Molly Wescott ~Rafe Cameron~

Chapter 8

I tried to process what the hell just happened as John B drove quickly down the road. Kie is up front with him and the rest of us are in the back of the car. Apparently, he's taking us to the Redfield lighthouse. "It's obvious isn't it? A family heirloom? I mean what better place to hide a message. He had to know it was gonna get back to us right?" He questioned as he continued to speed through the roads. I don't have the heart to tell him that this is a big reach. I know a lot of this is denial about his dad but we were almost murdered minutes ago.

"Yeah." Kiara replied, obviously not buying it.

"Or, it could be possible that your brains are concocting wild theories to help...cope with your sad feels." Pope pointed out that he might be doing this to feel better, and I nodded in agreement.

"There's too many things connected to this compass for it to be made up." He defended his thought process.
"Pope you know how I deal with my sad feels." JJ interjected himself into the conversation. "Dank nugs and the stickiest of ickies." I rolled my eyes at him. Of course he would use weed to deal with his feelings. I think he's a lot more like Rafe than he thinks he is.

"I'm not concocting!" JB hissed, clearly getting frustrated. "My dad is missing okay, and he's trying to give us this message."

"It's been almost a year." Kie said.

"You guys just don't understand what it's like when the person closest to you vanishes." JB countered, probably trying to cool things down a bit. "I just wake up every day wondering."

"He could've been kidnapped?" JJ proposed.

"Yeah or taken hostage by the KGB." Pope joined in and I shook my head with a small smile. I know they're trying to make him feel better. We pulled up to the lighthouse and got out.

"Alright here's what's gonna happen. JU stay on lookout for Bogeys." JB instructed, prompting an argument between JJ and Pope. "Alright!" JB broke them up. "New plan you two and Molly stay on lookout, Kie and I will go in. If we get split up we meet back at JJ's house." He and Kiara went inside leaving me with the two boys.

"I'm gonna work on my Merit Scholarship essay and I'd like to keep the felonies down to a minimum." Pope told us.

"Yeah, I have a lot of money coming my way and going to jail isn't going to help my case." I agreed with Pope on the avoiding jail time thing.

"Just shut up Pope okay." JJ replied and started kicking a hackeysack. I sat down against one of the palm trees.

"Maybe he's trying to shoot his shot with her." I thought about why he would bench both JJ and Pope for this.

"He's too stupid for that." JJ laughed.

"Wait? You think he's planning on asking her out?" Pope asked us and I noticed how bothered he looks by it.

"Wait a second, you like her too?" I asked him and he looked taken back.

"No!" The way he said it made it obvious it's a yes. "I was just asking. But if I did...would that bother you?"

"Why would that bother me?" I asked confused.

"Pope." JJ warned him to shut up.

"I just-" Before he could say anything else we heard the sound of sirens and I looked over to see cops en route. "Oh shit!" The three of us ran to the car and JJ jumped in the drivers seat.

"Go! Go!" Pope yelled.

"I'm trying!" he turned the key and stomped on the gas flooring it out of there. Sorry John B and Kie but none of us are taking the fall for them today.

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I went with JJ and Pope back to JJ's house and we hung out for a few hours, but now it's getting dark. JJ walked with me to John B's place so l could get my car. If John B and Kie did get picked up by the cops they should have been released by now. Pope went home, and I was about to leave too when JJ stopped me. "Hey Molly wait a second." He stated, and walked over to me. "I know I'm totally violating our bro code, but I feel like I should tell you before he does something stupid."

"What are you talking about?"

"Pope likes you." He stated, and my eyes widened. There's no way Pope would like me.

"You're crazy." I shook my head, thinking he's getting under my skin.

"I wish I was joking but I'm serious."

"He likes Kie, remember? He just said that before." I reminded him. Pope liking me is not good, especially if that somehow got back to Rafe. He already despises the Pogues, if he knew one was after me he'd lose his shit.

"Yeah, but he's had a crush on you for a long time." He kept going, making me think he's definitely not joking.
"The only reason I'm even saying anything is because Rafe is a psycho and I don't want Pope saying the wrong thing around him and him lashing out." I nodded in agreement.

"You think I need to reject him." I realized what he's asking me to do. "

"Just do it gently you know." He added, and obviously I'm not going to be mean about it. I just have to think of a way to bring it up that doesn't sound like he did anything wrong. No pressure or anything.

"I will, thanks for letting me know." He nodded this time and headed back towards his house. He waived goodnight to me and disappeared down the road. This is just great. The last thing I want to do is break Pope's heart, but JJ is right. Rafe would kill Pope and I definitely don't want that to happen. Hopefully I can think of something by tomorrow.

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I'd be happy about a vote.