She heard Andro’s footsteps retreating, leaving her alone to collect herself. Taking a deep breath, she swung her legs over the edge of the bed, trying to shake off the uneasy feeling still clinging to her.

・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・

♡˗ˏ✎*ೃ˚ : Nadia speaking : :;

...how are you guys? It's been a while , I'm really sorry for the wait but I'd zero motivation and writers block wouldn't leave me but here we are!!

And JJ and Cali this chapter 😏

So this half episode of obx episode three the other  half will be out soon not right after it of course but I swear I'll try to write Soon! Anyway don't forget to vote and please comment I ADORE your comments and they give sm motivation so don't be a silent reader or else!!

, Love you. Nadia 💋