(CHAPTER ONE)
dark and gloomy

POPE SWUNG THE AXE AND HARSHLY hit the bark of the tree, small grunts slipped from his lips from trying to cut the hard wood. JJ heated up a tool in his hand with a blowtorch, Sierra stood back with Kiara, her face had a deep frown and her eyes were glossy from held back tears. JJ burn a message into the heart shaped tree, his shaky hands wrote the words:

2003         2020

JOHN B ROUTLEDGE

P4L

The air was humid, the sky had a tint of yellow as the sun was inching towards the horizon. The words engraved into the wood stared back at them as they mourned the loss of their longtime friend. There was no emotion that could describe their pain, they cried together for hours but they knew that it wouldn't bring him back. Nothing, John was dead, and they had to accept it. But that was the problem. They couldn't.

Denial,  an action of declaring something untrue.

Also know as the very first step of the five stages of grief, never in a million years did they ever think it would be them on the opposite end. After Big John had died, John B was the one deep into to declining his fathers death, throughout their whole adventure he began to shift towards the rest, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Then all came crashing down when him and Sarah took The Phantom into a dangerous storm, they had been presumed as dead, lost at sea. Practically Deja vu for Sierra, it seemed as if she was the death compass that lead everyone around her to either die or become asshole, she convinced herself that she was cursed.

Kiara was distraught with Pope by her side. Her face alone told the story, every single detail was carved into her features, her plump lips had a slight quiver as if she was going to burst into tears again. She held a box open in her hands as her sad eyes looked at all the objects inside, they belonged to both of her friends, just looking at them made her want to breakdown but she shut down that sick feeling in her gut.

Pope stared at the ground barley blinking, he fought so hard to hold back tears because he promised to be strong for Kiara. Even if she hadn't been the best towards him, maybe that will improve their relationship since it's been mostly one-sided, Pope tried so hard to find a connection with Kiara but he repeatedly gets rejected. On the inside, he wasn't okay—then again, none of them were— he was breaking down and so confused.

JJ didn't speak, he had an unreadable look upon his face, none of them knew how he felt, but they could take a good guess. He had already been through so much, too much for a 16 year old teen. The pain didn't seem to affect him anymore, he was just numb. JJ never let Sierra leave his side because he was terrified of losing her too, they shared their few happy moments together, and they shared theirmany sad moments together. But no matter what, they did everything together, and as if they weren't flirty before, their relationship made room for lust.

Sierra was hurricane of emotion, from breakdowns that would cause her to throw and break things to cracking jokes to pull down the pain she had feasting on her brain. It was like maggots made up of mood swings decided to crawl into her mind and mess up whatever nerves were inside her head. She barley was able to crawl out of bed that morning, she had been so tired and wanted to sleep, JJ been with her since John B's death, comforting her and helping her do simple everyday things. But there was a sense of deja vu in the whole situation, Peterkin was the only guardian Sierra had left, now she was the one dodging foster care. JJ hid her whenever a worker was close by, she truly was grateful for him.

JJ placed the torch down and grabbed a flask from his pocket, he lifted it into the air as they all looked forward in a moment of silence.

"To John B." JJ mumbled as his other hand tightly gripped Sierra's, he glanced at her for a moment, his watery eyes caused her to see herself in them. She nodded and rested her head on his shoulder.

"And to Sarah." Kiara whispered.

"To the both of them."

—

Sierra reached around her neck to clasp a golden necklace around her neck, it had a single pearl that hung low on her chest. Her hair was straightened thanks to the lovely straightener of Kiara Carrera, it made a bit longer then her regular messy curls. She patted down the dress to make sure it looked fine, and presentable, the week had been pure torture. She had a whole sack of homework, an essay, John B's little memorial was yesterday, sleepless nights, and then today was Peterkin's funeral.

Sierra took a deep breath and turned away from the mirror, she ran a hand through her hair as her heels clicked when they hit the hardwood floor, Kiara waited on the kitchen counter and heard the footsteps approaching.

She smiled softly at Sierra and stood up, Sierra awkwardly stood by staircase as she fidgeted with her fingers. "You look great."

"Thanks." Sierra looked down at the dress again then back up, "Thanks for letting me use you're straightener, and you're makeup, and the shoes, and jewelry." Sierra laughed as Kiara grinned widely.

"Of course, you ready?"

"Not really, but, let's go anyways." Sierra replied as Kiara wrapped a arm around her shoulder.

"I'll be here for you if you need me." Softly whispered as they walked out the door and towards the the car, it still was damaged from Pope's excellent driving.

"Thanks, Kie, seriously."

"Of course."

—

The longer she stood, the more her feet ached from the short heels she decided to wear. Her hands were tightly clasped in front of her as she looked down, she blocked out whatever the minister had to say about Susan, it just didn't feel right to listen to him because he never even met her. The grass below her was fresh, it was bright green and alive, funny since nothing else in the cemetery was.

When Sierra finally looked up, her eyes stared at Cameron family. It disgusted her, it made her furious, they murder her and then come to the funeral pretending as if they were just so sad about her death. In reality, they where probably thinking about which expensive restaurant they should order from since every time they went outside, Kiara and Sierra would not hold back on screaming at them.

She noticed Rafe turning his head, he felt the holes being burned on the side of his face from Sierra's glare. He knew what he had done, he just couldn't quite comprehend the effect it had to the people close to the sheriff. For a few moments the two just stared at each other, then Rafe looked away with a clenched jaw and annoyed blue eyes.

As the ceremony ended Sierra walked up to Shoupe, he glanced at the girl and gave her a small smile, after John died they weren't on great terms. But she came around after awhile.

"Well look at you." Shoupe mumbled as he gave the girl a hug, "Haven't seen you're hair straight in a damn long time, your father always struggled to contain them curls. You runnin' around his office with them all over the place." He chuckled lightly as Sierra nodded and smiled.

"But he always managed, don't know how, but somehow he always was putting up with whatever shenanigans I had thrown at him." Sierra mumbled and laughed, "I'll see you later, gotta call Jeremy."

"Okay, kid." Shoupe nodded as he patted her shoulder and walked away, Jeremy was the lawyer Sierra managed to get with the last bit of inheritance her dad had left for her, the phone was sent from her aunt Chloe back in New York.

"Hello?"

"Hey, this is Sierra Ray, we're meeting up at the sheriff station with Ward Cameron, at around five thirty, I'll meet you there." She explained as she discussed some other things with the lawyer before hanging up. She sighed loudly and looked at the grave, her heart clenched as she felt the sudden urge to vomit, she wiped the tears dripping down her face and walked away.

She wanted to move forward, it was healthier, but losing two people at once wasn't something you could move on from easily.

—

"Bullshit!" Sierra screamed towards Ward, "You lying straight through those fake ass teeth, John B did not kill Sheriff Peterkin!"

"Yes he most certainly did, you're just denying it because you want to save you're friend, but sweetie, this murder we're talking about. John B is crazy, he's brainwashing you just like he did to my daughter."

"I saw it with my own eyes!" Sierra argued and slammed her hands on the table, she heard Shoupe's quiet attempt to calm her but it didn't help one bit. "I'm not doing this just because John B is my best friend, I'm doing this because sheriff Peterkin deserves justice, and because you're son is a fucking psychopath!"

She aggressively shoved the man which caused nothing chaos to occur the moment she did it, Shoupe pulled her away as Ward yelled, "Get her away from me!"

"Sierra, step outside." Shoupe ordered as the girl pulled away from his grip, Jeremy and Sierra walked out the office, more shouting came from Ward. She sighed and sat down.

"Hey, you can't go around doing that, that's assault."

"I know, I know." Sierra whispered as she placed her head in her hands, "It just sucks, Y'know."

"That's rich people for you."

Sierra laughed and as the door opened, Ward walked out with his own expensive lawyer and left the building, but he made sure to send a nasty look towards Sierra. Shoupe followed afterwards and looked at the girl, he felt the frustration radiating off her, along with the stress.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, guy just pisses me off." Sierra responded as she stood up, just let out out a deep breath and walked out, her lawyer departed while Sierra climbed back into Kiara car.

"How'd it go?"

"Pushed him." Sierra simply mumbled as she glanced back at the bags laying in Kiara's car. "What's the little art project you got back there."

Kiara pulled out from the parking spot and began down the road, "Oh, you know, stuff." The girl shrugged as Sierra chuckled and looked at the girl.

"You're going to graffiti the fuck out of the Cameron house aren't you?"

"Yup."