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tw: this chapter will include a anxiety attack.
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Caroline had spend the entire day working until her father made her go get lunch he had ordered for everyone. so that's what she did, she got out of the car making her way inside the beach club and to the counter leaning against it.
"just a moment- Caroline?" looking up she spotted Sofia, a fellow Pogue she always got along with.
"hey!" Caroline smiled watching her run around the counter hugging her tightly.
"you're back! are you okay? what happened?" Sofia asked holding her friends arms, Caroline told her about the island and for how long she and the Pogues were there for and how it was a trip to come back to OBX, leaving everything else that happened out.
"shit, i'm glad you're okay. are you picking up something?" Sofia asked.
"yeah, my dad ordered lunch."
"i'll go check to see if it's ready." Sofia smiled at her friend walking to the back.
Caroline smiled taking a seat looking around the room, the last time she stepped foot into the island club was when she attended Midsummers and ran off with the Pogues. the same night her and JJ had their first kiss. she sighed sliding down the seat rubbing her eyes.
"hey, Caroline." jumping up hearing the familiar voice, Caroline turned around feeling her body freeze up with heat and heart start to race.
"Rafe." she stared at him.
"surprised to see me?" he asked.
"what are you doing here? i thought you left OBX." she asked slowly taking a step back.
"just some business. you know, i heard the cross got stolen. sucks right?"
Caroline clenched her jaw keeping her eyes on him, she despised him and Ward for everything they've done.
"i didn't know that." she shrugged.
"you sure? i heard a few people were after it and i mean i only know a few who know of it." he took a step closer to her.
staying quiet Caroline stared at him as he leaned down into her ear, "you Pogues better watch your backs." he whispered.
Rafe stepped back looking down at the brunette finally walking away from her, she kept her eyes on him until he left the beach club when Sofia approached handing her the bag of food. Caroline's breathing increased rapidly and her body heated up, feeling her hands and legs start shaking. walking out of the beach club racing to car she got in tossing the bag onto the seat besides her.
her hands started to shake more as her body went numb, she shut her eyes taking deep breaths counting to herself. she felt the tears stream down her cheeks as her breaths were shaken. she turned the air on as low as it could go until it was cold putting her hands in front of the air vent while she continued to count trying to remember what JJ would do to help her.
she pretended her hand was on the water thinking about the waves using one of her five senses. hearing JJ's voice in her head she did everything he'd had told her before.
after a few minutes her body started to calm down as did she, Caroline opened her eyes leaning back into the seat taking slow deep breaths. she sniffled wiping her eyes reaching for her water bottle taking small and slow sips.
"fuck."
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"hey, can you close tonight?" Zachery asked his daughter who was staring out the window keeping an eye on Rafe who was out on the boat in the marina with Barry.
"Ace?"
Caroline turned around seeing her father with a confused look on his face, "everything okay?" he asked.
"yeah. yeah, everything's fine. what was it you needed?" Caroline walked away from the window.
"can you close? mom and i need to head to the mainland for a few hours for a meeting." he says watching his daughter walk around the room.
"yeah, no problem."
"you sure you're okay? you seem a little spooked."
Caroline faked a smile nodding at her father, "i'm good, dad. just a little tired. the couch wasn't that comfortable to sleep on last night."
"get some sleep tonight. we'll be back tomorrow before Mike and Anna's party and Matty's staying at a friends." Zachery kissed the top of her head and left.
Caroline let out a sigh once the door closed looking out the window again seeing Rafe walking with Barry talking.
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Caroline hadn't left the animal hospital, she stayed in the same room all day until she closed and sat on the chair still staring out the window when she heard the back door open. quickly jumping up from her seat she grabbed the baseball bat she ran out to buy earlier in the day slowly walking to the door as footsteps approached. as soon as the door opened Caroline lifted her arms getting ready to swing the bat when Kiara walked in and screamed making Caroline scream as well.
"Ace! what the hell!? why do you have a bat?" Kiara yelled jumping back.
"me!? what are you doing here?!" Caroline yelled setting the bat down.
"my mom told me to come get you since you're staying at ours tonight." Kie tells her friend who leaned against the desk.
"i am?"
"yeah, nobody told you? your mom said she texted you." she says.
Caroline hadn't looked at her phone at all, she was so worried about Rafe showing up she didn't bother to check her texts.
"i wasn't paying attention." Caroline rubbed her arm looking out the window again.
Kie followed her friends eyes out the window spotting the same boat, "you okay?"
"yeah, i'm fine. just a little tired, we had a long night and i haven't done a night shift in a while so it's a little spooky." Caroline ran her fingers through her hair.
"i could've stayed here with you or Sarah or Cleo, or even one of the guys?"
Caroline shook her head gathering her things, "you guys have your own shit going on, i'm okay. i had my bat."
Kiara laughed walking over to her friend taking her hand, "let's go home. you can take your bat."
"well i'm not gonna leave it here, so." Caroline grabbed it along with her things following Kie out of the hospital locking up.
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the next morning both Kiara and Caroline made their way to one of the restaurants on the docks to pick up some breakfast for themselves and Kie's parents and since it was their anniversary party the two girls were helping out with the decorations as much as they could.
"the smell is gonna be torture on the ride back home." Caroline followed her friend into the restaurant as the smell of pancakes and syrup filled her nose.
"it's a five minute drive, you'll be okay." Kie laughed taking her friends hand going up to the counter, "hey, Sally."
"well, look at you two!" the woman smiled at the girls.
"did you miss us?" Caroline asked leaning against the counter.
"how could i not? you two have a pick up order?" Sally asked the two.
"yeah."
"i'll go get it for you."
"thank you." Kie thanked the woman who walked away.
Caroline smiled looking around the place when her smile faded along with Kiara's once they saw Sarah sitting with Topper.
"what the hell?" she whispered.
"here you go. have a good day." Sally gave the girls their order.
"thanks, Sally." Caroline grabbed the bag as Kiara picked up the box.
the two looked at Sarah one last time before making their way back to the boat not knowing what to say.
"Kie! Ace! guys, wait, can we.. Topper and i were getting breakfast." Sarah followed her friends out.
"it's not our business." Kiara tells the blonde.
"that's it. you should join if you want to." Sarah says while the two got in the boat.
"breakfast?" Kiara asked while Caroline sat behind the wheel.
"yeah, breakfast."
"yo, Kie! Caroline!" Topper yelled out.
"please don't talk to me." Caroline stared at Topper.
"yo, Top." Kie mimicked the Kook.
"i had nowhere to go last night. Cleo's at Pope's. i couldn't find JJ. John B and i got into, like, a thing." Sarah whispered to the girls.
"am i invisible? you could've called me." Caroline looked at her friend, she would've taken her in for the night since her parents weren't home.
"i'm- shit, Ace, i'm sorry. he found me and took me to Mase with a group of people."
Caroline furrowed her brows, "so you bring him to the middle of the Island Restaurant on a Saturday?"
"Kie! Caroline! what's up? random, right?" Topper tells the two trying to give them a fist bump.
"no." Caroline sat up checking the time, "Kie, we gotta go."
"look, we're just gonna go. so we don't want to impose." Kie turned around.
"oh perfect."
"gotta help my parents set up for their party tonight."
"you know what? i'm gonna go too." Sarah says looking at Topper.
Kiara brought up the anchor as Caroline turned on the boat watching Sarah and Topper speak. the brunette did her best to avoid the two looking away. Caroline i wasn't exactly a fan of Topper because of the way he treated her friends.
when Topper walked away, Caroline backed up carefully checking her surroundings being careful with the boat.
"Sarah, what are you doing?" Kiara asked the blonde.
the blonde shook her head, "i don't know."
"come on, get in. we can talk more at home." Caroline nodded her head in watching her friend jump into the boat.