TWENTY-TWO WHAT DO WE DO NOW?

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Somehow, Norman kept ending up surrounded by Pogues. After a hearty amount of time spent crying, Norman pulled himself together just in time for Kie to call him for a group meeting at John B's place. With a sigh, he pulled up outside the house even though that was the absolute last place he wanted to be considering recent events. Sure, maybe John B didn't hate him, but things weren't exactly peachy for the two boys either. However, Alisha was mad at him and according to Kie, Norman could do no wrong and he needed that support right now.

"Jeez, what happened to you?" JJ asked as Norman stepped out of his car looking worse for wear. Sure, he could wear a half-unbuttoned floral button up and Tom Ford sunglasses and look just like any other Kook, but as soon as he lifted his sunglasses onto his head, it was painfully obvious that he had been crying.

He sniffled, "Allergies. If you guys are gonna call me over here for so many meetings, why not just tell me to stick around? I know I can afford the gas money, but the going back and forth is killing me."

JJ shrugged, "Don't live on Figure Eight, then you won't have to drive all the way down to the ghetto. Hope you got insurance before those windows get smashed, bro."

"Shut up, JJ," Kiara hushed as she walked over and slung her arm over Norman's shoulders. Of course, she was on her tip-toes, but the small side hug was appreciated. "Besides, this one wasn't planned, it was John B's idea and I thought that... well... everyone should be here."

"Since when am I included in everyone?" Norman scoffed.

"Since John B and Kiara fell in love with you," Pope told him with a small smile, "And you've been kind of a help throughout this whole thing, so there's that."

"Okay, okay, can we just get to the point?" John B asked, interrupting everybody as he didn't even acknowledge Norman's presence. For someone that didn't hate him, he sure as hell was good at acting like he did. He was kind of sick of things being so hot and cold with John B. Norman wished he just knew a sliver of what was going on in that boy's head, maybe things would be just a little bit easier then. But no, no such luck. It was then that Norman noticed Sarah sitting quietly on the couch, almost as if she was scared to interrupt the conversation. After a moment, Norman waved to the girl.

Kie sighed, "Yeah, what did you need to talk to us about?"

"Okay, so, like, you know how Sarah helped us get the plat map and helped me find the letter and got me into the archives and everything? I just think that it's only fair that she come with us to get the gold tonight."

"No effing way," Kie exclaimed barely even letting him finish his sentence. "You brought her here? So what? She's in on this now?"

Pope shook his head, muttering, "I dunno."

All JJ had to say was, "Look all I care about is that her cut comes out of your share."

"You know," Kie began, her voice certainly rising in anger, "I don't remember taking a vote."

"You always bring Norman along!"

"You guys just love to bring me into this, huh," Norman muttered, "John B, if you're gonna be a dick, keep my name out of your mouth. You claim to not hate me and not care that I'm here, but the second you want to bring Sarah into this, I'm the odd one out. Sarah, I personally don't care if you're here or not. John B, leave me out of this, please?"

The boy sighed, "Sorry, sorry, just... I don't get why it's different. Kie, if you get to bring along my ex, why can't I bring yours?"

Both JJ and Pope gasped at that but stayed silent. Norman noticed how Sarah bit her lip and kept her eyes low to the ground while Kie was obviously fuming. Before the girl could speak, however, Norman took over before he could even stop himself.

"What did I just fucking say John B? Besides, I'm not even your ex! All you did was kiss me like twice and then toss me aside like garbage the second Sarah proved useful to you so, Sarah, I'm sorry you got dragged into this, but I'd hit the road now if I was you."

The girl sighed, "I'm not here for John B, sorry, but it's true. I'm here... I'm here because I wanna help. I don't mind putting up with Kiara if I can help you guys out. Rocky and I give you guys access to the other half of the island, pretty much, so just let me help and I'll be complicit. Just saying."

"I just gotta say," Pope interrupted with a tense expression on his face, "I'm a tad uncomfortable with all of this."

"Thank you!" Kie exclaimed.

John B scoffed, "When are you not?"

"Hey! Don't go for Pope just because you're pissed you aren't getting your way!" Norman shouted before anyone else could get a word in. "You're so selfish you can't even take your friends seriously when they say they're uncomfortable."

"Yeah!" Pope added, "When am I not? I don't know, I rode here on the back of JJ's bike pretty comfortably."

"It's true," muttered the blond boy, "Most relaxed I've ever seen him."

"That's cute, guys," John b scoffed, shaking his head, "You know what, Norman, if you have such a problem, no one is asking you to stay."

"I am," Kie spoke up, "He's my friend and he was yours, too before you became such a dickwad about Sarah. I'd say no offense, but this is clearly your fault, so, offense."

The blonde girl scoffed, rolling her eyes at Kiara, mumbling, "Yeah, whatever."

Not bothered by the comment, Kiara continued, "You know, we were all pretty comfortable until you brought her. It's that simple."

"Stop talking about me like I'm not here!" Sarah exclaimed with a scoff.

"Then leave!" was Kiara's response.

"I told you."

"Told him what, exactly? That you're a liar?"

Sarah rolled her eyes, "No, that you're a shit-talking bitch."

"Hey!" Norman exclaimed as he wedged himself in between the two girls so they wouldn't even be able to look at each other, "I don't care what the fuck went down between you two, but you don't talk to Kiara like that and get away with it. I don't give a shit if you're here or not, but I'll be happy to quit defending you if you're gonna be an asshole.

"Oh shit," he heard JJ whisper under his breath.

"Everybody shut up!" John B yelled just as JJ and Pope started placing bets, "Kie, you are my best friend, right? And Sarah you're my friend, too--"

"Oh, so she's your friend now?" Kie asked, feigning innocence, "So what was all that talk about just using her for information? Get a map, cut her loose."

Immediately, Sarah's expression shifted and what's done was done. She looked over at John B with obvious hurt in her eyes as she calmly asked, "You said you were using me?"

"Welcome to the club," Norman muttered under his breath, but no one heard him but Kiara who looked at him pitifully.

"No," John B denied, but as soon as he said that both JJ and Pope contradicted him. God, that boy was a terrible liar. "Look, this friendship just... walked in--"

"Oh, vomit," Kie gagged while the boy continued speaking.

"I didn't expect it! We didn't expect to like Norman, did we? And now look at us! You call him any time we do anything, you want him here. I-I want him here."

"Could have fooled me," the boy spat, getting fed up with being used as an argument point, "You know what? I'm actually really fucking sick of having this conversation. John B, you can make a point without bringing me into it and talking about me like I'm some toy that gets tossed back and forth at your guys' beck and call. I'm not gonna listen to this shit, bring Sarah or don't, I don't really care, but I'm getting out of here."

He pulled his keys out of his pocket, hearing Kiara and John B call after him as he stepped off the porch and marched towards his car without a second thought. He didn't have to tolerate this and he shouldn't have to. Norman could go along with the mission without being involved in every idiotic altercation. As soon as he got into the driver's seat, his passenger door opened. He expected it to be Kiara, but instead, it was John B.

"Get out of my car," he instructed before the boy could even sit down, but he didn't budge. Norman sighed, "What the fuck do you want?"

John B raised his hands in surrender, admitting, "I just wanna talk. Without the others. So?"

"Fine, just say what you have to say."

"I'm sorry," were the first words to leave John B's mouth which were frankly unexpected, "I'm sorry for making you feel like you got thrown aside the second Sarah came into the picture. I know a lot of things with us were... missed opportunities. I don't hate you and I... I didn't forget about you just because Sarah is suddenly in my life. I'm sorry I made you feel like that."

"Wow, you actually apologized. Didn't expect that one," Norman scoffed, "Um, shit, okay. Oh, God, that made this harder. I expected you to be more of an asshole about this."

John B scoffed, "Gee, thanks. Also, I want you to know that I'm not trying to keep Sarah around because I want her and I to get back together. She's my friend and she got into this just like you did, you know?"

Strangely, that did comfort Norman a little. Knowing that maybe John B was still on the table; getting his hopes up would be the death of him.

"Can you say something, please?" John B asked gently after a moment too long of silence.

Norman shrugged, shaking his head with a small smile, "I don't know, John B! I mean, this shit got so crazy so fast. What's it been? Like a week? It's too much. Either you like me or you don't, I'm not gonna play anymore games with you. I don't give a shit about Sarah Cameron, I give a shit about you. You just... you don't get that."

"I like you," was all the boy said, his voice so quiet Norman almost hadn't heard him. "I like you, Norman. I don't know how or why it happened so fast, but I feel like I've known this for... a while. Maybe it was a stupid crush that I masked with hate and stupid comebacks to all your daddy issues jokes or whatever, but it was still there. This week made it worse because I got to have real, honest conversations with you, I got to be friends with you and it made everything so much worse. When you kissed me at Midsummers I ran because... because I was scared. I was worried that we had fucked things up, I was worried about Sarah, I don't even know. I'm sorry... for running."

"You don't have to apologize for that, running is like the only thing I ever do," Norman tried to make a joke as a small laugh tumbled past his lips as he avoided the boy's eyes. "I like you, too."

"So what do we do now?"

I'm going protesting today so wish me luck y'all lmaooo I literally prewrote this and didn't post it because of the blackout and now y'all get this shit while imma be chillin with my phone on airplane mode!! i'll add an update when i get home from the protest so y'all know if i'm doing okay!!

Edit: The protest stayed peaceful and I'm safe!!