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❝ i wanna hear you say it  ❞
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𝘚𝘺𝘭𝘷𝘪𝘦'𝘴 𝘗𝘖𝘝

"Look, he'll come around, all right? It's...He's doing a JJ thing" John B shrugs as we sit inside the Wreck.

"You think he'll go home?" Kiara asks and I frown, worry bubbling in my gut.

"There's about a zero percent chance that JJ goes home" Pope scoffs.

"I hope he's okay" I mumble and Kiara puts her hand on my shoulder comfortingly.

"You okay?" John B asks Sarah.

"Yeah" She nods "Are you?"

"I mean, I'm in one piece, so..." The brunette drawls off.

"Okay. It's too dangerous to pawn this thing off piecemeal. So our best bet is to go down there and get the rest of it. Bring it all up at once. Put it in- in a safe or a vault or something. I- I don't know. Just until we can find someone who won't rip us off" Pope explains to us "I can figure it out tonight, get it done, and we can be out there early tomorrow morning"

"All right, let's do it" John B agrees.

"What about that thing with my dad?" Sarah asks and my heart drops.

"Shit" John B curses.

"What thing?" Pope asks.

"I have to go fishing with Ward" John B admits.

"You can't get 400 mil cause you're gonna go kill fish?" Kiara asks sarcastically and I snort.

"Look, I have to go" John B states.

"Blow it off" I tell him seriously "I got a bad feeling about it anyways"

"It's 400 million in gold!" Pope exclaims.

"Make something up!" Kiara agrees.

"Look, I- I have to, okay?" John B huffs "He- he saved me, all right? If it weren't for Ward, I'd be in foster care. So...I have to go"

Kiara huffs in irritation and Pope hesitates unsurely but nods eventually while I roll my eyes, pushing down the worry swirling in my stomach.

"Fine. Fine, go fishing" Pope groans.

"And at least JJ will probably have washed up by then" Kiara adds.

"But be careful, Johnny. I really got a weird vibe about this fishing trip" I explain and the brunette nods.

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"Where is everyone?" Kiara asks me as we sit by my pool.

She has decided to stay with me to stop me from going after JJ who is clearly not in the mood to be around people right now.

"My father is on the mainland with Rose for the day, Wheezie is staying at a friend's house, Sarah is with Johnny and my dad kicked Rafe out" I explain, kicking my feet in the water.

"He kicked Rafe out? Like, for good?" Kiara asks in surprise and I nod.

"Once I'm eighteen, he'll kick me out too" I state, pushing my sunglasses up onto my head.

"You don't know that" Kiara frowns.

"I do. He hates me more than he hates Rafe" I chuckle, shaking my head.

"Has he...Has he told you that?" She asks me hesitantly.

"Yup. At least once a week since I was a child. He's never let me forget that I'm the least favourite child" I answer, watching the water ripple as I move my feet.

"That's horrible, lovie" She gasps, grabbing my hand.

"Kie, there's a reason Rafe calls me runt" I tell her in amusement.

"I knew your family was full of assholes, but I didn't think it was this bad" She responds.

"I don't like to talk about it" I shrug.

"Unless it's JJ you're talking to" Kiara mumbles under her breath but I hear it.

"Kie" I frown, nudging her arm with my own.

"I'm just being honest, Sylvie. We dated for months and we've been best friends for years yet JJ Maybank knows more about your home life than I do. Don't you trust me? Is it something I'm doing wrong? I just don't understand" She rants vulnerably and I sigh, grabbing her hand tightly.

"I didn't mean to make you feel like I don't trust you, Kie, because I do. I've always preferred to talk to JJ because he understands more than the rest of you ever could. It's not your fault, I'd just rather tell someone who can relate to what I'm going through" I explain to my best friend and she frowns deeply.

"What do you mean by relate? How can JJ understand more than me?" She questions me in confusion.

"I think you already know how" I smile weakly and her eyes glaze over with tears.

"I wanna hear you say it" She says, her voice quiet.

"All those cuts and bruises weren't from fights with assholes like I told you guys they were, they were from Rafe...or sometimes my father" I tell her and a tear runs down her cheek making me feel guilty "I lied because at first I was embarrassed. I mean, who is so much of a loser that their own family beats the shit out of them and makes them feel worthless?"

"It wasn't until JJ came over unexpectedly a few years back that he seen Rafe hit me, he tried to beat the shit outta Rafe but I dragged him to my room and locked the door so he couldn't get out" I recount the day from memory "JJ held me that night when I broke down and told him everything. I couldn't stop crying and I felt so fucking pathetic, but he assured me I wasn't. He promised me I wasn't alone and I felt safe with him"

"After a big fight with his dad one night, JJ crawled in through my bedroom window and I listened as he ranted to me. He came to me because he knew I understood how he felt, that made me feel like I had a safe place" I explain, hating the the way I choke on my words and the lump that forms in my throat.

"I didn't tell the rest of you guys because I didn't really want to worry you all or make you feel like you were obligated to save me. I'm okay with what I've been doing and it's working for me. I don't need to be saved" I assure my best friend.

Kiara wraps her arms around me, pulling me into a tight hug and I let myself ease into her embrace, feeling safe and secure in her hold.

"I'm not giving you my pity because I know you hate that shit and I know you won't talk to me about this again, but I fucking love you. You're so strong, Sylvie" She tells me and I smile happily.

"I fucking love you too, Kie" I hum.

"Did I miss something?" I hear a voice ask.

Kiara and I pull away from each other and I look behind us to see Pope with a small smile on his face.

"Popey!" I squeal, jumping to my feet "Come sit with us"

"Don't mind if I do" He chirps, looking around with an impressed whistle.

"I have the place to myself for the day. This never happens" I laugh, slipping off my shorts.

I jump into the pool with a squeal and the cool water envelopes my body. My feet touch the bottom of the pool's deep end and I look up through the water to see my friends peering down in the water. I kick off the bottom and resurface, a big smile on my face.

"Come on, guys! Get in" I grin.

Kiara jumps to her feet to take off her shorts while Pope pulls off his shirt and I lay back, floating in the water. They both cannonball into the water and I cover my face with my hands to avoid being splashed in the face.

Pope breaks the surface first, Kiara close behind and I smirk widely, splashing water at them. Pope gasps and Kiara squeals in surprise, causing me to giggle loudly at the looks on their faces.

"Oh, you are in for it, Vie" Pope chuckles.

"You've gotta catch me first" I retort, swimming away.

"Get back here!" Kiara laughs.