"I don't need a cake," JJ insisted from the kitchen doorway as he watched Coral spread icing on the cake she'd made him, "Besides with the amount of people expected tonight that's not lasting more then ten minutes," he told her looking at the small sheet cake.
"The cake's not for the party it's for us beforehand. We're going to sing you Happy Birthday and you're going to blow out the candles and you're not going to bitch and complain," she told him sternly seeing him start to open his mouth. "Dude, I'd listen to her," John B called from the living room where he and Pope were busy taking anything breakable into the back bedrooms.
"John B, you put that lock on my door, right? Because I swear to god if I find people fucking in my bed again you're going to need to bail me out of jail," Coral yelled out to her brother. "JJ took care of it," she heard vaguely from the back of the house. "I've got the key in my pocket," JJ told her stepping into the kitchen, "Figured I'd keep it for later," he told her quietly, before giving her a quick kiss and ducking back out of the kitchen.
Smiling Coralina went back to her cake as she wrote JJ's name on it. Tonight was going to be a good night. The boys were able to score a keg from JJ's older cousin, who was their go to supplier for anything illegal, and Coral had spread the word about the Pogue Kegger happening at the Chateau in celebration for JJ's birthday.
After a simple dinner of JJ's favorite breakfast meal, French toast, fried potatoes, and bacon, the group of four sat around the kitchen table singing Happy Birthday to their blonde friend. "Okay, make a wish and blow out your candles," Coralina squealed happily holding up her phone to take pictures.
Smiling for Coralina's pictures JJ took a breath before blowing out the candles. "Alright let's load up on cake and then get drunk as fuck," JJ exclaimed, laughing. "Wait, wait, we need a birthday selfie," Coralina told the boys as she plopped herself down on JJ's lap, "Come on gather around," she told John B and Pope.
"JJ, hit the button," Coralina told the boy as the group of friends posed together, "Perfect," she chirped. Hopping up she grabbed a knife and began cutting cake out for her friends. "You boys enjoy. I need to go get changed," she told them, setting plates of cake down in front of them.
"What's the matter with what you're wearing?" John B questioned. Rolling her eyes Coralina flicked her brother in the forehead, "John B this is lounge around the house wear I need to go get my Kegger wear on," she told him before running off to her room.
"Your Kegger wear better cover your fucking stomach and your ass," she heard her brother shout from the kitchen.
The party was in full swing. People were packed all throughout the house, the back porch, and spilling into the yard when the heat of the house became to unbearable. John B had started a fire in the pit out back for those who opted for the cooler weather. Currently Coralina was moving out to the back porch to where the keg was to refill her cup.
Finally making it through the throng of people she sighed in relief. She loved these parties but god damn did everyone have to stop and talk to her. "Hey baby, you wanna fill me up?" asked a voice from behind her as a hand grazed across her ass.
Rolling her eyes Coralina turned to find some rando guy she'd never seen before, "You look like you have two hands to get your own drink," she told him going to step around him.
She had only taken one step away before he was shoving her back against the house, "Now is that anyway to treat a friend?" he slurred, forcing her arms up to either side of her head effectively causing her beer to spill all over her top.
Scoffing Coralina attempted to pull her arms out of his grip, "I can assure you we aren't friends. Now get the fuck off me," she hissed.
Humming he eyed her beer soaked top, "I don't think so sweetheart. Looks like I just found my next drink," he laughed before sucking wet kisses down her chest, lapping up the beer. Struggling she screamed for half a second before the guy was ripped off her and her brother and Pope were standing in front of her asking if she was okay.
Blinking Coralina breathed in several times, "I'm okay. I'm okay," she repeated more for herself then them. "John B, he's gonna kill him," Pope stated, gesturing.
"Fuck," John B mumbled before hauling JJ off the now very bloody and bruised boy who'd touched her, "JJ, Dude, blood's hard to get out of the wood," John B commented pulling his friend back.
"JJ," Coralina called quietly. Hearing her JJ immediately stopped trying to get out of her brother's hold and instead turned to her. Yanking his arm out of John B's hand he was standing in front of her a second later, "You okay?" he asked. Nodding she attempted to smile before wrapping her arms around his waist and hugging him.
Furrowing his brow at his best friend and sister John B shook his head before turning to address the party, "Alright. Listen up fellow Pogues; we've had a situation. Now we don't care who he came with but someone needs to take responsibility and get him the fuck off of my porch," John B yelled throughout the party, "Before I let JJ drop his ass in the Marsh," John B added, glancing back at his friend who still had his arm around Coralina.
"Do fucking more then drop his ass into the Marsh," JJ muttered.
Hearing a throat clear Coralina looked up to see Tommy from the convenience store step forward, "Hey, uh, he came with me. My cousin from the mainland," he told them hesitantly.
Nodding John B told him to get him off their property. "Yeah, I'm really sorry guys," Tommy apologized, "Coral free slushes, Dude, whenever you want," he promised as he hauled his cousin up.
"Thanks Tommy," Coral acknowledged the gesture with a small smile. "Coral Bug you sure you're okay?" John B asked, looking at his sister still wrapped around JJ. "Yeah. It just happened really fast. One minute he was touching my ass and then the next his face was practically down my shirt," she replied.
"JB, Dude, you should've let me beat his face in," JJ grumbled. "Oh, let me see your hand," Coral exclaimed pulling his right hand up to inspect it, "Fucking Christ JJ. Your hand needs to be cleaned up," Coral admonished, "Come on. I need to change my shirt anyway," she said pulling him along behind her.
"Um, those are two things to be done separately," she heard John B yell after them as they disappeared into the house.
After washing JJ's hand in the kitchen sink she wrapped a towel around it before grabbing the first aid kit and pulling him back towards her bedroom. "Where's the key?" she asked, looking at the new lock he'd installed on her door. "Right pocket," he answered laughing as she fished it out of his pocket.
Pulling him inside she closed and relocked her door from the inside before pulling her beer soaked shirt off. Turning around she realized it soaked through to her bra. Groaning she pulled that off too dropping it with her shirt to wash tomorrow. "Damn I think my birthday wish is about to come through," JJ said eyeing her, before remembering what happened, "Oh shit Coral that's probably totally bad timing."
Shrugging Coral climbed onto her bed straddling his waist, "I mean it's certainly something I'd rather not remember so if you'd like to replace the memory with a new one I'm all for it," she told him licking her lips. "You sure, Babygirl," JJ whispered studying her eyes. Biting her lip she nodded before his lips came down along her neck.
"You think your brother knows we've been missing for the last half hour?" JJ questioned as he and Coral rejoined the party. "I think he would've been knocking my door down if he did," she responded. "True," JJ muttered.
Taking his hand Coralina bit her lip, "I don't really want to be on my own," she told him. "No problem. We'll stick together," he assured her, "Let's go get fucking drunk," he told her pulling her out to the porch to the keg.
Jolting awake at the knocking at her door Coralina groaned as she stumbled out of her bed to her door. Fumbling with the lock she pulled her bedroom door open to find her brother, "What?" she hissed.
"Fucking Uncle T's here with the Sheriff," he hissed back, "Get JJ out of your bed and get out here," he grumbled, glaring over her shoulder at the lump under her covers.
Rubbing her eyes Coralina attempted to catch up with what was happening, "What? I've gotta a hangover. I don't have time for your fucking jokes, JB," she muttered.
Striding into her room John B hissed he wasn't joking, "If he doesn't have clothes on I'm killing you both," he told her before yanking the covers off the bed, causing the sleeping blonde to startle awake and roll off the bed hitting the floor, "You're lucky you're dressed."
Groaning JJ clutched his head, "What the hell is going on?" "Our Uncle and the Sheriff are in the kitchen and you're in my sister's fucking bed," John B said, glaring at the two.
Rolling her eyes Coralina huffed, "You know JB it's really none of your business who the fuck is in my bed," she stated, "And why is the Sheriff with Uncle Teddy?" she questioned.
Turning to his sister John B shrugged, "I don't know but thank God Pope was awake and saw them coming. He managed to cover the keg and run through the house throwing as much as he could into a trash bag. The house doesn't look completely trashed, but they want to talk to us," he told her.
Glancing at JJ Coralina motioned for him to follow as she followed her brother out to the kitchen. Waving to Pope who was sitting in the recliner she entered the kitchen to find her Uncle and Sheriff Peterkin sitting at the table together. "Umm...hi," she greeted awkwardly.
"Hello, Coralina, how have you been?" the Sheriff asked, as her Uncle greeted her with a simple hi. Clearing her throat she attempted to smile, "I've been okay. How about you?" she responded. "Can't complain," the Sheriff answered, "Why don't you kids take a seat. We need to have a talk," she told Coralina and John B, before glancing towards the door, "Maybe do this privately," she said.
Looking over at the door she saw Pope and JJ were both hovering by the entrance to the kitchen. "They're family, they can stay," Coralina decided, before turning her gaze back to her Uncle, "Have you heard from dad?" she asked.
Shifting uncomfortably her Uncle looked to the Sheriff, "No, ummm.... I'm just gonna let the Sheriff tell you what's happening," he responded. Swinging her gaze to the Sheriff Coral raised her eyebrows in question.
"So John B, as you know your Uncle filed a missing persons report last month since he's been unsuccessful in reaching your father since November," Peterkin began before Coral interrupted. "Wait, I didn't know that," she stated, "Why didn't I know that was done?" she questioned, looking at her brother.
Sighing John B glared at the Sheriff, "She came to the house when you weren't here and asked a bunch of questions about where Dad was going. I told her not to bother asking you anything because you knew less then me and I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to worry," John B told her.
Scoffing Coralina crossed her arms over her chest glaring at her brother, "You don't get to make that decision John B. He's my father too," she told him, angrily, "So then what? You investigated his whereabouts and found him?" Coral asked looking at the Sheriff.
"Not exactly. We did investigate and we found record that he took a boat out on November 22nd, the day he left. Unfortunately we've been unable to locate that boat or him. It hasn't docked in any port and he hasn't used a single credit card since that date," she told the twins.
"So what exactly are you saying?" John B asked, quietly. Sighing the Sheriff looked at the two teens, "I'm saying that we believe your father has been lost at sea."
Blinking all Coralina could hear was a rushing in her ears. She could see the Sheriff continue speaking but she couldn't hear a thing she was saying. She felt like she was in a vacuum. She knew JJ was right behind her chair but she couldn't turn to look at him. She saw the Sheriff place a paper on the table and Coral attempted to get her eyes to focus on it. The only thing she saw was Cause of Death: Drowning before she shot up out of her seat and rushed towards the bathroom.
Kneeling on the floor she had her head in the toilet when she felt someone pulling her hair back and tying it up. "Do you think you're done?" JJ asked, as he wet a wash cloth for her and flushed the toilet. "I don't know," she answered, sitting back on her butt she leaned her head back on the tub as he wiped her face.
"What was that paper?" she questioned, "I kind of stopped listening after she said lost at sea," she admitted. Sighing JJ threw the washcloth into the sink before sitting next to her, "She wanted John B to sign it saying he's officially dead, but he wouldn't, not without a body. That's all I really heard before coming back here," he told her.
Feeling the bile rising in her throat again Coralina scrambled for the toilet, "I'm not done," she croaked. Kneeling next to her JJ rubbed circles on her back before re-wetting the wash cloth for her. "Is she okay?" asked Pope from the doorway.
"She'll be fine," JJ answered, as he wiped her forehead. "Well John B just took off so I'm gonna go find him," Pope told the two, "The Sheriff left but uh Uncle T's out on the back porch," he continued, before disappearing back down the hall.
"Babygirl, why don't we go lay back down," JJ suggested. Nodding tiredly she stood up with his help, "I need to brush my teeth," she grumbled, grabbing her toothbrush. After rinsing the taste of throw up out of her mouth JJ put an arms around her before sweeping her up and carrying her to her room bridal style, "Under different circumstances this would be really romantic," she whispered.
Laying her down JJ pulled her covers back up onto the bed as he covered her, "Where are you going?" she asked as he turned to leave the room. "I don't think your uncle," he began before she interrupted him. "My uncle hasn't been here in months I don't really give a fuck what he says," she told him, sliding over to make room for him.
After ensuring Coralina was asleep JJ slid out of bed and headed for the living room to see if Pope and John B were back yet. Not seeing anyone he went into the kitchen and grabbed a trash bag. While Pope had done a decent job on the fly the house was still a bit messy and he didn't want Coralina to have to worry about it when she woke back up.
Starting in the living room he began clearing away the trash left behind, "You officially living here now?" questioned a voice from behind him. Turning he found Teddy standing by the back porch door, "Not officially," he answered before going back to gathering the trash.
"Was it at least a good party?" the older man asked as he began gathering various glasses and shot glasses that were left behind to take into the kitchen to wash. Pausing for half a second JJ shrugged, "Don't know what you're talking about," he replied, living by his motto of deny, deny, deny.
Snorting Teddy laughed, "Yeah, okay. So the keg out back is what? Decoration? Look I don't care, kid, so relax," he told him taking his armful of glasses into the kitchen. Coming back into the living room Teddy glanced down the hallway before addressing JJ, "How's Coral?"
"Cried herself to sleep, but that's been a pretty regular occurrence around here," JJ replied, "The throwing up is new though," he mentioned, "Any idea where John B went?" JJ asked. "No, but Pope went after him so hopefully he found him," Teddy answered.
Nodding JJ dragged the trash bag to the kitchen and began clearing the counters, "What happened after Coral took off?" JJ asked when Teddy followed him. "John refused to sign the papers declaring Big John officially dead," he answered, "Cases like this DCS gets involved so we'll get a case worker who should leave us alone as long as they think I'm here," he continued.
"You're not sticking around?" JJ questioned. "No, I am for right now, but I've got a gig in Mississippi for the summer that I can't pass up. It's a good chunk of change. So we'll put on a show for DCS so hopefully they stay off our asses long enough for me to go make some money," Teddy replied.