fade away youth// rafe cameron

12-WE WERE GETAWAY GREEN

"Okay, where do you wanna go? Hm?" John B questions.

"Yucatan," JJ offers.

John B scoffs. "Yucatan."

"No, I'm dead serious right now. Surf all day, and then we can just live off lobsters we catch with our bare hands," JJ reasons.

"You just wanna leave 'cause you got your ass beat?" John B says.

JJ shakes his head. "You didn't see the photos."

The two guys that were after us were found dead and used as chum.

John B hops off the rock. "Think about it. They're willing to kill for the gold, then it's gotta be out there."

I hop down and face John B. "Have you lost your mind?" I shout. "One hundred years, man. One hundred years, people have been tryin' to find this Royal Merchant, and no one succeeded. And you think you are gonna be the one that actually finds it? When will you get it in your thick skull? If you keep goin' down this road, you're gonna end up just like your dad!"

John B shoves me. "I can't give up, Addie!" He gets in my face. "The last time I saw that dude, we got in an argument, and then he took all of our rent money and dipped for this Royal Merchant. And then I told him he was a shit father, and you know how the rest of the story goes." He walks away.

"Bro, that wasn't your fault," JJ insists.

John B turns back to us. "It doesn't matter whose fault it is, JJ! Do you not understand that? I can't give up on the hunt, man. I don't care who's out there, who's gonna try to kill us. Do you understand that? You know that." John B grabs his bag and starts walking off. "Look, I've got a plan. You comin' or what?" JJ and I look at each other. "Four hundred million, JJ. How much do you owe in restitution?"

JJ and I agree to keep on with the treasure hunt. We head to the Island Club where the Midsummer's party is happening. John B pulls the boat up onto the sand.

"Ready?" I ask.

"Can you believe this Midsummers shit, man?" John B asks.

JJ shrugs. "Of course I can. Happens every year no matter how screwed up the rest of us are."

JJ and John B start walking towards the party.

"So, like, what's the plan, exactly?" JJ asks.

John B holds out a paper to JJ. "Okay, look, I need you to get this to Sarah."

"Ooh! Can I read it?" JJ asks.

"No, you can't read it," John B tells him.

JJ ignores him and unfolds the note. "Who's Vlad?"

"God, do you ever listen?" John B asks.

"Hold up. Are you mackin' Sarah Cameron?" I shout.

John B and JJ turn around to face me.

"Would you shut... Why are you in your underwear?" John B asks.

I finish shimming into my dress for the party. "Well now I'm in a dress and you're macking Sarah Cameron!"

"All right. I'm doin' it for everybody, all right?" John B tells us. "What?"

"Nothin'. Thanks for bein' a team player, bro," JJ remarks. He puts on a white button up and starts to do the buttons.

John B turns to me. "Seriously, what are you wearing?"

I slide on a pair of heels as I walk towards them. "A dress. I'm going to the party. I am a member of this club."