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❝ there's no place like home ❞
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𝘚𝘺𝘭𝘷𝘪𝘦'𝘴 𝘗𝘖𝘝

"Stop hogging it" JJ scolds me, plucking the blunt from my fingers and I turn my head to grin at him over my shoulder.

From my place sat between his legs I lay back against his chest and he wraps his arms around me, pressing a kiss to my nose. We're distracted by a knock on the window and I turn to see Kiara, my grin only widening.

"It's open, Kie!" JJ hollers, taking a hit from the blunt.

I watch as the girl pushes the window open, climbing into the room with us and I beckon her over, holding my arms out for a hug. She raises a brow, glancing at JJ and I reach over to her, tugging her down clumsily. We both tumble onto the bed, my back hitting JJ's thighs and Kiara falling on top of me.

There's a split silence in which we all share a look before the three of us burst into a fit of laughter and Kiara rolls off me, accepting the blunt that JJ offers her.

"What's with the sign out front?" Kiara finally speaks up as I tug down the skirt of my yellow sundress that has ridden up my thighs.

"Eviction notice. For, like, nonpayment or whatever" JJ supplies, acting nonchalant with a shrug "Doesn't matter. This place sucks anyway"

"There's no place like home, right?" I hum sarcastically, causing my loves to nod in agreement.

"Jar" They both say in unison, making us laugh.

"Oh, my God. That feels like another life" I breathe out in awe and Kiara offers me the blunt which I accept, inhaling the drug deeply.

"It was another life" Kiara counters thoughtfully.

"Well, sorry to disappoint but I'm completely broke and homeless so I don't have a dollar for the jar" I sass them, JJ shaking his head at me while Kiara snorts in amusement.

"So get this. I, uh, had an email waiting for me when I got home" Kiara tells us as I pass the blunt to JJ "John B actually found Big John. He's alive"

"Seriously?" JJ gapes and I can imagine my shock looks similar.

"No fucking way" I scoff in disbelief.

"Yeah. He's at the Chateau" She grins widely and my lips tug up to mirror hers.

"Damn" JJ chuckles, his eyes lighting up at the news.

"Yeah, he thinks we're close to the same treasure Singh was talking about" Kiara informs.

"We're back in the G game, baby!" JJ whoops loudly, grabbing my shoulders and shaking me as I giggle happily.

I shuffle to sit up a little, laying my head back on JJ's chest and Kiara lies down with me, setting her chin on my thigh.

"How did things go at your house?" JJ asks the girl as I play with her hair, coiling a curl around my finger.

"My parents didn't even wanna let me out of the house, but I told them I had to come check on you two" Kiara admits, looking up at us and I notice the slight concern in her gaze.

"You don't have to worry about us, Kie" I try to assure her.

"Yeah, we'll be fine" JJ adds.

"I just hate that my parents won't let you stay with us. It's not fair at all" The dark haired girl complains begrudgingly.

"Life's not fair" JJ counters and she sticks her tongue out at him, making me laugh softly.

The sound of a phone chiming causes JJ and I to look at Kiara who pulls her new phone from the back pocket of her shorts, unlocking it to see the message.

"Who's that?" I wonder aloud.

"It's from Sarah. She wants us to meet her asap" Kiara answers, looking from her phone to us.

"Come on then" I huff out, patting JJ's chest.

We drag ourselves from the bed, JJ and I throwing on our shoes as we dash out the door to meet my sister at her location she has shared with Kiara. When we reach the dock I spot Sarah stood with a duffle bag over her shoulder and another at her feet.

"You good, barbie?" I call out and she snaps out her daze, noticing us approach her.

"Yeah, I'm good" She nods reassuringly "So I went back to grab clothes and a phone, and you're not gonna believe this"

"Try me" JJ comments.

"Rafe is back" Sarah declares and we all look at her in disbelief "Yeah. I saw him at the house"

"What happened?" I question in concern.

"I don't think he saw me, but I think the cross is coming back to Wilmington tomorrow night" She tells us.

"What?" Kiara snaps in surprise.

"Yeah" Sarah replies shortly.

"Does Pope know this?" JJ asks curiously.

"No. I was gonna tell him at the Chateau" Sarah answers with a shake of her head.

"He can't. He's on lockdown" Kiara informs my sister.

"Okay. Um..." Sarah drawls off, trying to come up with a plan "Then... I'll hit up Pope, and then maybe you guys go to the Chateau and tell John B"

"Yeah, we can do that" I agree.

"Okay. My parents are gonna kill me" Kiara mutters under her breath and JJ pats her shoulder sympathetically.

Sarah picks up the baby blue duffle bag at her feet and opens the side pocket, pulling out a phone and offering both items to me.

"This phone is for you and I grabbed a bunch of your things. I wasn't sure what you wanted so it's mostly clothes" My sister explains as I take them from her.

"Oh my God. Thank you, Sar" I breathe out, wrapping her in a quick hug.

I pocket the phone and JJ takes the duffle bag from my hands as we say goodbye to Sarah before heading over to the chateau in search of John B. Our plan is quickly halted when we arrive at the chateau to find it empty, no John B in sight.