The Chateau feels like home to me now. Despite the disgusting boyishness of it all and the impracticality of living without adult supervision, I feel more comfortable here, on this dingy mattress than I ever did on my lavish Kook bed.

    I hope the girls haven't killed each other. But, I know they will get along given the right push.

    So, I choose not to think about it too much as I lay on my back on the bed I've claimed as my own, kicking JJ out onto the sofa bed in the lounge. My feet rest against the wall, my phone on my stomach as it connects to the music playing through my earbuds. 

    Sure, we're meant to be staying at Tannyhill with the Camerons. But, it would be a bit awkward to show up there without Sarah. So, I texted Ward and told him Sarah and I were sleeping on the beach for some much-needed girl time.

    Technically, not a lie. Sarah is having some much-needed girl time. Just not with me.

    Besides, one more night in the unfamiliar yet comforting essence of the pogue life can't hurt. 

    I'm so wrapped up in my thoughts I don't hear knocking on the door or register the door opening until my earbuds are ripped from my ears. 

   I sit up straight, snapping my eyes open with a glare as my brother sits on the bed beside me with a grin. 

    "Not all of us have working phones, y'know," He says, holding the device up by the cord of the earbuds, "How do you even get a signal here? Kook stuff?"

    "No," I grumble, snatching it from him only to drop it at my side on the bed, my legs crossing beneath me. I look at it for a moment before picking it up and holding it out towards him, "Have it if you want it. Check on your socials or whatever, I don't care,"

    He peers down at the screen just as it lights up with another text from either Rafe or Barry. Barry never usually texts, but he's been getting persistent since the other day. It's like he thinks I can help him get what he wants out of Rafe. 

    "Can I ask-"

    "About Rafe?" I roll my eyes, lowering the phone once he doesn't take it from me.

    "About you," He corrects, looking down at me sadly, "Why aren't you going home? And, don't give me some bullshit about staying at the Camerons to help me feel comfortable. It's not for me and I know for damn sure it's not for Rafe. So, what?"

    "It doesn't matter-"

    "It does to me," He reassures, not breaking eye contact. The warmth of a caring relative is something unfamiliar, a feeling that makes me want to crumble and cry, "Something's up, Pheebs. It feels like you'll tell everyone but me,"

    "If you're talking about JJ, it's not like that. I don't talk to him either he just happened to be there and he understands enough to not ask me about it," I drop my eyes, using my hands to lift myself and readjust, feeling uncomfortable. 

    "That's... very vague," He sighs, leaning back on his arms, "I can see what you're doing. Trying to fit in, dumb yourself down because that's what you think a pogue is. I know you're smart, Pheebs. Lately, you've been acting more like... like JJ when you're a Pope,"

    "I'm a Pope?" I grin at his choice of words. 

    "Don't change the subject," He smiles. 

    "Maybe I don't want to be smart anymore. I'm smart because of that stupid Kook school and I don't want to be a Kook anymore. Being a Kook is sitting pretty for the photo, posing for the family portrait and being arm candy for Rafe Cameron. Being smart isn't really being smart over there, because no one cares about that. They care that you look smart and clean and polished. You guys... you guys can run around covered in mud and ripped clothes and no one here bats an eye. You guys don't have to be anything. I had to be everything to everyone all at once," I rant, my eyes avoiding him the whole time. 

    It feels stupid, to complain about my privileged life to someone who has quite literally lost everything. But, what exactly have I kept?

    "I'm sorry, that probably sounds so shallow to you," I shake my head, laughing at my words as they echo back to me. 

     "Maybe a little bit but, you're more Pogue than you are Kook, anyway," He grins, trying to keep it light-hearted. "Sounds like your mum puts a lot of pressure on you,"

    I scoff, a dry laugh escaping me as I meddle with the loose threads on my blanket, "Not Mum. Her Husband,"

    "Oh, the step-parent," He grimaces, looking ahead, "So glad Dad never married. Does he pretend to be your Dad?"

    I stay quiet, the bruises on my arms burning me the same way they did when Linus first gripped my arm. Even the yellow tint under my eye from where Rafe accidentally hurt me heats up under my concealer. 

    "Phoebe?" He calls my name, noticing I've gone quiet. 

    "Promise if I tell you something, you won't do a single thing about it?" I emphasise, my hand wrapping around my elbow in preparation. 

    "Honour amount Routledge's," He recites from our childhood. 

   I sigh, hesitating for a second before dragging my hand up my arm, pulling the sleeve up to reveal finger-sized bruises on my bicep. "They're almost healed but, when I say pressure, I mean pressure,"

    He stares at the bruises for a tick, seeming like he's replaying every moment and interaction in his head. The way I shrivelled up at Linus's hotel when I heard voices, everything that happened at Midsummer and even the day they asked me to come to Ms Lana's with them. 

    I so badly want to show him the bruise from Rafe, to unleash the bottled-up feelings I have towards what happened. But, I know it won't end well. And I know Rafe isn't like Linus, he didn't mean to do it. He's not a violent person.

    Even JJ doesn't know about that. He may tolerate it coming from a parent because he gets how confrontation makes it worse. But, Rafe? Rafe isn't abusive, only careless. That would make it a free game in JJ's mind. 

   So, instead, I clear my throat and lower my sleeve, wishing I could pack the conversation up the same way. 

    "Linus does that to you?" He asks quietly, looking up to my eyes for the first time, "Does Charlize know-"

    "Don't talk about her," I cut him off, the anger in his tone making me defensive in an instant, "It's not as simple as that,"

   I can tell he wants to say more. I bet it's killing him to have to sit here and not race over there and do something about it. But, he takes a deep breath and swallows it, swallows the anger for me. 

    "And JJ knew about this?" John B asks, his eyebrows furrowing 

    "It's not like I confided in him out of choice. I'm sure you know about his Dad, hell, the whole island does. He can see the signs. He was also hiding in my closet when Linus hurt me so that was hard to explain away," I laugh bitterly, a real smile overcoming me at the memory of us running through the house together. "Don't be mad at him for not telling you. It helps a lot just to know that someone who gets it knows. He's actually very emotionally intelligent,"

    "JJ? Emotionally intelligent?" John B laughs, the anger washing over him like a wave, "There are many words I'd use to describe JJ. Intelligent is not on the list,"

    "Thing one and two!" As if on queue, I hear JJ's voice as he piles into the doorway, a joint between his fingers, "Pope's counting sheep. Let's go hotbox the twinkie," 

                    "Do you think they look pissed off?" JJ asks no one in particular, his sunglass-covered eyes directed towards where the two girls sit beside each other on the edge of the boat. He cups his hands over his mouth, yelling, "You forgot your keys or something?"

    "Need a row?" John B joins the taunting as we get closer to the girls. "You gotta admit it was kind of funny,"

    "John B. Mastermind, huh?" Kie asks, clearly pretending to be mad as she looks down at her feet.

    "I would love to take all the credit but it was all Phoebe's idea," He defends, pointing towards where I sit lazily in the boat.

    "Was not," I mutter a lie, focusing on rolling the blunt in my hands before tucking it away in a ziplock bag with all the other joints. I flick my eyes up at the girls, seeing their close proximity, "Unless it worked?"

    "That's some patriarchal bullshit, Phees. I'm disappointed," Kie pushes herself to a stand, her expression not angry in the slightest no matter how hard she tries.

    "But are you disappointed in me unanimously or individually?" I grin, standing up to lean against the edge of the boat as JJ toses the rope over my head, Kie catching it.

    "Individually," Sarah chimes in, playfully glaring at me.

    "What's unan-moouse-ly mean?" JJ leans down to whisper in my ear, stuttering over the pronunciation. 

    "Together," I snicker, looking up at him as he nods.

    "Hey, what about me? You still hate me?" JB grins up at his girlfriend.

    "A little. We're both gonna get you back when you least expect it," Sarah crosses her arms over her chest.

    "Watch your backs, guys," Kie shakes her head.

    "Seems like teamwork to me," I push myself up straight, turning to high-five my brother's awaiting palm. "Mission accomplished,"

    "Did you guys, y'know?" Pope asks, interlocking his fingers together.

    "Reconcile our differences?" Kie asks unamused. She turns to Sarah as she shakes her head, both of them denying it, "Not even close,"

    "But we're...willing...to work together," Sarah hesitates, faking pain at the words.

    "That's victory," John B nods, satisfied.

    "Yep!" JJ agrees, dropping his hand down next to Pope's as they wag their fingers together and speak in sync, "Woogity, woogity, woogity,"

    I catch a glimpse of Sarah smiling and turning to Kie, sending a wink her way as they both grin.

    JJ snaps my attention, holding his hand out in the same motion as he had for Pope, "C'mon. Give Papa some sugar!"

    "Absolutely not, that's so gross," John B protests before I can say anything, pushing me aside just as my fingertips brush against JJ's. John B stands between us, his eyes directed at Kie and Sarah with a lazy grin.

    "You guys ready to jack some loot?"

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a / n

very short chapter but I wanted to get deeper into John B and Phoebe before things start to get really intense. 

anyways, enjoy!! the next chapter shouldn't be too long.