CHAPTER TWELVE: UP
IN FLAMES
( episode five: midsummers )

✲*'。

Arden kept her stare perfectly blank as she tried not to yawn in boredom. Oh how she hated this event. All Arden wanted to do was find the girls and find a way to make this Midsummer's event not so .... mundane and boring. She'd spent the night happily cocooned inside the resort, smiling politely at anyone who dared to look at her when they passed. No one couldn't say she wasn't being polite. The event like every other year; probably worse this year with the eyes carefully lingering on the not-so-discreet 19 week old baby lying in Arden's uterus.

It also didn't help that Arden couldn't get stone cold drunk anymore.

Arden had always been petite, both in terms of weight and height and it was only in the year before she got pregnant that Arden's body began to fill out from the bi-weekly workouts she did and the bi-weekly three miles run she pushed herself to complete. The moment little-bean wanted to themselves known it was game over. The first time Arden really noticed she was beginning to show, was two weeks after she told JJ the 'truth.'

Arden had been trying to button her shorts for over a half an hour, not understanding why her old clothes weren't fitting anymore. It took Sarah proudly declaring that she was beginning to show that Arden finally calmed down.

That was the day, Arden posed for over an hour in front of Sarah in exasperation to find the clothes that still fitted, hiding the little bloated bump Arden had.

That, that was the moment Arden felt most like herself in the two weeks since it became known that she was pregnant.

Sarah Cameron had ended up becoming Arden's 'life coach' as she affectionately dubbed it, berating her friend whenever Arden said something negative, forcing her to focus on the positive.

She figured enough time had passed for her to try and go off to find Sarah again. Arden had done her bit. Show off, smile politely and not cause a scandal. Her mother couldn't fault her for that.

As she walked away and began to cast a quick glance over everyone at the event, Arden's eyebrows furrowed in confusion as she couldn't see Pope or Haven. She could see Kie from the corner of her eye, making conversation with her parents idly, bored out of her mind. Arden huffed, sighing disappointment at the fact she couldn't see JJ anywhere. It was idiotic of her to even think he'd show up here.

She forced herself to walk on, she just needed to get through tonight. If she got through tonight without any major issues her mother wouldn't even notice Arden not being around the house for a few days. Eun-Cha would be wrapped happily in her own world if she thought everyone was gossiping about the poise of her expecting daughter to one 'Rafe Cameron.'

Arden walked out through the hotel, towards the back, eyes narrowing as she spotted Topper and Sarah having a go at one another again. She huffed to herself in exasperation, stepping out, loudly banging the door.

"Saz, think you could help me with something?" Arden called, watching as the relief practically melted onto her friends face.

"I'm sick of the constant interrogation!" Sarah cried, backing away as Topper made another grab for her. Arden marched out, intercepting Topper's arm with a harsh cold glare.

"I'd advise you to turn the fuck around and leave us alone. Got it?"

Arden never got a reply, Sarah tugging at her arm to drag her back inside, leaving a brewing anger in the hot headed Topper Thornton....

Arden allowed Sarah to drag her away, almost stopping in surprise as Sarah stopped rather dramatically.

"Oh Ard!" Sarah breathed out dramatically, prompting Arden to raise an eyebrow in surprise.

"Oh Saz!" She mockingly exclaimed after her friend. Arden felt the slightest bit of worry beginning to blossom when her friend didn't berate her. Instead, Sarah excitedly clasped Arden's hands into her own.

"I have so much to tell you!" She enthusiastically exclaimed.

"Do you now?" Arden teasingly called as Sarah led her out into the makeshift dance floor, spinning Arden around in delight. What the fuck did Sarah have to tell? She'd only been gone an hour for the love of god.

"Ard I'm being serious!"

Arden shot her friend a teasing smile. "I know, I know. I'm sorry, now tell me everything!"

"Oh Ard he's amazing!"

Before Arden could reply to Sarah, she noticed Haven creeping towards them.

"Hey, Ard," Haven grinned, though the expression wavered as she noticed Sarah standing opposite her. "And Sarah..."

"Hi, Haven," the blonde smiled nervously. "You look pretty."

Arden watched on nervously as she saw the way Haven hesitated before nodding slowly. "Thanks... so do you..."

"So, Have," Arden cleared her throat to catch her attention. Better to stop this awkward conversation before it could properly blow up. "Do you notice anything different about me?"

Arden watched on, a beaming smile on her face as Haven stepped back mockingly to give her a quick one-over.

"Hm, have you put on some weight?" Haven guessed which earned her a smack on the arm.

"Try again," She huffed.

"You put in contacts?"

"Seriously?"

"Oh, relax, would you?" Haven giggled. "Your hair looks lovely, Arden. I'd date you if—"

"If the Hope ship wasn't sailing." At her words, Haven blushed madly, which prompted a confused frown from her. What had she missed.

"Anyways. I was just saving Sarah here from Topper," Arden commented to fill the sudden silence. "He was being a douche."

"What else is new?"

Silence again. However, before it could overwhelm them, a sudden commotion caught their attention on the decking. One of the security guards was leading somebody outside by the scruff of his shirt, the person not going down without a fight as he snatched drinks out of people's hands and spoke with a raised voice.

"Is that who I think it is?" Haven sighed to Arden.

The newly-blonde girl winced and nodded. "Of course it is."

"Oh, Mr Dunleavy, I see you got your drink," JJ Maybank beamed at an elderly man holding a scotch glass by the steps. "Good, that's really nice of you, I'm actually gonna down that." He snatched the glass and threw the drink back like a shot.

"What the hell's the matter with him?" the man cried, prompting the security guard to frantically apologise. This allowed JJ to stumble down the stairs ahead of them, the man quickly grabbing him before he was able to disappear. JJ rolled his eyes, tugging on his arm and muttering, "I really appreciate the discretion, Darryl, you know?'

"We need to stop him," Haven hissed as she ran ahead of her. Just as Arden turned to leave, Sarah pulled her back with a determined glint in her eyes. "Meet me at the Hawk's nest, tonight at Midnight."

Arden nodded blearily, not even contemplating why Sarah wanted her to meet her that late and there for all places. She needed to talk to JJ.

Just as Arden reached Haven, it was already too late to intervene, for JJ had begun shouting at the top of his lungs. "It's okay, everybody. Do not panic. Let's leave it to the men and women in uniform, huh? Let's hear it for 'em." He began to clap dramatically, though he paused to point and wink at a familiar woman standing nearby. "Rose! You look like lady liberty. It's good to see you again."

Arden stopped in her tracks. "How does he know Rose Cameron?"

Haven rolled her eyes. "Now's not the time to be jealous of an old woman, Arden."

"Right, sorry."

Someone stopped the music, all eyes on the commotion JJ had caused. Kie took the silence as an opportunity to step forward, shouting from the decking, "Hey, let go of him. You can't just boot him."

The guard frowned, obviously caught off guard. "Excuse me, ma'am?"

"I invited him here. I'm a member of this club." Kiara stood firmly, just like the girl Arden always knew. She refused to back down.

And it was at that moment that the chaos ensued. JJ noticed the guard's distracted state and shoved him hard in the chest, sending him flying into a dessert table as everyone screamed in fright. Haven and Arden exchanged a glance before readying themselves to get out of there. If one pogue went down, the others did too.

"Hey, mandatory power hour at the Rixon's, Kie," JJ exclaimed as he pointed at the girl in question. "Pope, you as well, alright?" He then searched the mess for both of the them, quickly giving up as 'Darryl' began to stand. "Arden Kim and Haven Murphy! If you can hear me, report to Rixon's pronto."

"To Rixon's we go," Arden cheered, happy to just be getting away from Midsummers.

"Workers of the world unite! Throw off your chains!"

They took off running. JJ had already made it to where John B was waiting on the other side of the marquee, Kie not far ahead of the two as JJ said and 'threw off the chains' of the Midsummers shitshow. She went straight for JJ's arms, shrieking giddily as he spun her around and pressed a smacking kiss to her temple, Haven finally passing them out. Pope joined them after struggling to get away from his dad, and away the six went.

The pogues were officially back baby and man it felt good to be back.

✲*'。

"Hey, guys. So, like, my dad's already gonna kill me. What's this mandatory meeting about?" Pope declared, finally setting them all on track.

All eyes were on John B for answers. He hesitated, JJ sighing into the silence, "Might as well say it, man, before we're gaffed."

"Gaffed?" Haven repeated incredulously, though she was ignored by everyone except Arden herself, who frowned and muttered the word with confusion.

John B took a moment to just look at them, a spark of hope in his eyes that made Arden want to smile back at him happily. The friend she had grown up with was finally back. "You ready for this?"

"What's with the dramatics? Just tell us."

"The gold never went down with the Royal Merchant."

"Oh, my god," Pope sighed in frustration. "Here we go again with this."

Arden was just slightly inclined to agree with Pope ok this. Was that not a bust? Why the fuck was John B focusing on this again?

"No, alright, wait—" JJ cut him off with a weak smile. The lack of joyful lusted in his words was enough to make Arden wriggle around in Kie's arms anxiously. Something felt off. "Hear him out, alright?"

"It's been here the whole time. It's on the island."

"Are you serious?" Kie grinned, though she was only half-listening as she tightened her grip on Arden's waist. A soft smile remained on her face as Arden breathily giggled into her ear, her hope reignited once more.

Unlike the girls, Pope still wasn't sure. "I'd like to voice my scepticism."

"I'm sure you would, Pope," John B chuckled as he stood before them. As she heard a low chuckle escaping Havens lips, she followed her gaze, landing on John B. At the way he was standing Arden couldn't help but giggle quietly again into Kie's shoulder. Man he reminded of the girls pompous teachers at the Kook Academy.

"But can I please present you with my evidence, sir?"

"Proceed." Pope stated, warily watching on.

"In my backpack, I have a letter from Denmark Tanny."

"Who the hell's that?" Kie scoffed.

"Denmark Tanny was a slave that survived the Royal Merchant wreck." As he spoke, he rifled through his bag, eventually pulling out a crumpled piece of paper with a photo-copied letter on the front. He passed it to Kie first, Arden leaning over her shoulder so she could also see the unfamiliar language scrawled in cursive. "Okay, slaves weren't mentioned as crew members on the ship. But my dad, he found the complete manifest. That was his big discovery." The letter was eventually passed down to Haven who in turned it on to Pope almost immediately. "So Tanny used the gold from the Merchant to buy his freedom. After that, he bought his farm. Drumroll, please, because that farm is... Tannyhill Plantation."

Kie's smile faded. "Tannyhill?"

"I mean," Haven piped up in optimistic hope. "His name was Denmark Tanny. I don't know what you expected."

"After that," John B continued. "He used his money to free even more slaves, and then he sold a shit-ton of rice, which pissed off all the white planters, so they decided to lynch him." Well, that got dark really quick. "On the day they were coming to get him, he wrote a letter to his son as a farewell, and in the last line of that letter, he left a coded message about where to find the gold."

"Where?"

"Harvest the wheat in parcel nine, near the water."

"Except, there's no wheat," he continued. "You see, wheat is code for gold." He took the letter from Pope, holding it above the fire and pointing to a wheat symbol imprinted on the very bottom. "The gold is in parcel nine, near the water."

"Damn," Haven breathed out in response."This is actually genius of you, John B."

"Thanks, I know," he smirked. "Now, all we need is an original survey map of the property, and we've found the gold." If it turned out he was wrong, once Arden got over her disappointment she'd tease the fuck out of him.

"Okay, so this might have a small chance of actually being true," Pope admitted reluctantly.

"Wow, Pope, was that a compliment?" Haven teased. "I can admit when I'm wrong, okay?"

Arden lumped her head onto Kiara's shoulder, yawning into her neck as Kiara shivered in disgust. However a playful smile remained on her lips.

"Right, as sweet as this is, we have other stuff to talk about. What's the plan?"

"Good question," John B said. "So, Sarah Cameron's coming tonight. She's going to bring an original survey map—"

"Whoa, wait," Kie quickly cut him off, arms tightening around again Arden around in anger. "Sarah? W-Why Sarah?"

"This is gonna be good," JJ muttered as Arden caught Kie and Haven sharing an uneasy glance. John B was shuffling before them now, his face tinted pink. If Arden had to guess it had nothing to do with the heat of the burning fire. "So Sarah, um — she — she got me into the archives at Chapel Hill yesterday and that's how I got the letter."

"That's nice of her, but that doesn't explain why she needs to be involved now," Haven drawled as Kie hissed, "You were in Chapel Hill with Sarah Cameron?"

"He was mackin' on her," JJ smirked.

John B pinched the bridge of his nose, grumbling, "I wasn't macking."

"You were totally macking Sarah Cameron."

"I wasn't macking on her, okay? I was using her for access."

"You sound awfully defensive, John B," Haven frowned. Was this what Sarah had wanted to tell her?

"Did you tell her about the treasure?" Kie asked when he just stayed quiet.

"I was just trying to get into the archives."

"Is that a yes?"

"I left out the key details," he implored, like that made it any better.

"You let a kook in on our secret," Kie cried in disbelief. "What about pogue lyfe? What about the t-shirt company, bro?"

Arden blinked in surprise as she heard Kie mention that god awful t-shirt company. Arden thought they had given up on that idea when she had accidentally managed to burn all of their supplies almost six months again.

"You guys have a t-shirt company?" Haven questioned in surprise, though her question went unanswered.

"Look, I was just using her for information," John B mumbled half-heartedly, though it sounded like it hurt him to say it.

Kie noticed it, too. "Why don't I believe you?"

"I'm trying to make us filthy rich here. So that we can pay off a boat, or send Pope to an autopsy school to study dead bodies, or take Haven to Brazil..." He trailed off with a sigh as she refused to look at him. "Look, you guys know me. Do I look like the type of person to fall for Sarah Cameron?"

Arden had finally wriggled out of Kie's hold and stood up, circling John B with a mocking look of speculation on her face. She was going to do what she did best. Dissolve the god damn tension.

"Yes. Yes, you do. You scream Sarah Cameron's idea—"

Arden almost leapt a foot into the air as JJ suddenly moved forward, blue eyes bearing down fire as he stared her down. "Shut up. Shut up. Shut up!" He hissed. Arden warily stood back, retreating unknowingly into John B's chest as JJ kept advancing towards her.

"What the fuck is up with you?" Kiara stood up, all the previous anger about Sarah Cameron gone as she saw JJ rapidly advancing towards her, John B tightly holding onto protectively as JJ harshly grabbed her purse to pull out the newest sonogram of her baby.

Oh mother of fuck .... there was no way .... He couldn't have?

"What the fuck is wrong with me?" JJ laughed disbelievingly, pain evident in his eyes. The look was one Kie knew all too well. It was the look that haunted her for days after JJ told the pogues what Arden had done——well supposedly in this case since Kiara knew the truth. If she had to guess, so did JJ ....

"She's been lying to us! She's been lying to me!" JJ snarled, pointedly holding up the sonogram that Arden felt the itch to grab again.

So much for a boring night eh.

✲*'。
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