─☼☼☼─

IT WAS CLOSE to two in the morning by the time the Pogues finally called it a night. Carson had returned back to the house at some point, but Charlotte hadn't been bothered to go in and talk to him. After all, it had been months since she'd been able to celebrate with her best friends, she wasn't going to throw that away so she could go fight with her boyfriend...been there, done that.

When she stepped into her bedroom (that the Pogues had been saving for her return), Carson was sitting at the end of the bed, his phone in one hand, a beer in the other.

"Oh," Charlotte breathed, not expecting to see him awake. "Hey."

Carson glanced up at her, giving her the saddest excuse of a smile she'd ever seen. "Hey," he returned, voice thick.

Charlotte hovered in the doorway, still unsure of where they stood. "I thought you might be asleep. Why didn't you come outside with us?"

His answer was immediate, "Wasn't really in the mood." He was clutching onto his phone, so tightly his knuckles were turning white.

"Okay," Charlotte said hesitantly. "Where'd you go anyway?"

Clearing his throat, Carson downed the rest of the beer in his hand. "Went to get a drink at some bar." He let out a humourless laugh, giving his head a small shake. "You'll never guess who I ran into."

A sense of unease settled over Charlotte at his words. Anyone he already knew had been with her the entire time. He'd yet to meet Willa, and it was unlikely for her to be at a bar anyway, Mike and Anna wouldn't have been out at a bar either. That only left...no way.

"Who?" She questioned, trying to make it seem like her voice wasn't shaking.

Carson ran a hand over his mouth, his eyes crinkling in a smile, despite the fact that Charlotte could tell he didn't find this situation even remotely funny. "Guy's next to me when I sit down, right? And I start rambling about my problems, as one does, and all of a sudden he's pretty interested in who my girlfriend is."

Charlotte quite literally felt like she was about to throw up as Carson continued. "So, I ask him his name, right? But he won't tell me. Says some coy shit before disappearing. Well, that's not gonna work for me. So, I got back here, and while you were partying it up with your Pogues or whatever, I did some digging." He looked down at his phone, unlocking it before all but shoving it in Charlotte's face. "You can imagine my surprise when I find this photo on your Instagram,"

The room seemed to spin around her as Charlotte felt her face heat up as she stared at the picture he was showing her. It was one of the first pictures her and Rafe had taken together when they were fourteen. When nothing had even dared come between them.

Carson swiped to the next photo, "And this one." That was a more recent one, dated a year and a half prior. "And these ones too." His swiping sped up, flipping through numerous photos of Rafe and Charlotte over the years.

"It's the funniest thing," Carson muttered, pulling back his phone to look at it, "The guy in the bar looked exactly like your ex."

Charlotte wasn't sure exactly how she was supposed to feel, but she was pretty sure she wasn't supposed to feel relieved that Rafe was okay, that he was in the Outer Banks. But relieved is what she felt...and also a little pissed at Carson.

"What are you trying to do here?" She challenged, "So you saw my ex...what does that have to do with me and you."

Sucking his bottom lip between his teeth, Carson nodded. "He told me─" He cleared his throat, "He told me that breaking up with you would be the worst mistake I'd ever make."

Boom.

Charlotte's heart almost exploded in her chest, a flood of emotions overtaking her. God, she was pissed at Rafe, so immeasurably angry with him. He'd broken her, yet had the audacity to tell her new boyfriend not to do that same. But yet, she felt a small sense of hope, hope that maybe there was a part of him who had changed, who could admit he was wrong.

"See, that Charlotte, is what this has to do with you, " Carson sighed, his eyes locked on her, "Your reaction says everything."

"What?" Charlotte hadn't thought that her reaction had shown on her face, to her, it felt like everything was happening inside her heart.

Carson stood, leaning over to set his beer can on the dresser, "I'm only going to ask you this question once, and I would really appreciate some honesty."

Charlotte nodded, knowing she at least owed him that.

"Do you still love him?"

Such a simple question, yet such a loaded answer.

No, I hate him. Yes, I'll never stop loving him. Maybe, if he's changed. I...I don't know.

But only one of those options could leave her mouth. So she went with the one that felt the most honest.

"Yes." Charlotte whispered, tears now stinging her eyes. Not because she was losing Carson, but because she was hurting him in the process. He'd never been anything but kind to her...he didn't deserve this. "I'm sorry, Carson. You deserve so much better than this. I just...I don't think I'll ever be able to stop loving him."

Trust her...she'd tried.

A sad smile spread across Carson's lips, "Yeah, I do deserve better than this."

A warm tear slipped from Charlotte's eye as she gave him a guilt soaked expression. "I'm sorry," she said again, the tension coating the room like a blanket. "I'll sleep somewhere else tonight, you have the bed."

Carson turned, trying to hide his own emotions. "I'll take the first ferry out in the morning."

Not knowing what else there was to say, Charlotte gave him a small nod. "I can drive you over in the morning. Just text me your departure time."

Not turning to look back at her, Carson's shoulder visibly dropped as Charlotte headed for the door. She pulled it open quietly, feeling like she should be saying more. But there was nothing left for her to say.

The door closed with a quiet click as Charlotte stepped out into the dark hallway. Everyone else was asleep, leaving her standing in total silence. As quietly as she could, she made her way out to the deck, grabbing a blanket from the couch as she went.

God, she felt like such an ass.

As she climbed the stairs to the deck, she was met with the soft light from a couple of torches. Someone was still up.

Charlotte's footsteps on the wooden steps caught the attention of the blonde boy who sat on the couch up there, his face lighting up slightly at the sight of her. "Hey, Charls."

Flopping down on the couch next to him, Charlotte gave him the best smile she could muster. "Hey, J."

His brows furrowed, instantly deducing that something had happened. "What's wrong?"

After taking the joint out of his hand and taking a hit, Charlotte let out a long sigh. "Carson just broke up with me."

JJ's face clouded in what seemed to be anger. "Are you fucking kidding me?"

"Don't be mad at him," Charlotte argued, a cough sputtering from her lips. "It's my fault."

"How is it your fault?"

She looked over at him, a pathetic smile coming to her lips as she leaned her head against the couch cushion. "Because I'm still in love with Rafe."

JJ pushed his lips together, letting out a whistle, "That'll do it."

A laugh bubbled from Charlotte's lips, the effects of the joint setting in. "Rafe ruins everything, doesn't he?"

"Cost me that race." JJ muttered, shuddering at the memory.

Charlotte rolled her eyes, "Don't even get me started on that."

JJ grinned at her, "I'd listen to you yell at me all day long, Charls. It's hot.

Slowly, the smile slipped from her face, guilt settling on her conscious. "You can't talk to me like that anymore," she said softly, throat feeling tight.

JJ turned his head slightly to look at her fully. "Why not? It's how I've always talk to you."

"You're dating my sister," Charlotte pointed out, subconsciously moving to but some more space in between them. "No matter how chill she acts, I know it bothers her."

"Oh," JJ muttered, furrowing his brows. "Right."

Charlotte felt something in her chest as she regarded him. "It's okay to let her love you," she whispered softly. "You're allowed to be loved."

Despite having been away at school for the majority of the last year, Charlotte had had an insight to their relationship through the stories from her sister. And even through the stories, she could tell that JJ was guarded, reluctant to let himself love and to be loved.

For someone who cared so much about those around him, who always put on a happy smile, JJ was more damaged than perhaps any of them.

"I know that," he argued, Adam's Apple bobbing in his throat. "I just..."

"It's okay," Charlotte said softly, "You don't have to explain anything to me. I just want you to be happy."

JJ nodded, taking another hit of his joint. "Are you?" He wondered, his eyes studying her. "Happy?"

Such a simple question, yet Charlotte didn't have a simple answer.

"This might make me sound like a total asshole, but now that Carson's broken up with me, I feel almost...relieved." She exhaled, trying to figure out the best way to word the jumbled up thoughts in her brain. "He was great, but bringing him here just felt...wrong. Because no matter how hard I tried to pretend, he was never─"

"He was never Rafe." JJ concluded, already well knowing what she was going to say. For six years he'd watched, who he now considered to be his best friend, fall deeper and deeper under the spell of the Kook prince. Even now that she had gotten away from him, he could see in her eyes that she'd never quite escaped.

Charlotte felt her cheeks slightly beneath the cool breeze of the evening. "Yeah," she muttered, "He was never Rafe."

Something settled between the two of them, an unspoken tension.

"You gonna get back with him?" JJ questioned, looking over to Charlotte.

They both knew he wasn't speaking about Carson.

For a moment, Charlotte didn't answer, because she told herself that she didn't know the answer. But she knew she did.

Her answer should have been an immediate no...but how could it be? Sometimes Charlotte felt like she had been put on this Earth to end up with Rafe Cameron. Soulmates, destined for greatness, forced to disaster.

"Only if he's shown me he's changed. I can't─my heart can't handle being put through that again." And it was the truth. Charlotte knew her heart would always beat for Rafe Cameron, but the only way she could ever fathom being with him in any capacity was if he'd gotten clean...for real this time.

JJ's eyes darkened slightly, "Charley, if he ever hurts you again, I'll kill him with my two bare hands."

Charlotte's throat tightened, knowing JJ was telling the truth. "I'm sorry, J," she whispered, "For everything he's ever done. For leaving you guys when we were in high school...for everything."

He was already shaking his head by the time he moved to pull Charlotte into a hug, "No," he asserted, "I've told you once and I'll tell you again; you never have to apologize for anything, Charls. Nothing has been your fault."

JJ Maybank might have been the greatest human she knew.

─☼☼☼─

It was the beam of sun directly in her eyes that woke Charlotte up the next morning.

A groan tumbled from her lips as she rolled slightly, only stopping when she felt that her legs were intertwined with someone else's. She cracked a droopy eye, focus landing on JJ who laid on the other end of the sofa, their legs tangled together.

"J," she croaked out, the hangover hitting her like a brick wall. "JJ, come on." They were supposed to leave for Mr. Genrette's private estate at nine AM, and judging by the position of the sun in the sky, it was nearing that.

"Five more minutes," JJ grumbled, shoving his face further into the cushion.

Pulling her legs from underneath his, Charlotte shook her head. "Get up. Now."

"Charley!" Kiara's voice rang from somewhere downstairs. "Charlotte?"

Forcing her legs to move, Charlotte shakily pulled herself down the stairs and into the house, the world around her feeling like it was spinning. "Why are you yelling?" She grunted when she met her sister in the kitchen. "And why is it so bright in here?"

Kiara winced at her sister's appearance. "Where were you?"

"JJ and I passed out upstairs," Charlotte explained, gingerly sliding onto one of the barstools. "Bit of a rough night for your girl."

"Yeah," Kiara breathed, holding up a piece of paper. "I got that."

Charlotte perked up slightly, the hangover subsiding minimally. "What is that?" She demanded. From her peripheral, she could see John B and Sarah enter the kitchen.

"Read it," Kiara said, shoving the paper into Charlotte's hand. The older of the two squinted her eyes, reading over the letter as the other three watched on.

"What does it say?" John B wondered, earning a slap on the chest from his girlfriend.

With her face neutral, Charlotte set the letter on the counter as JJ, Pope, and Cleo entered, the whole group now here. Which honestly, Charlotte preferred so she wouldn't have to retell the story six times.

"Carson broke up with me last night, and apparently he just left. I was supposed to take him to the ferry, but..." she declared, earning a widespread reaction.

Sarah let out a gasp, Pope looked like he wanted to wrap Charlotte in a tight embrace, Kiara looked pissed, John B threatened to kill Carter (still couldn't get his name,) and Cleo let off some expression Charlotte had never heard of.

Holding up a hand, Charlotte shook her head, "Before we plot his death, just know it was my fault. He deserved much more than I was getting him."

"Either way," John B began, placing a hand on Charlotte's shoulder, "I never liked him."

"We know," Kiara stated, "You never called him by his actual name once in the numerous times you met him."

John B shrugged, "And now I'm glad I didn't."

Sarah wrapped her arms around Charlotte, standing behind the barstool as she placed her chin on the other girl's shoulder, "You were too hot for him," she whispered, her words causing a laugh to fall from Charlotte's lips.

"Thanks guys," She breathed, sincerely grateful for her friends who could get her through anything. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Probably be living a much more normal life," Pope declared with a small shrug.

Cleo nodded, "He's so right."

"Yeah," Charlotte agreed. "But where's the fun in that?"

─☼☼☼─