OUTERBANKS SEASON4

Additional Part 17: Girl Talk

"Right." Kie echoes back. She couldn't help how her face flashed with a little more life, coloring her cheeks, on mention on why Rafe was there... so it hadn't been about the pogues... Her eyes lit up, falling back to her feet, gazing at her sneakers.. her laces had come undone and now sway over the water beneath them. Her lips upturn uncontrollably into a faint smile. The bobbing reflection of the water flows over her face, letting her sink into thoughts that had kept her mind distracted as Sarah continues chattering on...

"-JJ should know better." Sarah continues. "Because it's not like it shouldn't be obvious.. t-that these two just seem invested into our work all of a sudden when most likely they're already involved with some underground organization that is already helping them out- which is what Cleo said, by the way. It just feels off, you know... like they may be watching our every move-" Sarah says, a niggling suspicion in the pit of her gut brings her to spin her gaze around like she'd been searching to find the pair standing somewhere within the area- expecting to spot one of them in the not so far distance. She continues to inspect the area when her eyes come to Kie... catching her slightly wandering smile. Her brows wrinkle with curiosity. "Kie?" Kie shoots her gaze up quickly, caught off guard. "You ok?"

Kie shakes her head awkwardly, and her gaze floats around until they find Sarah again. "Ahhh, no, it's nothing- nothing-" she shakes her head-

"Come one, Kie." Sarah presses.

"No-" Kie says, fiddling with her hands, then rubs them over her knees. "Just... you know.. you said something earlier... and..." she pauses.

Sarah's eyes squint at Kie, pressing for her to continue.

Kie's nose wrinkles, looking up, then down as she pauses... her smile twitches- her stomach drops, crawling with the uncomfort of bringing up how she felt about Sarah's brother. "It's just Rafe.. you know, the way he's been... the way he's made me feel.. so.. I don't know, he's been so protective- maybe even overly protective, yes, but it's kinda dorky, really, and it's..." she tilts her head, her cheeks burning, "-it's kinda... cute... maybe-" she grimaces, pushing the embarrassment away. "Maybe, even... i don't know- adorable, sweet, he cares-"

"Adorable?" Sarah interjects quickly, putting up a hand for her to stop. She gapes with disbelief, not believing she just heard 'Rafe' and 'adorable' being put in a sentence together by Kie. She's surprised- she couldn't believe her ears- it makes them want to bleed- it makes her stomach churn- she must be this far off deluded, she's beyond help at this point- Sarah believes. "No. Kie. We don't use the words adorable and sweet when describing my psychotic brother, ok?... Never." she groans, in heated frustration. "I know you guys are together and all, but Rafe is Rafe and d-do y-you s-still remember what h-he di-" she sputters, unable to complete her sentence. "What has he done to you?- scratch that- I don't want to know-" Sarah shudders, eyes dropping to Kie's lower half "It's obvious-" she gestures to her belly awkwardly. "You are carrying... a little Rafe."

Kie shrugs, her cheeks heating up. "Well, back to the point-" she mutters, annoyed, glaring at Sarah. "He was there because of Jude, that's all... not because he wanted trouble, not cause 'the pogues' were there, or to cause problems, but his intentions- Sarah..." Kie stresses the word 'intensions' heavily. "...he's overly protective- concerned- and I can't help find that kinda sweet, ok?- he's felt helpless since I started feeling ill... and he still believes it's because of stress-"

"Yes- of course, stress- sure." she huffs, frustrated. Sarah pauses to watch her carefully. "...we are still talking about the same guy who did some unforgivable things... right?" Sarah's eyes follow Kiara's deeply, to ascertain Kiara was listening and absorbing her words... Sarah waits, trying to read her. Kie's lit up expression starts to dwindle and begins to fade. "Don't let it fool you, Kie."