༄ 𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗉𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗋𝗍𝗒－𝗇𝗂𝗇𝖾 ༄

THE NEXT MORNING, Thalia was on a mission. Pope had his interview in the morning, and after the argument she had had with all of the Pogues before going home the night before, she needed to clear the air with him. Kie, JJ and Pope all believed that Ward killed Big John Routledge, and wouldn't budge on the opinion. Thalia knew Ward wasn't perfect, but she knew he wasn't a killer. She tugged on a teal t-shirt and shorts, her hair in a low messy bun, preparing to sneak out her bedroom window.

        It wasn't easy, and it was painful, but Thalia made it out of the house and into town on her skateboard. The swelling in her knee was going down, so she was able to ride again. Thalia remembered Pope telling her once where his interview was, so she went there, eager to talk to him. When she found the place, Pope was climbing out of his father's truck in a neat suit. She involuntarily smiled upon seeing him.

        Pope turned when he heard wheels and saw Thalia on the sidewalk beside him. He slowed to a stop. "What are you doing here?" Pope asked, eyes widening in surprise. Heyward looked between the two curiously.

        Thalia popped her skateboard into her hand. "It's your big moment. I wanted to wish you luck," Thalia said shyly. She looked at Mr. Heyward. "How are you, sir?" she asked respectively, extending her hand to shake Heyward's.

        Heyward smiled and shook Thalia's hand. "Better than you. Who hit your sweet face?" after everything Pope had told him about Thalia, Heyward's feelings for her changed. Sure, he didn't want Pope getting in too deep with her, but Thalia was worth having as a friend. She needed a good friend, from what Heyward could tell.

        "Uh, big old hammer. Got in a nice fight with it." Thalia brushed off, even though they all knew the hammer was her father.

        "She won," Pope said to lighten the mood. He gave his father a warning look, and Heyward stepped back towards his truck. "About Ward–" Pope began, fidgeting with his suit.

        Thalia stepped closer to Pope, pushing his hands away from his body and tucking his tie back into his jacket. "I don't want to talk about what he may or may not have done. I just wanted to tell you that you're gonna do great." and that you saved me from offing myself the last few nights, Thalia wanted to add, but she didn't.

        Pope nodded, flushed with an onslaught of nerves. "You didn't have to come all the way here, though." Pope spoke, looking down into Thalia's magical blue eyes.

        She smiled. It was real. Pope could tell. "You've shown up for me when I needed someone the most countless times. It's my turn to be here for you." Thalia dusted off Pope's suit jacket, unintentionally flustering him even more.

        "Thanks," Pope said appreciatively, before beckoning his father back over. "Are you gonna wait?" he asked Heyward, Thalia stepping to his side, where he always wished she would stay.

        Heyward laughed. "Are you kiddin', man? I got... I got three palms blocking a... a private airstrip. Cameron's plane is too big for the runway, and it just..." Heyward tutted, and Thalia's eyes widened with confusion.

        "Cameron?" Pope asked with a sigh. "Where's he going?" Pope looked down at Thalia.

        "As of ten hours ago, nowhere." Thalia answered, just as surprised as Pope.

        Pope looked back at his father. "Dad, he's a thief!" the boy said, Thalia taking no offense. It was fairly true.

         Heyward shrugged. "Aren't they all? But the money's good. He's payin' Guffy double. Guffy passed it on to me if I can get it done this afternoon. I... I need the money, son. I..." Heyward trailed off, and Thalia frowned at his desperation. "Look. I think me and Red know better than to try to give you a pep talk, okay? But... but if you get this, though... you'll be set... for life. No pressure, now. Just don't screw it up." Heyward said, and Thalia's eyes fell on Pope.

        "You heard the man. Use big and important words." Thalia patted Pope's shoulder and gently pushed him towards the steps of the building his interview was in. Unsure of how, her hand trailed to hold Pope's and he squeezed her hand until he couldn't anymore.

        Heyward then left, face full of pride for his son. Thalia was going to leave, but that would mean going home and getting sucked into whatever Ward was doing. The only place she could think of that he would be going was the Cameron house in the Bahamas that Thalia had never been invited to. But she decided not to think about it, and instead settled with waiting for Pope's interview to be done.

        It was barely ten minutes into the interview and Pope was throwing the door open, rushing out of the building. "That was quick," Thalia said, standing up straight. "Woah. Pope, what happened?" Thalia saw the panicked look on Pope's face and put her hands on his shoulders, steadying him in front of her.

        "Ward has the gold. It's why he needs the palms extended." Pope said in a rush, breathing heavily.

        Thalia didn't argue with Pope. Her uncle would absolutely steal gold from teenagers when he was already close to a millionaire. "So what are we going to do about it?"

        Pope was already running down the street. "This way!" he shouted behind him, and Thalia limped after him. Pope tore his jacket off while they started to run, undoing his tie a moment later.

        Realization hit Thalia as she caught up to him. "Pope, you just walked out of your interview." Thalia said with a gasp, holding onto Pope's arms.

        "I know. We have to go, Thalls." Pope said, breathing heavily. He took her by the hand ans she didn't pull away.

        Together, hand in hand, the pair made it all the way back to John B's house, running down to the dock where they saw John B, JJ and Kiara. "Guys! Guys! Oh, God. We ran all the way here." Pope panted, slowing to a stop in front of the others, hands on his knees.

        Thalia honestly didn't know how she managed to run all the way to the Chateau, but as soon as the two arrived, she slid down the side of the dock and sat with her knee extended in front of her, breathing heavily. "You all right?" John B asked the two, laying down on the dock.

        JJ tapped his sister's shoulder and she nodded to signify that she was fine. "How was the interview, Pope?" JJ questioned, perched up on the railing of the dock. He lowered the joint in his hand and Thalia took it, bringing it to her lips.

        "Don't ask." Pope brushed off, knowing he didn't have a shot at his scholarship now.

        "Awesome." John B muttered. No one questioned why Thalia was with Pope. They figured after everything Thalia had been through in the recent days, that talking about nothing was safer.

        Pope was still catching his breath while Thalia inhaled fumes from JJ's joint. "JB... Look, I'm sorry, dude. About everything." the boy said.

        John B shrugged. "It's fine. Ward killed my dad. It's whatever." he said snarkily, and Thalia rolled her eyes.

        "John B, he told me he didn't do it." Thalia gave JJ his joint back.

        "And you believe him? You believe that I attacked him?" John B turned his head towards Thalia.

        "I know he's lying about a lot of stuff, but I also know he's not a murderer." Thalia said, pushing her back against the dock, sitting near Kiara.

        Pope looked between the two nervously. "I don't have a lot of time, and... and we have information that is tactically relevant," Pope gestured between himself and Thalia. "So, before I had my interview, my dad said he was going down to the private airstrip to cut palms for Cameron's big plane. Because it was too heavy, it needed a longer landing strip to take off. So, I'm there sitting in my interview, thinking to myself, 'Hm. Why would Cameron need a longer airstrip to take off? What could be so heavy to weigh it down?'" Pope said, his words gaining everyone's attention.

        John B sat up. "Gold." JJ said.

        "He must've just found it all today. He wasn't going anywhere yesterday." Thalia said, acting on the little knowledge she had.

        "Guys, this is our chance, but it leaves tonight, and we have to go." Pope said enthusiastically. He had given up his scholarship for this.

        Kie hopped off the dock railing. "Guys, we can't give up now." she said with a smile, offering Thalia her hand, helping the redhead to her feet.

        "What's the plan, big man?" JJ asked
John B.

        "We're gonna steal that shit back." John B said with a smile, and it was decided. The Pogues would win. And Thalia knew she would eventually have to choose between her friends and her family, and she had no idea what she would do.

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