𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 24.

━ 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘀.

"𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐈 𝐉𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐏𝐔𝐋𝐋 it towards me?"

I was standing inside my grandparents boat, bare feet against the floor of it, and my calloused hands wrapped around the string of the motor. The sun was hot, slightly burning my skin as we stood right beneath it, which made it hard for me to not just jump in the water.

It was midday, Saturday, and Daryl had suggested he'd teach me how to start the boat for the first time, and learn the basics. I was more than happy to go with him, and finally step inside of their small white boat, close to the water. While he explained the fundamental things I needed to know, I glanced back a few times to see Caroline sitting in one of the old lawn chairs on the porch, her hands peeling open a book as she sat with sunglasses on, occasionally glancing over to us as well.

The night before, I had gotten someone to drive Sarah home. It was just my luck that I'd somehow chosen the right person, because the guy didn't seem to mind dropping her off, and I assumed it was because he was leaving too. I walked Sarah to her door, she had hugged me again, thanked me for getting her home, and I went back in the guy's expensive car. Me and the unknown boy didn't talk to each other, while I stared out at Sarah's mansion, and soon told him to just drop me off by City Hall— not spilling my address. I had walked the rest of the way home.

I was sort of hoping John B would swing by while I was walking by myself somehow— but I never saw the van. I didn't know what time it was when I made it back to the house, the power was still out and none of the clocks, nor my cellphone, were working.

"Yeah, yank it real hard," Daryl now answered, as he placed his hands on his hips, watching me from the side.

I gripped the string harder, and then pulled on it forcefully. The sound of the motor rumbled in the water, sending bubbles to the surface below us.

"First try!" Daryl cheered, as the motor became louder. "Great job, bug," He tapped my shoulder, approvingly.

"Thanks," I laughed to myself, looking down at the water and the small waves I created, before turning away and shoving my hands into my pockets.

"You wanna learn how to drive it, now?" He asked. He glanced down at the wheel.

"Don't you need a license for that," I softly narrowed my eyebrows, looking to the steering wheel as well.

"You don't got a license?" He said curiously, while taking off his baseball cap and rubbing the sweat off of his forehead.

I shook my head. They didn't have the time, and I was far too afraid to bring it up in general, so I just simply never asked my parents if I could get my driver's license when I turned sixteen. They wouldn't have cared, anyways, if I did have the opportunity to ask.

"Oh," he nodded, slightly taken back, "Well it's not too hard to steer the boat," he shrugged, stepping towards the 'driver's seat'.

"I should probably go on a ride before I start driving this thing," a laugh spilled past my lips.

"You're probably right," he nodded, and laughed out loud, stepping back over to me. "Don't wanna crash— kill the boat and yourself," he chuckled, delicately wrapping his arm around my shoulder as he guided me towards the dock.

"That wouldn't be good," I chuckled as well, as he stepped up onto the dock and waited for me to follow.

"So, your friends comin' over today?" He asked, his arm still wrapped casually around my shoulder, while we walked to the grass.

"I don't know yet," I said honestly, sort of feeling my stomach swarm with nerves at the fact that they could show up any moment. "We can't really text or call, the towers are down, right? And I don't have their numbers."

"You teenagers and your textin' stuff," he rolled his eyes.

"Right?" I persisted jokingly, my arms crossing over my chest as I grinned up to the side.

"Yeah, yeah," he nodded, knowing I was right. "Everythin's still off."

When we'd made it back up to the porch, Caroline looked up from her book. She smiled at us immediately. Daryl was casually stepping inside, suddenly letting out a quick breath. He complained at how hot it was.

Caroline closed her book and let it rest on the arm of her chair, while she stood up, "The AC isn't working, dummy." She rolled her eyes and pushed through the screen door. I followed them inside.

The three of us were opening all the windows in the house when a loud knock on the front door sounded through the home.

"I'll get it!" I shouted to my grandparents with a casual tone, since I figured they were busy with their windows— I stepped out of my room.

But my jaw fell open when I turned the corner, and looked through the screen door.

"What's up, Charlie?" John B grinned, with his stupid, cheeky smile.

He was standing right in front of the screen door, and the rest of the Pogues were behind him. Pope was standing with his arms crossed, beside John B, looking tired and slightly annoyed, as if he were forced to come. Kiara was standing on the other side, smiling at me when we made eye contact. Jj, on the other hand, was little much paying attention, his eyes trailing elsewhere as he whistled to himself, quietly.

Pope had a bruise on the side of his forehead. It was one I'd never seen before, covered by his hat, and I tried not to look.

"What are you guys doing here," I said quickly, keeping my voice low and slightly angry. "You didn't tell me you were coming now!"

"What were we supposed to do," Pope lowered his eyes, "Call?"

John B hit the side of his arm, "Your grandparents home?" He asked me, with a casual tone of voice.

"Yes," I said lowly, "And they don't know you guys are here, right now." I specifically looked at him.

"Who's there, bug?" Caroline's voice bounced off the walls, and it's volume increased as her steps on the hallway floors neared. I placed my head into my hands. "Oh," she gasped with surprise, not expecting the presence of four teenagers at her front door.

I turned my head around and grinned uncomfortably, as her eyes grew wide, looking at me before looking to them, still all standing behind the screen door. She froze in her spot when she looked to the Pogues, and Daryl appeared behind her, his eyebrows narrowed at his wife's sudden stop, before he followed her gaze.

"Grandma, grandpa," I said slowly, sort of speaking awkwardly, "These are my friends, that I told you about," I put my hands out, as if putting them on display.

The room went silent.

"Sorry— let them in," Caroline shook her head, as if wiping out of a daydream, talking to me, "Excuse my manners," she said.

I looked up to John B, who was already grinning down at me with a big smile. Tiny butterflies were scattering in the pit of my stomach.

I looked away and pulled open the screen door, then they spilled into the room slowly. I nervously looked to my grandparents, trying to figure out their expressions. Daryl was rubbing a hand over his mouth as he looked at the boys, seeming a slight bit uncomfortable, a tad angry, but pulled all together with a small smile to play it off. Caroline tried to smile as happily as she could, but seemed a bit off, like there was something wrong with one of them.

"So," I breathed out awkwardly.

We were standing in a clumpy line in front of the two old people, Jj being the last one to enter the room, his eyes trailing everywhere but my grandparents. Kiara yanked him into place beside her, as John B positioned himself right behind my body and to the side, his arm touching the back of my shoulder. Pope stood next to him.

"This is Caroline and Daryl," I glanced to the teenagers behind me, before motioning my hands to my grandparents. "They own that motel, off the marsh,"

"Hi, I'm John Routledge," John B leaned forward first, hovering so close over my head that I breathed in his scent, and put his hand out towards my grandma. "Very nice to meet both of you."

I felt a spike of awkwardness spill over my body, remembering the time Caroline and I talked about him. But, I felt my stomach warm at how kind he was being.

"It's nice to meet you, John." Caroline smiled at him, slightly surprised by his formal manners, taking his hand with her's for a solid handshake.

Daryl was slightly hesitant to shake his hand, but still did anyways. He looked to us standing close to one another.

I tried to hold in a giggle when he stood back in place, his body close to mine.

"I think you know Pope," I said, looking to him next to us.

"Yes, Heyward's son," Daryl nodded, a smile growing on his lips, as he reached his hand out.

"Nice to meet you, sir." Pope surprised me when he spoke up, shaking the hand firmly.

"Just call me Daryl," the older man whisked his hand through the air, nonchalantly.

"That's Kiara," I looked to her standing behind John B. "Her father owns that restaurant, The Wreck."

"Oh yes," Caroline realized, probably taking in the resemblances between her and her dad. She was too far behind us, so they didn't bother with shaking hands, simply smiling to one another.

The room went quiet, until Kiara roughly nudged Jj's shoulder with her elbow.

"I'm Jj!" he blurted out to my grandparents, his voice just a bit over-volume.

I couldn't help but stifle a laugh when Pope scoffed, looking down at my feet to hide the smile on my face. John B giggled quietly too, and I felt his arm subtly nudge the back of my shoulder. Caroline and Daryl widened their eyes at his sudden small outburst.

"Hello, Jj," Caroline then said, sounding slightly uncomfortable.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Jj stepped past Pope, and put his hand out to Daryl.

Then, I realized that Jj was the "problem". My grandparents seemed fine with everyone, except for him. I couldn't figure out why, but I assumed it could've had something to do with his past life, which I wasn't told anything about, upon becoming friends with the Pogues. I didn't know who Jj's parents were, if he had any, or what his life was like, but Caroline and Daryl seemed to. They still smiled, though, just not as big of grins.

"So yeah," I regained my composure and looked back up. "These are the friends I mentioned yesterday."

John B nudged my shoulder with his arm again, and I knew he was making fun of me for talking about them. I stepped on his toes covertly. He let out a quiet grunt.

"Well, it's very nice to meet you guys," Caroline folded her hands together and smiled, now a genuine smile, her eyes crinkling. "Thank you, you know, Charlotte hasn't got many friends on the island yet and this—"

"Grandma," I laughed. She smiled at me.

John B twirled his finger around a strand of my hair in the back, trying not to laugh.

"No problem," Kiara smiled, kindly.

"Well, we'll leave you be," Daryl nodded to us, before placing a hand on his wife's back, giving each one of us a sweet smile.

I grinned at them, as they turned away and walked down the hall, whispering quietly to one another as they left the room. Immediately when they were out of sight, and when we heard their bedroom door close, I roughly turned around to face Jj. He was staring around the room, his eyes wandering and his lips slightly departed as he looked at everything, in a state of awe.

"Are you high?" I stepped over to him and crossed my arms, catching his attention.

He side-eyed Pope, "Maybe." He giggled.

Pope rolled his eyes, Kiara scoffed quietly, and John B laughed. I crossed my arms, angry at him, and walked back over to my place, but facing all of them.

"So whats the plan for today?" I asked.

"Do you have a bathing suit?" John B ignored my question and turned to me.

"Yeah?" I said, uncertainly.

"Can you swim?" He asked.

"Yeah," I said, "Why?"

His mouth opened up into a wide smile, "Go ask your grandparents if you're allowed to come out. We're going surfing."

___

When we had arrived at the beach, the rest of them had practically grabbed their surfboards and ran right into the crashing waves. John B had waited for me as I pulled off my shirt and shorts. I had tried to ignore the fact that he was staring at my body while I grabbed the spare surfboard on the top of the van. He instantly asked about the bruise when he noticed it. He had even trailed his hand over top as if I had just been hit. I played it off cool, telling him how I had only fell off my bike a few days before.

Surfing wasn't as bad as I thought. I never stood up on the board, though. I simply watched them, and they were fine with me observing— they didn't pressure me to 'catch any waves' since they knew I'd never surfed before and I didn't really want to die just yet. I simply sat contently with my feet in the water, feeling the waves push me up from underneath the board, smiling at how fun it seemed. It was baffling too, the fact that I was sitting in the water, on a surfboard— in which I had never touched before then— with four crazy teenagers, when only a week ago I was sitting by myself in the penthouse apartment.

Before leaving home, I had asked Caroline and Daryl, who seemed to be gossiping in their bedroom when I entered, if I could go out with the Pogues. I asked if I could possibly stay the night. I predicted we'd be out all day, and I might not be able to get a drive home. They were hesitant to agree with the sleepover part. But, with a small hopeful smile playing on my lips, they had agreed and hoped that I'd have fun.

I was glad that I'd asked them to stay the night at the Chateau, because when he had gone over the plan in the car, on the way to the beach, he had mentioned that we'd be leaving very early in the morning to find the wreck of the Merchant the next day. It felt exciting to be apart of something like that, and that they thought about me.

Now, the four of us were sitting back at John B's house, on the hammocks as the stars shined in the sky. I felt like I was living a dream, sitting under the stars and swaying in a hammock, after going surfing— even though I didn't surf— and enjoying the soft wind breeze past me. I was sitting with John B and Kiara, squeezed in close to him since there wasn't enough room not to be pressed up against one another, and Jj and Pope sat on the hammock next to us. I could see the outlines of their bodies in the darkness.

"You really think it's out there?" Pope said, his voice quiet. "Like— no bullshit?"

There was a small silence before John B spoke up, "My father thought it was." He said casually. His body heat was radiating onto mine, our sides glued together. "And after hearing his voice on that tape," he paused, and I turned my head to look at him, "I think I do."

"Only one way to find out," Pope sighed, contently.

"Look— we're gonna find it, you know," Kiara said, her voice sounding hopeful. "I mean, even Jj believes."

"Oh my god, Jj, do you really believe?" John B said, sarcastically sounding surprised. He slightly lifted his head up to see him on the other hammock.

"Totally," he said confidently, "wait, are we talking bout' four mil?"

"Four hundred," Pope corrected, at the same as Kiara. I laughed to myself.

There was a small break of silence. "Im gonna dream about shipwrecks." Jj mumbled, and then turned onto his side.

A chill began to tip toe up my arms, causing small goosebumps to form. "I'm gonna go inside, guys," I said quietly, to everyone. I had already agreed to staying the night.

John B was looking at me as I placed my hand on his chest lightly, to hold myself up as I crawled over him and hopped out of the hammock.

"Goodnight, guys." I said to them, smiling even though they couldn't see it on my face. They all said it back, which made my stomach warm.

As I was walking away, and towards the house lit up by lanterns, I heard Jj scolding John B, saying "go with her, idiot."

When I finally got inside, I then realized that he had—in fact, followed me in. I was standing in the middle of the living room, grabbing the sweater I'd brought with me, that I put inside before we went to the hammocks. When I turned around, it was like the mood had suddenly shifted, just by the way he was looking at me and the fact that we were alone. A small swarm of butterflies began to circle in the pit of my stomach, as he slowly approached.

"Do you—um," he said, slightly stuttering, "Wanna sleep in my room?" He asked, sort of awkward.

My eyes widened instantly, my heart skipping a whole beat, "with you?" I replied, quickly.

"No— no," he said fast, "I'll sleep on the couch."

"Okay," I nodded, now smiling lightly. "Are you sure, though? I could sleep on the couch, it's totally fine—" I looked around at the couch, stuttering.

He stepped towards me, causing me to look up, "Charlie, it's fine," He said, sure.

He looked down at me. We kept an eye contact for a long moment, and my heart began to race, thinking about what could happen. A flash of heat warmed my cheeks. The room was silent— our faces were inches apart.

"I better get to sleep," I said suddenly, looking away as I felt a shortage of breath. "Big day tomorrow,"

"Yeah— yeah of course," he quickly nodded, speaking fast and snapping out of it.

I awkwardly smiled, trying to keep my composure, while gripping the sweater in my hands so hard I probably caused rips to form. I turned away and slowly walked to where his room was, entering.

"Today was really fun," I said, genuinely smiling, as I leant my head against his wooden door. "And thanks for being so nice to my grandparents."

"Yeah, no problem," he stopped on the other side, leaning against the doorframe, only a foot from me, "You caught some killer waves," he smiled jokingly, his hand lightly pulling on the bottom hem of my shirt, to fidget.

"Totally tubular," I felt my cheeks crease from smiling, as a soft laugh escaped my mouth.

He laughed, looking down. "I'll see you tomorrow,"

"Seven a.m." I put a thumbs up, remembering the plan.

Another cheeky grin broke out onto his lips. "Goodnight, Charlie."

I laughed at the cheesiness, beginning to close the door, "Goodnight, John B."

༄

𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘴𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘭𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘢𝘯𝘥

𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 -- 𝘴𝘰 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘢𝘯𝘦. 𝘐 𝘸𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴

𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘧𝘶𝘯, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯𝘵 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘈𝘊𝘛𝘜𝘈𝘓𝘓𝘠 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘪𝘵. 𝘐 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴

𝘨𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘢 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘵 :)

𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘮𝘦 𝘴𝘰

𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘺. 𝘝𝘐𝘙𝘛𝘜𝘈𝘓 𝘏𝘜𝘎𝘚

(𝐢 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐧𝐨 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐦 𝐛𝐮𝐭)

- 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐨 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐞 ??

𝐯𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 !!