𝐒𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐎𝐍 𝐎𝐍𝐄, 𝐄𝐏𝐈𝐒𝐎𝐃𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐄
15:33 - 26:25
𝙨𝙤𝙣𝙜: 𝙧𝙪𝙢𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙝𝙖𝙨 𝙞𝙩 »𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙡𝙚

∞

𝐉𝐉'𝐒 𝐏𝐎𝐕

"How's is going with Kiara?" I lean forward slightly so I'm able to see John B, while we hide behind a wooden beam, watching the girls talk to the guard.

"It's not awkward, weird, or anything." He replies, shrugging.

"Honestly, I did not think you were gonna actually listen to me," I chuckle, "First time for everything, I guess."

"What?" His head snaps to me in confusion.

"I was 100 percent sure she was into you, bro." I laugh, "Pope and Ava would agree."

Pope pauses for a second, "Uh... Ava would agree, not sure about me, though."

"So, like, Kie, she, like, definitely gave you the Heisman?" I raise an eyebrow, ignoring Pope's attempt at shutting down my statement.

"Oh, no question. Yup." He purses his lips.

"Gotcha. Maybe she's just into someone else." Pope shrugs.

My eyes float over to Ava as I watch Kie and her lead the guard over to their car. My mind drifts off as I start to smile at just the sight of Ava. She's currently glaring at the ground, as seen as he's in front of her, but the moment he turns around her face drops into a soft expression.

"So, how's my sister?" John B glares at me, snapping me back to reality.

I slowly turn to him, "What do you mean, bro?"

"Man, it's obvious." He rolls his yes, "She likes you. Like a lot. She acted like this with Rafe."

"We're just friends." I wave him off, my jaw clenching. Sure, we aren't dating. We but we definitely aren't 'just friends'.

"Good. Because if you do anything with my sister, I'm gonna be pissed."

I nod slowly, looking away from him once more while biting my lip anxiously. Pope grumbles, "Can you both shut up? We have to focus on getting this stupid drone."

"Yes, sir." I salute, "Whatever you say, Pope."

Ava, Kie and the guard disappear around the side of the boat and we all shoot up, sprinting as fast as possible to get in without being noticed. And I start to realise how much I wished Pope did sport at school.

𝐀𝐕𝐀'𝐒 𝐏𝐎𝐕

"It's just the back one right here." I point at the slashed tyre, leaning against the boat, a lazy smile on my lips.

"I mean, it must've been a slow leak or something." Kie sighs, shrugging in disappointment.

"Probably just been sitting in the yard too long." The guard suggests.

"Yeah," I reply and out of the corner of my eye, I can see the boys running along the fence towards the open gate. Pope's struggling slightly, but JJ manages to throw him over, "Will you be okay?" I ask gently.

"I- I got this." The guy bends down, pulling tools out of his bag and dropping an air tank to the ground.

"Thank you," Kie smiles sweetly at him, but when we meet gazes, both our expressions drop.

During the whole time when he was supposedly 'fixing' the tyre, he kept glancing Kie and I up and down, a sly smirk on his face. Creep. I look away to angrily run my tongue over the top set of my teeth without him seeing.

"Got it?" Kie asks, tilting her head.

She's clearly as done with him as I am.

Suddenly, a dog starts barking and the guards head whips around in different directions, trying to figure out where the source of the noise is coming from.

"Fuck," I mumble under my breath, wanting to kill the boys for already messing up. It's barely been five minutes.

"Do you hear that?" The guard raises his eyebrows.

"Hear what?" Kie scratches the back of her neck.

"Tebow's got somethin'." The guy stands up, dropping his tools.

"It's probably just a raccoon, maybe." Kie rushes, "You know?"

"Yeah. Nothin' to worry about." I smile and he nods, kneeling back down.

I take Kie's place, leaning on the side of the boat, while she jogs round to the other side of the car to slice those tyres. All I could hear was the air flowing out of the tyres and the slow whizzing sound. My eyes widen slightly and I bite down on my tongue anxiously. There is no way that he can't hear that. We're for sure busted.

He clearly notices it too because before I have time to react, he's already walking around, watching her do it.

"Shit, shit, shit." I curse quietly.

"This one looks a little low too." Kie pushes her hair out of her face, trying to play it cool.

The guard pauses for a second, before running back through the gate when his dog starts barking again.

"Fan-fucking-tastic." I jump into the passenger of the side of the car while Kie climbs into the drivers seat, quickly driving off.

❦

I scratch the back of my neck, glancing over at Kie in the drivers seat, "Could you, uh, drop me off at the Cameron's house?"

Her face drops, "Ava, please tell em your joking."

"I know, I know." I smile sheepishly, "Just don't tell JJ or my brother. It'll be quick."

"It's Rafe, Ava," She sighs, "You have no clue what he's gonna do."

"I just need him to know that what Sarah told him was a lie," I shrug, "It's called closure. You once told me it was a good idea."

"He doesn't think you cheated on him, at least not anymore.p She mutters, "He was the one who called you. I think he knows that it was a lie. He just wants you back."

I sit up, "And? What's bad about that?"

"Literally everything!" She hisses, "You're a pogue, he's a kook. He's a manipulative, possessive dick, who's using you."

"Just take me there. I'll walk back to the chateau." I mumble, looking back out the window.

"Okay, fine. But, the boys are gonna be pissed." She mumbles, taking a sharp turn towards Tanny Hill.

"That's why you're not gonna tell them." I smile mischievously, swinging my head in her direction.

She rolls her eyes, "They'll know."

"No." I shake my head stubbornly, "No, they won't."

"Whatever you say," Kie purses her lips, fighting a smirk.

We sit in silence for a bit until she drives into figure 8. Kie always used to be the one to take me to Rafe's because the boys refused to.

"Don't believe a fucking word that he says, Ava," She advises, while slowing down outside the Cameron household, "If he says one bad word to you during this 'chat', then I told you so."

I open the door, slipping out of my seat and onto the sidewalk. I slam the door shut, making her roll the window down.

"I'm serious! He's bad news. Don't let him ruin you, not again." She scowls as I walk off, trying to ignore her words.

She's right, lord, I know that. Rafe tore me apart over the one year of us dating but I still adored him, and I thought he loved me back. That is literally on the first page of the toxic relationship handbook.

I walk up to their front door, surprised to see no security anywhere. I lick my lips while taking in a long breath, preparing myself. I knock on the door a couple of times before stepping away slightly and blowing air into my cheeks while waiting patiently.

Rafe would always complain if I knocked too many times. He claimed it made me seem needy and pathetic. I don't think he knew that I'm just inpatient.

Someone pulls it open and my eyes drift up to their face. Sarah. I roll my eyes, "I'm here for Rafe. Tell me where he is so we don't have to see each other for much longer."

She scoffs, "Your brother spoke to me horribly the other day, and now you're doing the same thing? Your family has some nerve."

I run my fingers through my hair in annoyance, not retaliating to her words, "Where's Rafe?"

"He doesn't walk to speak to you, Ava. He still thinks you cheated on him." She smiles.

"Shut the fuck up, Sarah." A voice comes from the stairs, "And let her in."

Rafe. I could recognise his annoyingly nice sounding voice from a mile away.

My eyes flow up to him as he saunters down. He's wearing the usual colourful polo shirt with some basic white shorts. His hair is slicked back with way to much gel and I fight the urge to run over and ruffle it.

"Hey, Ava." His tone immediately changes towards me and he stops a few feet away.

"Hi, Rafe," I nod my head, tapping my finger against my leg anxiously.

"Follow me." He attempts a smile but remembers his sister is in the room, causing his face to drop even further than it was previously.

I walk behind him as he leads me through the back door of his house and onto the porch, where Rose is sat reading a book. Her head lifts up when she hears us and almost instantly she frowns at the sight of me. This family really hate pogues.

"Ava. What a surprise!" She fake smiles.

"Hiya, Rose." I bite my tongue to stop myself from saying anything rude to her.

Rafe takes my hand and leads me off the porch and into the garden. I pull my hand away, not liking the touch. It feels wrong for him to be touching me so soon. Not after how we ended things last time.

"I wanted to apologise," He mutters as I walk beside him.

"What for?" I tilt my head.

"For everything."

I bite my lip, nodding my head slowly, "Why did you believe her?"

He sighs, "Because— because you're a pogue."

I gawk at him in utter disappointment, "You don't trust me because I'm not as rich as you, is that what you're trying to say? You do understand how stupid that sounds, right?"

He shakes his head, "No. Your . . . type are just known to be liars and cheats."

I stop moving and he does the same, turning around on his heels to look at me.

"My type?" I laugh, "Yo u really do have a way with words, Rafe. It's unbelievable."

"You're taking this wrong way, Ava," His throws his head back in annoyance.

"Am I?" I tilt my head, "Or are you just saying it all wrong?"

"Look, I want you back, Ava. That's all I wanted to say," He takes a step closer.

I notice his advance on me, causing my body to consciously move back, "I thought this was an apology, not a love confession. We've been there done that."

Kie was right, like usual. She told me so.

"Do you want me back?" He speaks gently, and he moves closer once more, but this time I don't budge, feeling like my feet are seeded into the dirt, "Ava? Do-you-want-me-back?"

I don't say anything, just stare up at him while trying to think of what to say.

"Let's see if this makes up you mind." He smirks, lowering his head down to get nearer.

Our lips touch but I don't like it, at all. It feels wrong. But, when it's JJ, it's always perfect. Of course it is, it's JJ. The boy I love but he'll never feel the same. Either way, Rafe will never be that boy. I shove Rafe back by his chest roughly, not caring when he stumbles a few feet away.

He furrows his eyebrows, licking his lips, "What? Why did you do that?"

I shake my head, "Why do you think, Rafe? I don't want you back. You just aren't him. I'm over you."

"Who? Who am I not? Who could you possibly want over me?" His jaw tenses.

I shake my head, disregarding his selfish, obnoxious question. His jaw sets when realisation hits him, "It's JJ. Isn't it? That motherfucker!"

I pinch the bridge of my nose "Why do you want me back, Rafe? Why? Have all your fuck buddies got bored?"

He shakes his head, "I've been lost without you." He holds his hand out in attempt to take my mine but I back away.

I laugh, "But, I'm a pogue. You said it yourself, Rafe. My 'type' doesn't go out with Kooks. It'll never work between us, because we're apparently liars and cheats."

"But we can try. Ava, I need you. I love you!" His voice raises slightly, causing me to scoff.

"I loved you too and I needed you when my Dad went missing, Rafe! But, you were too busy snorting cocaine and getting drunk." I shout, my jaw clenching. My anger rises. I don't know why I'm getting so worked up over him.

"No, no. That's not true. I was with you the whole way!" He snaps back.

I wipe my hand over my face in anger, "No you weren't! You sent me one text. That was it."

"Ava—"

I hold my hand up, silencing him as I walk away, "This was a waste of time, Rafe. Don't talk to me again."

"Ava, you'll regret leaving me!" He bellows, cupping his mouth with his hands.

I laugh, turning around and flicking him off, and not bothering to give him a verbal reply. I storm through their house, rushing out the front door and through the gates onto the richest street of Outer Banks.