Bali had the dumbest of ideas in history of dumb ideas.

No one agreed with it.

Absolutely no one.

Yet, she did it anyways.

And she left.

"There you are." Bali explained, walking up to Barry's trailer with a huff of disbelief, "I have been searching for you, all day. I go to Toppers, are you there? Nope! Kelces, absolutely not! Arias? Hasn't heard from you! Lilas? Pretty much forgot who you are! And you're here?"

"Well, good afternoon, Indonesia." Barry spoke after a second, him and Rafe gapping at her rant as she walked up, "Tough morning?"

"What are you doing here?" Rafe sighed, standing up and giving her a look.

"Looking for you, wasn't that obvious?" Bali questioned him, looking around at the few bags packed, "Running away, yeah? I guess that's smart for you."

"Damn." Barry spoke with a crazy look, "Full of fire today."

"I wanna help." Bali commented as she crossed her arms, puffing out her chest to appear tougher, "You're gonna need some brains on this runaway mission, and neither of you have any."

"No." Rafe shook his head at her.

"Yes." she corrected, grabbing his bag, "I have a plan."

"She had a plan." Barry mocked, pulling the boat toward the water opening out back.

"I'd love for you to inform me on this plan. Or would you rather slap me in the face again?" Rafe asked, trailing behind her as she followed Barry, "Up to you Bal, really, two options."

"Rafe, stop talking." Bali waved him off, pulling his arm so they'd been walking side by side, "I was outta character and i'm sorry for that. I got scared and acted like a wack."

"You're not coming." Barry spoke, pushing the boat into the water.

Rafe ignored him as he climbed in, looking at Bali, "Why don't you come with me?"

"You want me to run away?" Bali asked in disbelief, grabbing Rafes hand as he helped her in the boat, "One of us is gonna have to stay back. You can always call me."

"Both of you are dumb." Barry spoke, being ignored again, "Bali, get out of this boat."

"No." she commented, sitting down on the opposite side of Rafe, "We better get going."

"You're crazy, worse then him." Barry pointed at her, driving the boat out of the small opening and further into Lovers Lake, "I hate this place because of you."

"Why? Because I kicked your ass with the fish?" Bali spoke, crossing her legs and rubbing her knees, "Rafe, do you even have any money? Any form of plans?"

"Yeah, I'll be good. Dads gonna send me some more." Rafe nodded his head, the hat sitting on his head as he looked at her, then Barry, "You guys-"

"Don't you start with me, Country Club." Barry cut him off quickly, "It is too early in the morning to start a circle jerk."

"It's four in the afternoon." Bali spoke up as she looked his way, "Not that a circle jerk is what he was implying."

"I wasn't." Rafe agreed with a odd look, glancing around Lovers Lake, sticking the gun into his backpack and zipping it up. He felt so safe with Bali and Barry.

"I'm all for a mans right to defend himself, Rafe, but, uh, your ass is gonna get shot carrying that thing." Barry spoke, driving slowly through the stumps in the middle of the water.

"They ain't gonna take me alive. I can tell you that much right now." Rafe shook his head, cutting him off. Bali looked his way, glancing back at Barry in questioning but kept her mouth shut, "I've never been back here before."

"Yes, you have." Bali corrected him, eyes snapping her way, "You were just asleep."

"Dead asleep." Barry agreed, watching Bali look around in worry. Rafe didn't catch her doing so, he only saw her stand up and come over by his side. He gave a hum when she wrapped a arm around his shoulder and laid a kiss to the crown of his head.

"You know, everyone thinks nature's all chill, right?" Rafe spoke up again, blue eyes glancing in every direction as the sound of birds and bugs filled up their ears, "Thats such bullshit. Everything trying to kill everything else all the time, and- and every single thing has to kill to live."

Bali's eyes went wide from where she was sat, completely still with her arms around him. She thought how easy it would be for Rafe to kill her if he wanted to. She wondered how he'd do it. Maybe he'd shoot ber, maybe strangle her. If not Bali, then someone else. She knew that, and that's exactly why she was here. Because Rafe wasn't well, something wasn't right. A grin went across his lips, "Killing is nature."

"I don't particularly dislike you, Rafe." Barry spoke a few seconds later, turning the boat, "But I ain't gonna forget about how your father punked my ass."

Rafe look alarmed when Bali stood up, walking toward the back of the boat, "Bali."

She ignored him, continuing toward the back as his eyes darted around.

"It's long been due y'all pay me some respect." Berry spoke up quickly, grabbing hold of Bali's arms as they flew over the boat, "He's got a gun!"

"Don't shoot at him!" Bali yelled, soaking in the water.

"Rafe, stay where you are!" Shoupe yelled as him and a few other deputies on boats drove through the water their way, "Keep your hands were we can see them! Do not move, or we will shoot! Don't go for that bag!"

"Rafe, i'm sorry!" Bali yelled as a deputy pulled her and Barry out of the water, "I'm so sorry!"

A gasp left her lips were Shoupe fired two shots, Bali watching as Rafe ducked and jumped over the side of the boat.

"Get on." Barry tugged on her arm when the jet ski pulled up next to them. Bali shoved him off of her, watching.

"You hit?" Shoupe called out. Bali tried to look behind the boat Rafe had jumped behind.

"Rafe!" she called out, guilt and worry forming up all at once, "Rafe!"

"We don't wanna kill you, son. But you're making it damn hard." Shoupe spoke, gun in his hand, "That pistol ain't gonna work now that it's been wet."

"Rafe, it's gonna be okay!" Bali yelled as she inched forward, "Don't you shoot at him, Shoupe!"

"Jesus christ, don't go no where." Barry said to the officer as he jumped off the jet ski and grabbed her arm, "Let's go, you crazy mother fucker."

"I'm not gonna leave!" Bali shoved him harshly, "He can get shot!"

"You wanna get shot?" he asked her with a insane look.

"Why don't you throw that gun on out where we can see it?" Shoupe called, Berry and Bali frozen as they watched from the other side of the boat.

"Rafe, come on!" Bali shouted, Barry holding her in place because she made it seem like she was gonna make her way over toward the boat if she had the chance to.

"All right!" Rafe called into the air, chunking the pistol as it landed a few feet away in the water.

"Finally." Barry huffed, keeping Bali put as they inched closer to the jet ski again.

"Now, just ease on out away from the boat. We'll come to you." Shoupe announced, the pair watching again in hopes of getting any sort of look at Rafe. For all Bali knew, he was shot and bleeding out behind the boat. Either way, she'd never felt so guilty in her life now that he knew her and Berry had tricked him, and he'd surly know before long she was the one to turn him in in the first place.

"We have to go with h-" Bali began before she stopped, seeing Rafe make a run for it toward the shore.

"Fuck this." Barry commented, getting onto the jet ski, "Get your ass up here right now or i'm leaving you!"

"Then leave!" Bali yelled, going toward the shore as well. She grabbed hold of a tree, pulling herself up as the officers cornered Rafe. He laid on the shore, out of breath while he was handcuffed.

"I'm sorry!" Bali called when his head turned, seeing her leaning against the tree with wide, guilty, glossy eyes, "I'm so sorry, Rafe!"

A officer had his hands around her in no time, dragging her off, "Get off of me! He's my friend!"

"Get her outta here!" Shoupe called, the officer pulled Bali over. Barry lied, he didn't take off like he said he would, he waited for her.

"Bal!" Sarah shouted from the porch of the chateau, running off when she saw a soaking wet Bali walking alongside Barry, "You better get away from her you-"

"Bal!" John B was next, running out, "What the hell is this guy doing here?"

"Bal!" Kie shouted, Pope close behind, "What did you do to her?"

"Bal!" Pope yelled, "Are you hurt?"

"What the hell type of cult is this?" Berry questioned in disbelief.

"I'm fine." Bali grumbled.

"Yo!" JJ looked out the porch, "Is that my woman?"

"You look like shit." Kie hugged her, "What happened?"

Bali shook her head, "Rafe got arrested."

"Rafe got arrested?" John B's eyes went wide.

"So the plan worked." Pope spoke, him and John B suddenly cheering.

"What is this?" JJ walked from the porch, "What-"

He stopped when his eyes set on Barry, standing with a odd look, "What the hell?"

"Thanks for bringing me home." Bali turned to Barry as she gave him a hug. He hadn't really hugged her back but enough for her to know he appreciates her affection, "Sorry I involved you in that."

"Aye, no worries." Barry gave a odd look, "Would have done it without you anyways."

"So, guess we owe you one now." John B cleared his throat at Barry, "Bringing our girl back."

"Well, someone's gotta make sure she doesn't get her ass shot now, don't they?" he mocked, John B stopped JJ when the blonde took a step forward.

"Thanks." Sarah nodded, and Barry left.

"Bal, you good?" JJ grabbed her softly, he had a wide smile across his face while Pope and John B celebrated, "You totally just saved the day. Superhero Bal."

But she really didn't feel like a superhero at all.

"I wanna shower." she said, shrugging JJ's arms off her and walking off.

•

kylie speaks

it's like, i don't like
them as a trio, but i also
do like them as a trio.
like the prologue book
is gonna be filled with them
but also you can just see the
long term affect they both
have got on her and like i
feel for her. i smell a heavy
bal and rafe argument
coming though.

and 100k on this book?!?
you guys are so crazy, i'm
so happy!