─☼☼☼─

𝘾𝙃𝘼𝙍𝙇𝙊𝙏𝙏𝙀 𝘾𝙊𝙐𝙇𝘿 𝙁𝙀𝙀𝙇 her sister's stares from across the party, and despite her best efforts to ignore them, she couldn't help but feel self conscious.

Rafe's arm was wrapped around her waist, his hand sitting on her hip as he held her close. He didn't care what people thought, what people said. To him, standing with Charlotte Carrera back under his arm was if saying a big fuck you to everyone who doubted them.

Speaking of people who doubted them─more specifically doubted him─Mike Carrera's voice came across the speakers, drawing everyone's attention to the stage.

"I just want to say a few words, and I'm not one for giving speeches, but I do want to say thank you for comin' out. And thank you for your support after a rough few months."

Rafe's hand tightened around Charlotte's waist, his eyes still focused ahead.

Mike's eyes scanned the crowd for a moment, landing on Charlotte before moving toward Kiara. "I want to say thank you to our beautiful daughters for being here. We love you."

Charlotte and Kiara both wore bashful smiles as the crowd let out a series of awes. They weren't the perfect family, but they were sure putting on that front.

"But most of all..." Mike continued. He held his hand out, motioning for his wife to join him on stage, "Thank you, Anna. For twenty years, for making this restaurant a symbol of our life. I love you." The two shared a quick kiss before Mike finished his speech, "Figure Eight, The Cut, everyone's together here. As one island."

Charlotte couldn't held the snort that tumbled from her lips. Just as quickly as it had escaped, she covered her mouth with her hands, earning a furrowed brow expression from Rafe.

"What's so funny?" He questioned.

She shook her head, leaning into him, "Nothing, babe."

"Char!" Anna's voice carried from somewhere near the stage where she, Mike, and Kiara had gathered.

Untangling herself from Rafe, Charlotte pressed a quick kiss to his cheek. "I'll be right back. Why don't you go grab us some more drinks?"

"Yeah." He sighed, "Alright."

Ignoring his slight attitude, Charlotte weaved her was through the crowd, joining her family.

"Great speech, Dad." She grinned, allowing her father to pull her into a tight hug. He kissed the top of her head before letting out a laugh, "Just you wait until I give speeches at your weddings. You girls will be blown away."

Anna pulled Charlotte into an embrace as Kiara scrunched her nose. "I don't think I'm gettin' married. The whole institution of it is corrupt if you ask me."

"Here we go." Charlotte murmured, earning a punch in the arm from her sister.

Despite the antics of their two daughters, Mike and Anna were smiling. "You know we love you girls, right? More than anything in this damn world."

Charlotte shrugged, "Kinda figured." A bright smile spread across her face before she threw an arm over her mother's shoulder, "We love you too, mom. Both of you."

"Yeah," Kiara agreed, a genuine smile on her face, "We know it's not easy being our parents."

"Wouldn't change it for the world." Mike beamed, pulling all of them into another hug.

As he did so, Charlotte's eyes strayed toward the docks where it seemed a reunion was taking place. An audible gasp fell from her lips, one that she quickly tried to cover up.

But Kiara caught it, and she too, was turning to face in the direction of where Sarah and John B were currently embracing.

As Charlotte had been told, John B had basically been MIA since his father's return. But now with Big John missing again, she figured he could likely use the help of the rest of the Pogues. If she were to take a guess, that's why he was here.

Common sense also told her that if John B was here, then JJ was too.

Kiara spotted him first, her breath stuttering slightly as she laid eyes on him further down the fence line. Her eyes jumped to her sister, saying everything without words. Charlotte knew what to do, and she acted quickly.

"Are Mr. and Mrs. Claire here?" She asked her parents, knowing that that couple would keep her parents occupied for hours if they let them.

Anna furrowed her brow for a moment at the sudden question, "I believe I saw them, why?"

"Well don't you think we should go say hello to them? I've been wanting to ask Mr. Claire about Duke. I'm thinking of registering in some classes again." Charlotte rambled, giving her sister ample time to sneak away.

Kiara sent her a mouthed thank you, as she snuck away to confront JJ, meanwhile Charlotte had just doomed herself to one of the most boring conversations to come.

Anna motioned toward one of the tables, "There they are. You're right, sweetie. Let's go say hello. Mike, can you grab us some drinks?"

Kiara owed her for this one.

"What's going on with your eye?" Anna wondered as they made their way across the party. "Is that that new smoky eye that's all the rage?"

Time for another lie.

"It's not new." Charlotte argued, tentatively touching at her bruised eye, "But yeah, mom. I wanted to try something different."

Anna pursed her lips, making it very evident that she did not like the way it looked. If only she knew it was a black eye and not some creative makeup decision.

"Won't do it again," Charlotte muttered under her breath, chancing a look over her shoulder toward where JJ and Kie were conversing. She wanted to speak to him just as badly. She hadn't realized how much she missed JJ after days of not speaking to him.

"Oh, Charlotte!" Mrs. Claire cried as they approached. "It's so good to see you!"

JJ would have to wait.

─☼☼☼─

Charlotte had made her escape from Mr. and Mrs. Claire in record time. Somehow deflecting the conversation onto her mother and father.

She had slipped away basically unnoticed, and after ensuring Rafe was still distracted over by the drink table, she made her way toward JJ and Kiara.

As she neared the two, she could tell they were in some kind of animated discussion, and if she were to hazard a guess, it wasn't a good one.

"What the hell is going on?" She demanded, noting the look on JJ's face. He looked pissed, and heartbroken all in one.

Kiara just shook her head, fighting back tears as she brushed past her sister. "I'm fucking done."

Charlotte watched her go for a moment before spinning back to face JJ, a look of utter confusion covering her features. "J, what the hell is goin' on with you two?"

He dropped his head, running a hand through his hair, "Nothin', Charley. Alright? Just don't worry about it."

"Don't worry about it?" Charlotte demanded. "Seriously, JJ?"

"Look," He fired back, lifting his head to look at her, "Big John is basically up for execution right now, and John B and me are goin' to South America. If your sister doesn't want to come then that's her damn problem. But I'm not gonna let her turn all this shit on me."

Overrun with information, Charlotte took a deep breath, "South America?" That seemed to be the only thing she could think to say.

"Yeah," JJ answered, squinting under the darkening night, "You comin'?"

"J─"

"Nah, you know what?" He interrupted, shaking his head. "Don't worry about it, Charls. I know you got a lot of other shit goin' on. JB and me will handle this one."

As he turned to leave, Charlotte caught his hand, "JJ, just hold on for a minute, alright? You need to take a second to breathe and think about this. We'll help you, but you can't just spring this on us. It's our parents' party, if we just up and leave─what?"

He was starring at her, narrowing his eyes to focus on her face. Charlotte's heart stuttered for a moment in a way she knew it shouldn't.

"I'm gonna ask you this once," JJ started, his face written in anger, "And I need you to tell me the truth."

Charlotte was still gripping onto his hand, but her body had gone numb, "...Okay?"

Giving her hand a quick squeeze, JJ nodded toward her eye, "Who did that to you?"

Almost without thinking, Charlotte's free hand flew up to touch just below her eye, heart hammering in her chest, "What─"

JJ's face had reddened in anger, "He fucking did that to you didn't he?"

Unlike her sister, JJ wasn't about to buy some lie about tripping and falling, nor was he going to think it was simply an eye shadow look she had tried out like her mother thought. No, JJ Maybank saw right through all of that.

Knowing she had no other choice but to tell the truth, Charlotte let her shoulders drop, "It was an accident. He was trying to hit someone else."

JJ pulled his hand from hers, holding it over his mouth as if trying to prevent himself from saying something he would regret. "I'm going to fucking kill him." He gritted out, eyes already scanning the party for any sign of Rafe. "Where is he?"

"No!" Charlotte exclaimed, the urgency in her voice almost embarrassing. "He's not here." She lied, hoping Rafe wasn't anywhere in sight. "He didn't mean to, JJ. I swear."

He shook his head, jaw clenched. "That's what they always say, Charls. Right before their husbands beat them to death or run them off the damn island."

Charlotte stilled, sadness watching over her as she watched JJ drop his head slightly. He had seen this before. Seen it happening in his own home. It had happened to him.

Taking a small step forward, Charlotte reached out to him across the roped fence. "J, I'm sorry."

JJ looked up at her in bewilderment, "Jesus, Charley? Why are you sorry?" He ran a hand through his hair, "When the fuck are you going to wake up and realize you deserve better than that asshole? God, I've been watching you lose yourself for years because of him and I didn't—I didn't say a damn word! But holy fuck this has gone too far."

"You don't get it!" Charlotte argued, voice sounding more desperate than she meant it to. "None of you fucking get it. I can't help how I feel, JJ! I can't fucking help it."

He took a step toward her, dipping his head slightly so they were at eye level. "Open your eyes." He pleaded. "Open your eyes and realize."

Charlotte shook her head, lip trembling as she willed herself not to cry. "They're wide open."

JJ let out a defeated sigh, moving away from her with a quiet curse. "I can't." He muttered. "I can't watch you put yourself through this anymore, Charlotte."

"So you don't want to be friends anymore? Is that what you're sayin'?" She questioned, heart hammering in anticipation of his answer.

"That's not what I'm sayin'," JJ answered, "I'm just—" His eyes travelled back toward the docks. "I'm going to South America with John B. If you can't come then I guess I'll see you when I'm back."

A single tear fell as Charlotte gave a single nod of her head. "Alright then. Stay safe."

JJ bit his bottom lip, his expression telling that he had not expected the conversation to go this way. "Alright, Charls."

Charlotte was the first to turn away, reaching up to hastily wipe the tears away as she made her way back through the party.

Rafe was still by the bar area, talking to one of his friend from high school.

As Charlotte approached, his face lit up, and in that moment she wished JJ was there to see what it was actually like when she was with Rafe.

"Hey, baby." He greeted, pulling her toward him with a kiss on the forehead. "Where did you go?"

"We needed more ice." She lied, voice cracking slightly.

Rafe didn't take it for a lie, instead he dove back into the conversation he was having before.

As Charlotte allowed him to hold her close, her eyes drifted back toward the docks where JJ was still standing.

He stood still for a moment, sad eyes focused on her before he turned and didn't look back.

─☼☼☼─
Night had begun to fall, the party beginning to bubble even more.

Most people had had far too much to drink, Charlotte included.

Her body buzzed as she reached for another sip of her drink, knowing that was the last thing she needed.

She had found herself at a table surrounded by Rafe's old friends, all of them droning on about stuff she had no interested in.

Kiara had been avoiding her since Rafe showed up, and Sarah had disappeared soon after her conversation with John B, leading Charlotte to believe it hadn't ended well.

She thought about going after the Cameron girl, but Rafe practically had her attached to his hip since she returned from her talk with JJ. Part of her theorized that he had known exactly where she had been.

"So, Charlotte, what have you been up to?"

It was Ben Dutton speaking to her, perhaps one of her least favourites of Rafe's friends from high school.

Charlotte rose her brows, "Oh, nice of you to address me after 30 minutes of me standing here, Ben."

Rafe dug his fingers into her hip, but all Ben did was laugh it off before turning to Rafe again, "I see she's gotten feistier."

Softening his grip around her waist, Rafe shook his head, "Don't talk about her like she's not here, man."

Ben snickered, turning to the other boys, "And I see he's gotten more whipped."

Charlotte wasn't having it, not on the night of her parents' anniversary. "Let's go get another drink, babe. Ben can keep himself busy talking to the moon for the next 30 minutes."

Rafe smirked, raising his finger to Ben before following Charlotte to the bar area. He ordered their drinks for them, leaning against the bar to speak to the waitress as Charlotte surveyed the party.

Everyone looked to be having fun. People were drinking, socializing, dancing to the live band. It was everything her parents had asked for. But among all that was something that didn't look quite right.

"Oh no," the gasp flew from Charlotte's lips, loud enough to alert Rafe who was mid-conversation.

He arrived at her side, drinks in hand, "What's wrong?"

It didn't take him long to spot the problem.

On the outskirts of the party were Topper and Sarah, but they weren't alone.

John B was there too, shoving at Topper as Sarah begged for him to stop.

"Jesus Christ," Rafe muttered, sipping at his drink. "Fucking Pogues."

Charlotte turned to face him with an incredulous expression, "Do you not even care that that's your sister in the middle of that?"

Rafe shrugged, seemingly unbothered, "What do you want me to do?"

"God, Rafe," Charlotte scoffed already making her way toward the scene, "I can't believe you."

She could hear Rafe scrambling after her, just as the chaos ensued.

It started with one punch from John B. And then another. And another.

Topper wasn't fighting back.

"John B!" Charlotte's voice melded with Sarah and Kiara's as all three girls begged for him to stop.

Rafe arrived next to Charlotte, grabbing onto her wrist and yanking her back.

"Do something!" She pleaded, her eyes studying the internal conflict occurring in Rafe's mind. There was bad blood between him and Topper, but he hated John B, perhaps more than he hated anyone else.

Releasing his grasp on her, he moved to rip John B off of Topper, shoving him away more harshly than Charlotte would have liked.

"Okay, Rafe!" She yelled, watching the way he basically puffed up his chest, readying himself for a fight.

John B stumbled slightly, caught off guard as if pulled from a blackout of rage.

Charlotte stepped forward, grabbing onto Rafe's hand in an effort to pull him back, "That's it! It's over," She declared, pleading for him to walk away.

Rafe pulled his hand from her grasp, so harshly she stumbled into her sister who caught her. Kiara looked angry, but not at Charlotte for once.

Sarah was crying as she dropped to her knees next to Topper, trying to help him to his feet as Rafe and John B squared off.

"Leave it to a Pogue to ruin the whole night," Rafe taunted, causing Charlotte to flinch. Her father had been a Pogue...she was half Pogue.

"This isn't about you," John B fired back, chest heaving with deep breaths, "Just walk away, Rafe."

"Come on, Rafe!" Charlotte called, "We're going home."

John B pointed to Charlotte with raised brows, "Listen to Charley, she knows what she's talkin' about."

Rafe threw a look over his shoulder, and with the expression on his face, the way he spoke, Charlotte knew he was plastered. "Charley, needs to stay out of this."

"Fucking dick." Kiara muttered, still holding onto her sister.

"Rafe—"

Charlotte's next plea was interrupted, but not by a punch being thrown by either of the two boys.

Instead, someone came barrelling toward them, knocking Rafe off of his feet and onto the ground.

Kiara pulled Charlotte back, both of them gasping in horror at the sigh of JJ on top of Rafe, hand gripped on his collar as he delivered a single hit.

"You decided to pick on someone your own size, huh?" He spat, just as Charlotte's father grabbed a hold of him, ripping him away from Rafe.

JJ fought against Mike's grasp, pointing to Charlotte, "Look at what you did to her you fucking coward! Next time you wanna hit someone you come find me!"

Kiara's grip on Charlotte loosened, shock setting in as she realized what JJ was saying.

"That's not true!" Charlotte declared, tears spilling over her eyes, the overwhelming need to protect Rafe washing over her. "He didn't hit—he didn't mean to hit me!"

"Out!" Mike snapped at the two Pogue boys, "Both of you get out of here!"

Moving away from Kiara, Charlotte dropped to her knees, trying to help Rafe to his feet, but he pushed her away just as quickly.

"What the fuck did you tell him?" He demanded, wiping at his bloody nose, "Why did you lie?"

"I didn't!" Charlotte exclaimed, the feeling over dozens of eyes watching the interaction made it feel like she was suffocating. "I didn't say anything."

Rafe scoffed, pulling himself to his feet without her help. "Fuck this." He muttered, pushing past her. "Find somewhere else to stay tonight, Charlotte."

She watched him go, heart breaking in her chest as her mother led her from the party, not letting go for a single second.

She knew her parents would have questions, questions she didn't have the energy to answer.

Kiara, Sarah, and Charlotte all slept in one bed that night, none of them saying a word, but there was a shared understanding that they needed each other.

How did things go so wrong? So damn wrong?

-an-

aaand there it is. things can't be happy forever, right?

thank you all for your input on my instagram! i can't include everything that everyone wants, but I'm hoping you all enjoy no matter what!

love you all

-maddy xoxo