─── ∙ ~εïз~ ∙ ───

"jj, you have six hundred thousand on the line." kie reminded her friend. "so why are you still obsessed with this fifty dollar bet? it's been months and you've only just properly spent time with her—"

bet.

"because i like her, kie!" he exclaimed. "i think i actually like her! and all i wanted was fifty dollars, not these weird feelings for some kook." he groaned.

bet.

"wait, you think you like her?" pope questioned. "dude, why didn't you just tell me?"

they had betted on her?

marella couldn't even be happy that the boy she thought was actually quite sweet had some sort of crush on her. because he had placed a bet on her, and that was so much worse. 'some kook'. is that all she meant to them? to him? after the night before?

"and what did you expect?" kiara scoffed. "you thought you could just win over such an good person and you wouldn't catch any feelings?"

"jj, we've got to call it off then." pope shook his head. he had no idea how jj felt about his friend. yes, he too had begun to feel things for marella too but he was momentarily torn between her and kiara.

"pope?" marella mouthed, tears welling up in her dark brown eyes. he was in on this too?

"way ahead of you, brother." the blonde boy sighed, running his hand through his hair.

"you're both idiots." kie sighed. "you two better tell her what's been going on before it's too late."

"and why didn't you stop us from making this bet?" jj crossed his arms, trying to pin the blame on someone else.

"oh, please. i've been against it since the day you two disgustingly spit shook your hands." kie reminded him.

"hey, where is marie?" pope questioned. "you think she's up yet?"

"i'm not too sure." kiara shrugged, glancing around. she had turned around at the perfect time, to see marella's loose, dark curls passing by the window. "shit, she's awake!" the girl quickly stood up from the bucket and ran into the house. "marella!"

"what?!" jj instantly got up from the hot tub and followed her inside, pope behind him. the three rushed over to the back door, to see marella speeding off. "river! hold on." jj shouted, running over to her. "hey, hey. what's going on?"

"oh cut the bullshit." she shook her head. the three were surprised, marella never swore. that's how she preserved her elegance. "so much for i deserved to be loved? is this what i deserve, jj? or was that just a lie too?"

"no—" jj shook his head.

the girl simply looked past jj, her eyes on the boy behind him. "and pope... you were supposed to be my friend."

"i am!" pope cried out. "it—it was never supposed to go this far. marella, i'm so sorry."

"no, it's my fault." marella shook her head. "i should've never trusted you guys. my mom warned me, but i didn't listen."

"marie—" kie started.

"fifty fucking dollars." she scoffed. "is that all i'm worth to you guys? you do realise my feelings are not a game you two can play with?! the two boys glanced at each other, not knowing what to say to her. but their silence made her more irritated.

"don't worry. i'll make sure you get your money." marella nodded. "after all, you both win, right? you both won me over. so congratulations, i never want to see any of you again." she turned around, quickly grabbing her blue bicycle and cycling away.

"fuck!" jj cursed in irritation.

─── ∙ ~εïз~ ∙ ───

"where the holy hell have you been, child?!" athena river shouted at the girl, barging into her bedroom.

marella was lying face down on her bed. she had been sobbing during the bike ride home, which blurred her vision and almost made her crash multiple times. and she had been sobbing for the whole thirty minutes she had been at home. the girl quickly pulled her head up, seeing her family standing by her door.

"what?" she croaked out.

"what?" her mother mocked. "don't play dumb? you were supposed to clock in at six! it's nearly midday."

"sorry mom." marella sighed, wiping her eyes. "i got caught up with sarah—"

"lying again!" athena boomed, glancing down at her younger children. "didn't i tell you guys she would try and lie?" marella looked at the twins, they seemed fatigued, unhappy and did not want to answer their mother's question. they simply grumbled, but it wasn't clear what they had said. "i know you've been with those filthy pogues." athena shook her head.

"we used to be pogues, mom!" marella yelled out, making her mother flinch at her unexpected switch of emotions. "you were born and raised on the cut, i was born and raised on the cut! you worked two jobs! ive been working since i was nine! so why are you pretending like we've been living out here our whole lives?!"

"you don't raise your voice at me!" athena shouted. "how dare you? do you know how hard we—" she paused. "how hard i've worked to get us here?! and you dare be ungrateful and try to remind me of the sad lives we used to live?"

marella didn't fight back, she just looked down.

"get up." athena ordered and the girl quickly did as she was told. "come on, ward's outside. you think you can yell? at me? it's a good thing ward called me when he did. you need time to reevaluate yourself."

"what? why?" marella questioned, following them out of the room.

"he told me how your 'friend' john b has been spiralling. that reckless boy attacked him this morning."

"what?!"

"and he's worried for sarah, so they're going up to the bahamas today." athena continued. "he suggested you go with them. since you and sarah are so close."

"to the bahamas? no, mom—" marella started.

"your packed bag is with the front desk." she finished. "i'll see you when you're back. and when you are back, you'll make up for all the hours you missed this week, plus the ones you're supposed to work while you're gone."

marella watched in disbelief as her mother strutted down the hallway. she had no choice. ward was already waiting for her, her bags were packed and the only friend she had right now was sarah. she had nothing to lose.

the girl crouched down to her younger sibling's height. "hey, i love you guys."

"love you too."

"love you."

"if you two ever need anything, go to—" she paused. she was about to say go to pope. "you always have each other, okay? and you have my number."

"okay." coredelia nodded. "that means i'm in charge?"

marella laughed sadly. "yeah, you're in charge."

"hey!" dylan frowned at his lack of promotion. "i'm gonna miss you."

"i'm gonna miss you too, buddy." marella pouted. "but i'll be back before you know it."

"have fun." cordelia smiled giving her a peck on her right cheek. her twin brother did the same on her left, making their older sister sigh.

the girl made her way over to the front desk, pulled the blue duffel bag and made her way out of the house. how did things get like this so fast? just last night marella was in bed with jj, finally getting to know him properly. she even opened up to him.

marella was just beginning to see pope as a best friend, she was supposed to go to the interview with him the next day. but no, now she knew their friendship was based on a lie and she was heading to the bahamas?

"hey, angel." ward cameron greeted the girl approaching his car. when her father passed away, ward stepped in and he was always there for her and her family.

"hi." marella mumbled. as much as she loved ward, she was not in the mood.

"i know your probably in shock about how fast this is happening, but trust me — you're going to have a good time." ward told the girl as she entered the back seat.

sarah turned around to look at her and sighed. "you okay?"

"i've been better." the girl shrugged. "thanks for letting me tag along, ward. i think i really needed to get off this island."

"i've always had perfect timing." ward joked, but the two teenagers weren't amused. "seatbelt on?"

"yeah." marella nodded.

"dad, i don't understand why we need to go to the bahamas." sarah spoke up. "i think i... i really need to talk to john b."

"no, sweetheart, i told you, he is not himself right now, all right?" ward explained.

"may i ask what happened?" marella questioned.

"your mom didn't tell you?" ward asked, glimpsing at her through the rearview mirror.

"she didn't say much." marella shrugged, "apparently he attacked you?" she couldn't really picture it happening, there must be something she was missing.

"with a spear on my own boat." ward explained. "right in my arm. he just... snapped."

"right." marella nodded, not wanting to push the matter any further. "i'm sorry."

"it's okay." ward nodded, before glancing at the blonde beside him. "this isn't forever. it's just until they're able to find him and get him the help he needs. trust me, all right?"

"how long is the flight?" marella questioned, feeling worried for john b.

"about four hours." ward told her. "why don't you take a nap? put your mind at ease. that always helped when you were a kid."

"i'm not a kid anymore." marella reminded him, but she took his advice either way.

the girl was abruptly woken by the loud sound of chatter and ward beeping the car horn. she peeled her eyes open to see that they had arrived at the landing strip. ward stepped out of the car to speak to one of his workers.

sarah quickly turned around, "we have to go."

"into the plane? yeah, i figured—" marella started.

"no, marie. we need to get out of here." sarah told her, "something isn't right and i know you agree. why would john b just attack my dad?"

"i don't know." marella sighed, pushing the car door open. "come on."

the two exited the car, unaware that they were being watched from afar by four pogues. john b slowly removed the binoculars from his eyes, a distraught look on his face.

"what?" kie questioned. "what?!"

"it's sarah... and—and marella." the boy breathed out in disbelief.

"they're with him?!" pope exclaimed, feeling a sense of responsibility at his friend's switch of loyalty.

"come on, guys. let's get this stuff loaded." ward ordered as the two girls stepped over to him. "hey! be careful with that."

"what's in the boxes?" sarah asked.

"uh, it's just some, uh... decorative marble pieces that rose found for properties down there. antiques, i think." ward explained, but sarah wasn't convinced.

she grabbed her best friend's arm and led her over to one of the vans. "he knows about the gold." sarah whispered into her ear.

"that's it! close it up."

"excuse me. hi. what's in those crates?" sarah asked one of the workers.

"sorry?" the man questioned.

"the ones that your transporting into the airplane." marella clarified. "could you please let us know what's inside?"

"hey. hey." ward rushed over and placed a hand on each of the girls' shoulders. "yeah, sorry."

"no, excuse me." sarah continued as they were led away. "what?"

"hey. come on."

"we're just asking questions." sarah said.

"i know, it's fine." ward smiled. "let's just get on the plane."

"no."

"please get on the plane." ward pleaded. "we have to get going."

"i'm starting to feel really ill." marella began, clasping onto her stomach.

"that's just your nerves." ward reassured her as he nervously laughed. "or your travel sickness. you know, we have the um... those tablets on the plane you can take. it'll make you feel better."

"i've changed my mind and she's not well. we're going home." sarah finalised.

"sarah. marella!" the man yelled, jogging after them.

"excuse me."

"no! no! do not cause a scene." ward warned his daughter, grabbing her wrist roughly. "do not cause a scene."

"no! stop! stop!" sarah shouted, "marie, go! go!"

the girl turned, ready to start running but the man captured her wrist and yanked her back. now with a secure grip on both of them, he moved them back over to the staircase leading to the plane.

⎯ ❃ jania speaks!

POOR MARIE SHE DESERVES SOO MUCH BETTER

"you make me do too much labour." is sooo marella and athena