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"There you go. That's a good one." John B says as Cleo drills a screw into the sign

"All right?" Cleo mutters moving onto the other screw

"My master."

"Alright, make sure it's not slanted."

"It's a little slanted, but that's okay."

"Oh, come on." She says, "They might have to read sideways."

"Got water." Kie says as JJ carries another sign out to the dock

"There you go." John B says to Cleo

"Got water for the bait tank." Kie says again

"I dunno. That's JJ's department." John B mutters waving her off

"Is that it?" Cleo chuckles

"Look at that." John B says as they step back

"Last thing checked." Cleo says as Estrella walks out from the shop

She smiles looking at the sign, "It looks good!"

"Think we're about done." Cleo says

"Cool!" John B says as they do the Pogue handshake

"Hey, guys." JJ calls out. The teens turn toward the dock, "I think we did it. We're in business, baby! Wow! Oh my gosh, this feels good!"

Estrella can't help the smile that spreads across her face as the other teens walk out and look over at JJ. JJ looks around, "Look at this. Look at that. Look at that. Like, oh my God."

"That boy's mad." Cleo says as he jumps on the side of the boat. Estrella steps into the shop and quickly grabs her camera.

"Captain Maybank at your service!" He says in an accent. Estrella stands beside Sarah as she points the camera toward him, "Now, that has a ring to it! Nothing can stop a Pogue. Nothing! Whoa! That's what I'm talking about!"

"Yeah!" John B says as JJ jumps off of the boat onto the dock. The other teens laughing with him.

"Is he okay?" Sarah asks from beside Estrella

"Yeah. Yeah." Estrella nods as JJ dances, "He just never really had a home. He's happy."

"Keep going!" John B says

"Oh! Now do the full routine, to celebrate." JJ says standing on his toes, "A little plié. Now... now we do a little hot step. A little hot step."

"Wow." Cleo says as Estrella laughs. She stops the recording and places it back on the table before she starts to make her way down the dock, "Slow down, you're killing 'em!"

"Slide into it." JJ says

"Twinkle toes, all right." John B jokes

"Let go into it." JJ says spinning around and stopping when he's met with a smiling Estrella

"Having fun?" She smiles

"A little bit."

"Yeah?"

JJ notices the admiration swarming in her eyes and it's makes his heart stutter. He looks her up and down before looking back into her eyes, "What?"

"I love you." She says

JJ's face softens as he steps forward, "I love you, too."

Estrella wraps her arms around his neck, pulling him into a kiss. JJ wraps his arms around her waist and pulls her closer before she pulls back slightly. She smiles as her friends cheer from behind them.

"We did it." JJ says

"We did. Somehow." She chuckles

"But we did it. We did it!" The teens cheer as the two step apart. JJ yells as they all step onto the dock, "Get on!"

"Captain Maybank!" Estrella says

"Captain Maybank here!" JJ yells out

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A few days after opening, the teens sat around the shop. Business had been extremely slow, but they all had hopes that they would eventually get their first customer.

"It's a nice day." Kie says

"Yeah." Sarah says as Cleo whistles

"Mm." JJ hums

Estrella picked her head up off of Charlotte's shoulder as she looked out into the water again. Her eyes widen as she jumps up, "Guys. Boat. Boat."

"Oh snap!" Kie says

"It's a boat."

"Hey, hey, hey." Cleo says sitting up

"Guys, a boat!"

"John B, wake up. JJ, wake up." Sarah says

"Somebody's here." Pope says as JJ sits up

"Is that a motor?" He says

"Yes!" Sarah smiles

"Get ready." Cleo says

"Okay, it's our first customer." Charlotte beams, "It's our first customer!"

"Guys, come on! Come on!" JJ says jumping up

"Go!" Estrella says

"I got it." John B says as they rush down the dock to meet the customer

"Howdy, sir!" Pope says

"How you doing?"

"I got your ice right here!" JJ says pulling ice out of the cooler

"And we've got bait." Sarah says

"Bait, beer, a fresh pot of gumbo! What do you want?"

Pope and John B help the man tie off the boat before following him into the shop. The teens watch as he looks down into the bait before looking up, "Holy shit. You've got all this live bait?"

"Big and small." Cleo smiles

"Oh yeah, it's our secret sauce." JJ says

"Give me a whole bucket." The man says

"Coming right up." Cleo nods

"Man, beer, granny-made sandwiches. I wish y'all had opened up sooner." He says as Estrella packs his bag

"We're gonna be opening up 24-7, my friend, so nothing to worry about." JJ says

Pope interjects, "Not actually true. We're not open 24-7."

"Still working on the hours." Estrella smiles as the man answers his phone

"Hey, I'm here." He says into the phone, "This place is the tits, Bobby. They even got pogies. A whole tank of 'em!"

The teen that came with the man pays as he continues raving about the shop on the phone, "Just, uh, just keep the change. Thank you, guys."

"Come back." Kie says as Estrella takes the money from him

"Got everything?" JJ says

"Yep."

"Have a good one." Pope says as the teen walks out, "Tell your friends."

"Oh, we will."

"Boys..." John B says before inhaling, "that's the smell of success."

"First sale, baby! Whoo!" JJ cheers

"He said we were the tits." Sarah giggles

"I know."

"First dollar of our first-ever sale." Estrella says stepping from behind the counter with the dollar bill

"Oh yeah." Pope says as Kie hands Estrella the stapler

"A new spot." Sarah says as Estrella reaches up and staples the dollar up onto a wall. The teens cheer as she steps back, "We did it!"

Estrella pulls JJ into a hug as Sarah hugs John B. Estrella squeals as JJ lifts her off of her feet.

"Hey, guys." Cleo says

"Yeah?" Charlotte says

"Incoming!" Cleo says before turning to another boat, "We're open!"

"Got more?" JJ says pulling away from Estrella

"Keep 'em coming." Pope says

"Customers." John B cheers

"All right." JJ says

"Pogies and bait!" Cleo and Estrella yell out, "Pogies and bait!"

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Over the next few months, the bait shop had been a huge success. The teens catching their own bait and dinner or growing it. Estrella painting tons of different designs on surfboards and making lots of sales from them. Pope was focusing on school as well. It had been a lot more rewarding than the teens could've ever imagined.

So, on the off day that Estrella wasn't painting boards or in the shop, she found herself in the bathroom. Her brows furrowed as she stared at herself in the mirror. Her eyes bouncing around her face before she sighed.

Before she could notice, Kiara and Charlotte were standing outside of the open door. Kiara looks around the bathroom before eyeing Estrella, "Everything okay?"

Estrella turns quickly finding the two with curious, but concerned expressions. Estrella nods, "Yeah."

"Are you sure?" Kie chuckles, "You've been standing there for a while it seems like."

Estrella sighs before fulling turning to them. She gestures to her face, "Look."

Kiara's brows raise as Charlotte frowns. Charlotte tilts her head, "At what?"

"At me." Estrella says, "I look so boring."

"Boring?" Charlotte repeats as Kie chuckles

"Yes. Boring." Estrella says before turning back to the mirror, "I mean, my hair is in this awkward stage between being short and being long again and it just looks off. I need it to not look like this."

"Okay, so, just cut your hair again." Kie says leaning on the doorway

"No, I don't want it short again. I wanna grow it out."

"Okay." Charlotte nods, "Maybe you can dye it."

"Well, no, I like the dark hair." Estrella sighs

Kie laughs, "Well, Estrella, there's not many more options."

Estrella leans on the counter, "There has to be."

"You could curl it or something." Charlotte shrugs, "It won't last long, but maybe it'll get you out of this funk."

Estrella looks up wide eyed before turning to them, "What if I cut bangs?"

"Bangs?" The two exclaim. Kiara more against the idea than Charlotte.

"Yes. Bangs." Estrella says brushing past them into the hallway

"I'm sorry." Kiara cays, "How did we jump to bangs of all things?"

"I need a change." Estrella calls out as she grabs scissors from the desk in the living room. She comes back down the hall, "Bangs are a change."

"Yeah. A huge change." Kie says as Estrella steps back into the bathroom

"Are you sure this isn't like a manic episode or something?" Charlotte asks softly

"No." Estrella scoffs sectioning her hair

"This could go really wrong." Kie says, "Have you ever had bangs?"

"No."

"Okay, so, this could end very badly." Kie repeats

"What if you end up hating it?" Charlotte asks

"Then I'll use bobby pins and hair clips for the next six months." Estrella says grabbing the hair in her face

"Okay, wait. Estrella-" Kie tries, but is cut off with a gasp as Estrella chops her hair. Estrella looks up and fixes the bangs on her forehead before pulling the rest of her hair forward. She smiles as she looks at herself.

She turns to the girls. Kiara frozen with wide eyes as Charlotte's brows lift in concern. Estrella winces, "Does it look bad?"

Kiara finally takes her in before her body relaxes, "No, it doesn't actually."

"Really?" Estrella says turning back to the mirror

"No, seriously, it actually looks really good." Kie says stepping up behind her

"What are we looking at?" Sarah asks stepping into the bathroom. She gasps as Estrella turns to her, "What the hell?"

"Do you like it?" Estrella smiles

"Yeah." Sarah chuckles, "But when-"

"Just now." Charlotte says

"Holy shit." Sarah giggles, "Does JJ know?"

Estrella's face falls, "Oh, shit. No. I didn't think about that. What if he hates it?"

"Oh please." Kiara scoffs, "JJ would find you hot in a trash bag if it came down to it."

"And if I'm being honest, who cares if he hates it anyway?" Charlotte shrugs, "It's your hair."

"I know that, but I still don't want him to hate it." Estrella says

"You know what? We'll find out right now." Sarah shrugs

"Huh?" Estrella says before her eyes widen when Sarah walks out of the bathroom, "Sarah!"

•••

"Dude, I'm gonna get Estrella to paint the C.H.U.D. poster on a board." JJ says, "It's gonna be sick."

"She's not gonna do that." John B says

"Why not?"

"Because it's stupid." Pope says

"It's not stupid." JJ says as Sarah comes running out of the house

"JJ!"

"Yeah?" He says as they turn toward her

"It's Estrella."

JJ sits up, "What happened? Is she alright?"

"No, no, no. She's fine." She says waving him off, "But you have to come look at this."

"Look at what?" JJ says as the boys get up and follow Sarah in

"Just come on!"

•••

In the time that Sarah went to grab JJ, Cleo had found herself in the bathroom with the others.

"I like it." She smiles

"Thanks." Estrella says smiling softly

"JJ's gonna love it, dude." Kie says, "Watch."

"Star?" JJ calls out. Estrella's eyes widen, "Baby?"

"Oh my god." Estrella says

"He's gonna love it, girl." Cleo says shaking her head, "You're stressing for nothing."

Sarah walks in first with a wide smile. She holds her hands out toward Estrella. JJ walks in as the girl turns to him. His eyes widen slightly as Pope and John B peer in.

"Holy shit." John B says

"Does it look bad?" Estrella asks

"No." Pope shakes his head, "I like it."

"Thanks." Estrella smiles before looking toward JJ, "Jay?"

"It looks fucking perfect." He says

"See?" Kie says shaking her shoulder, "I told you he'd like it."

JJ furrows his brows, "You thought I wouldn't like it?"

"Well, yeah." Estrella says turning back to the mirror and messing with her bangs again, "I didn't even really think before I did it."

"Why did you do it? May I ask?" John B says

Estrella looks toward him in the mirror, "Impulse."

"Got it." He nods

"So we have a JJ 2.0 is what you're saying." Pope says

"It's bangs, Pope. It's not like I drove a car off of a cliff." Estrella says

"While I love the bangs, JJ hasn't stopped staring since he walked in and I don't wanna be in here for whatever is about to unfold." Kie says, "So, I'm gonna go."

"I second that." John B says as Kie grabs Charlotte's hand pulling her down the hall

Estrella turns with furrowed brows as the rest of the teens mutter in agreement while walking down the hall. Estrella looks up at JJ, "Do you actually like them?"

"I love 'em." JJ smiles, "I can't believe you thought I wouldn't."

"Well, bangs aren't for everybody. I didn't know how they'd look."

JJ steps forward and pulls her closer by her hips, "They look amazing, baby."

"Thank you." Estrella smiles wrapping her arms around his neck

JJ hums before leaning down and placing his lips on hers. Estrella pulls him closer deepening the kiss before JJ lifts her and sets her on the counter. Estrella gasps before JJ kisses her again. JJ groans as Estrella pulls him closer. His body fitting perfectly between her legs.

He pulls away breathlessly, "You know who you remind me of with the bangs?"

"Who?"

"This one hot substitute I had in middle school."

Estrella places her hand on his chest as she cringes, "Seriously?"

"Yeah." JJ nods, "She had an accent and everything."

Estrella rolls her eyes playfully as she jumps down, "Gross."

"What?" He exclaims following her out, "I'm saying you're hot."

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