I fix my hair to my right shoulder, walking out to the party that is being hosted at the back of the wreck. Kie let me borrow a nice dress and we got ready earlier while I ranted about last night. It won't get out of my head, not that I was expecting it to.
Kie turns around from talking to some of Anna's friends, she sees me and runs over with a glass of something pink. "Try." She demands, shoving it into my hand.
"Koolaid?" I raise an eyebrow, sniffing it. But when I do it appears to be something stronger.
"Sure, call it that." She winks at me, turning back to the crowd. I take a sip, my face screwing up when I swallow.
"I don't know what it is, but it's some serious shit." She laughs, shrugging.
I shake my head, passing it back to her. "Kiara promise to never let me drink that shit again."
She places it on a round table beside her, looking back at me with a roll of the eye. "You got a hold of Sarah?"
I shake my head with a sigh, looking around for her. Kie has the same situation.
Suddenly we feel a presence behind us, and over pops the Sarah that was previously brought up. We both turn and celebrate a little, but she doesn't seem to eager for a party. She has a new dress on, her makeup roughly applied. She seems out of it.
"Sarah, try-"
"Don't try." I push the drink that Kie is offering away from a sorrowed Sarah. "That definitely wont make whatever is wrong any better."
"How do you know?" Sarah looks up after cowering at the ground for a second, in which I raise an eyebrow to. "With an expression like that?"
"It wasn't Wheeze at the house." She sniffles, holding her mouth before speaking. "It was a stupid set up for Ward to suddenly make an appearance."
I stare blankly at her as she finishes talking, returning back to her upsetting state. Kie has to take a minute to turn away from disappointment that Ward's back on the island.
"Of course, just when life was slowly toning down, he shows up." I scoff, crossing my arms.
"Are you kidding me Sarah? That doesn't even make sense." Kie finally speaks up, in denial and shaking her head vigorously. "Ward's on this island? Like the same island we are on, Sarah?"
"Yes. He's back. Mm-Hmm." Sarah looks away, annoyed now. She's overcome the sadness and is now just pissed.
"The second I see him, I'm turning him in." Kie states, bravely, Sarah and I turn to her.
"I mean it." She finishes, shaking her head.
"Fair, I'd have the same reaction if I saw him, sorry Sar." I sigh, now looking over to Sarah.
"No offence taken." Sarah looks to the side, spotting Topper so suddenly. "Kie you didn't tell me Topper was gonna be here."
"My mom invited like the whole island." Kie says, shrugging and sipping at the pink shit. I blink, the whole island could mean a few of my old friends too.
"Shit." Sarah rubs her forehead.
"It's not a big deal, we'll keep him away." I say, adjusting myself so that maybe Sarah gets a bit more coverage from Topper.
Suddenly Topper calls out her name.
"Hes coming over." Kie mumbles , twirling her straw around.
"Don't leave me," Sarah mutters, shaking her head multiple times. I slowly gravitate away with Kie as Sarah discreetly panics. "We won't go far." I assure her, whilst moving as far away as possible.
The two talk as Kie and I hide ourselves, we snicker at his small talk. Until Kies eyes widen once again. "Don't turn around." Her face is dead-pan.
I look up, my eyebrows furrowed. "What."
"Tanner Fields, 12 o'clock. Talking with Bea." She mumbles, sipping at her drink.
I turn quicker than ever, ignoring Kie's instructions. The two are close together, Bea is laughing at whatever stupid jokes Tanner is making. He still has a black eye from JJ's punch.
"I'm going over." I state immediately, no hesitation. Kie grabs my arm just as I'm about to storm over.
"Let them simmer, if it takes a notch to large, then go over." She turns my head and I huff, rolling my eyes.
"Okay, let me know what's happening." I say, staring at her face for updates.
"She's laughing again, He's laughing too. They're awkwardly looking around. She said something... Oh- oh." She pauses, gritting her teeth.
"Fuck you Kiara, what!" I yelp, to which she replies. "He's like.. caressing her hair."
"I'm going over." I swivel, stomping towards the two.
I see a drink in Bea's hand, so I take it from her, startling her a bit when I do. I take a sip at it, eyeing Tanner with no introduction.
"Darla! You scared me." Bea laughs nervously, watching me as I finish off the drink while still giving Tanner the death stare.
I gulp the last swallow, slamming it down on the table next to me, sighing. "Whew! Sorry, I got thirsty." I brush myself off before turning to Bea.
"We should talk." I demand, blankly staring at her. She inhales anxiously.
"I was talking to.." ,
"Oh, Tanner. Can I speak with her real quick?"
He sucks in his lips as I, again, stare at him deadly. He nods softly, before rolling his eyes when turned away.
I take his place, slamming my hands down. "Beatrice, what are you thinking?!"
"What!" Bea shrugs, her eyebrow cocked.
"Tanner Fields is an obsessive weirdo." I cross my arms, shaking my head with disappointment. "Anyone but him."
"When did you ever have a say on who and who not I talk to? We were having a friendly chat." She barks back to me, which makes me almost laugh. How could she be so stupid to trust Tanner? The one who fought my best friend at a bonfire that she was at. She heard me complain about him to Ren all those years, taunting me when we saw him in public. And when she saw him in public on her own, she'd usually throw him a dirty look or two. So what's friendly about having a chat with Tanner Fields?
"Can you not try to pretend like Tanner is an okay guy?" I scoff, as she looks around to see if anyone's overhearing us. Though quite frankly I couldn't give a shit.
She turns back to me, shrugging. "Fine if you guys didn't have a good relationship. But listen, Darla. I like him, he's friendly to me. Be happy for me that I finally found a guy I can talk to!"
My jaw lays agape as I stare at her with awe in my twinkle-less eyes. She waits for my avail but honestly I don't have an answer to that. He's a cunt to take my sister, I don't want to say it's to get back at me because that'd be taking the light away from Bea.
"I was only warning you, but.. do what you feel is right." My voice escapes in no more than a whisper. Her face speaks volumes on how she believes she's right, so I can only turn and accept that she's going to go through the Tanner effect. And there's nothing I can do to stop it, not now, not anymore. And what I'd do to go back and take time to remind her that he's no good. Evidently I wasn't there enough to make that clear.
As I'm escaping to a bathroom, I brush by him, the devil himself. Tanner. He gives me a look before I turn to him once more. "Tanner." I speak up, he looks done with me, in which should be a breath of fresh air. Though it's not knowing that he's moved onto something who you've grown too fond of.
"Darla, save the lecture. I like Bea, you're not gonna stomp on another thing I cherish." He sighs, shaking his head a little as he speaks.
I chuckle to myself, looking away but then back at his evil facade. "I'm not stopping you." I say, genuine. He seems almost surprised at this, but how could be when I've dropped so many signs of me not loving him all these years?
"I want both of you to be happy, so treat her well." I say, looking over at her and then back at him.
He nods a little, shrugging. As if to say "Well I know I'll treat her well." Like the smug and arrogant guy he is. I fix my hair until his delayed response lingers.
"I still love you."
I cant bring myself to gather the words he just shot at me, and when I do, I cant have a reaction. "No you don't." I say.
"What?" his voice escapes slowly.
"Don't tell me you love me before you fall in love with my sister, Tanner." I sternly say, my voice trying it's hardest not to exert itself in a shout. I collect my remaining patience and hold it like a grudge. "You cant do that, not when I'm already hesitant about you and her even being a thing in the first place!"
"I'm only letting you know before I throw it all away." He sorrily responds as I stay idle in denial. "I do, I love you, It's always been you. And even after you say no to this. Even after you walk away in a moments time, it will continue to be you."
I stare, blankly at him. "Then why would you do that to me?"
He looks confused, so I enlighten him. "I loved you too, back when I was at my lowest. You were there. But then you threw me to the dirt, left me. For some other guy to pick me up and do the same. If you really ever loved me, then I would be loving you too. But I'm not, so you don't. You didn't, and never will."
He stands, speechless. "I'm sorry."
"Is that all you can say?" I laugh, looking to the side and regaining my strength before turning back to him.
"I don't know what else to say when I know he's already got you." Tanner sighs, shrugging.
I blink.
"JJ." He finishes. "For you, it's always been JJ. And for me, it's always been you. But I was too late, he already had you."
And without a second word, he's gone. Leaving me and my regrets with ever getting to know him to fend for ourselves.
I hadn't noticed I'd been crying a little this entire time, so I wipe my eyes and try to dismiss it. I turn back around, looking up.
I see the HMS pogue, why is that here?
Is JJ and John B here? Please let them be here, I need them the most right now.
I walk down the dock to where the pogue is, seeing someone standing on the dock, talking into the boat. I can always tell John B's wacky outfits from miles away.
I stop behind him, tapping his shoulder and he turns around with a jump.
"Jesus, Darl." He holds his heart.
I look into the boat and see JJ hiding. I raise an eyebrow. "Did y'all kill some one?"
"Very funny, but no. JJ is too paranoid of your dad." John B explains, leaning against the rail as JJ slowly nods.
"My dads not here, but, keep hiding." I smile, looking back up at John B. "Kie's dad doesn't like y'all.. so why are you here?"
"We're going to South America." He quickly but casually replies, with a shrug, as if that's not huge news.
I scrunch my eyebrows, before accepting it. "Okay, when? How?"
"That's unrelated." JJ shrugs, still hiding out.
"That's like the main point of information needed, actually." I say down to JJ.
"Whatever, just go get Kie." John B grabs my shoulder. "I'll get Sarah, we find Pope and Cleo and rendezvous out of here." He swivels me back around.
I back up, rejecting.
"Why?" He snaps.
"Because I just escaped." I bark back.
"It's Kie's dads party, you'll be fine." He pushes me again.
"Not about that, it's someone else." I sigh, backing up again. He stops to look at me while JJ jumps up from that sentence.
"Tanner." I say, rubbing my forehead.
JJ becomes stern, looking out onto the party to try find him.
"What did he do?" John B asks, serious faced.
"Lied for attention or whatever- look. I'm not going back there. Gather up the death squad on your own bud." I jump up onto the railing, leaning against a wooden bannister.
"Fine." John B rolls his eyes as for a change I push him along with my shoe.
He toddles along the dock as JJ doesn't stop looking out towards the party.
"What're you doing?" I ask.
"What'd he lie about?" He questions, not stopping his stalking.
I look away, taking a deep breath in without answering, causing him to finally look back at me. "Hey."
I return to look at him, as he stares as me desperate for an answer.
"He said he loved me." I say.
JJ's jaw clenches, he sucks a hasty breath.
I cross my arms, shaking my head as I speak. "He's a liar, if he ever loved me he would've showed it a long time ago."
"He did." JJ sits back down in the boat, leaned up against the edge as he looks out among the marsh.
I look down at him.
"Well he's obsessed with you, clearly." He continues.
"Well I don't love him, I never did." I say, still looking down at him. One thing Tanner was right about is the fact that I've always loved JJ. And that's it's always been him.
"You have to love somebody." He states..
I blink slowly, biting down on my smile that's trying to show. "Do you love anyone?"
He stops for a minute, still admiring the sunset that reflects on the water. "Mm."
"Yeah? I know who." I say, with a smile lingering.
He looks up, hope in his eyes, waiting for my avail.
"My mother." I say with a snicker.
"What!" He sits up, his brow raised. "That's sick, Darl."
"You always used to call her hot, every time she breathed." I laugh, holding my stomach.
"Yeah as a joke, I used to say Big John was hot too, you really think I was being for real?" He asks as I sit there in a laughing fit.
"Yes." I manage to say between giggles.
He rolls his eyes with a smile, shaking his head.
"I mean, correct me if I'm wrong." I hold my hands up.
"I am correcting you." He says, now laughing a little. "Just because I called her hot doesn't mean I want to marry your mother."
I cackle, leaning toward. "You as my dad? Eugh."
"No, that'd ruin my plans." He says as I calm down from laughing.
"Why? You'd be too embarrassed to have me as your daughter?" I say, with offence as I hold my heart.
He looks down, jaw clenched as he speaks until the dull light of the sun going away and the moon slowly rising. "You're clueless." He mutters.
"How!" I say, demanding him to answer, but he just shakes his head.
"I mean, Josie Maybank isn't horrible for her name." I look up as I think , "If you took her name you'd be JJ Mornington, which doesn't suit in my opinion."
He only stares up with a smile as I ponder, trying to fit the names. "What about Darla Maybank?" He asks, as I stop thinking to look down at him with a surprised expression.
"What, as your daughter?" I gag.
"No, Darla. Not as my daughter." He says, catching me on the spot. I can feel my cheeks burning.
We sit in a momentary silence. "Not horrible." I finally chirp, looking away only to let out a cheesy smile.
"Not horrible?" He says, still doing that smile that melts me.
"No it's not." I say, trying to stop him from making me just jump off this railing and finish what we started last night. But I'll contain myself, I have that power in me.
"It's always had a nice ring to it for me." He says, looking back out onto the marsh. "Miracle is cute, maybe Mornington. But Maybank is best."
I stare down at him as the sun lights his face. "Yeah, it's always had a nice ring to it for me too."