𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 41.

━ 𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻.

𝐒𝐈𝐓𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐑 seat in the van, the vehicle was filled with nothing but tension, tension that seeped through every single one of us. Jj's words replayed over and over in my head while we drove away and the image of John B's face was stuck before my eyes, his eyebrows narrowed and expression confused. As well as Kiara and Pope, their faces resting in the back of my mind, unaware of just about everything that was happening.

I was in deep. Jj and I had crossed the line, and the rubber band that held our facade together, was moments from breaking. I had gone too far, pushed the wrong buttons, and nearly everything spilled out, in front of everyone, because of me. I could already see it happening— the Pogues were going to find out about my parents and neglect me for lying. Tears had started to bubble at my eyes when I thought about John B's possible reaction in the car, on the way home, but I had wiped them away quickly, so no one would notice.

The whole way back, I had been trying to figure out excuses. I had tried to muster up believable lies in my head, in which I would start spilling once the questions rolled in. By the time we'd passed through town, I had successfully thought of almost every single possible question that was bound to be thrown at me, and came up with a decent lie for each, but stopped myself. I had already lied enough. And thinking about my friends, thinking about how fucked up things would get if I continued to fib, it didn't seem right.

My mind was a mess. My hands had been trembling the whole ride. And it didn't help that we had nearly died not even an hour prior, on the side of the road, by a drug dealer with a gun. My heart was still racing uncontrollably, and I couldn't figure out if it was from the image of the gun pointed at our heads, or the fact that everything was bound to be spilled out to my best friends.

For sixteen years, I'd lived in the same apartment, close to never went out of the house, hadn't met any of my relatives, and was ignored by my parents. I was never allowed to make friends. So now— now that I had five best friends, that genuinely cared about me for the first time in my life, I did not want to lose them. From the moment we got close, I thought about what they would think if they found out I'd been lying to them about my identity. It hurt to think about them dropping me. I was already neglected by my parents, I didn't need my best friends to stop caring about me, on top of that.

The whole ride, no one had spoken. But they were all thinking the same thing, Jj and I were hiding something. The tension in the air had been affecting every one of us. I had noticed John B holding the steering wheel with an unusually tight grip. Kiara wasn't humming a tune in the back, like she normally does to fill the silence. Jj wasn't smoking something. Pope wasn't complaining, about anything.

Now, with my mind wandering, I barely noticed that we were pulling up on the lawn of the Chateau. My stomach immediately sank.

"What the fuck, John B," I whipped my head to the side to look at him, "I told you to drive me home." I sat right up in my seat. I was the first to break the silence after the excruciatingly quiet car ride.

"Later," he mumbled through slightly closed lips. "We need to talk," he barely glanced back to everyone, "All of us."

"No." I crossed my arms over the seatbelt as the van stopped, "I'm going home."

"Charlie," Kiara said, from the back seat.

I practically kicked open my door. As I stepped away with furious strides, the van doors were being slid open.

"Come on, Charlie," Pope called.

As I marched over for my red bike leaning against the wall of the back porch, where I had left it last, I could hear them following me.

"You can't just walk away from this shit," John B shouted from the distance, his voice slowly approaching.

"I'll do what I want, okay," I replied blatantly, grabbing hold of the bike handles. I turned the bike around, facing myself with the four of them slowly approaching me.

John B skipped over to me, quickly. "Stop," he sounded surprisingly calm, as he placed one hand on the bike handles, and the other on my shoulder, stopping me in my tracks. "We need to talk about this."

My stomach tightened, thinking he meant my parents, "Talk about what, John B." My face kept composure, my hands eyes looking up into his. "It's done now, alright, it's over."

"'Talk about what', did you just forget about everything, Charlie?" His face twisted, "This pawn shit isn't gonna work, we need a new plan, right now."

"That's what you're worried about," I scoffed, "Figure out a plan without me."

I didn't look at anyone as I wiggled out from underneath his grasp, walking past him with my bike.

"What— so you wanna talk about the argument, then?" He called after me, his voice rising, "Cause you seemed pretty fuckin' upset when you were yelling at Jj— is that what you wanna talk about, Charlie? Cause we can." he didn't sound too angry just yet, but annoyed.

"Stop it, we don't need another fight," Kiara said.

"That's not what I meant," I said lowly, my eyes closing in a hard blink, still walking away.

"Then tell us what you meant." John B called again, "You can't just leave without an explanation for that bullshit, okay?"

I stopped when Jj looked up to me, right before I was about to pass him. He didn't say anything, but we were thinking the same thing. I dropped my bike, letting it fall to the grass.

"Can we talk." I said, as a strong demand rather than a question, "Right now, inside."

Jj looked down, clutching the hat that was in his hands, tighter. He stayed quiet, but I still turned away and began to march for the porch, silently meaning him to follow me. John B was looking at me as I stepped up the stairs, Pope was sitting on a log, and Kiara was standing with her arms crossed, confused.

When I stepped over the threshold, I could hear Jj following me inside. I walked straight for John B's bedroom. Soon, Jj slowly walked in, passing me as I stood next to the door, his eyes glued to the ground. I shut the door with a thud.

"What the hell was that." I started, my voice angry but careful for the others not to hear. We both knew I was talking about our outbursts back at the shack.

He took a moment, glancing up to me before looking down at the hat still in his hands. He bit down onto his bottom lip. "Look, Charlie, it was in the moment,"

"And what," I scoffed.

"And we were both angry," he continued,

"You practically blew my cover— our cover!" I whisper-shouted

"Yeah I know," he shook his head, "But you started it."

"No, I don't think so," My face twisted sarcastically, "I didn't steal the twenty five thousand."

"God," he scoffed loudly, looking out to the side.

"Jj, you don't even need that! We're getting the gold, bro, you don't need to be stealing from a drug dealer," I put my hands out at my sides.

"He pulled a gun on us, Charlie, you forget about that?" He looked right at me, "I remember you being pretty fuckin' scared when we were lying in that ditch, huh. It's about the principle."

"The principle— this is such bullshit!" I forgot about keeping quiet, and let my voice shout.

"He almost killed us, Charlotte," Jj said, strongly, "Thirty-five thousand is barely enough for that."

"He's gonna come after us." I spat, "Yeah, and then what are you gonna do when that happens."

"Punch him in the throat." he said, seriously.

"Yeah, good fuckin' idea, Jj," I shouted with anger, "If I get caught tangled up in all this shit— if my grandparents find out that my friends stole thirty grand from a drug dealer, I'll be sent back to New York by tomorrow."

He looked down at his hands.

"Yeah, that's why I'm mad." My voice dropped lower.

There was a long pause of silence, and Jj looked upset, like something else was bothering him but he didn't want to say it.

"You don't have to tell me why you stole the money," I said, my voice no longer angry, "Just please, please, put it back before he finds us."

Another long pause.

"Y'know you have to tell them, Charlie," Jj barely mumbled, after a few long moments.

"I can't," I answered, after a second.

"Look— I'll tell them, it's my fault anyways," he looked up to me, "But they deserve to know, you can't keep this shit any longer."

"I can't tell them!" I tried not to yell, "Do you know what they're gonna think of me? What Kiara'll say, or Pope," I motioned my hands out to the sides, "John B." My voice cracked when I said his name.

"It'll be fine," Jj rubbed his hands together.

"No, it won't be fine!" I yelled, "John B just asked me to be his girlfriend." I said, lower, and Jj's face lit up with a small shock, "What's he gonna do when he finds out— three days into our fuckin' relationship— that I've been lying to his face since the day I met him!"

"It's not healthy to keep something like that from your boyfriend," Jj said.

"Well, no shit sherlock," my eyes rolled.

"Just sayin', you need to tell him, at least." he shrugged.

"And how do I do that," I crossed my arms hard over my chest, "How do I just tell them, now, that my parents are famous, Jj."

He placed his head into his hands, "I— I don't know, man, I don't know." he rambled. "You just have to yolo it."

"Yolo it?" My face twisted into a grimace, "You're fucking ridiculous." I turned on my heel, grabbing the door handle.

Without another word, I ripped open John B's bedroom door, and marched through the home and onto the porch. Right away in the distance, I saw Kiara sitting next to Pope on the fallen log, and John B was sitting in a lawn chair, his elbows perched up on his knees.

"So," Pope spoke first, as I approached them.

The three of them looked up as Jj stepped down the porch stairs, his eyes avoiding everyone.

John B was looking between us, his eyes holding a realization look to them, as if he was connecting dots in his head. "What the hell is going on between you guys." He suddenly said, as a demand for answers.

"I— uh, I have to tell you all something," I tried my best to make eye contact, but my eyes always found a way to settle on the floor.

Kiara was looking at Jj with hard eyes, the same way John B was looking at me. She seemed upset now, by seeing him walk out so uncomfortably, specifically after me. She shifted in her spot.

"Are you guys hiding something from us," John B adverted his eyes onto me, his tone of voice suddenly sounding dangerous, "What's with all of this secrecy bullshit,"

"Are you hooking up?" Kiara mumbled out, her voice just above a whisper.

Along with mine, Pope's eyebrows shot up to the sky, eyes looking down.

My heart sunk to the floor, instantly realizing why her and John B seemed so off. "Whoah! No, no, no," I immediately denied. "Oh my god, no!" My jaw was on the floor.

"No— absolutely not," Jj defended himself, looking at Kie before looking to John B. "C'mon guys, she's like our sister—"

"Why would you even say that," I shoved strands of hair behind my ears, my eyebrows sharply narrowed, "That's— no, not at all."

"Then what is it." John B ordered, with a strong voice.

"Um," My throat suddenly closed up, and I looked down to the grass. Jj roughly nudged my arm. I looked up to him. He nodded.

Everyone was looking at me. Kiara, seemed fine now, simply waiting for me to tell them. Pope looked like he just wanted to get it over with. John B was impatient, and seemed anxious. I looked like I was shitting bricks.

"So, I don't really know how to say this," I couldn't believe that I was actually mustering up words, "But, like, there's something that I've been hiding from everyone, like, this whole time."

I could see John B tense up.

"Look— and I don't want you guys to hate me," Suddenly, a rush of tears began to brew up in my eyes, "God, this is so dumb."

I felt foolish, crying in front of them.

"Don't cry," Jj whispered to me, from the corner of his mouth, "Just say it."

"It's, um— like, it's okay if you don't wanna be my friends anymore," I wiped my eyes, and fixed my posture. My heart rate was sky-rocketing.

"What's she buggin' about?" Pope narrowed his eyebrows. Jj scowled at him.

John B stared at me.

"So, uh," The words got caught in my throat, and I looked down. Finally, with a slow exhale, the words fell from my mouth, "My parents are, like, famous."

It sounded dumb to say it out loud, it sounded like a joke. Everything immediately went quiet. My body filled with a sea of regret. Even the birds stopped chirping. My hands started to tremble.

But no one seemed fazed at all.

Then, after looking at their faces, I realized that they didn't believe me.

"Guys, I'm being serious," I said, sternly.

"What do you mean by, 'famous'?" Pope tilted his head forward.

"They're fuckin' famous, Pope," Jj spoke, "Y'know Danny and Cecile Collins?"

"Danny and Cecile Collins are your parents?" Kiara's eyebrows narrowed, she didn't seem to be buying it. "I mean, you have the same last name, but like, the Danny and Cecile? That's impossible, they don't even have a kid."

I folded my hands together, looking down at my shoes.

"Remember 'A Night In Paris'?" Jj looked to Pope.

"Yeah, dude, I know who they are," Pope lowered his eyes, speaking with attitude, "Everyone does."

"Oh," I breathed out and took a step back, feeling slightly bewildered hearing them talk about how famous my parents are. I'd never heard anything like it before.

"That's impossible, though," Kiara claimed, her dark eyebrows still furrowed, "They don't have a kid. Trust me, I'd know, I used to watch their movies all the tim—"

"You're lookin' at their kid right now, Kie," Jj put his arms out, as if putting me on display.

John B still wasn't saying anything. I was trying to figure out his facial expression. He rubbed a hand over his mouth.

"And how do you know this," Pope looked at Jj with a dumbfounded expression.

"I figured it out, bro," Jj lightly chuckled, "Put together all the fuckin' facts."

"And you've known for how long." Kiara spoke.

Jj bit his lip.

After a long silence, he changed the subject, and went on with explaining all of the facts that lead to him believing my parents were famous. He brought up my homeschooling, living in New York City, my parents being away, hearing my dad's name, everything. The whole time he was explaining, I was looking at John B's face. He wasn't looking at me. He was looking at the ground.

"Holy shit," Kiara's eyes grew wide, "Holy— shit!"

"Oh my god, oh my god," Pope was getting worked up as well, his hand repeatedly tapping her arm with excitement, "I can't believe I'm agreeing with Jj— but dude your parents are the Danny and Cecile Collins!" He gasped.

"Even Pope gets it," Jj laughed, "I thought you'd be the hardest to convince, man."

It surprised me that they weren't angry. Jj joined in with the excitement and talked about me, saying how it was crazy, and they laughed and continued to gasp.

"Is it too late to tell them it's a joke," I pulled on Jj's arm and spoke quietly.

He laughed. I didn't.

"John B," I said, quietly, feeling my heart sink when he wasn't growing excited like they were.

My vision began to grow blurry when he stood up from sitting, his eyes not even looking at me.

"John B, wait," I quickly rushed over to him, "Look— I'm sorry,"

"You could've told me," He sighed out, seeming fed up and tired, but still equally as angry, "I mean, why the lying." He turned around when I grabbed onto his forearm.

"They're literally legends, dude, this is fuckin' crazy!" Pope was shouting in the background.

"Look— I had to," I said, looking up at John B, "To protect you— I dunno, to protect me,"

"From what, Charlie!" He shouted, "Protect us from what?"

"Hey, so do you like, have your own pool in your penthouse, or—" Pope was asking me.

But they suddenly stopped talking when they looked to us.

I swallowed, not knowing what to say. I looked up to the sky, weighing my options, "From, I don't know— well exactly, but—"

He tore his arm away from my grasp, turning away. This was exactly what I was afraid of.

"John B, hey, stop it," I tried to reach for him again, "Can you let me explain?"

"Dude, what's wrong," Pope said with a concerned voice, "It's literally so cool, why you buggin' now?"

"Yeah, come on, bro," Jj frowned.

"You've been lying this whole time?" John B suddenly turned right around, pinning his eyes on me, "Since we met? You've been lying? Why didn't you tell me at the beginning of all this—"

"No one was supposed to know!" I shouted.

"Jj knew," he spat.

"That's what you're mad about?" I scoffed, "Because Jj figured it out?"

"No, I'm mad because I feel like I just don't know you now. I wouldn't have judged you— everyone on this island is fuckin' crazy Charlie," he took a strong step towards me, "What else have you not told us?"

Jj, Pope, and Kie were slowly approaching us, their faces concerned.

"You got a boyfriend back in New York too?" He was getting angrier. "When we talked at the beach party, everything you told me?" His voice progressively got louder.

"John B," I squinted, "I'm sorry, alright—"

"Were you just planning to leave the island at the end of the year, and just— I dunno, go back to New York like it didn't matter!" His loud voice made me flinch.

"Don't yell at her," Kiara said, loudly.

He leaned closer, "You could've told me,"

It was stupid to cry, and it was a stupid situation, but tears were gathering at my eyes.

"Dude, that's enough, she's crying," Jj stepped up to John B, speaking sternly, "So what, she wasn't allowed to tell us."

"Why are you even helping us with the gold, you're already rich as fuck!" John B yelled over Jj's shoulder.

"Stop, John B," Jj tried to calm him.

"Don't get me started on you, Jj," John B seethed, angrily, "Going behind my back and shit, dude, what's up with you lately, stealing money?"

"That's over and done with, now, man!" Jj pushed his friend back.

"No, I don't think it is, J, because you still have it! You still have it!" John B yelled. I had never heard him shout that loud before.

"Oh so we're back to shitting on me," Jj tilted his head to the side.

"Because you never get the point! All this drug dealer shit, and now this— both of you are going insane—"

"Guys stop, this isn't about the money anymore," I cried, moving to stand between them.

"Okay, so it's about you, Charlotte," John B looked at down me with a certain expression. "Why lie,"

"So you wanna talk about lying," I stood in front of him.

"Yeah, talk about lying." he antagonized me.

"When were you going to tell me about Jj's restitution, huh?" I spat to him, and Jj scoffed behind me, "Or when was Pope going to tell me about Topper's boat," I looked to Pope for a second, before tuning back. "Or you," I aggressively pointed a finger right into John B's chest, my voice cracking, "When were you going to tell me about DCS, huh?" I poked his chest another time, "Were you ever going to tell me about Foster Care, which is all the way outside of Kildare County?"

Jj tried to hold in a chuckle, at my outburst of facts. Pope looked taken aback.

"Charlotte." John B swallowed.

"No," I spat, "This is so dumb. We've all got secrets, and at least I'm not neglecting you for yours, John B." I said, lowly, before finally turning away. "Fucking bullshit."

I walked right over to my bike lying in the grass, picking it up.

"Charlie, wait," Kie called after me, as I swung my leg over the seat.

I let the tears fall from my eyes as I started to pedal, driving off the grass without a word, and leaving them behind me. I didn't look back as I turned the corner.

༄

I know this argument is kind of

pointless, but if you try to see

everything from John B's point

of view— you understand why he's

upset.

𝐯𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 !!