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Annabelle woke up to the relentless buzzing of her phone vibrating beside her. Groggily, she reached for it, her vision still hazy with sleep. Several missed calls and texts from both Pope and JJ lit up the screen. She sighed, rolling over to glance at Rafe. The morning sunlight seeped through the curtains, casting warm streaks across his face and toned abs, the beige duvet covering his legs. A small smile played on her lips as she scooted closer, pressing a gentle kiss to his stomach. The boy shifted slightly, his eyes slowly opening as he woke up.

He was greeted with Annabelle's bright and loving smile, one that almost instantly inhabited his own face, despite every thought that was racing through his mind after what happened last night with his father.

"Hi,"

"Morning," He brushed some hair off of her face.

"Pope just called me. Said it was something urgent." Annabelle explained. "Will you be okay here?"

"Yeah, sure." He said and the girl climbed up to place a quick kiss on his lips before carefully slipping out of bed.

She threw on her clothes, sent a quick text to JJ, and slipped out of the house. By the time she reached the dock, Kiara was already there, looking equally confused.

"What the hell is going on?" Kiara asked as Pope pulled up in the boat.

"This better be important. Do you know how early it is?" Annabelle grumbled, climbing down the small ladder onto the boarding area.

"Okay, so JJ and John B conked out in the marsh. They need a tow," Pope explained, offering a hand to steady her.

"And that requires a three-person rescue team?" She asked skeptically.

"We need you two for mechanical help." Pope shrugged as if that explained anything.

Annabelle exchanged a wary glance with Kiara, but they didn't have much time to protest. The boat sped off toward the marsh, cutting smoothly through the water. Sure enough, just as Pope had said, Heyward's boat was floating aimlessly, gently swaying with the current. Annabelle's brows knitted together, at the rare sight of Pope's father's boat. Heyward loved that boat like his son, and it wasn't a usual occurrence that he lent it out to anyone, especially JJ and John B.

"Can you guys do anything without us?" Kiara teased as they pulled alongside the boat.

Annabelle was the first to climb up, eyes immediately landing on JJ and John B hunched over an open panel, tools scattered around them.

"What happened?" Kiara asked, stepping up behind her.

JJ sat up, stretching his back. "Uh, the alternator's not, uh, alternating anymore."

"It's not charged," John B clarified, looking up with a ridiculous, oversized sun hat perched on his head. Annabelle barely contained a laugh at the sight.

"Did you check the plugs?" Kiara asked, crouching beside them.

The boys exchanged a quick glance before stepping aside. "No, no, you should check 'em," JJ said a little too quickly.

Annabelle narrowed her eyes, suspicion creeping into her sight. Before she could question them further, JJ and John B shoved the tools into the girls' hands and bolted for the edge of the boat.

"Come on, come on, come on!" JJ urged as they both dove into the water, their laughter echoing in the air.

"What the—?" Annabelle spun around just in time to see them swimming away.

"Sayonara!" John B called before disappearing under the surface.

"Guys, what are yo—?" Annabelle froze at the sudden banging coming from beneath her feet.

"John B, let me out!" A muffled, familiar voice rang out from below.

Everything clicked in an instant. Annabelle groaned, yanking the floor hatch open to reveal Sarah, who blinked up at her in equal parts annoyance and disbelief.

"Wait. What?" Sarah gasped, mirroring Annabelle's exasperated expression.

"No way," Kiara muttered, appearing beside them with her eyes squinting down on Sarah.

Annabelle groaned loudly. "I'm gonna kill those guys!" She rushed to the edge of the boat. "Get your asses back here!"

"We can't! Not until you figure it out!" John B grinned slyly, floating effortlessly in the water.

"Are you serious?!" Sarah shouted after them as they drifted farther away, their laughter only fueling her rage.

"I will kill every single one of you!" Kiara yelled.

"Y-you can't just leave!" Sarah gripped the railing, her frustration evident.

"There's food in the cabin, and JJ rolled a blunt!" Pope called out helpfully, giving them a thumbs-up as JJ waved proudly.

Annabelle scowled. "I'll kill you for leaving me with these two!"

"This is ridiculous." Sarah huffed, kicking off her shoes and peeling off her shorts. Kiara followed suit.

"Well, I'd rather drown than stay here with you," Sarah snapped, preparing to dive in.

"Fine. Be my guest. Maybe you'll finally shut the hell up," Kiara shot back.

Annabelle groaned. "Oh, Lord."

"Good luck with the oyster beds!" Kiara teased as Sarah launched herself into the water.

"Godspeed!" Pope called out as their boat sped off, leaving Sarah with no chance of catching them.

"Wait!" Sarah shrieked, using all her strength to swim after them. "John B, you asshole!"

"Sarah, they're not coming back," Annabelle said flatly, glancing at the quickly vanishing boat.

"Love you guys, bye!" John B's voice carried through the air, growing fainter by the second.

"Great," Kiara sighed, dropping onto the deck.

"This is gonna be a nightmare—" Annabelle's words were cut off by Sarah's sudden yelp. Both girls turned to see nothing but a few ripples and bubbles disturbing the water's surface.

"What now?" Kiara groaned.

Sarah resurfaced, gasping and flailing. "I got stung by a jellyfish!"

Annabelle sighed deeply, lowering the ladder for her. She and Kiara had both been stung plenty of times before, and Sarah's reaction made it seem like she'd been mauled by a shark.

"Dramatic," Kiara muttered.

Sarah whimpered as she climbed aboard, red welts already forming on her side.

"Well, you swam straight into a man-o'-war. What did you think was gonna happen?" Kiara said dryly as Sarah stumbled onto the deck.

"Thanks for the help," Sarah snapped, glaring at them as she clutched her side.

"Does it hurt?" Kiara asked, her tone laced with amusement.

Sarah ignored her and swore under her breath, groaning as she examined her inflamed skin. Then, she turned toward them with a serious expression.

"Hey, guys... you know what they say about curing jellyfish stings."

Annabelle and Kiara immediately knew where this was going. Both shook their heads in unison.

"One of you has to pee on me."

"Yeah, no way in hell."

•❃°•°❀°•°❃•

The three girls found themselves in an agonizing silence in the back of the boat - thick with unspoken tension that Annabelle felt extremely uncomfortable and out of place in. The two other girls kept exchanging hard and fueled glares, leaving Annabelle awkwardly in the middle. The gentle sway of the water beneath them should have been soothing, but instead, it only made the moment feel more unsteady.

Annabelle pulled out the small package that JJ had left them, the blunts resting beautifully inside. Her fingertips almost tingled with anticipation as she pulled out of them out along with the lighter.

"It's for the pain," Annabelle said, casting a glance up at Sarah, who was still constantly complaining about the discomfort in her side. 

Kiara watched Annabelle closely as brought the blunt to her lips, flicking the lighter to life. She didn't say anything, she didn't need to. Annabelle read her expression, a mix of concern and uncertainty at the sight of Annabelle with a blunt between her fingers. The James girl quickly nodded, signaling that it wasn't a big deal.

She took a drag from it, the flavor almost instantly bringing a form of ease to her body, the familiar buzz melting through her limbs like honey. She inhaled once again, and again, and again, feeling the world around her slowly soften before handing the blunt to Sarah however Kiara was quicker, stealing it from her hand before she could grab it.

"Hey!"

The brunette simply just rolled her eyes as she took a drag from it. Two more drags and she finally handed it to the girl. Sarah snatched it out of her hands and placed it to her mouth, taking a long inhale.

"Go easy, there princess," Annabelle warned. Sarah barely seemed to hear her as she took a deep pull from the blunt, inhaling too much too fast.

"It's JJ's cousins Cripple," Kiara explained.

The blonde's face contorted, her eyes watering before she finally removed the cigar from her lips. She doubled over, coughing violently. Annabelle and Kiara exchanged an unimpressed glance.

"I tried warning you." The James girl muttered as she leaned back against the boat's railing.

•❃°•°❀°•°❃•

The sun finally set after many awkward hours of Sarah experiencing her first high and the two pouge girls watching her. The stars above them stretched endlessly, reflecting on the dark waves. The air had cooled, the salty breeze brushing against Annabelle's skin, blending with the lingering warmth from the blunt. She was currently holding on to her second cigar after slipping two into her pockets to save for later. It was as if her fingers had taken over her consciousness, eagerly taking them as soon as the two other girls had looked away. JJ wouldn't even notice. Right?

She took a deep inhale, holding the smoke in her lungs until her vision blurred around the edges. When she finally exhaled, the buzz in her veins sharpened, euphoria crackling at the tips of her fingers, and the back of her skull. A beat passed and the sensation was almost completely gone, her vision cleared and her body stiffened a little. Once again she lifted the cigar to her lips, inhaling deeply, like every drag wasn't enough, like she so desperately needed more.

Sarah had been laughing uncontrollably for the past hours, her voice bubbling with hysteria at things that weren't even funny.

"Hey, guess what." She giggled. "Would you rather have--I was imagining you two like this just now. It was pretty funny."

Annabelle groaned under her breath, already exhausted with whatever was about to come out of Sarah's mouth.

"Would you imag- would you rather.. have nipples for eyes or eyes for nipples?" Sarah blinked at them like she had just presented the world's most philosophical dilemma. Annabelle felt her lips tug into a brief smirk at her question and her stupidity. "Imagine if you get really old and your nipples-- your boobs get saggy, and your nipples if they were... your eyes, you could see if your shoes were untied."

Annabelle sighed out a chuckle, sinking deeper into her seat. "Jesus Christ."

"Is this your first time smoking or something?" Kiara asked and Sarah's expression instantly shifted.

Sarah's giggles faltered slightly, and she hesitated. "No," she muttered, the lie obvious.

A silence settled between them, the kind that felt heavier than the warm night air. Annabelle stared up at the stars, exhaling smoke in lazy rings.

"Hey, guys-"

"Oh my God," Kiara groaned, cutting Sarah off. "Enough with the 'hey guys'bullshit! Why'd you do it."

The sudden confrontation left Sarah quiet for a moment, staring at the girl in front of her as Annabelle shifted uncomfortably, caught between them, watching the confrontation unfold.

"Why did I do what?" Sarah finally spoke up.

"We were best friends," Kiara said, her voice thick with emotion. "We-- we stole beers from your dad's fridge, we watched movies together, we cried about boys." Sarah's eyes flickered down to the floor of the boat, guilt pooling in her gaze. "And the next thing I know, I'm watching your birthday party happen from Instagram."

"It was one party." The blonde defended weakly.

"You invited everybody except me," Kiara stated.

Annabelle cleared her throat. "I wasn't invited either," she added in an attempt to break the tension with a chuckle. It didn't help. She only earned hard looks from the two of them and she instantly sank deeper, lifting the blunt to her lips again.

"And then you told everybody I was the reason that party got busted." Kiara turned her attention back to Sarah.

The girl huffed. "Okay, well, who else would've called the cops?"

"You never asked," Kiara said, her voice thick with suppressed tears. "You just let the rumor go that I was a rat. You were my best friend and then you ghosted me, and I don't even know why! I mean really, what did I do?!"

Sarah hesitated. "you liked me."

"What?"

The blonde stared out into the dark before her, trying to avoid everyone's gazes. "When people... get close to me... I feel trapped. And I bail... and then I blame them for it."

The confession lingered in the cool night air, heavier than the silence before it. Annabelle couldn't help but feel bad for her, for both of them.

"I'm really sorry," Sarah whispered, her voice barely above the sound of the waves. She took a deep breath, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. "And I miss you."

Kiara slowly let her gaze travel back up to the girl next to her, staring at her with an unreadable expression.

"Do you think there's a chance that we could be okay again?" Sarah asked, her voice low and croaky.

Kiara hesitated before answering, her voice just as quiet. "Honestly... I don't know."

Sarah slowly nodded and she blinked away the tears that rested in her water line.

The three girls didn't say much more after that. Instead, they made up their makeshift beds with pillows and blankets on the floor of the boat, curling up in silence.

Annabelle lay on her back, fiddling with her phone. No reception. She cursed under her breath. She couldn't text Rafe, couldn't check on him after everything that had happened last night. She didn't want him to think she had just bailed.

She sighed and slid back under the blanket she shared with Kiara. The girl next to her was way too stiff to be asleep already.

"You okay?" Annabelle whispered.

"I guess." Kiara looked at her.

The James girl nodded, understandingly. "I'm not on her side, or anything, but you can tell that she really means it. She is sorry."

Kiara hummed and turned her head up to stare at the stars above them. "I know."

Annabelle twisted her head to do the same, her gaze trailing over the patterns in the sky.

"Hey, Sarah," Kiara spoke in a hushed tone.

"Hey, Kiara."

"Promise me that you won't bail on John B." The girl said without tearing her eyes from the sky. "He's not just... some other guy. And he really, really likes you."

"I won't." The blonde said.

"Promise me."

"I promise," The words were left hanging in the air as Kiara turned in her makeshift bed. She exhaled deeply.

"Also I'm sorry I called the cops."

A smile slowly bloomed on Sarah's lips, soon transforming into a loud giggle. "I Knew it you bitch."

Kiara soon busted into laughter as well and Annabelle couldn't help but do the same, seeing the two finally act civil around each other.

"You should've invited me." Kiara chuckled.

"So you called the cops?"

"Yes!" Kiara's words made laughter fill the air, lighter this time, and for the first time all night, it felt like things might be okay.

Annabelle squeezed her eyes shut, hoping to block out the sun that bore through her peaceful sleep. She groaned and turned in her makeshift bed, her back and neck aching from sleeping on the hard floor of the boat.

"Morning, sleeping beauty," Kiara murmured.

Annabelle groaned again, forcing herself to sit up while rubbing her face through her hands. Sarah mumbled something sleepy beside the two, and let out a pained noise, rubbing her lower back.

"Good morning, princess," Annabelle smirked.

"I think my body permanently molded into the shape of this boat." Sarah groaned. "I'm gonna need at least fifty hours of massage after this."

"That's right, Aurora over here is used to sleeping on platinum mattresses on king-sized beds," Kiara said jokingly, Annabelle chuckling at her comment.

"Hey, I don't-" Sarah groaned as she moved.

"At least you didn't get elbowed in the ribs all night. Annabelle, you move in your sleep like you're fighting demons." Kiara turned to the James girl.

Annabelle ran a hand through her tangled hair. "Oh, don't be dramatic." She chuckled before rolling her shoulders with a wince.

Sarah giggled as she stretched her legs out in front of her. "It was like ten degrees out here."

"That's because Annabelle stole the blanket all night." Kiara nudged the girl's side.

Annabelle shot her a look. "I get cold."

Kiara scoffed. "You were wrapped in that thing like a burrito while Sarah and I were out here suffering."

Annabelle shrugged, unapologetic. "Survival of the fittest."

"Survival of the fittest my ass. More like survival of the selfish." Sarah rolled to a stance, groaning as she stretched.

"At one point I was about to throw your ass overboard," Kiara told Annabelle, who simply just shrugged and stood up. She leaned against the railing, letting the sea breeze brush against her face. The morning air was crisp, carrying the scent of salt and sunscreen from the day before.

Kiara exhaustively flopped down on the floor again with her arms out. "I need food and a coffee."

"And a chiropractor," Annabelle stretched and winced at the pain that radiated from her neck and down her spine. She subtly slipped her phone out of her pocket. She tilted it slightly, angling the screen away as she pressed the power button. Still no bars. She frowned, shifting the phone in her hand, like maybe if she moved it a little higher, she'd magically get a signal.

Nothing.

She shoved her phone into her pocket and sighed. "You're bringing us along on that massage, right?"

Sarah rubbed her tired eyes and cocked her head to the side, sucking her teeth. "Kooks only, sorry not sorry."

Annabelle squinted her eyes at her, playfully. She groaned and threw her head back. "Someone throw her in the water."

Kiara half-heartedly lifted a hand. "I would, but I'm too sore."

Sarah grinned triumphantly.

The three girls sat on the edge of the boat watching as the boys rolled toward them on the boat.

"Uh oh!" Pope exclaimed. "You forgot your keys or something?"

"You need a tow?" John B teased.

"Don't give them the satisfaction of thinking this worked," Kiara said.

Sarah nodded. "Absolutely not."

"You gotta admit it was funny," John B smirked as they eased closer.

"You're dead, all of you," Annabelle said under her breath.

"Oh, really?" JJ grinned teasingly.

"Mastermind, huh?" Kiara raised her brows at the boys.

John B hummed proudly. "I'm always planning."

"Some patriarchal bullshit," Kiara sighed.

"Yeah, that sucked," Annabelle and Sarah said in union.

"You still love us right?" JJ smiled as he docked the boat next to them.

"Who said we ever did?" Annabelle cocked her head at him.

"Hey, you still hate me?" John B looked up at Sarah.

The girl shrugged. "A little. We're gonna get you back when you least expect it."

"Yeah, watch your back boys." Kiara spoke.

"Yeah, I don't know how you involved me in this shit," Annabelle told the boys, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Because someone needed to keep an eye on them so they didn't tear each other's hair out or whatever." John B smiled proudly.

"So, did they.. you know..?" Pope asked.

"Reconcile their differences?" Annabelle asked. "Not even close."

"Not at all," The two other girls agreed to her statement.

"But..." Sarah sighed. "We're willing to work together."

All three boys shared the same triumphant and annoying grin. "You know what? That's a victory."

"Wiggedy, wiggedy, wiggedy!" They cheered as they did their handshake, the girls on the boat rolling their eyes at them.

"You're so annoying," Kiara muttered.

"All right, shut up." John B spoke up. "You guys ready to jack some loot?"

𝟑𝟑𝟓𝟔 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬
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𝐀/𝐍

my fav triooooo