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𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗲𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗻𝗲: 𝘄𝗮𝗿 𝘇𝗼𝗻𝗲

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Cassie wandered around the party in search of a certain towhead blonde with eyes as blue as the ocean. She had no intention of actually talking to him, she just...wanted to see him.

What, she wasn't allowed to want to see him and his gorgeous face that she fumbled?

Emery was right, if John B had joined the party than JJ had to be there somewhere. Especially since John B seemed to eager to tell her something, then they must have meant he and JJ had been doing something together and figured something out prior.

As she searched the party for JJ, little did she know that Kiara had already found him.

It was clear the boy was trying not to be seen as he ducked down behind a fence once he caught sight of the Carrera girl in her jean skirt and maroon lined crop top.

She made a face. "JJ. I saw John B. I figured you couldn't be far," she told him slowly.

JJ slowly rose from his hiding spot. "Just, uh, thought I should keep my distance. Didn't really wanna spoil the party, if you know what I'm saying," he told her, pointing toward her parents who were distracted by partygoers.

"We were wondering where you guys ran off to. You okay?" she asked in concern.

"No," JJ pointed at her, making her eyebrows knit together. He groaned, trying to figure out how to word this. "Look, long story short, we're mounting a full search and rescue mission right now because Big John got nabbed. Like, actually nabbed," he explained.

Kiara furrowed her brows. "Wait, what do you mean, 'got nabbed'?"

"Uh, snatched, kidnapped, abducted, that kinda thing. To South America by Singh," he clarified and Kiara blinked at him. "So what we have to do is we have to get down there as soon as we can."

She couldn't believe what he was saying. "South America? Right now?"

"Right. Yeah, I know. It's-it's a long shot, but we're making a plan right now," he told her.

Kiara looked down, a disbelieving smile on her face. "I mean, you come in here after stealing from my dad like, 'Hey, we're all good. Let's-let's go to South America.'"

"So, is that a no? Uh, you're just gonna ghost us?"

"Jayj, I've been wanting to talk since we got off the island. We need to talk. It's all I can think about. I mean, I literally just found out you and Cassie have been seeing each other this whole time, like...We need to talk but I...just can't do any of that right now."

JJ stared at her before he said, "Okay, so you're saying that you don't wanna be a part of the plan when Big John is up for execution right now. Okay, cool, that's a no," he concluded.

"I-I can't!"

"Cool. All right. That's all I needed to know." He walked away from her before he stopped, spinning back around. "It's just that— Actually, one last thing. When you see Mike, could you just let him know that, uh, I don't feel bad about the money clip? Okay?" Kiara breathlessly scoffed at him. "Just let him know I actually needed it. So thank him for me, actually. Appreciate that. Thank you."

Behind them, Cassie had spotted Kiara talking to someone before she realized that someone had been JJ. She blinked in confusion before she started heading near them since the conversation didn't look too friendly.

She heard Kiara scoff as JJ walked away from her. She couldn't believe that he didn't care that he stole her father's money clip, either to get back at Mike or to try to stop Kiara from looking — she had no clue. She just had no idea why he didn't want to talk about it.

"What is wrong with you?" Kiara questioned him and he stopped walking, slowly turning back around. "You're really acting like you don't care about it? I mean, seriously! Or like, acting like I don't care. Like, I love you, dude!"

Cassie froze once she heard those words fly out of Kiara's mouth, her lips parting in shock as she looked between Kiara and JJ.

Did she just hear that correctly? Did she just hear Kiara tell JJ she loved him even though she told Cassie she only liked him? When she swore she wouldn't be trying to go after him?

When Cassie told her the main reason why they ended things was because she couldn't tell JJ she loved him.

JJ blinked at Kiara before he looked past her, spotting Cassie standing behind her in a short, lilac skirt that looked positively amazing on her with her perfectly curled hair. He had been awestruck for a moment before he realized that Cassie definitely just heard what Kiara had said to him by the look on her face.

"Oh, shit," JJ breathed out, glancing away.

Kiara furrowed her brows before she turned around, her eyes widening at the sight of Cassie. "Cece—"

"Don't," Cassie forced out, beginning to back away.

"No, wait, I didn't mean to! It-it just came out!" Kiara called out after her but Cassie had already turned around, storming away from her as she shook her head in disbelief.

Kiara turned back to JJ, who had slowly made his way back up to her. "Look...it's not gonna work, okay? Cassie and I are...Look, I don't know what we are, I have to fix it, but...I don't like you like that, Kie. And I should've told you that sooner."

"I know. I know you don't like me, you love her. I didn't mean to say what I just said, I swear," Kiara promised, feeling like absolute shit since her and Cassie had just made up and now she was here professing her love to JJ.

"Yeah, well, she heard it so now everything's gone to shit, so thanks for that," JJ expressed harshly and Kiara pursed her lips at his cold tone. "I'm gonna help my best friend save his father. Maybe I'll see you at the break when I get back."

Kiara's lip quivered as she watched JJ walk away. "Yeah, maybe."

"If I get back."

Kiara sniffled before she turned around, trying to find where Cassie had gone. She had to explain she didn't mean it. She just had blurted it out in the heat of the moment. But she wasn't sure Cassie would believe that.

Cassie continued to storm off, walking past Emery. "Hey, are you okay?" her cousin asked since she saw the look on the girl's face, but she didn't answer as she started to make her way into The Wreck. Emery furrowed her brows before she saw Kiara hot on her heels. "Kiara, what's going on?"

"It doesn't involve you," Kiara spat as she walked past Emery, trying to catch up to the Blake girl.

"Why is everyone so mean here?" Emery muttered before taking a sip of her drink, walking around to try to meet new people.

"Cassie. Cassie, wait!" Kiara yelled after her once they made it inside The Wreck, causing Cassie to halt to a stop and turn on her heel. Kiara could see the look in her eyes, the look she had gotten when she wanted to break something. And that something she wanted to break was most definitely Kiara. "Cece—"

"Don't fucking call me that, Kiara," Cassie seethed and Kiara gulped. "I came in here for a reason, so I didn't ruin your parents' party. And now that you're here, I can yell at you because what the fuck was that?!"

"Look, I didn't mean to say it."

"Oh, you didn't mean to say it?" Cassie repeated, eyebrows raised. "Well, you still fucking said it! And you know what? You told me you didn't love him and that you wouldn't go after him so I guess those were  fucking lies."

"No! No, they-they weren't! I-I don't know what love feels like, Cassie! I guess-I guess I do, maybe, love him but-but I don't want to! I don't want to get in the way of you two!" she tried to explain.

"If you didn't want to get in the way of us, then you would have never approached him when you saw him here," Cassie pointed out.

"I wanted to know if he was okay! He and John B have been MIA for, like, a whole day!" Kiara argued. "And-and we still haven't talked about my dad's money clip—"

"God, who cares about the fucking money clip?!" Cassie raged. "You should care about me. How I feel. You-you should be apologizing like I apologized to you! I mean, the whole reason why JJ and I are done was because...was because I couldn't tell him I loved him. And I told you that. And now you're here saying it to him? I mean, am I crazy for thinking that might be on purpose?" she accused.

Kiara recoiled. "What? No, no I swear, it just slipped out!"

"Right, okay. Yeah, I totally believe that," Cassie spoke sarcastically as she nodded.

"Cassie, I promise you. You're my best friend and I wouldn't do that to you."

"Oh, you wouldn't? Just like how you told me you would never abandon me after what happened with Sarah, but as soon as you found out about what I did with Rafe, you shut me out?" Cassie recalled and Kiara swallowed thickly, her lip quivering once more. "Yeah. Some best friend you are."

And with that, Cassie knocked into her shoulder and pushed past her, walking out of The Wreck to get as far away from Kiara as she could.

Tears had begun to fall from Kiara's cheeks, but she quickly wiped them away. This was supposed to be a fun party for her parents and she promised them she would have a good time.

And crying wasn't part of having a good time.

So she plastered a smile back on her face and walked back outside shortly after, trying to distract herself by talking with guests.

Cassie kept on walking around the party until the sun had went down, avoiding Kiara at all costs. She couldn't believe that Kiara would do this to her. She couldn't believe she would lie and betray her trust like that.

After hearing Kiara complain about Cassie lying and betraying her trust months ago, here Kiara was doing the same exact thing, if not worse?

It felt like everything had just come crashing down in a matter of days with Rafe melting the cross, her and JJ breaking up, her mother and Ward coming back to the island, and now this.

Suddenly, she found herself wishing she could go back to Poguelandia right now, where everything was simpler although she hadn't realized it at the time. Where she and JJ were still exclusive, secret partners, Sarah didn't cheat on John B, and she and Kiara were still best friends.

She should have appreciated it more in the moment instead of hating it because she never thought it could actually get worse than being stranded on an island for a month.

But everything that had happened as soon as they made it back to the Outer Banks proved things could get worse.

Cassie continued to walk around the party before she bumped into Emery once more. "Cassie, I was looking for you. You looked really...upset before. Are you okay?" Emery questioned in concern.

"No," she answered truthfully and Emery tilted her head. "But it's fine. It's over now."

"What happened?"

"JJ and Kiara happened," she briefly said.

"They kissed?" Emery asked with wide eyes.

"No, no, God no. If that happened, there would be no party left standing," Cassie told her. "Kiara just...She told him she loved him and I heard it. Even after she told me she didn't and that she wouldn't go after him, she still said it. She said it when I told her I couldn't say it to him."

"Oh, wow," Emery breathed out, seeing how bad that was. "That's...not good," she stated the obvious.

"Yeah, but like I said, it's fine. JJ and Kiara are behind me now," Cassie brushed it off, trying to pretend like she didn't care

"Well, one is."

"What?"

"Pretty sure that's JJ behind you."

"Yeah, I just said that."

"No, like, he's literally behind you," Emery pointed behind her.

Cassie spun around, making eye contact with the Maybank boy. "Oh, fuck," Cassie cursed as her eyes widened at the sight of him.

"Cassie," he began as he took a step forward, making her glance over at Emery for help.

Emery seemed to get the memo because she took step in front of Cassie, making JJ blink and step back. "Hi, I'm Emery. Cassie's cousin. Nice to meet you...maybe? Not sure. But...I don't think this is a good time to talk with her."

"Uh, well, I think this is a great time," JJ countered, giving the girl a look.

"No, no, she's right. This is a bad time," Cassie piped up behind Emery before she began to walk away.

"Hey, hey," JJ said as he got past Emery, grabbing Cassie's wrist to stop her. Cassie spun around, ripping her hand away from him as her nostrils flared. He sucked in a breath, his chest rising. "Cass, I just wanna talk. I'm gonna keep this part brief, but, Big John got nabbed and he was taken to South America by Singh so we gotta get down there, like, now."

Cassie gaped at him. "What?"

"I know, I know," JJ panted. "So I kinda need you to come with me to get him back and so...and so we can talk to more."

She narrowed her eyes. "Talk more about what?"

"About us," JJ clarified.

She let out a short scoff. "Last time I checked, you were the one that told me you were done with me and wanted to break up," Cassie pointed out.

JJ licked his lips nervously. "Does it count as a break up if we weren't actually boyfriend and girlfriend?"

She stared at him. "I've been asking myself the same question."

JJ sucked in another breath. "Look, I know you heard what Kie said before, but-but it meant nothing. I promise you."

"Oh, really? Did she tell you to say this or...?" Cassie trailed off, crossing her arms over her chest.

"No. No, she didn't. I haven't even seen her since she said that to me," JJ honestly told her and Cassie scoffed, rolling her eyes at him. "You think I'm lying?"

"I don't know. I don't know what to believe anymore since Kiara told me she didn't love you and she wasn't gonna go after you, but then I hear her say that shit to you so...No, I don't know if you're lying," Cassie admitted.

He sighed "I don't know why she said it either, Cassie."

Cassie hummed. "Okay, tell me this, though. Did you like that she said that?"

JJ furrowed his brows. "What?"

"You don't have to lie to me about this, JJ. You can tell me if you liked hearing her say that to you because I couldn't be the one to say it," Cassie went on.

JJ let out a scoff of disbelief. "No, Cassie, I didn't like hearing her say that. I mean, yeah, we're best friends but that isn't how she meant it when she said it so, no, I didn't like it."

"If you didn't like it, then how come you kept stringing her along so much after we fought? I know you liked the attention from her. You must have. And I know you liked f-feeling good about yourself and loved because I couldn't give that to you," Cassie assumed, starting to get worked up.

JJ took a step forward, searching her eyes that had started to water. "Cassie, what? What are you saying right now?"

"I'm saying you feel happier whenever you're with her than you ever were with me," Cassie clarified and JJ blinked at her. "I mean, you told me yourself that when I was with you, you didn't even feel like I actually liked you. You thought I was embarrassed by you. So clearly...clearly I'm not fit to be a girlfriend or-or an exclusive, secret partner," she continued as her voice cracked, her eyes watering.

"Cass—"

"And I'm sorry," she began to cry. "I'm sorry I wasn't enough for you. There's just— My mind is like a fucking war zone and I'm losing. I'm losing every single day. First the cross, then you, then my mom, and now Kiara," she hiccuped. "I-I don't know what to do anymore. I'm done with everything. And you shouldn't have to put with that. You shouldn't have to-to put up with me and my fucking problems. You should...you should be with someone who's able to appreciate you and love you in full without wanting to hide it because they're scared to show their true self. And maybe that person is Kiara...not me."

JJ just stared at her, watching as she broke down right in front of him. She was basically telling him that she thought she wasn't enough for him during their relationship and he deserved someone better, but she had no idea how wrong she was.

Even though she wanted to keep their relationship a secret from everyone else, that didn't mean the relationship itself was bad. That whole month on Poguelandia was the happiest he had ever felt in his entire life and it had all to do with the girl standing right in front him.

And she couldn't even see that.

She was so caught up on thinking JJ chose to string Kiara along for his own accord, but in reality, he was only doing it to just piss Cassie off and to make her realize the mistake she made by choosing not to wear the necklace. Despite that not being the way to go about things, stringing Kiara along had everything to do with Cassie and nothing to do with himself.

He wanted her to know that it was never going to be Kiara and it was always going to be Cassie. He stole that money clip from Kiara's dad for two reasons: to spite Mike and...to try to get Kiara to see that he wasn't the one for her.

He may have been talking to her the whole time to Wilmington, but again, that was to piss Cassie off and get her to realize her mistake. He was planning on Kiara finding out about the money clip and her getting mad so she wouldn't like him anymore, so then he wouldn't have to worry.

But obviously his plan wasn't foolproof...because when were his plans ever foolproof?

This whole time, he was trying to get Cassie to realize that he wanted to get her back. Why else would he be trying to make her jealous? But the final straw was her telling him she hated him after he almost died and even then, when he told her he was done with her...he still wanted her.

And that's why he was here, to try to get her back and she couldn't even see that. But it was always going to her, no matter what happened.

However, before he could say anything in return to tell her how wrong she was, someone behind them started to say, "No, not right here, bro. Not right here."

Cassie looked over her shoulder, seeing John B make his way over to Topper and Sarah. Cassie wiped at the tears that had fallen from her eyes, cursing, "Oh, shit."

Sarah must have told John B what she did with Topper. This isn't going to be good.

"No, no, John B!" Sarah voiced, trying to stop him from getting any closer to the Thornton boy.

"Get out of of my way," John B demanded, moving Sarah to the side so he could get to Topper.

"No, no, we're not doing this," Topper told him, holding his hands out in front of him.

"You feel good about yourself, Topper?" John B questioned as he shoved the boy back roughly. Cassie and JJ shared a concern look before they continued watching the scene play out.

"Stop!" Sarah shouted.

"Okay, you need to chill out, bro," Topper said, pushing John B back in retaliation.

"You like messing up my relationship?"

"I'm not ruining Mike and Anna's party right now, okay?"

"Oh, that's what you're worried about?" John B asked in disbelief, continuing to shove him.

"I would just walk away, John B," Topper suggested.

"You feel good about yourself?" John B repeated, getting close to his face threateningly.

Sarah grabbed his arm and turned him around, forcing him to look at her. "For once in your life, would you please just turn around and walk away? Please," she pleaded. "Look at me. Please don't."

"Hey, no hard feelings, bro," Topper decided to say from behind him, laughing a bit.

"Topper," Sarah warned quietly.

"Oh, he's fucked," Cassie breathed out.

"Yeah, he's done," JJ agreed, not knowing if he should step in or not since nothing had happened yet. And he wasn't sure if he should even step in because it was clear John B was mad at Topper for a reason.

John B started to nod slowly at what he said as Topper asked, "We good?"

John B turned around to look at him for a second before he reeled his fist back. "No, John B, no!" Sarah exclaimed as John B punched Topper hard in the face, sending him down to the ground with just one punch.

Everyone around them gasped as the band stopped playing, looking at what just happened. Cassie's mouth fell open, her eyebrows raised as she watched the scene unfold.

John B waved his hand around, taunting, "You like that shit, Top? Huh? Huh?"

"Stop, John B. John B. Stop!"

"You ready for this?" John B jeered as he bent down, picking up Topper by his collar.

"What are you doing?! No! Stop!" Sarah screamed as John B began to repeatedly punch Topper in the face without stopping. "Stop! What are you doing?! John B! Mr. Carrera!"

It seemed like the war zone in Cassie's mind traveled out into the world and plagued this doomed anniversary party.

"John B!" Kiara stepped forward.

"Hey! Hey, hey!" Mike yelled as he ran over, grabbing John B to get him away from the Thornton boy who had barely been moving on the ground.

"JJ," Cassie breathed out, her mouth running dry.

"I'm on it," he replied as started to sprint over to John B.

"Hey! Get out of here!" Mike demanded before John B pushed away from him. "Get out of here!"

"Is that what you want, Mike?" John B challenged before JJ reached them, stepping in front of John B protectively.

"Get off of him!" JJ bellowed in Mike's face.

"See, that's what I'm talkin' about! Both of you get out of here!" Mike screamed furiously, which made the boys start to back up to leave the party.

"You happy, Sarah?!" John B sneered as JJ kept pushing him back so they could leave.

"He wasn't even defending himself!" Sarah cried out.

JJ and John B walked past Cassie, who was watching them with tears in her eyes from before. She made eye contact with JJ before she looked away, seeing Topper on the floor with people surrounding him, but he wasn't getting up.

Although she had been on John B's side of things, she knew him doing this in front of all these witnesses was not going to be good.

Especially because his father was apparently kidnapped by Singh and they needed to be in South America, like, yesterday.

Everything just had to come crashing down yet again, creating a battlefield that seemed impossible to come out of victorious.

And Cassie wasn't sure how much longer she could fight.

authors note!
yayyy i was able to update!!! im still
sick but i feel better at like certain times of
the day so hopefully its like that for the next few
days bc im not sure how much longer im
gonna be sick for. hopefully not too long.
but here's another chapter filled with angst
yet again!!! dw guys there will be happiness
soon i promise u