The Least Favorite Cameron

Chapter One

"Come on Gracie!" JJ calls from the boat as the pogues pull up to the dock next to the Druthers. Her huge frame makes John B's boat seem even smaller but we love the Pogue.

"Do we need any snacks or drinks?" I ask as I put my backpack into the boat. "I can grab stuff from the Druthers so that Rose won't see" I add, making everyone laugh.

"Maybe some waters? As long as no one leaves the bottle behind" Kiara says and I turn and head into our family's boat to grab some. Rose doesn't like when I hang out with the Pogues, she says that they're not "my people." I usually kindly remind her that she's not "my mother" when she says that and it usually shuts her up right away.

As I'm grabbing five waters from the mini fridge I get startled by someone coming up behind me.

"Where are you going?" Rafe asks as I stand up.

"As if I'd tell you, Rafe" I say as I try to walk past him but he stops me.

"You shouldn't be hanging out with them, you know. They're gonna get you in trouble" He says as he holds his arm in front of the door of the boat so that I don't leave.

"Rafe I think I can take care of myself, you worry about yourself like you usually do." I say as I push past him and head towards the Pogues.

"You're such a bitch" I hear Rafe say at my back as I walk away. I hand Pope the cooler with the waters and take JJ's hand to help me into the boat.

"You okay?" Kie asks as I settle in between her and JJ. Kie has been my best friend for as long as I can remember. She's a big reason that I'm a part of the Pogues and not a Kook Princess like my sister Sarah. Sarah and I were only born two minutes apart but we were so different. I had brown hair with brown eyes and Sarah had blonde hair and blue eyes. I think she always wanted to hang out with the Pogues and live a less Kook life but was too scared to do so. She liked as John B. says, "A bubble wrap life." I was more comfortable to break that bubble wrap and live a life I wanted no matter how much it irritates my family. That's why Kiara and I get along so well, she's the exact same way in that she rebels against the Kook life her parents create for her.

"Yeah, Rafe was just being an ass as usual" I say.

"Well nothing new there" John B. says as he steers the boat.

"So where are we going today?" I ask as I lean back and let the sunshine and the salty mist wash over me and relax me.

"Oh John B.wants to get us all eaten by sharks and go fishing at Finn Cove." Pope says the frustration and nervousness evident in his voice. Finn Cove was a small island about an hour south of OBX that had epic fishing but because of this was known for having plenty of sharks around. And different kinds too like hammerheads and bull sharks. Our friend Tyler even said he saw a Great White once. I think sharks are so cool but the idea of being in our small boat an hour off the island does make me nervous.

"Are we sure this is the best idea?" I say and see Pope's eyes light up with hope that I could persuade John B. to change his mind.

"Relax cupcake, besides shark bite scars are gnarly" JJ says as he pulls a blunt out of his backpack and lights it.

"No JJ they are not gnarly, and a large percentage of people who get attacked by sharks die from blood loss" Pope says.

"You know the percentage of people that even get attacked by sharks is super small, Pope" Kie says as he takes a hit of the blunt and then hands it to me. I breathe in deep and feel the smoke fill my lungs and can feel the calming sensation already wash over me.

We finally reach the spot that John B. wants to set up at and Pope has the binoculars out and is scoping the area around us for sharks.

"Pope, will you relax man and just grab a rod" John B. says to Pope as he casts out into the water.

"Oh yeah and have a shark pull me overboard by my line and make me his lunch? No thanks I'll just be a lookout for Jaws," Pope says as he sits rigidly inside the boat as if he's scared a shark will jump out of the water and bite him.

I reach for my own rod and put a worm on the sharp hook and cast out and JJ does the same. Kiara puts her headphones in and lounges back on the boat. These are some of the best days of being with the pogues, just relaxing and being together.

I feel a tug on my line and begin reeling it in but am having a really hard time.

"Guys I think I have a big one" I say through gritted teeth as I struggle to reel in the fish.

"Come on let me try" John B. says as he places his rod down to come help me.

"John B. I got it" I say but he steps in anyway and appears to also be struggling.

"Gracie what the fuck did you catch?" JJ says as he comes over to see what's going on. Kiara also takes out her headphones and comes over and Pope slightly moves from his secure place in the bough of the boat.

"I don't know but its big," John B. says. I reach for the rod to try and help John B. pull but within seconds I feel both John B. and I getting pulled toward the water. I feel my feet leave the deck and then I'm submerged in the cold salty water trying to get my head around what just happened. I feel something like sandpaper brush against my leg and a sense of fear runs down my spine. I swim up and reach the surface and see John B. getting the saltwater out of his eyes as he treads in the water too.