"I'VE HAD MORE BLACK EYES IN THE LAST MONTH THAN I'VE EVER HAD."

After the craziness that was an all-out kook v pouge war, which the southside obviously won, the small group of teenagers rested their muscles outside the Château with fairy lights and a campfire, with roasted marshmallows on a stick and hot sandwiches, the idea given to them by Kiara, of course.

Tatum's chin rested on Kie's shoulder, too drained to eat the soft, dry, cooked sweets, her arms wrapped loosely around the girl's waist as they slowly drifted away from the world with the warmth and comfort of each other's bodies, their smiles light and real, happy to be together again. No more drama.

Now their lesbian, side couple was finally back together, the boys of the group were slightly put to peace, their worry and concern for Tatum dialling down a little, as they knew that if anyone could calm her in the dark times, it was Kiara Carrera. Tatum was the fire and she was her water. Together, they brought peace into each other's hearts.

"You should've seen me after getting my nose done," said Cameron with a small chuckle, sitting in between his sister and John B, stick in the fire, referring back to Pope's statement about black eyes.

JJ, who still didn't trust the boy in the slightest, rolled his eyes a little, sitting down next to Pope on a black garden chair, a paper plate on his lap. "That was building up for years," he commented, still hyped over the fight. "Rumble in the jungle."

"Hey, did Sarah really stick up for you?" asked John B distantly, mind stuck on the girl he started a huge fight for an hour ago, turning to the two girls beside him on the bench.

For the first time since sitting down, Tatum lifted her head of her girlfriend's, mind smashing against the sides of her head. "Mhm," she mumbled, snuggling back into Kiara as the girl wrapped her arms around her.

Pope looked up instantly, his mouth dropping, head snapping to JJ. "You gave her alcohol?" he hissed incredulously. "Do you have any idea how dangerous that is?"

"She's fine," the blonde boy argued, throwing his arms out at the almost passed-out girl drooped over her girlfriend. "Just a little tired, that's all."

Pope shook his head disappointedly, realising he now had to check up on his sister every hour to make sure the idiot was still alive. What was she thinking? Mixing alcohol with the meds she was on? One more drop of it and she'd be hooked up to an IV. Again.

"Of course she did," answered Kie, steering the conversation back to the broken hearted boy's question, squeezing Tatum tighter, beyond grateful to have her back in her arms after everything. "She's not a real kook."

The air went into a bitter silence for a moment before John B eventually nodded, "Right."

"Yeah, tell that to Topper," said Pope with an eye roll.

The pouges disagreed a lot about the good kooks and the bad kooks, but each and every one of them could agree that they hated Topper Thornton the most.

Tatum let out a tiny giggle when JJ pressed his finger to his roasted marshmallow only for it to burn his fingers.

Kiara looked down at her with a smile, missing that bubbly sound that really pushed her through the bad days.

When they met eyes, both soft and sweet, Kie squeezed Tate's hand and leaned down to plant a peaceful, loving kiss on her forehead.

"Love you," the sleepy girl mumbled, playing with her girlfriend's many friendship bracelets, almost all of them crafted by JJ and John B. She searched her arm for the stunning amethyst, crystal bracelet she stole for her, but was disappointed when she found that it wasn't there anymore.

Eyes still on the stunning view of her girl, Kie frowned a little in realisation of what she was looking for. Burried in the garden was the missing bracelet. When they all thought she was dead, the pouges burried it in memory of the beautiful soul that was Tatum Quinn.

"I love you too," Kiara whispered, running a gentle hand through the girl's silky, black hair.

Watching the two girls made his heart ache even more about the missing piece of him that was Sarah Cameron, John B grinned mischievously wanting to mood to lift up again. "I just want one bite," he spoke before quickly stealing Kiara's shawarma. He took it into his mouth and began eating before she even noticed it was gone, too lost in the eyes of the girl on her lap. "That...mmm."

Kiara suddenly looked up, finding that her wrap was gone. She turned to John B with a glare, trying to take it back. "What are you doing? No, stop!"

Tatum lifted her head up to see what was going on, knocking into Kie's arm, causing the food to fall straight to the floor.

"Your not having any of mine," JJ stated, savouring every bite and swallow he took only to piss the girl off.

Cameron, sitting in between John B and Tate, laughed a little, slowly gaining comfort around this new group. He wasn't much of a people person and his social skills were horrific, making him say pretty insensitive stuff when he felt awkward, so it was hard for him to feel relaxed around a group of people, especially when they were his own age. But, although JJ Maybank didn't like him very much, he began feeling a little confident around his sister's friends, liking how each of them had a very different personality.

"I thought we were going to share," John B said, standing up and looking for the fallen, now dirty wrap.

"I spent the last of my money on that," complained Kie.

"Whoops," said Tatum, not apologetic in the slightest, as she giggled and messed around near the fire, energy suddenly flooding through her body again.

Picking up the dirty shawarma from the muddy ground, John B smiled like he'd picked up a pot of gold. "Sixteen years in the most federal prisons."

"I'm stealing your marshmallow," stated Kiara, taking his roasted sweet from his stick.

"I believe that's a...not even fair trade," Pope spoke up as Tatum pulled his arms, forcing him to stand and shake around with her.

"It's not at all," Kie agreed, enjoying the stolen sweet anyway, laughing as the two siblings almost fell over due to Tatum's slightly tipsy state. "Not even close."

"Yeah."

John B, who was still sitting on the ground, now going quiet, tapped Kie on the back, catching everyone's attention. "Hey, hey," he whispered. "Shh."

The next moment was silent. Silent enough for them to hear every little movement around them. A rustle was heard from the bushes.

"Somebody's here."

Tatum Quinn didn't hesitate before ripping her bright pink pistol from the waistband of her shorts, jumping to the front of the group, prepared to do anything to protect her friends.

"You don't think that Topper would..." Kie's voice trailed off, not noticing the weapon sitting in her girlfriend's hand.

"Wouldn't put it past him," JJ spoke everyone's thoughts as they all stood up to follow John B and Tate to investigate the woods around them. "Or that Isabella girl."

Tatum scoffed, shaking her head. "Let her try," she dared with a grin. "I'll gut that bitch like I did her boyfriend."

"No, you won't," Pope told her seriously. His eyes flickered down at her hand. He sighed and pinched his nose. "Why the hell do you have a gun?"

She shrugged like the weapon in her hand couldn't kill someone with a single click. "Leroy's birthday present."

Kiara looked down, her mouth wide open as she remembered the previous few times her girlfriend held a pistol almost the exact same as this one. "You've had a gun all this time?" she asked in shock.

Tatum shrugged again. "Yeah."

"And you didn't shoot anyone at the fight?"

"Nope."

Kiara smiled proudly, wrapping her arms around the girl's waist and giving her a tight squeeze. "Well done."

"Wow. Round of applause to Tatum Quinn for not murdering anyone," said Cameron sarcastically, clapping his hands together. He didn't mean to come out and say slightly rude, sometimes offensive things all the time. That was just the way his mind worked. When things got a little awkward for him, his brain made him use sarcasm to fill in the hole. He never properly understood it, but it was just something he'd had to live with since being little. And he never really knew the difference between being funny and being rude. Fitting in with kids his own age had always been a struggle.

JJ shot him an instant glare, looking just like Thomas Quinn through the protective scowls he handed out to defend his sister.

"Shut up," hissed Pope, reminding them all that there was somebody waiting for them in the woods.

"Hey, who's out there?" John B spoke up with confidence, going straight against the smart one's orders.

"You kooks better not try anything," Kiara challenged, slipping her sweaty hand into her girlfriend's, so proud that she managed to control her urges at the fight. She was getting so much better at defying her bad thoughts, and Kie was her biggest supporter.

"Yeah, or I'll shoot you dead!" threatened Tatum straight away, causing everyone to shake their heads.

"No, she won't," said Pope quickly.

"How y'all doin'?"