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.*･｡. EFF IT! .*･｡.
————PILOT
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010.
OFF-GUARD.
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Sonny wasn't a nervous person.
Actually, she was the opposite. Bold, brazen, blunt. Maybe more than was good for her.
But suddenly that fierceness was gone, vanishing into thin air as she paced up and down the dock outside of her home like an absolute mad woman.
Because Jesus, what the fuck was she doing?
Honestly, she didn't know — but, she did know that she wasn't sweating just because of the heat. Her nerves were shot. It was weird. Sonny didn't like it. The way her head spun, how her heart thumped. It might've been the worst feeling she had ever felt before. If not, it was definitely up there with whatever was.
It was awful.
Taking in a breath, Sonny finally collected herself.
She tried to steel her nerves, moving closer to the smaller one of their two family boats.
Oh my god, Sonny just realised how pretentious that really sounded. It made her want to punch herself. Sure, she was never blind to how rich they were, but when you put it that way, it sounded even snobbier.
Especially when you compared it to what she was about to do and who she was about to do it for. Hell, she might as well have shown up with gold in her ears and pearls on her neck if she wanted to seem like the biggest Kook of all time. Maybe it was best if she just drowned herself now.
Eat the rich, and all that shit.
"What're you doing out here, troublemaker?"
Sonny jumped out of her skin, eyes wide. "Jesus, dad!"
She stumbled around to look at her father, shooting him a rude look that screamed what the hell is wrong with you? and let out an irritated sigh.
Her father looked amused by her struggle, "You okay? Or do I gotta fetch you a lifejacket?"
"Funny," she muttered.
He snickered.
Sonny flipped her ponytail over her shoulder in an effort to act nonchalant, which — unlike John B's attempt earlier that afternoon — was pretty convincing. Her father didn't seem to suspect anything, just yet.
"You just caught me off-guard, s'all."
"Right..." he nodded, "Off-guard."
Sonny frowned.
"Maybe I'll catch you a life-guard too," he joked.
Ugh.
She liked Ed Penbrook, of course she did. But sometimes, she got sick of his shitty jokes.
He thought he was hilarious when he wasn't. At least, not to Sonny. Not anymore. As a kid, she thought he was the funniest guy ever. Kids were easily amused.
Even Sonny.
Most of the Outer Banks found him funny, though, which didn't help— Kooks, Pogues and Tourons alike. It could have been the fact Kooks usually had no personality whatsoever, so the change in pace made him ten times funnier, or the money in his pocket felt like a good incentive to laugh. Either way, it seemed like some people actually got a kick out of his terrible jokes. Apparently it was only Sonny who didn't. Then again, deep down, she secretly loved it as much as she had when she was a kid. Not that she'd admit it.
Even Sonny's mom laughed at some of them. Maybe that was just apart of being in love; laughing at their horrifically bad jokes, and shit like that. Sonny wouldn't know. She had never been in love.
"Your jokes suck," she told him.
Ed frowned, "Rude."
She shrugged, sending him a sarcastic smile.
John B had left an hour earlier. He hadn't gone intentionally, so to speak. Instead, Sonny's mother had knocked on the door to ask what she wanted for dinner, so John B clambered back out of the room the way he came in.
When she said he clambered out...
Sonny pushed him.
It hadn't been a purposeful push! More of a... a light shove, worried her mother would walk in and think she was secretly dating John B and hiding him in her room or something else insane, which definitely wasn't the case. It wasn't even close to being the case!
Yeah, he was technically in her room secretly, but it wasn't as if she wasn't hiding him. And Sonny wasn't seeing him either, or dating him, having sex — whatever you liked to call it. Not with John B — never with John B. It made her feel real queasy just thinking about it.
Sure, he was attractive enough, but Sonny had zero interest in the Pogue leader. That ship would never sail. Her mother wouldn't have been angry, seeing as both her parents actually quite liked John B, but an awkward conversation would ensue with a bunch of lies about why he was there, and it would get her mom all excited and embarrassing if she figured the duo were dating, and Sonny didn't want to deal with any of it. She couldn't even think of a shitty lie that would explain why the boy was there — which was annoying because usually Sonny was really good at lying about stuff.
Maybe it was the nerves.
"So, go on. What're you doing out here?"
Sonny pursed her lips, thinking.
What was she doing out there? Frankly, she wasn't so sure. She had an idea, but she still wasn't completely sold on it. It was kinda (super) risky.
When John B had left, fallen, Sonny found herself in a train of thought — one that she couldn't quite escape from.
John B hadn't told her where planned on getting his scuba gear from, only that it wasn't his — which JJ had insinuated already. It was probably going to be from some unsuspecting Kook nearby, who had no idea what he was doing. And while it was blatant theft, Sonny didn't care. It was just scuba gear, right? As long as they returned it, then no one would know it had ever been gone.
Nobody missed stale oxygen.
The bigger issue was that John B didn't know how to dive. Nor did any of the Pogues, Sonny assumed. The fact they'd have to steal gear proved it.
Kiara had been the only one who might know, but since it was John B going down, it was safe to assume Kiara had no ideas. That, or she wasn't dumb enough to do it. To risk her life on Scooter Grubs' boat.
And while Sonny was no pro, she could dive, and she knew that shit was dangerous. A million things could go wrong: the diver could get the bends and decompression sickness, suffer nitrogen narcosis, arterial air embolism, even run out of air; was it worth it? All in a stupid attempt to see what had been smuggled on that Grady-White?
Despite not caring about the Pogues, Sonny didn't feel like living with the guilt of knowing they had tried to search that boat for cash, only to die in minutes.
That meant his mystery would die with her, whenever that happened, and that made Sonny want to yank out her hair.
"What're you doing out here?" Sonny posed.
He gave her a funny look.
"I asked you first."
"I asked you second," she said.
"Deliveries," Ed finally told her as he placed some fishing equipment onto the boat. The things Jenny had been sorting through the day before.
She followed him onto the boat, leaning on the side.
"Okay, your turn." Her dad said, "Your mom's wondering where you ran off to," he explained to her, then grinned like an actual child, "She made cheesecake for dessert, you know, your favourite."
"Actually, I was hoping I could take the boat out?" Sonny's smile was tight. She loved cheesecake. "I won't be out long."
He frowned, "Right now?"
"Yeah," she nodded her head and tried to make her story a tad convincing, "I can't find my sunglasses anywhere — think I must've dropped them by the marsh yesterday," she acted the part, pouting like it was a major inconvenience. "They weren't at the beach. I checked."
Ed looked confused. Maybe amused.
"Sonny?" He said.
"Yeah?"
"They're on your head."
Fuck.
Sonny's lips formed an O. Her hand reached up to pat the top of her head, and sure enough, her sunglasses were there. Now she just looked like an idiot.
She wasn't usually so bad at lying and it was embarrassing to say the least. Clearly speaking to John B had fucked up all her best traits. Her father was now staring at her and looking skeptical, and like he wanted to laugh, and she couldn't even blame him for it.
"Okay, spill." Ed said, "What's going on?"
"Nothing," she said.
He didn't look convinced.
"It's a different pair," she recovered.
"A different pair?" When she nodded, Ed huffed. "What? For your other pair of eyes?"
Sonny didn't laugh. "Well? Can I go?"
"I don't know, sweetheart..." he seemed to take the bait, a real irony considering he was moving a box of fishing wire to a better spot. He looked back at her. "Is it urgent? The marsh is closed. Shoupe said they need all the kids to clear out, they wanna look for Scooter's boat."
The mention of Scooter Grubs made her stomach stir and the taste of vomit hit the back of her throat.
She had tried not dwell on it too much. If she did, it made her uncomfortable. To think about that meant thinking about finding the boat, not telling anybody, breaking into his motel room, and JJ stealing his gun from a safe, shooting the gun at last night's kegger, and how the Pogues still wanted to risk it and go back to the boat.
And how she was going to help them.
She pouted her lip.
"I know, but they're my favourite pair."
"Can't you buy new ones? I'm sure your other eyes would wait for them," Ed remarked, "You don't wanna infiltrate an actual crime scene, do you?"
"It's hardly a crime scene dad, he drowned."
The statement was asshole-ish, Sonny knew it was, and the look her father shot her made it clear that he didn't condone her attitude towards it. He never looked at her like that. She suddenly felt sheepish.
In her defence, Sonny had to pull out all the stops if there was a chance of convincing her father into letting her leave.
Sorry Scooter, dude, but your death kinda needs to be minimised right about now, so...
"Sorry," she muttered, then straightened up again. "Look, dad, it'll take me twenty minutes at most, okay? I'll be back before you even know I was gone."
He sighed, "Before cheesecake?"
"Mom won't even see me leave," she promised.
"Alright— fine," when she grinned, Ed pointed a finger at her and tried to hide his smile. He tried to parent, "If you get caught, you're calling your mother to pay your bail. Not me. Ya hear that, squirt?"
Nice try, dad.
Sonny smirked, "If I get caught, pigs'll fly."
"I'll hold you to that."
"Whatever, dude." Rolling her eyes, Sonny tried to dodge him when he went to pull her in for a hug. He chuckled and grabbed her despite her efforts, gave her a squeeze that had her groaning at him, and poked fun at her when she smacked at his hand. "Hey—!"
"Be safe, sweetheart." A smile blossomed his face as she gave in to the hug, "And try not to run into Shoupe, okay? He'll have your ass for it."
After muttering that she wouldn't and even if she did, she would just lie her way out of it — which she would do, since she couldn't afford to get caught — Sonny waved him off as she readied the boat to leave.
She would have snatched the LIBERTY, but if she did get caught by the cops, then she would rather not be charged for theft during the process. It was already a risk heading to the marsh with a boat she actually owned. There was no point in getting Tim Jones wrapped up in it.
Was she actually doing this?
She couldn't believe it.
Since when did she help the Pogues?
Sonny had to remind herself that she wasn't doing it for them, or for the mystery; she was doing it to avoid lifelong guilt for letting one (or four) of them die, and a long prison sentence for knowing about all of it when she got revealed because they screwed up.
All she had to do was drop by with the scuba gear, give a rundown on how to use it, and stay until she was certain no one died a terrible death. Then Sonny could take it and go.
Easy enough.
Sonny checked there was enough air in the canisters for a dive that far down, and made sure everything was working the way it should have been. The gear got checked monthly, but she had to make sure. Trying to prevent their deaths but killing them in the process would've been worse than letting them die without trying.
"Where you going this late?"
Sonny grit her teeth, "Anywhere you're not, Topper."
"I deserve that," Topper sighed through his nose, nodding. He leant against her boat from his stance on the dock. Sonny always forgot it connected their backyards to the water. They used to love that about it as little kids. "You've been avoiding me all day, Sons."
"Go away," she ignored him, "I don't want you too close. You might drown me."
"Okay... I deserve that one, too."
She scoffed, "You deserve more than that."
"Come on!" He groaned, throwing one arm out while the other held him up. "Can't you just talk to me? I came here to apologise to you," he said.
"Apology not accepted," Sonny forced a smile, "Now, can you get off my boat? I've got places to be."
Topper didn't move.
"Okay, don't. Maybe you'll fall in and drown, or maybe I can just do it for you," Sonny never talked as often as she did when she was annoyed at Topper, "Oh, maybe I'll ask John B to help me? I'm sure he'd love to show you how he felt when you tried to kill him, last night."
"I wasn't gonna kill him," Topper rolled his eyes. "And it's not like he's innocent! JJ held a gun to my head, Sonny!" He lowered his voice, "A freaking gun!"
"You threw the first punch."
"I—"
"Am I wrong?"
"Look— alright, I'm sorry! I'm sorry, okay?" Topper sighed, watching her with exasperated eyes. He rubbed at his face. It was the worst when Sonny was annoyed with him. Especially when it was about fights with the Pogues. It was like a parent scolding you, or a cop, or a somebody else in authority telling you where you went wrong, that you deserve to rot in jail, and why it was your own fault. "I shouldn't have done it — I need to do better. I get it, okay?"
Sonny was quiet for a second.
"Have you apologised to him?" She asked.
Topper groaned.
"What is with you always defending them?" He glared, his personality doing a whole spin. She met his glare. Suddenly, Topper wasn't quite so sorry. "God Sonny, you act like you're one of them sometimes! Why do you care?"
"I don't care!" Sonny defended.
"Coulda fooled me!"
"Fuck you!"
"Fuck you!" He retorted.
It was childish, the bickering always was, but when they started they just couldn't get themselves to stop. Sonny and Topper fights were like dimming hot flames with gasoline.
"You coulda killed him, Top!"
"Oh please—!"
"I think that requires an apology!" She snapped, "Legally, morally, socially— don't you?"
"You were sat with JJ," he said bluntly.
Sonny groaned.
"What does that even matter?!" She asked, and his blood boiled more. She knew it would come up at some point— it was his way of defending himself.
"I know I shouldn't have said anything—" good start, "But you were sat with him, and you laughed when he made shit jokes about my mom."
"Would ya prefer him to make good ones?"
"Sonny!"
She threw her hands out.
"What d'you want me to say, man?"
"I want you to stop acting like a fucking brat!" Topper was struggling to keep his voice down, not wanting her parents to come out and see the argument. Usually they were none the wiser, but he couldn't be so sure. "And what was with you not leaving, anyways? You stuck around! After they fired a damn gun? That's fucked up, Sonny!"
"Why are you such a crybaby, Topper?" She shrieked, face starting to turn red.
"Why are you being such a bitch?!"
"Wow..." Sonny drawled out, "You know— I'm not doing this. I was heading out anyway, so don't stick around," Sonny turned her back to him, "I don't wanna see you here, when I come back, okay? Fuck off."
"Sonny—"
"I said, don't stick around!"
Sonny quickly loosened the rope and kicked away from the dock, starting up the boat with the key pushed in the ignition.
"Where are you even going?" Topper frowned.
When he realised Sonny really was going to leave, Topper let out an irritated curse under his breath and ran to the end of the dock. "Come back! I said I was sorry! We can talk it out, right? We always talk it out!"
"I don't wanna talk!" She yelled back.
Topper brushed back his hair in frustration, "We'll have to talk at some point!"
"Not if I can help it!"
"Right," Topper scoffed at her, "Y'know I'll just be in your room when you get back, right?"
She smirked, "Window's locked."
"Your parents love me—"
"Specific instructions to not let you in," she hollered. When he shouted back a few choice words, Sonny lifted her hand to salute him, mockingly. He seethed. "Laters, asshole! Now get the fuck off my dock!"
"You won't get very far!" Topper cupped his hands around his mouth as she steered the boat further away, "The marsh is closed! Sonny!"
Instead of responding with words, Sonny threw up one of her middle fingers. Even from the distance she could see him roll his eyes and kick at the dock, pulling at his hair with both of his hands; a typical Topper temper-tantrum. If you'd seen it once then you'd seen it all.
How pathetic.
Sonny span around to face the water, humming quietly. If she wanted to make it to the marsh and to where they found the boat, then she would have to move quickly. That was one thing Topper was right about: the marsh was closed and none of them should've been out there, in the first place. Hopefully this would be worth it.
She had promised her father she wouldn't get caught and she planned on sticking to it. Besides, being around too long might get the Pogues thinking she'd changed her mind. That she wanted in on their little mystery — which she still didn't. Like Sonny said before, this was just to keep the blood off of her hands. So she didn't have to deal with them dying, or all the inconveniences that came with it.
Mysteries weren't her thing. They weren't.
Sonny just had to get in and out ASAP, then never talk to those Pogues again. No matter what they found. In and out. That was all she had to do.
Easy.
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