Outer Banks, the Chateau
August 9th, 2020
6:19pm
"Here, let me help you," JJ voiced, grabbing the last box and carrying it outside himself since it was pretty heavy.
I smiled softly and felt Rafe's hand covering the low of my back protectively, as we both looked around and realised this was it. The furniture was still at its place but all of our personal belongings had been removed and as I stared at my house, I teared up at how soulless it seemed.
The laughs were covered with silence, the cries were covered with silence, the joy had been replaced by emptiness, nostalgia had been packed in small boxes and carried away. I rested my back on my boyfriend's chest and closed my eyes, as his lips found their way to the top of my head.
A few days had passed since Susan had told John B and I that we had to move in with her, but the situation with my brother was still exactly the same. We had barely talked to each other, I had spent most of my time packing and taking care of Rafe who got back home soon enough. My boyfriend looked so much better, the bruises on his face were almost all gone, only the ones covering his chest and back were still hurting him a little.
"How does it feel?" he asked me, rubbing my back up and down.
I remained silent a little and realised I didn't know how I felt either. "Weird, but I'll be fine. Thank you for helping, you know you didn't have to," I said.
He shook his head. "It's the least I could do. I'm gonna head home so you can have some alone time, I'll see you tonight," he voiced, standing in front of me.
"I'm tired, I'd rather sleep tonight," I exhaled sadly, as his two hands quickly found their way to my shoulders. "But I'll see you tomorrow, unless Mike calls me last minute, I'm not working"
"It wasn't a question, I'm picking you up at 8 tonight. I promised you a date," he chuckled proudly, and I threw my head back.
"Baby I'm really tired," I told him, which was true.
He smirked. "I know, I'll take care of you, bring your swimsuit. I'll wait for you in the car, don't be late or I'm coming to get you myself. Got it?" he threatened, making me roll eyes and giggle.
"Yeah, got it Mr Cameron," I chuckled.
He nodded and kissed my forehead before leaving, since JJ and Kie were just entering the room and he probably knew I wasn't really comfortable kissing him in front of other people, especially people who hated him. He left my house, walking confidently as always, as Kiara smiled bitterly at me, as if she knew how sad the whole situation was for me, but also for all of us.
We wouldn't be selling the Chateau, or at least not so soon, since no one would ever want to buy it and we didn't want to get rid of it, but we knew it would never be the same anymore. As if growing up and being on verge of all leaving for different schools or jobs wasn't enough.
John B and Pope were at Susan's, loading the boxes in her house and helping her with our bedrooms as Kie, JJ, Rafe and I finished emptying the house, and honestly, I liked my mission more than John B's. I got to spend my last moments at home with my friends, and as sad as it was, I emptied it myself. Rafe and the Pogues didn't really talk, they just ignored each other, but I didn't mind, since at least they weren't fighting.
"Hey, wanna smoke a last blunt on the porch?" JJ offered.
I nodded and grabbed a lighter before following my two friends on the porch, where we sat down on the few stairs. I'd miss the marsh, I'd miss the hammock, the old tree protecting our yard from the bright sun, I'd miss everything about this place, even its smell, which was not always so pleasant.
"So this is it. The end of an era," I sadly voiced.
Kiara caressed my arm up and down and I smiled at her to hide my sorrow. "I know right, it's so weird," she sighed.
"It's the beginning of another era though," JJ broke in, handing me his blunt on which I smoked.
"Oh yeah, what do you think it's gonna look like?" I asked him.
He chuckled. "Kookish as hell, you're gonna be living on Figure-Eight, you're so damn lucky. I'm glad you got this opportunity," he expressed.
Kiara and I looked at each other, both as confused, unsure when JJ had became so wise and especially so cool with going to Figure-Eight when it wasn't to rob or annoy rich people. "When did you become so calm and wise?" Kiara asked him.
"Because I know John B and Janel won't turn into Kooks. Look at them, look at her, Pogue to the bone," he smirked, shaking me a little, jostling me playfully with his shoulder.
I laughed. "Will you visit us?" I queried.
"Everyday. I'll be Susan's third kid," he expressed, making both Kiara and I giggle.
I realised that I actually had no idea how it would be living with an adult, having to ask permission for my friends to come over, not be able to drink or smoke since more than being responsible she probably wouldn't let that slide. I realised that even when I lived with my father, the Pogues came over as much as they wanted and slept over whenever they decided to, because he didn't mind and actually liked them a lot.
We all remained quiet for lasting minutes until Kiara cleared her throat. "I need to go, I'll see you soon. Janel, enjoy your date night," she winked at me.
"I will," I waved at her and watched her leaving, my head rested on JJ's shoulder.
He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and I closed my eyes, knowing leaving the Chateau saddened him probably as much as me, maybe even more, since it embodied safety and comfort for him who had grown up through constant abuse. I was humming a soft song when he kissed my forehead and spoke up.
"Hey, can I ask you something?" he asked.
"You just did," I mumbled.
"Do you think I can live here?" he voiced.
I removed my head from his shoulder and locked my eyes in his, trying to process his words slowly. "Do I- well I mean I-" I began to stutter, taken aback by his words.
"I won't make a mess, I'll pay the rent and everything, I promise. I'm responsible I swear, but if you don't want to, look, it's fine I get it," he expressed.
Without any hesitation, I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him in a very tight hug, tears of relief, excitement and bliss pouring down my cheeks. He almost lost balance but then he returned the embrace and held me tightly, chuckling in my ear. "Of course JJ, I wouldn't want anyone else but you to live here," I reassured him.
(...)
Outer Banks, Figure-Eight
August 9th, 2020
8:23pm
"It doesn't seem very open to me," I told Rafe as we reached the place where he said he wanted to take me to.
He said he wanted us to have a spa night, so we could relax and lay back, but as we arrived in front of it, it seemed empty and there was a sign on which was written « closed » on the front door. He sighed and scratched the back of his head, like he did when things didn't go his way.
"I'm so sorry baby," he sighed.
"It's fine, we should have known places like this closed early," I reassured him.
He shrugged. "Yeah, I did know. That's why I got the keys my girl," he smiled proudly, twirling them around his finger, glad his joke had worked on me.
I frowned and watched him unlocking the door, turning the light off and indicating me to walk in. "What the fu-" I mumbled, making him laugh as I closed the door behind us.
"Yeah, it's pretty surprising, that's the Cameron effect," he joked, tickling my sides.
"Get off me," I pushed him away, laughing, still not sure how he had gotten this huge building privatised for us two. "Wait, what we're doing is legal right?"
He laughed loudly. "Yes, don't worry okay? Just get changed," he showed me the check rooms.
I walked there and locked myself before changing into a swimsuit and lifting my hair up in a ponytail. I wrapped myself in a towel so I wouldn't be cold and walked out, smiling at Rafe who was on his phone, waiting for me. His eyes lit up when he saw me and he told me to follow him with a head tilt, leading me to a room which was at the end of a corridor.
He opened the door, allowing me to discover a huge hot tub, led lights surrounding it, rose petals floating in the water. I smiled and looked at Rafe, who's eyes were filled with pride and love as he looked at me, discovering the surprise. He didn't wait for me, he got in the hot tub and made himself comfortable.
"Get in," he instructed.
I looked around. "Rafe are you sure we're allowed to be here?" I laughed.
"Janel just trust me, yes. I promise you we're safe," he chuckled. "It belongs to Topper's uncle, I asked him if I could have it for the night"
I nodded and made my way inside the warm water, smiling as it relieved my skin and relaxed every single inch of my body. Rafe opened his arms for me and I came closer, straddling him as his arms found their way around my waist. He looked so hot and even if we were both tired from our awful hospital nights and tiring house moving days, our desire for each other didn't decrease.
I brought our faces closer and his eyes trailed down my lips before I kissed him, showing his mouth how much I loved and needed him. His grip around me tightened and we kissed for what felt like forever, until we pulled away to breathe some fresh air. My hands travelled on his muscular body and I make sure not to hurt him as the tip of my fingers touched his wounds.
"This is perfect," I mumbled.
"I'm glad you like it," he told me as he ran his hands up and down my back, placing kisses all over my face. "You're so beautiful"
I must have blushed but he probably didn't notice it since only led lights were surrounding us and it wasn't bright enough to discern everything. He kissed me again and I cupped his cheeks, cherishing every second I spent in his arms as if it was the last one. When we broke apart, I looked around and rested my head in his neck, focusing on his fingers which drew forms on my back.
"You're so sweet," I whispered.
"Fuck, what did you do to me?" he groaned, a chuckle escaping his throat.
"The first step is dating a Pogue, the second step is turning into one," I explained. "The third step is dropping your damn golf club and buying a surfboard instead"
He laughed. "With what money?" he asked.
I pulled away from his arms. "Shut up, you can be a wealthy Pogue," I said, not believing in my own words.
"Stop saying bullshit and get your ass back here," his hoarse voice complained.
He placed his arms back around me and pressed on my back so I laid back in his comforting arms, which I wasn't going to complain about. "I'm glad we found each other through this mess. Maybe we didn't lose everything," I exhaled.
"Yeah, I'm glad we weren't born in the 1900's, I read a few pages about a tragic love story. Can't remember what it was," he told me.
I escaped his arms and looked at him, my heart beating faster. "You read the book?" I smiled.
He nodded. "Yeah, you got me doing things I never thought I'd do," he admitted.
I laughed and kissed him passionately, his words being the best love declaration I had ever received from anyone. He held on to me tightly as the warm water splashed a little around us and his big arms covered my back. He shifted so I was the one sitting down and he was more on top of me, his lips finding their way to my neck. I moaned and he bit my skin a little, making me chuckle.
I felt like things were about to go down in this hot tub but as I noticed a camera in a corner of the room, my breathing accelerated and Rafe felt it since he pulled away and locked his eyes in mine.
"What's up?" he asked.
"I'm not sure Top's uncle wants to see this," I told him, pointing at the camera.
He nodded and sat next to me, catching his breath a little since he had been focusing on my skin more than on the oxygen entering his lungs for the past few seconds, maybe minutes. I placed my head on the headrest, throwing it back a little, closing my eyes. I had no idea how Rafe had happened to be so on point but this was exactly the date I needed, and he indeed made it to get my mind off things.
"Hey Janel," he mumbled.
"Hey Rafe," I replied.
I re-opened my eyes and rotated my neck a little to lock them in his, focusing on his beautiful face as he stared at me with a stare I didn't manage to read through. He stayed quiet a little while, which scared me a little, to be fully honest. "Where do you see yourself in ten years?" he finally asked me.
My eyes went wide. "Wow, ten years Rafe? It's a lot," I chuckled.
"Come on, what do you wanna be?" he groaned, unsatisfied with my answer.
"The best surgeon in the island, and if I fail then- I'll be the best surfer," I told him.
He smiled proudly. "You're starting to sound like a Kook. Pogues aren't surgeons," he told me.
"Hell yeah, I'll be a Pogue surgeon, the very first one," I told him. "I'll have a big house on the Cut, where I'll be living with my Pogue husband. What about you?"
I smirked as I spoke, knowing exactly how insane my words would drive him, and I knew I succeeded when he pulled on my arm so I'd get closer from him. His arms wrapped up my waist and I straddled him, not dropping my proud smirk. "I will be a trader, and I'll be living on Figure-Eight with a Kook wife," he said, pretending he didn't care about me.
"Oh really?" I smiled wider. "Well, just remember that if you or your bitch ever need a surgery, I'll make sure you never wake up from anesthesia"
He laughed obnoxiously. "I didn't get to be your husband in your plans!" he protested.
"No but you were, I'm just planning on turning you into a Pogue, remember?" I stated. "Cause you know I'll never be a Kook, you guys suck"
He chuckled and I pulled him in a hug, resting my head on his shoulder and focusing on his breathing. "If you want to become a surgeon, then you'll have to leave the island for College," he stated.
I nodded. "Yeah, but I have one last school year until then," I breathed out.
"It gives me enough time to change your mind so you can stay here with me," he smiled and pressed kisses on my head.
We then remained quiet for what felt like a lifetime, wrapped in each other's arms like we needed to feel each other's skin. I closed my eyes and he relaxed me even more when he began to massage my shoulders, making me realise even more just how lucky I was. He took care of me for hours, until we decided to head home and he kept taking care of me, in a slightly different way.
Sleeping at his house was great for many reasons, of course because I got to spend more time in his arms and got to get more kisses, but also because for an extra night, I didn't sleep at Susan's house. It felt like I wasn't betraying the Chateau because technically, I wasn't sleeping in a new house that I needed to call mine.