1 9 | f a i r y  m e a d o w

AUSTIN AND I MADE UP THE NEXT DAY.

It was like it always was. Not that we fought often, but when we did, this was how it went: I gave him a day to cool off, then I'd approach first and apologise, even if he was in the wrong. Then he'd apologise back, and we'd hug, and his arms would be so warm around me, and his face would bury in my neck. He'd whisper something sweet.

Something like, "I love you Isla. Let's never fight again."

And then I'd melt into him and it'd all go back to normal.

And that's exactly how it went the morning after.

I woke up bright and early, while the sky was still dark, and walked the five minutes to Austin's house, even if the humid summer air stuck to my skin like a second layer. Even though I'd slept off most of my hangover yesterday, I was still exhausted. My muscles ached and the lack of sleep was beginning to catch up to me.

By the time I reached Austin's house, he was already waiting for me in the dim morning light, leaning against his red Jeep with folded arms.

I paused a few steps from him, the air between us sticky with summer heat and full of tension.

I spoke first. "Austin."

"Isla," he said after a moment. He shrugged, avoiding my eyes and pushing off the Jeep. "Wasn't sure if I should pick you up or not."

"Right," I muttered because I didn't know what else to say. We both shifted uncomfortably, and I dragged a hand through my hair, still damp and dripping from my morning shower. "Listen, Austin. I'm sorry for not texting you the other night. I know you must've been worried."

He sighed haggardly and, in two steps, had me pressed against his chest in a tight hug. His arms wrapped around me in that familiar way and instantly it was like we were six-year-old kids again, apologising after stealing each other's ice cream or calling each other bad words.

"No, Isla. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have reacted like that. I – I just... I don't know what came over me."

"It's okay," I breathed, patting his back. His grip on me tightened and he buried his head into the crook of my neck, my hair pressed between his face and my skin.

"You just never get that drunk, and then I couldn't find you anywhere and –" he cut himself off with a breath that tickled my skin and I shivered at the feeling of his mouth moving so close to my throat. "I was out of hand."

"It's fine, Austin. Really," I said gently. "It's over."

"I love you, Isla," he said. "Let's never fight again."

There it was. I laughed, pulling back to send him a teasing grin. "I love you too, Austin. Now let's go. I'm going to be late for work all because of your dramatic arse."

He chortled and I could picture him rolling his eyes at me as he rounded the Jeep, sliding into the driver's seat.

I followed suit, sitting in the passenger's and buckling my seat belt, my mind whirring with thoughts. A sinking feeling had taken root in my stomach after yesterday and only grown worse after we'd made up.

I looked at Austin out of the corner of my eye, wondering if he felt the same way. The sky had begun to lighten, turning a pale pink as the sun trudged its way over the horizon and bathing Austin in its pale light. His tanned fingers tapped against the steering wheel and he hummed along to the music. I raised a brow at him.

"What are you so happy about?" I teased.

He glanced at me, his face tinting pink, and sent me a shrug. "What? Nothing."

"Right," I hummed doubtfully. I sent him a look, and he reddened further.

"I'm just glad we made up."

"Right," I repeated, raising a brow. "And now the real reason?"

He shot me a coy look, his lips pursing shyly. "You're going to laugh."

"I won't."

"You will," he said, lifting a hesitant brow at me.

I rested a hand over my heart. "I won't. Swear it."

He sighed, seeming to debate with himself before shrugging again. "I'm meeting with Mia at the beach."

"Mia?" I repeated hollowly, blinking. My smile fell, but he was oblivious.

"Yeah. After the party... we..." he trailed off and my throat felt clogged. He didn't have to finish his sentence, but he did. "We sort of... did it." He was blushing a lot now and I felt myself stiffen in my seat.

"That's pretty fast, isn't it?" I asked, willing myself not to sound bitter.

Fast. What an understatement. They'd been dating for, what? Two weeks? I'd known him my entire life.

He shrugged. "I don't know. It just felt right. And it was, you know? It felt... perfect."

I frowned, my mouth turning dry. Mia. Him and Mia. I couldn't bear the thought. I felt like crying or screaming or choking – maybe all of the above.

He'd dated a lot of tourists before, but they left by the end of the summer. Mia was here permanently. Even when summer ended, she'd still be here. She'd still be here with him.

And now they'd taken it a step further.

I couldn't stop thinking about the words she'd said to me at the party. I'd called her a plaything. I'd called her temporary. What a joke. I'd said those words to her, and she'd taken them, and made herself permanent.

I thought about how she'd called me a whore. A second choice. How she'd asked if – if the boys took turns with me.

I wanted to gag at the idea.

Yet, somehow, her words held more truth than mine had. I was a second choice. I was the girl always waiting for Austin. Always there for when his first choice blew up in his face, waiting.

Always waiting.

I had to tell him. I had to make him realise who Mia was – who she was to me. He was my best friend. He'd understand.

"Austin," I found myself saying, my voice quiet and broken.

He turned to face me, sensing the change in atmosphere, and I frowned.

"I need to tell you something."

He blinked in confusion. Then his expression softened, and he took my hand, his fingers feeling calloused and warm beneath mine. "You can tell me anything, Isla."

Anything.

Right.

I swallowed thickly, finding the right words. "On the night of the party, Mia said something to me... something... not nice. She told me... she called me names and..."

"Names?" he interrupted. He'd stopped the car now. Clemente House was just down the road and I could see Everett leaning against the porch rail, waiting for us. Austin turned to fully face me, and his brow furrowed. "Maybe you misunderstood her."

"I didn't –"

"Because sometimes she can be hard to understand."

"I didn't misunderstand her, Austin."

"Well, you can't be too sure –"

"She called me a whore, Austin!" I spat finally. His eyes widened. "She called me a whore. How could I misunderstand that?"

"Maybe..." he trailed off, ripping his eyes away from mine. "Maybe she meant it as a joke. Sometimes you miss jokes, Isla. She could have –"

"Really, Austin?" I cut in, my voice breaking. He met my watery eyes and I shook my head at him. My voice was quiet now, barely there. "She called me a whore and she asked me if you boys took turns with me. If you discarded me when you were bored."

His eyes widened and I felt shame flood me with the words – shame, and anger, and sadness.

Down the road, Everett had noticed us, and I could see the confused look he was sending us. I swallowed thickly, turning back to Austin, challenging him with a sharp look.

He shook his head, frowning. "Isla... I... I don't know. Maybe Mia was just teasing you, you know? Like how River does sometimes."

My heart sunk.

I wanted to tell him that River had never called me a whore. But the words died in my throat, choking me and forming a heavy lump that refused to go down.

His eyes were so blank, and I knew at that moment that he wouldn't listen to me. He wouldn't believe me.

He chose Mia over me, every single time. Like ten years of friendship meant nothing to him.

Like I meant nothing to him.

So, I shook my head, releasing a bitter laugh. "Yeah. Maybe."

He seemed unsure but didn't push it, instead starting the engine and driving the last patch of road before reaching Clemente House. Everett, sensing the tense atmosphere, barely muttered a hello. I was thankful he didn't say anything else.

The rest of the ride was silent, until he dropped us at the beach, and we went our separate ways.

I was fuming.

How dare he invalidate me like that? How dare he not believe me when it had taken all of my strength to tell him about it?

I thought he was my best friend. I thought he'd understand.

I had been wrong.

I marched to the Shack with steam coming out of my ears. I slammed the door, ripping the shutters open, slamming the directory onto the counter. I scribbled the schedule out with a tight fist clamped around my pen – my grip so tight that it left a dented mark on my finger.

Everett watched me the entire time, his brow quirked.

"What's got you so fired up?"

I blinked, meeting his eyes for the first time that morning. Immediately, I glowered, not in the mood to talk.

"Nothing."

"Oh, nothing, huh?" he asked smugly. "Didn't seem like nothing when you glared a hole into Austin's back. What did the idiot do this time?"

I snorted, my hands flying up to cover my mouth. He watched me carefully, a smile beginning to grow on his lips at my reaction. I sighed, giving in, and leaned over the counter to face him properly.

"I don't know," I said, frowning. "I told Austin something and he –" I paused, the fire burning through me once more. I straightened my back to meet his eye fully. "Okay, look. Mia said something to me at the party. I want your opinion. Your honest opinion."

"Alright," he said carefully, quirking a curious brow. "What did she say?"

I sucked in a deep breath. He probably wouldn't believe me. Austin was my closest friend and he didn't believe me. Why would Everett?

But I had to know. I was burning with anger. I needed to let it out.

"At the party," I started, shaking my head. My voice rose, thick with anger. "Mia called me a whore."

I paused, waiting for his reaction. When he said nothing, I met his eyes to see him waiting.

"Well?" I said. "Opinion?"

"That's a pretty shitty thing to do," he said simply, shrugging.

I blinked. "That's it?"

"Well," he started, unsure. "Knowing you, I assumed you hit her? Maybe tried to choke her? I have vague memories of you punching me in the face when I called you much less than that."

"You called me a bitch."

"Yeah, but that was true."

I glared at him but couldn't help the laugh that sputtered out of my mouth. His lips tugged up into a lopsided, teasing grin. I shook my head, whacking his arm.

"I didn't hit her," I said. "She's Austin's girlfriend."

"But she called you a whore."

"She also asked if the boys –" I choked on my words, forcing myself to spit them out. "If the boys share me. Use me and discard me when they like."

Everett's eyes widened in disbelief. "No fucking way."

I nodded and he glowered, shaking his head.

"And what did Austin say?" he asked. "Scream at her? Dump her? Feed her to the sharks?"

I let out a bitter chuckle. "He didn't believe me."

There was a pause.

"What?"

"He didn't believe me," I repeated, shrugging. All the anger had disappeared from my body, instead replaced with exhaustion at the whole situation. "He said she was probably joking. Teasing me."

"That – that dick."

I turned to face him. Everett sat still, his fists clenched and eyes dark. I laughed, resting a hand over one of his tight fists. His eyes snapped up to mine and I watched him soften a fraction.

"It's fine," I said simply. "I feel better now after talking about it. Thanks, Everett."

He hesitated, searching for the right words. "I will never understand why you like him, Monroe. He hasn't done one nice thing since I arrived here."

I pretended to think about it, sending him a shrug. "He has a car."

"A car?" he repeated in bewilderment, sputtering out a laugh. He flipped his hand, taking mine into his and tracing patterns into my palm. "That's all it takes, huh? I'll keep it in mind."

I fought the warmth that rose in my face and blossomed across my chest, ripping my hand out of his and rolling my eyes. Turning, I went back to the directory, hoping my hair was hiding my warming cheeks well enough.

"Well, you know. A car and ten years of friendship," I joked, shrugging casually.

"Ah, damn," he said, laughing. "Might take some time then."

I pursed my lips, fighting the smile that tugged at my lips. He was joking. I knew that. He loved to tease me. But he'd planted the idea in my mind, and for once, it felt nice to pretend that I was wanted. 

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A U T H O R ' S  N O T E

So, a bit of bonding between Isla and Everett... What did you think? And about Austin? Let me know! Next time: we learn about Everett's past 👀 any guesses?

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