Leaning her head back against the top of the bench she sat on Coral stared up at the stars twinkling in the sky.
Closing her eyes she sighed. Her friends, especially JJ, were probably wondering where the hell she was.
She needed time to calm down after listening to JJ speak so blase about ending up in jail. She hated the way he saw himself, basically as a mini version of Luke.
Coral knew it was Luke's fault that his son thought he was worthless. She'd hoped though that their relationship would make him feel worthy. That good things could happen to him.
Hearing footsteps and the dock creaking she smiled, "Well you found me," she said opening her eyes and turning her head.
Gasping she jumped up and backed away, "Stay away from me!"
"I wouldn't hurt you, Coralina."
Scoffing Coral narrowed her eyes, "You mean more then you already have."
"No, no, no. I haven't hurt you."
"Rafe, you shot the sheriff! My brother could get the death penalty because of you! Just a few weeks ago you backhanded me and choked Kie! Hell, you shot your own sister in the Bahamas! Or did you forget about all that?"
"You don't understand!" Rafe yelled, causing Coral to flinch, "My dad. My dad expects me to be a man. To take care of the family. That's all I'm doing, Coralina!"
Furrowing her brow Coral shook her head, "Fuck your dad. Be a good person and turn yourself in."
"No, no, no. You're just like Sarah. Why are you against me? I thought we were friends."
Blinking Coral stared at the boy in front of her, "We are friends, Rafe," she responded cautiously, "And as your friend I'm worried about you. I'm worried about the influence your father has over you. You need help, Rafe."
"I told him," he said, nodding, "I told him that. I told him I have all these thoughts, and I don't know what to do with them," he admitted as he began to pace, "He always takes Sarah's side. I know that, but he told me to man up so that's what I'm doing. Maybe then he'll be proud of me and take my side for once."
Swallowing nervously as Rafe continued to pace in front of her, Coral took a deep breath, "I have anxiety. It causes me to get physically sick. I take medication for it Rafe. Maybe the thoughts in your head could be controlled with medication too," she suggested.
Halting in his pacing Rafe stared at her, "See. See, that's why I like to talk to you, Coralina. You care and you understand. Maybe. Maybe that's what I need."
"Maybe, if you turn yourself in you could get the help you need."
"No!" the boy yelled causing Coral to jump, "That's not an option! You'd have me go to jail?"
"No, no, no," Coral denied, shaking her head, "I was just thinking out loud, you know? I can see now that that was a stupid thing to suggest."
Chuckling Rafe nodded, "It was stupid. You're usually smarter than that, Coralina."
"Yeah, you know I'm kind of tired, and it's really late so I should actually get home. Kie and Pope are waiting for me," she told him, purposely not mentioning JJ's name in case it set him off.
"I could walk you," he offered.
"No!" she exclaimed, before clearing her throat, "I mean it's late you should get home yourself, you know? Besides Kie hasn't been feeling well and I've been around her so I wouldn't want you to get sick if I'm carrying some flu bug," she made up quickly, "But, uh, I'll see you around, Rafe," she said, forcing herself to turn her back on him and walk away.
Hitting the end of the dock, she took of running.
Reaching The Chateau, Coral bent over and threw up.
"Coral?"
Raising her head she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, "What happened?" Kie questioned hurrying to her side.
"Rafe. I ran into Rafe. He's fucking psychotic," she breathed out, "Where's JJ?"
"Out looking for you," Kie told her as she steered Coral inside of the house.
"I'm sorry for running off. He just pissed me off with the way he talks about himself," she apologized.
"I know. I explained it to him," Kie assured her as she pushed her down onto the pull out couch and ran to get a bottle of water, "What did Rafe say?" she asked handing the water to Coral.
"Just a bunch of nonsense. He admitted to needing help but when I suggested he turn himself in he was like two seconds from losing his shit."
"Scary."
"You're telling me," Coral responded, "Has Sarah come back yet?"
"No. No one was here when I got here. JJ left immediately with Pope to go look for you," Kie replied, "I'll text him and let him know you're back."
"I wonder where Sarah is. It's kind of late," Coral commented glancing at the wall clock.
"Maybe she decided to go home with Wheezie," Kie said as she typed a text to JJ.
"Well if she did I hope she stays clear of Rafe," Coral remarked, "God he gives me the willies just thinking about him," she said shivering, "Talk about something else."
"I don't think I like Pope the way he wants me too," Kie blurted out.
Blinking at the odd subject change Coral hummed, "Okay, didn't you two like have sex just the other night?"
"We did," she admitted, "And it was like perfect with the moonlight and the beach and the bonfire," Kie sighed.
"But," Coral prompted.
"But it felt.......weird. I mean after I, like, didn't know what to say to him and I thought about how natural it is with you and JJ. Like you guys are so comfortable with one another and it was anything but comfortable with Pope."
"Kie, you have to tell him."
"I know. I just don't want our friendship to be weird now."
"We're Pogues. Before anything else," Coral reminded her.
"You're right," Kie said smiling, "Pogues for," she began to say before the door was kicked open with a bang.
"Where the hell have you been?!" JJ yelled stomping into the house.
Glancing at the angry boy Kie looked at Coral grimacing, "That seems like something you need to deal with," she said standing and dragging Pope back out of the house.
Sighing Coral raised her eyebrows at JJ, "I needed a minute away from you," she stated.
"Are you serious? It's almost two in the morning! You don't just jump out of a moving vehicle and disappear."
"Well then don't piss me off!" she exclaimed standing up with her hands on her hips, "How dare you claim to want this future together when really you're just planning on going to jail, apparently."
Chewing on the inside of his cheek JJ scrubbed his hands down his face, "He was there."
"Who the fuck was where?" she questioned confused.
"Luke!" he yelled before taking a breath, "Luke, was at the jail. In jail. Plumb made sure I saw him. Told me I'd end up right where he is," he told her quietly.
Narrowing her eyes Coral sniffed, "Apparently she wants me to hit her again."
Snorting JJ laughed, "She did have a decent black eye," he reported before sighing, "I know I let her get to me, but."
"No, no buts," Coral interrupted him, "You are not your father," she told him sternly before walking up to him and kissing him, "Now where the fuck is my ring?"
Smirking he reached into his pocket and pulled out the ring he had given her. Holding up her hand she smiled as he put it back in place.
Wrapping her arms around his neck she kissed him slowly, "Now take me to bed," she whispered.
"Make up sex. Fuck yeah," he said scooping her up and carrying her back to her bedroom.
The next morning Coral was outside reading a book while Kie was strumming her ukulele, JJ was waxing their surfboards, and Pope was polishing the key he'd found.
"That's a lot of wax on your board, Man. If you put to much wax it's gonna be slippery," Pope commented glancing at JJ.
"Are you telling me how to wax my board, Pope?"
"I'm just saying that's a waste of wax."
"You're really telling me how to wax my board?
"It's just a colassal waste."
"Children," Coral interrupted their arguing as she turned the page of her book, "You're giving me a headache."
"It's his fault thinking he," JJ started to say before cutting himself off at the sound of a car horn, "Do you hear that?" he asked straightening up.
"It sounds like the Twinkie," Coral realized looking up confused.
Gasping at the sight of the Twinkie pulling into the yard with her brother driving she sprang to her feet.
"Am I dreaming?"
"What is happening?"
"Are you serious?" Coral cried taking off towards her brother.
"Guess who's out the clink, boy," John B called climbing out of the van and holding his arms open.
Scooping Coral up he spun her around as she laughed. As soon as her feet hit the ground the twins were hugged on all sides in a massive Pogue group hug.
"How'd you get out?" JJ questioned as they broke apart.
"They dropped the charges," John B answered with a shrug.
"That's awesome."
"I can't believe they just dropped the charges."
"Wait, where's Sarah?" John B asked realizing she was missing.
Glancing at Coral, Kie cleared her throat, "She, uh, went to meet Wheezie last night and never came back," she told him.
"How did she leave?"
"She took her boat," Coral answered pointing down towards the dock where Sarah's boat from the Bahamas had been tied next to the HMS.
"What the hell?" John B muttered as he walked down to where the HMS was the only boat tied now, "None of you stopped her?"
Jumping down into the Pogue, Coral stretched out on the bow with Kie, "Excuse me, I didn't know it was our turn to watch her."
"Don't be a bitch," John B said, glaring at his sister. "Yo, don't call your sister a bitch," JJ snapped as Coral blew him a kiss. "My hero," she laughed.
"Yo, can we be serious for a minute? I'm worried that Ward got to her," John B said bringing the conversation back to the missing girl, "I mean, the dude tried to have me killed in jail."
"What!?"
"Yeah, he sent somebody to the prison who yoked me up and almost killed me," he told them.
"You're serious?"
"Yes!"
"Do we know who this dude was?" JJ questioned.
"No, I have no idea," John B replied as he jumped down into the Pogue with the rest of them. Sitting down he sighed, "Dude, I swear to God, one day I'm gonna kill that son of a bitch."
"It's okay," Kie stated.
"No, Kie, it's not okay. We gotta find Sarah."
"No, literally, it's okay," Kie repeated, "She's right there," she told him pointing behind him.
Looking towards where Kie was pointing Coral was surprised to find Sarah coming towards them in Topper's wakesetter with Topper at the wheel, "What the fuck is she doing with Topper?" she muttered.
"John B!" Sarah called as she moved to the front of the wakesetter.
Grabbing up the mooring rope Sarah threw the line to Pope who tied the wakesetter to the HMS.
Jumping from one boat to the other Sarah immediately hugged John B, "Hey! I didn't know if I'd see you again."
"I'm glad you're okay," John B whispered to the girl as he hugged her back.
"What happened?" Sarah asked stepping back to look at John B.
"They, uh, dropped all the charges," he told her, "I'm a free man," he said with a smile.
"That's amazing!" Sarah exclaimed, hugging him again.
"Yeah, I know. It's great, but," he pulled back to look at her, "Listen, Sarah, they're going after Rafe."
"Good. He's completely unhinged. He jumped me last night."
"What?" Coral questioned, glancing at Kie wide eyed.
"Yeah, it's why I didn't come back," Sarah continued.
"Yeah, man. Rafe has lost his mind. Literally almost drowned his own sister," Topper chimed in, "Thankfully, I got there....got there just in time."
"Uh, well, I guess I owe you one, Topper, don't I?" John B remarked reluctantly.
Scoffing Topper nodded, "It's all good. I mean, somebody had to rescue your girlfriend, right?"
Biting her lip to keep from saying anything Coral made eye contact with JJ who rolled his eyes at the situation.
"Uh, that's funny because she's not actually my girlfriend, right?" John B questioned, looking at Sarah.
"Oh," Topper snickered, "Well, what is she then?"
"Tell him," John B told Sarah as he looked at her expectantly.
Looking between both boys Sarah finally settled on Topper, "I'm, um, I'm with him."
"Right, gotcha. You're with him," Topper repeated as Kie pinched Coral's leg. Glancing at the girl beside her Coral bit her tongue to keep from laughing at the face Kie was making over the awkward situation.
"Well thanks for the clarity there," Topper told her before looking at JJ and Pope, "You guys clear on that too?"
"I think it's clear you gotta go, now," JJ stated.
"Yeah, I think I'll head out," Topper agreed, "It's about that time."
"Topper, thank you," Sarah told the boy as she stepped over to the side and reached up to hug the boy.
"Yeah, of course. I'm just glad you're okay," he told her hugging her as he gave John B a smug look over her shoulder.
As Topper sailed away John B jumped up onto the dock, "I'm gonna go shower off the stench of jail," he stated before heading up towards the house with Sarah following after him.
"That was hella awkward."