Shells

Chapter 21

11 months later

It had almost been a whole year. A whole year since they had lost John B and Sarah. For the most part, the pogues had fallen into a new normal. They stayed true to their words about hanging out more, regardless of the noticeable gap in their group. They had finished another year of school, anxiously waiting to start their final year of high school in the Fall. Lydia would be lying if she said she wasn't terrified of the future changing so drastically, so soon. But she tried to ignore her anxious thoughts as the pogues prepped for the incoming hurricane.

While they continued to work, she let herself think about DCS and the way they had been harassing JB. To her surprise, DCS had actually left her alone. She chalked it up to the fact that they believed that she was still staying with the Carrera's. She was so thankful that they hadn't said anything to DCS about her not actually living there and she made a point to work overtime, without pay, at the Wreck as a thank you. It wasn't that they didn't care about her, it was actually the exact opposite. They cared so much for the girl but also felt like after everything that she had been through, that she could be responsible for herself. They'd always be there if she needed anything but this unspoken arrangement worked well for them.

"Who would've thought that a year later, another hurricane would be rolling in" Lydia finally voiced some of her thoughts

"Babe, hate to break it to you, but we get hurricanes every year, can you come help?" JJ grunted, moving sandbags around the chateau

"No I mean a year ago, today" She stressed 'today', reminding the friends about the upcoming anniversary of their friends' disappearance.

"There was a 1 in 12 chance of this happening" Pope replied, spitting out the average number of hurricanes that hit North Carolina each year

"You guys know what we have to do right?" Lydia asked, finally helping with the sandbags

"Don't even think about it" Kie replied, reading the girl's mind

"We have to surf the surge" JJ and Lydia blurted out at the same time

"Freaky. Maybe you two are spending too much time together" Pope suggested

Eventually Kie had warmed up to the idea, only after Lydia promised that they could bail as soon as it got too bad. The teens jumped out of the Twinkie and grabbed their boards.

"It's a double overhead out there. Those aren't surfable waves" Pope eyed the waves, recalling the conversation he had with John B the night they surfed the surge from Agatha

"Come on, Pope don't be a pussy" Lydia laughed, running straight into the water

Like the summer before, the waves were indeed, not surfable. But it was the experience of it all that made Lydia feel close to John B. It was getting harder as time went on to still feel a connection with him and she knew the day that she didn't feel that connection anymore, would be devastating.

JJ and Lydia had separated from Pope and Kie when they had made it back to the chateau. The latter two had to go home, seeing as their parents understandably wanted to know where their kids were during the storm.

"Milo! I know you don't like storms but we're back now" Lydia called out to the dog hiding somewhere in the house

They had found Milo abandoned after one of the last hurricanes the previous summer. Both JJ and Lydia had always wanted a dog, so it was a no brainer when they couldn't find an owner that they just brought him home with them. He was the sweetest little guy but also had such a sassy personality. He fit in very well with the pogues.

They found him in their bed, curled up on their comforter and quickly joined him. Sleep had come easy to them after their surfing trip.

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