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Grunts and groans filled the gym along with the rap music that pounded out from the expensive speaker. Ridiculously expensive gym gear surrounded the three kook boys. Fueled by anger and frustration, Kelce, Topper, and Rafe lifted the weights until the sweat seemed to seep through the floor.

Rafe deadlifted as he pretended to listen to Topper's rant. The Cameron boy couldn't seem to take his mind off what happened at the golf course and the shame he felt seeing the look in Annabelle's eyes. How Topper shoved her to the ground and how she pushed Rafe off her when he offered his help.

After the events at the golf course, Topper and Rafe had returned to their homes and ten minutes later, Topper called him shouting about how someone had sunken his boat. It didn't take a genius to figure out who had done it but Topper's mom seemed to think that Topper himself had done it. Now the boy lifted weights like his life depended on it as he rambled Kelce's and Rafe's ears off about it.

"She thinks I did it, even though there's no way I could've." Topper panted as he heaved himself up on the pull-up bar. "I mean, how? It's always my fault, no matter what."

"Maybe if you hadn't jumped that pouge, you'd still have a boat," Rafe said before lifting the bar from the ground.

Topper instantly let go of the pull-up bar and spun around toward Rafe. "What did you say?!"

"I'm just saying. We all know who did this." Rafe dropped the bar. "Those pouges that you jumped"

"Those pouges are the same people who put a gun to my head man! They had it coming."

"You're defending them?" Kelce chimed in, looking at Rafe.

"Is it about that pouge slut? The one with the crackhead parents?" Topper looked genuinely disgusted and Rafe had to bite his tongue to stop him from scolding Topper for the way he spoke about Annabelle.

"She has a name, you know." He muttered. "And no. It's not about her. I couldn't care less about some pouge." He said.

"What about the way you acted on the golf course, huh?" Topper questioned. "Never seen Rafe Cameron get so mushy."

Kelce snorted out a laugh but quickly shut up as Rafe sent him a menacing glare. The Cameron boy then turned back to Topper, letting a quick shrug touch his shoulders. "I didn't get mushy. She's just a girl. You don't push girls like that man. Come on."

"You jumped a girl too?" Kelce looked at Topper as if the situation was amusing and Topper just sighed.

"Why are you yelling at me anyway? I'm not the one who sank your damn boat." Rafe returned to his gym gear, his chest sinking and rising constantly.

"No, man, I know exactly what son of a bitch did this. It's that geek Pope." Topper heaved himself up once again.

"Exactly, so you need to force him to take some personal responsibility for this," Kelce told Topper and Rafe watched as a sinister smile grew on his face.

•❃°•°❀°•°❃•

Annabelle walked ahead of her friends with her big picnic basket in hand. "Come on guys!"

The grass lawn was packed with people, eagerly chattering and snacking. Both kooks and pouges were there. It was a summer tradition in Outerbanks that commerced the two classes with classics after classics shown on the big screen. Annabelle loved it since she was a child. Her family and John B's family used to come there every year. Annabelle and John B would end up eating candy until they felt like they were going to explode before falling asleep in their parents' laps. It was the same every year. Except for one year, two years ago when Annabelle snuck away to fool around with Rafe. The summer after that Annabelle stayed home because she had to look after her mom. However, it felt the exact same as she now walked over the grass, hearing the adults chatter and laugh and the children run around giggling. Seeing the elderly polo-dressed kooks, the scattered groups of teenagers, and the stressed team by the projector, struggling to get the 20-year-old machine to start. Just like usual.

The huge movie screen was already set up and the small food and drink stalls were scattered over the area. The sky had dimmed, casting a soft orange glow over Outerbanks. Annabelle breathed in the summer air, letting her eyelids fall over her sight.

"I'm so glad they're still doing this. Back to the OBX life!" Kiara smiled.

"Right." Annabelle returned her grin before looking back at the two boys behind her. Pope looked around nervously and JJ kept his head low. For someone else, it might've looked like they just didn't want to be there but Annabelle knew actually what they were hiding from. Or more like who.

"Aren't you glad I made you come?" Kiara asked them as they stopped by an open spot on the grass lawn. It had taken the boys almost an hour of nagging to convince them to come.

"Ecstatic," Pope said unemotionally before clearing his throat and throwing another glance around the area. Annabelle rolled her eyes at him and how indiscreet he was.

"Relax." She whispered to him.

Pope took a deep breath before placing his folding chair down. JJ handed Annabelle's chair to her which she had forced him to carry. "For the lady." He smiled.

"Why, thank you, sir." She joked as he handed it over.

Kiara pulled Annabelle's arm gently to gain her attention. "Wanna go flirt our way into free soda?"

"Duh." The girl chuckled and the two began walking to the drink stall. Seeing as there was no one in line the two girls fixed their hair before walking up to the stall. Annabelle looked up and saw a very familiar face. For a moment she couldn't remember where she recognized him from. When the realization hit her she already stood by the stall where he seemed to be working. It was the boy from the boneyard. Their gazes met and both froze awkwardly.

"Hi," Annabelle said.

"Hey." He greeted her with a crooked smile. "How are you?"

Annabelle noticed Kiara watching the two in confusion. "Uhm.. good. I'm good thank you. You?"

"I'm great." He smiled before a silence fell upon them. Annabelle almost suffocated from the awkwardness.

"Well, this is awkward. We'll just take four Pepsis." She shrugged and searched through her pocket for cash. She paid and the boy handed them their drinks. Kiara nodded toward Annabelle telling her that she was going to return to the boys and the girl smiled briefly saying that she'll be right there.

Once Kiara had left, Annabelle turned back around to the boy, smiling awkwardly. "Hey, I'm sorry about last time. I know you were just trying to help. I'm grateful." Redness washed over her face.

"Don't worry. It's fine." He shrugged, sending her another crooked smile.

Annabelle mirrored his expression but her grin quickly faltered at the sound of a familiar voice, calling out for her.

"Bells," One word. One nickname, enough for Annabelle's heart to unwillingly skip a beat.

Rafe approached her, squeezing through the small crowd by the stalls. "Hey, bells." He said as he stopped in front of her, close enough for her to smell his expensive cologne. He sent her a warm smile that momentarily made her forget about the events at the golf course. She cursed at herself for the effect he had on her but a part of her almost allowed him.

"Rafe." She breathed. The boy in front of her sent the boy in the stall a quick glance and he instantly returned back to work.

"How are you?" He asked, two concerned eyes scanning her face for any injuries from when Topper pushed her.

"I'm fine." She answered shortly.

"Listen, Bells, I'm sorry about the golf course. I tried to stop him, I really did. But you know Topper."

"No, I don't, Thank God," Annabelle said and a swift smile touched Rafe's lips before he turned serious again.

"They know what Pope did." Annabelle's heart dropped at his words. "Topper's losing his shit. I haven't seen him this mad in years." The boy lowered his voice to a whisper, stepping even closer to the girl as he towered over her. "They're planning shit. Get out of here. I don't want you getting caught up in the middle of this."

The girl furrowed her brows and glared up at him. "What are they gonna do?"

"Please, Bells. You need to leave." His hand dragged over her bare arm, sending a shudder through the girls body. She stared down at his gently hold of her arm before her eyes flickered back up to his.

"Are you in on this?"

Rafe breathed, a minty breath hitting Annabelle. "Annabelle, please. Go home. I don't want to risk you getting hurt. Please, I'm trying to help."

Annabelle shook her head and pulled her arm out of his grip. "You wanna help? Tell your friends to go to hell and don't let them near my friends."

She walked off, ignoring Rafe's hushed pleas for her to come back. She slipped through the now-even more crowded grass field before joining up with her friends. "What took you so long?" Kiara asked once she spotted her. "Who was the cutie?"

"Just someone from the boneyard." Annabelle forced a brief smile and a shrug before she sank down between Pope and JJ. She made sure Kiara wasn't listening before whispering to the two boys. "Topper knows."

She watched Pope's face lose all its color and his hands grip the armrest of his chair.

"We should get out of here," Annabelle said.

"No, no, we just gotta stay low. We're in a crowded area. They won't do shit. Plus, I've got these to protect us." JJ jokingly flexed his arms.

"JJ. I'm serious. I think we're in real danger out here." She said.

"I've got it under control. I've got this." JJ lifted his backpack and Annabelle's blood ran cold, knowing that whatever he was talking about wasn't the backpack itself but what was inside it. She stared at the boy with wide eyes, stunned at how much of a dumbass someone could be.

"JJ dont tell me you brought a gun here." She whispered, her words laced with a menacing undertone. "This is a family event. There are kids, JJ!"

"What are you girls whispering about?" Kiara spoke up.

Annabelle bit her lip. She hated having to lie to Kiara. "Just some lady with a funny hat." She cringed at the stupid lie.

Kiara furrowed her brows, looking around in confusion. Annabelle sent JJ one final glare, making the boy shove his backpack under his seat. "Dumbass."

•❃°•°❀°•°❃•

Annabelle couldn't help but look back at Rafe several times during the night. She caught him staring, sending her occasional pleading looks. She tried to shake it off. But the people on the grass's surface began to thin out, most kids' families returning home, which could hand Topper and his crew a chance of doing whatever Rafe had been talking about.

The sky had turned into a dark veil that hung over them, giving the black-and-white movie a more sinister feeling. Annabelle sat wrapped in her blanket with two empty chip bags around her and all her pocket money spent on the food stalls.

Pope's leg bounced anxiously up and down and Annabelle heard him whisper something to JJ making the duo stand up.

"Where are you going?" She whispered to them.

"We gotta wring it out." JJ explained.

"You gonna hold it for each other?" Annabelle said earning a quick chuckle from Kiara. The two boys snuck though the packed area but in the opposite direction of the bathrooms. Instead they slipped around one of the trees behind the big screen.

"They are aware that there's bathrooms, right?" Kiara whispered to Annabelle. Only problem was that if you wanted to get to the bathrooms you'd have to walk past Topper and his death squad.

The girl threw a quick glance behind her bur froze at the sight of the three empty chairs. She spun back around and saw the backs of the three kook boys walking toward JJ and Pope.

"Shit." She cursed and stood to her feet.

"Wha-" Kiara said as Annabelle forced her to a stance as well.

"It's Pope and JJ." Annabelle held Kiara's wrist as she began to lead her out of the audience but stopped in front of JJ's chair. Her eyes fixated on the backpack shoved under his seat and her mind raced as she pondered on what to do. She cursed at herself as she crouched down and grabbed it.

The two girls slipped out of the audience, taking quick steps toward the big screen as Kiara tried to get an answer out of Annabelle. The scene in front of them made Kiara shut up instantly and she gasped. Kelce held onto JJ as Rafe connected punches after punches as if the boy was a living punching bag while Topper and Pope exchanged harsh hits.

"Get off them, you assholes!" Kiara shouted as she rushed toward the commotion between Pope and Topper.

Annabelle took several quick steps at Kelce. The boy noticed her getting closer and shoved JJ's almost unconscious body in Rafe's arms. Kelce approached her calmly with a smile that made every bone in Annabelle's body feel disgusted.

"Look who decided to join." He grinned, his arms out almost as if greeting her.

"Shut the hell up, Kelce," She kicked the boy in the crotch making him hunch forward at the unexpected impact. She pushed past him and over to Rafe who still held onto JJ. The Cameron boy dropped JJ at the sight of Annabelle and before she had a chance to say or do anything he wrapped his hands around her wrists, pinning them to prevent her from doing any damage.

"Bells, I told you to stay out of this. Go!" He ordered.

"Then let my friends go." She attempted to push him off.

"You know I can't do that." He shook his head. "Please go before you get yourself hurt."

"A little too late for that. You hurt me the moment you touched my friends."

"Bells, I'm sorry-" Annabelle was suddenly ripped out of Rafe's grasp and pushed back. She spun around to see Kelce charge at her once again, only this time there was no smug grin on his face. Only anger casting a sinister shadow over his features as he lifted her over his shoulder before letting her fall onto the ground. The girls body crashed onto the ground sending a sharp pain into her foot that radiated up her entire leg. Pain stung her face as her face landed on a small rock that cut through her cheek. The girl wailed out in pain but her cry only came out as a shrill grunt after the impact of the fall.

"Annabelle!" Pope called out before Topper connected yet another punch at his face.

The girl blinked several times before her surroundings got fully clear again. She watched Kelce stand over her with a smirk before Rafe shoved him backwards.

"What the hell, man?"

"Leave her the fuck out of it!" Rafe shouted.

Annabelle remained on the ground, cradling her her hurt leg. Her gaze traveled back to JJ who lay almost fully unconscious on the ground. Pope looked like he was only a few hits away from being in the same state as JJ. Topper punched him over and over, almost unbothered by Kiara who held onto his back while kicking and screaming. Annabelle crawled over to the backpack which she had dropped during her fall.

Her hand graced against the cold metal inside sending her into a momentarily mind battle. Her fingers slithered their way around the gun and she stopped to stare at it for a moment. She couldn't believe her stupidity as she forced herself to a stance with the black glock in hand. It felt surprisingly heavy in her shaky grip. Both Rafe and Kelce froze and stepped back, despite the weapon not being aimed in their direction.

"Bells," She heard Rafe's faint whisper over the sound of her own eardeafeing heartbeats that thundered in her ears. She turned the gun toward Topper but the boy was too focused on Pope to notice. She sucked in a deep shaky breath, tightening her grip on the weapon but before she got a chance to annouce her being armed to Topper, she saw an orange flame stretching over the movie screen. Screaming and panic erupted on the other side of the screen and the group that had gathered behind it noticed the fire as well. Topper finally released Pope from his grip, making him fall to his knees on the ground.

Annabelle stared in shock at the scene before her until two hands wrapped around hers. "Put that down."

Rafe slowly lowered the gun in her hands, snapping her out of her frozen state. She tugged the weapon under her shirt, the cold metal against her back causing her to shudder. Or maybe it was the feeling of Rafe's hands on hers.. she wasn't sure.

"Come on, man. The hell are you doing?" Topper tugged on Rafe's shirt and dragging him away from the scene. Annabelle swiftly swung the backpack over her shoulder before rushing up to her injured friends. She crouched down next to JJ, using all her remaining strength to pull him to his feet.

"Are you hurt?" He boy managed to spit out between his pained grunts. Annabelle couldn't help but let out a chuckle at the irony of him, the boy who almost got beat to death, asking her If she was hurt.

"I'm fine. You're not so let's get you out of here."

𝟑𝟎𝟎𝟑 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬
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𝐀/𝐍
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