After school, we quickly rushed back to the Château after finding Kie. Pope read the journal while we all sat around on the porch.

Basically he told the horrible story of the Royal Merchant.

"So it didn't go down off Bermuda." JJ said as he laid on the couch and messed with his lighter, his head in my lap as I sat at the end. "And it was a Limbrey stealing shit again." I added.

"This diary proves that both the gold and the Cross of Santo Domingo were on the Royal Merchant." Pope said. "Why didn't we find any in the well then?" JJ asked. He always had the most pointless questions but also they were kind of question worthy.

"I mean, if Denmark was able to get this, like, bedazzled cross off of the Merchant to shore, why didn't he just hide it with the gold?" JJ explained, sitting up. "Because it was too big." John B replied.

I fought the urge to say that's what she said.

"You're right," Pope agreed with JB. "He has to hide it some place else." "But where?" Kie questioned. "Right before he was hung, Denmark said he'd buried the treasure at the foot of the angel." Pope told us. JJ laid back down on me again.

"Wait, I thought this was about the key." I said. "Right. So what's the connection?" Kie added onto my question.

"The path to the tomb begins in the island room," Pope replied. Whatever the hell that means.

"But what is the island room?" I groaned, throwing my head back, done with this.

"You know what helps me figure shit out?" JJ asked, deciding to sit up once more and this time standing. "Oh boy." Pope said. "Here we go." I sighed. "Smoking beers and drinking weed." JJ told us.

"The ideas just pour out of me." He said. "If we just sit here and try to figure this out, we're gonna get nowhere. But if we get creative and go to this bonfire tonight, maybe we get somewhere."

"What do you say?" JJ asked, looking at me. He held out his hand. I smiled and took his hand. "I'm down," I said as he pulled me out of my seat. "Always down to party," I added.

Now we just had to convince the rest.

"Well, I just got disowned by my parents." Kie said. "So you're an official member of the 'I-have-nothing-to-lose' club," I told her. She nodded like 'yeah you make a point, why not?'

I looked at John B and he was obviously in, we didn't have to convince him.

"Pope?" JJ asked him, pointing the stick of tied up beers at him. Kie put her head on her hand with a mischievous smile, looking at him. "Look, look, think about how much you could think of if you just gave your brain a rest." J told him.

"Okay, fine." Pope gave up.

We all did a small celebration before leaving.

~~~

So the bonfire is special in obx. It happens every year and everyone went, no matter what. It was insane.

After getting there, Kie and Pope walked off as they were talking about something.

JJ, John B, and I immediately celebrated just being there. My arm around both of their shoulders as we walked, John B said hi to some people.

After a second, me and JJ left John B to the girl who told us to come with the note.

JJ and I walked off and decided to shotgun a couple of beers. Our life was going to shit but we had a great time honestly.

I mean hell, Sarah may be the Kook Princess but I was fucking royalty in the Pogues. Might as well live like I am.

That being said, me and J continued to get smashed and crossed, going from person to person just being ourselves and creating a ruckus.

I'm not even sure what happened for a while but woke up out of my party high to someone pushing me against a wall while we were making out. I was incredibly relieved to realize it was JJ, not another person like last time.

I didn't even question how we got here. I wasn't even aware of everyone around us. It was just me and JJ. And goddamn I missed him.

I missed when he was pressed against me, pushing our bodies together. I missed how our bodies fit together because damn they did perfectly. I missed it when our shadows became one.

Of course, like I said, we have fucking great luck. JJ realized that there was shouting first and pulled his lips away but kept his face just as close.

"What's that." He panted. His eyes were so close to mine I couldn't focus.

When he pulled away further I finally heard it. There definitely was an argument happening. Silently, we decided to check it out.

Surprise surprise, John B and Sarah were yelling at each other with Topper in the way. Kie and Pope were already behind JB. We made our way to them through the crowd and got there just as Kelce came in and interfered.

JB started walking towards us but Kelce couldn't keep his mouth shut. "What you gonna do, John B, kill me like you killed Sheriff Peterkin?" He asked John B. I couldn't control my anger that time.

I walked right past JB and punched the shit out of his jaw. He automatically fell to the ground, making everyone around gasp.

John B pulled me back as Topper walked up. Instead of grabbing me he grabbed JB. What's with us getting in fights together. Twin bond I guess.

Topper threw John B to the ground. Everyone was yelling around us. Kelce got into a fight with another dude instead of me.

In the commotion, Sarah got pushed to the ground. I wanted to help her, as John B was clearly worried but preoccupied.

This one girl wouldn't get out of my way so I shoved her. "Move, bitch, what is your problem!" I yelled at her. Wow I am clearly off my meds.

"You alright?" I asked Sarah as I stood over her. "Who's side are you on?!" The girl from a second ago yelled at me. "Shut the fuck up bitch!" I yelled at her, nearly punching her to the ground also.

"You belong with us!" The girl yelled at me. Damn seriously what was her problem.

I helped Sarah up and looked over, realizing JJ and Pope were trying to get Topper off of JB but Kelce was also in it too. Kie had come over to us and was asking Sarah if she was okay also.

Pope punched Kelce and J got Topper off JB, who jumped up.

"You good? You good?" The boys asked each other before running in our direction.

Everyone was yelling at us to leave. The boys jumped off the edge of the wall and onto the ground. JB helped Kie down and JJ helped me before we ran off.

Sarah never followed us as we went back to the van.

"Well that was a little unexpected," JJ burped as he crushed a beer and sat back down next to me. He put his arm around my waist. He is being very touchy tonight and I love it.

"Was it?" Kie questioned. She looked at me and I know she didn't mean to make it look like she blamed me but I knew they probably all did right now. I mean yeah John B started the argument but I threw the first punch.

"Hey, maybe she'll come around." JJ said optimistically as JB put a cold beer on his head. "It's like everything that happened to us didn't matter," John B said seriously. He leaned his head back as Kie drove us home.

We sat around the hot tub after that and cooked s'mores.

"I have had more black eyes in the last month than I've ever had." Pope said as me and Kie walked up with more food. Kie laughed at that.

"That was building up for years. Rumble in the jungle." JJ said as I sat down next to JB.

"Hey, did you really stick up for Sarah?" John B asked me. I drank some of my beer. "Sure I did. She's not a real Kook, she's part of our family." I said, taking a bite of my s'more.

"Right," John B agreed. "Yeah, tell that to Topper," Pope laughed a little bit.

JJ was burning his hand on something and waving it in the air to cool it off and Kie was eating her s'more beside Pope.

It got quite for a second before John B grabbed my hand. "I just want one bite," he said suddenly and pulled my hand towards his mouth. "What are you doing? No, stop!" I protested, though that didn't stop him from eating the rest of my s'more.

"You're not getting any of mine," JJ told me as I stared with my mouth open in fake shock, acting like I was hurt that he ate it.

"I thought you'd like to share." John B said, his mouth full of my s'more. "I spent the last of my money on that." I joked. "Sixteen years in most federal prisons." John B joked along with me, putting up his fake prison sentence.

"I'm stealing your hotdog." I told him as he walked off to get another beer. "I believe that's not even a fair trade," Pope replied. "Not even close," I agreed yet still took it as we laughed.

"Hey, hey, shhh." John B told us and hit my back as he was behind me. "Somebody's here," he said seriously.

"You don't think that Topper would..." Kie trailed off, probably thinking about the Rafe incident. "I wouldn't put it past him," J replied and stood up with JB. We all put our stuff down and stood up with them.

"You have your gun?" Kie asked me and J. "Oh, now she wants the gun!" I complained. "Oh, now you don't have the gun?" Kie asked. "No!" J protested. Pope sushed us and JB told us to shut up.

"Hey, who's out there?" John B yelled out. "You Kooks better not try anything." Kie yelled also.

"How y'all doin?" The man who is always with Limbrey asked, walking out of the woods with his hands up. "Oh what is this piece of shit doing here?" I asked.

"Lovely evening we're having," he said like it's normal. "Look, I, uh... I don't hold a grudge with any of y'all, all right? But this can go hard," he patted at his jacket and I assumed he had guns, "or this can go easy."

"You know what I'm here for," he told us as he continued to step closer. "Let me give you a little demonstration. You see that swing right there? I got the best bow hunters in the Army Rangers with me."

My body tensed and I stepped a little bit closer to JJ as the man got a little too close for comfort.

"Yeah?" JJ taunted. The man whistled and an arrow flew right past me and JJ's head, hitting our tree and taking down the swing. We all stood in shock.

What is with people trying to kill us?

"Now, they're out there. They'll stick you just as soon as I say so." The man said. He stepped up to Pope and JJ started going at him, only for the man to whistle and an arrow landing at his feet.

"Uh, uh, uh," he turned around to J. "We clear?" He patted JJ's back.

"Now I'm not gonna give you a countdown or any shit like that. I'm just gonna whistle," the man told Pope as J stepped back with me again.

Pope got the key out of his pocket. "This key belongs to my family." He said. The man looked around at us and laughed. "I'm losing my patience with you, Pope." He told Pope.

JJ looked around for the other people. Pope handed the man the key, having no other option.

"Did the right thing, kid," the man said. "Knowing when you don't have a choice is an under appreciated talent."

"Be safe," he turned around to leave. "Easy there." He told JJ as he walked by.

"Y'all have a goodnight," he added one last blow before walking off.