E I G H T
boobies and chupa chups.
Once I'm on dry land again I glance down at my phone that's hanging on by a thread. Its charge is getting down to single digits.
Where we are on the island is a less than ten-minute walk from my house. And I really need a shower. Opening up my phone that's dim due to the lack of charge, I manage to find my Mum's phone number and dial it.
It rings a few times before she picks up. "You okay, Frankie?" She asks.
"Yeah. I'm good, is Rafe still parked out front?" My foot kicks up some white gravel that litters the parking lot. There is so much in my mind I feel heavy. The weight of my thoughts is getting insane. All the secrets I'm keeping are getting hard to keep up with—one wrong word and it all comes tumbling down. Months worth of serious lies are going to catch up with me.
Lord alone knows what is going to happen then.
It won't be pretty, I know that much to be true. It'll be messy, people are going to get hurt. And, in the end, there won't be any winners. No one is going to walk away unscathed.
Rafe won't let me walk out Scott free. He'd die before that happened.
But the idea of complete mayhem isn't more terrifying that spending eternity with Rafe. For better and worse, in sickness and in health. Spending the rest of my life with a man who will hurt me in every way he can. His treatment of me is getting worse, not better.
"No, his car is gone. Are you coming home?" I can hear the ringing of the dishwasher finishing its cycle.
I turn to look at JJ who is waiting for me, "Yes. Just to have a shower and stuff, I don't know if I'll be home tonight."
"Well, your Father and I are out of town this weekend, so I don't mind. I'll leave you dinner in the fridge if you want it." I can hear the smile on her face.
"Thank you. I'll be there soon." We exchange a quick goodbye before hanging up.
I tuck my phone into my back pocket. "That was my Mum, I'm just going to go back to my house for a shower. I won't be long."
"Do you want me to come?" He asks.
"Nah, I'll be good. Get Kie to call me if anything turns up, okay?" I shake my head.
He nods, "Don't die."
I don't say anything, I just begin walking to my place. Cutting through all the shortcuts I've learned through a lifetime of living here.
The wind whips my exposed skin. The humidity has lifted somewhat, all that remains is the afternoon heat. Around this time of the year, my freckles pop up, my skin doesn't tan, I'm too white for that. It's the bane of my existence.
I hop over the perfectly manicured gardens of the old woman who used to bring me cookies. I got tricked numerous times with raisins that looked a whole lot like chocolate chips. I haven't trusted her since. Across from her is the man who spends his afternoons tending to the bonsai trees he enters into competitions.
Rumour is he killed the dog of the couple that lives next to him. No one likes him now—shockingly.
Fucking dick.
Jogging the rest of the way I finally get inside my house, the place smells like sausage rolls. I am not complaining.
My Mum is probably packing, I don't disturb her and just head straight to my room. Getting into my room I begin stripping off my clothes and get straight into the shower, washing off metaphorical grime and real dirt. I scrub and scrub my skin until it stings and goes pink. My wings work my scalp until I feel like half my hair has fallen out.
Finally getting out of the house I get dressed again, the heat limiting what I can wear without getting heatstroke.
Once dressed I check my phone that's charged up a significant amount I see Kie's texts. Looking at the time I've got ten minutes before they pick me up and we head off to the junkyard.
Braiding my hair so it doesn't get in my way I jog down the stairs and run into my mother cutting up the sausage rolls.
"Want some?" She asks with a warm smile. Her dark hair perfectly done, like usual. She's always so perfect. It's annoying. She's like a robot.
I nod, "Yes, please. I've got to head at the door in a second, though."
"Well just take this," she fishes out a paper bag and then puts the sausage roll inside. "I'll see you in a few days. Call me if you need me, remember Robbie is just down the road. And Midsummer's coming up, so be ready." She reminds me.
"Do I really have to go? Because I would rather donate a kidney whilst wide awake than go to that. The people there are awful."
My Mum sees something out the window, I follow her eyes and see the van pulled up out front of my house. My Mum hands over the paper bag, "You be safe, hey?"
"I'm always safe. No need to worry." I lean in and hug her briefly before grabbing the paper bag and walking out the front door, and down to the van. The shower helped with the weight resting on my shoulders.
The door is opened for me and I crawl in. "You know I have a psychotic boyfriend stalking me, and this isn't quite stealthy." I smile and sit down.
"Boy do we have news for you," Kie smiles. And then spills every detail of our new realisations.
The plan, at its core, is very easy.
- Use boobies to distract a creepy guard/general criminal and gross man.
- Let Pope, John B and JJ steal this thing.
- Drive away with thing.
- Don't get caught.
Easy.
But it never is, is it? Life always fucks you up the arse. Every time.
My knees bounce as my mind runs in circles, mostly. Thoughts swing around, coming back so I can stress about them again in further detail. The ethos my first therapist taught me was to take life one day at a time. I'd didn't get myself banned from her, my Dad didn't appreciate his twelve-year-old seeing a shrink. Despite the school, I went to heavily suggesting I see one, the little bubbly girl quickly turned into a cynic. Her advice of taking each day as is, tackling each issue as it presents itself is a fucking awful idea. It may work for when you're little, but I should look at the bigger picture more often.
I crunch up the paper bag my sausage roll came in a feel something small and hard inside. Looking inside I see a lollipop, a small smile spreads across my face. Pulling it out strawberries and cream Chupa Chup, I wrestle with the plastic for a second before managing to tug it off.
John B pulls on the side of the dusty road. I adjust my shorts—the text Kie sent me outlined that we were trying to catch a creepy man's attention. So I made sure to wear a tight top.
It's what women are good for. At least according to Rafe.
Pope and JJ begin to bicker amongst themselves, I put the hardened sugar between my teeth and slide past JJ. Whatever they're fighting about, I honestly don't care. Bigger fish, and all that. My eyes catch the rearview mirror as I slide past JJ, his eyes stare at my arse. I speed up a little, not wanting him to ogle for longer than absolutely necessary.
Shutting the door behind us, John B leans against the van. "Don't worry, you guys got this." He reassures, completely missing the source of our trepidation. I think Kie and I are on the same page.
I grab the stick of the lollipop and pull it out for a second, a grin on my face. Boys are so clueless.
Kie smiles, "It's not us we're worried about." She glances at me briefly, as if to confirm I feel the same way. I do. She then looks at the two boys who are fighting animatedly in the back seat.
John B gets the point.
"We're fucked. Truly." I mutter, my teeth biting down on the plastic stick. Sorry, Greta. I do appreciate your work.
Kie looks at me and tips her head toward her car and we walk over. I glance behind me, looking at the van, catching JJ's eyes. I pull the lollipop from my mouth, debating on saying something. Ultimately I don't say anything, I put the sweet back in my mouth and turn around. I get inside the luxe car, which smells like a woody car air freshener. We are pulling a boat, which is going to be the main object in our plan.
I fasten my seatbelt and get comfortable, rolling the lolly as the sweet gets smaller. I forgot how good these little shits were. Terrible for your teeth, but I brush three times a day and floss every so often. I'm allowed sugar.
I get comfortable, I've known Kie long enough to know she's got something on her mind. It's only a matter of time before the question comes out.
"So... I'm going to need you to tell me what the hell is going on between you and JJ. Or I will drive us off the nearest cliff." She threatens, giving the steering wheel a little jerk. I think it was to scare me, but the lane correction aspect of the car straightens it out.
I suck on the lollipop, thinking about what to say. Honesty is not the best policy, I haven't even been honest with myself. The worry that appears is, that if Kie is beginning to put the pieces together then how long until everyone puts them together? And what's the outcome? When all is said and done, will I be in one piece? I doubt it. I'm already only hanging on by a few threads. Pulling out the lollipop I let another lie fall out my mouth—well, it's a half lie—more an omission.
"Nothing. We barely know each other, I've spoken to him more in the last few days than I have ever." I tell the truth–kinda. I haven't counted all the words spoken between us.
She hums, "You sure? He hasn't, like, made a move or anything?"
"Kie, I have a boyfriend that would kill me if I let any boy make a move on me," I laugh. True–kinda.
"I know, I know. But you're not someone who follows the rules, you kinda act first, overthink later." She makes a very reasonable observation.
"I accept that." I nod.
"He likes someone. I know it. I know him." She looks across from me, I give her a nod, not entirely knowing what I'm agreeing with. "Don't tell him I said this, I would gut you like a fish—"
"—How kind of you—"
"—I use to like him, like, a lot. But not anymore, obviously." If I had a dollar for every time Kie used 'like' in the last thirty seconds I would, like, have more dollars than I should.
A sense of confusion fills my body as her words process. He likes someone. She liked him.
"How do you know he likes someone?" I ask, worried about her answer. Actions often imply feelings. Especially actions that make friends think you have feelings.
I need to shut this shit down like Fort Knox. No man is ever coming near my vagina again.
Kie laughs, "It's obvious." She isn't helpful at all.
"I don't know him, you're going to have to give me more to work off." I implore.
She takes a corner very aggressively, I try not to grab the seat dramatically, it's kinda offensive when people do that.
"He must be in deep with whoever. He stopped hooking up with other girls, turned down some really hot ones. You know Renee, who everyone thinks she has fake tits?" She asks. I nod, nervous as to where this is going. Or has already gone? Can't get much worse. "He claimed he was going celibate. But we all know that's bullshit, sometimes he leaves The Chateau in the middle of a hangout. John B, Pope and me decided it has to be a girl."
"He'll get over it," I laugh tensely. "But she should probably end things," I murmur.
"I don't know, I think he's in deep," She shakes her head. "That's the thing about JJ, if he cares about something, he'd do anything to keep it."
I put the lollipop back in my mouth, ending the conversation. We drive in silence.
When she parks she looks across at me quizzically. "Why does he call you Mabel?"
"He must've seen it's no first name somewhere. If there's one thing I've learnt, it's he's an annoying bastard." I say whilst getting out of the car.
I walk around the back of the car and pull the pocketknife JJ got me from my pocket and grab the wine opener. Finding a weak spot in the tread of the tyre, I press the metal in, smiling at the hiss of air rushing out.
I highly doubt JJ has opened many bottles of wine with his. The can opener, however, has been through the wars.
Standing up, I throw the pocketknife into the seat of the car, through the open window. I join Kie who has flagged down one of the works.
I pop the lollipop back in my mouth and grin at him. We just need to play the part of unassuming girls. It's really not all that hard, we just need to look confused. Desperately in need of a man to save us. I also need to make sure I don't keep the man in the balls as he no doubt will be painfully condescending.
"Can I help you, girls?" He asks, looking between us.
Kie explains our situation, the man's eyes wander to my mouth as I suck on the lollipop. I didn't realise the man would find that, of all things, something to watch. As he looks at me I offer another grin. I stand up from where I leant against the sleek car, "It's just this back one, I really don't know when it could've happened?" The man follows, looking where I point.
I glance at Kie and she gives me a thumbs up. I'm doing something right.
This is like taking candy from a Goddamn baby. A little skin, a strawberry and cream Chupa Chup, and you have a man on their knees.
"Probably just been sitting in the yard too long," he explains, his eyes moving between my tight, low-cut top and my mouth where I pulled the lollipop out.
"Yeah, we haven't used it for a while." Kie agrees, the man turns to look at her.
I walk over to go back to Kie, but she gestures for me to stay put. 'Why?' I mouth. 'Talk to him, he finds you hot' she mouths back. 'He's gross!' I mouth. 'Just suck on the lollipop!' She mouths back. I roll my eyes and stick the lump of sugary goodness back in my mouth.
As he begins to work on the tyre I watch the trio of boys—who managed not to kill each other—sprint across the yard. They focus on their target, a dog barks. My stomach sinks.
"Did you hear that?" The man asks looking up at me.
"Hear what?" I ask, tilting my head like a clueless girl. I put the almost-finished lollipop back in my mouth. Trying to not myself from kicking him.
The man stands up in front of me, he isn't all that much taller than me, I cross my arms in front of me. Trying to catch his attention on my boobs. It works for a second, then the stupid dog barks again. "Tebow's got somethin'." He furrows his brows. Kie and I exchanged a stressed look.
"Probably just a racoon, it's that time of year." I pipe up, sounding a little desperate. I don't even think there is a racoon time of the year. I think all year is a racoon time of year.
"Nothing to worry about, I'm sure," Kie adds.
His gaze flicks to me, my mouth then my boobs. "How do you fix the tyre?" I ask, hoping he'll take the opportunity to mansplain for the next hour.
He begins talking. I ignore him, but occasionally hum to feign that I'm listening. I look at Kie and point inside the car at the pocket knife, she gets the point and grabs it out.
She leans in and grabs the pocket knife, pulling up the wine opener. She squats by the other tyre. I try and keep his attention, but he sees Kie out of the corner of his eye. "What are you doing?" He sounds pissed off. It's easy to see what Kie is doing, there's no way to explain it away.
Another bark from the dog. The man stands up, glaring at me, likely piecing together what's happened.
"Just for the record, I know how to change a fucking tyre," I tell him. He runs off.
"Get in!" Kie stresses, not appreciating my dig at the man.
We tear out the parking lot, leaving the boys to figure it out on their own. They'll be fine, or they won't, it's out of my control.
•
I would like to apologise for my notice 'life is raw dogging my arse with no lube, updates may be sparse. have a good day, my dudes.' In hindsight, it was a little vulgar. My bard my dudes. Sometimes I type stuff and don't think that it's a little fucked up, next time I will make it less gross. Take this as recompense :)
This used to be where Mabel told Kie she was hooking up with JJ, but not anymore hehehe. I gotta bold the secret a little longer. We're getting into complete rewrite territory, keep your arms and legs and such inside the train, baby.
Just finished Sons of Anarchy, it was good. Takeaways: Juice is hot but needs more hair (there was one episode when he didn't shave the buzz so short, I think I got pregnant :) Jax is hot but needs to wash his hair more often. And Americans say Tara in a way that makes my skin crawl.
TIG IS SO HOT I WILL NOT HEAR ANY OTHER OPINIONS. thank you for understanding. Chibs isn't far behind.
And, honestly, Chucky deserved better. The show wouldn't be the same without him.
Also, why does everyone get shot I'm the fucking throat? Makes me feel gross, like, seriously, just shoot them in the head.
Think that's all I've got to say. Any show recommendations (preferably finished,) feel free to drop them below.
Stay safe, little fuckers, and don't kill dogs!