Sage Parkinson fucked up. Not a particularly unusual thing for a teenage girl with a dead-end future and a bad education to do- but this time she's in real trouble. Sage has drug dealers banging at her door and an overbearing brother on her back, an...
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SUMMER 2019
"I'm too short for this shit."
Sage Parkinson's grumbles were cut short by a small gasp escaping her rosy lips. A pair of strong arms had wrapped around her waist and lifted her off of the ground so that she could sit on the peak of the rooftop. The wind blew in her direction, bringing the salty scent of the sea and making her brunette hair dance with it, causing a satisfactory smile to take over her face.
JJ Maybank held his hands out in case Sage somehow toppled, but the teenage girl swung her leg around perfectly and lifted the camera to her face. She squinted her dark eyes as she peered through the viewfinder, snapping a shot of her unsuspecting blond friend who'd been staring up in concern.
"Ah, simply stunning, my love," Sage teased, mimicking a poor English accent. "This photograph really captures your... essence."
JJ rolled his blue eyes with a small laugh, backing away from the roof to sit back on top of the scaffolding, his legs dangling over. He grabbed the beer can beside him and took a long swig before another flash went off, causing him to glare slightly. Sage's camera was just a disposable one that JJ had stolen from one of the island's gift shops on the way over, but Sage was fascinated by it - even if she'd have to wait to see the end product of her snaps.
No doubt was it going to become this week's new obsessive hobby.
JJ looped one of his arms around the pole as he watched Sage begin to take pictures of their other friend, John Booker Routledge. The tall boy stood at the other end of the roof from Sage, his arms spread out as he balanced on one Converse-clad foot, a beer can in his own hand that he kept taking regular sips from.
Seagulls made ugly squawking sounds as they flew above them before Pope Heyward cut them off from the ground. "That's what, a three-story fall to the deck?" The boy raised his brows. "I give you about a one-in-three chance of survival."
"Hm." John B shrugged. "Should I do it?"
"Yeah, you should jump," Pope replied, lifting the drill in his hand up and pointing it at their friend. "I'll shoot you on the way down."
"You gonna shoot me?"
"Yep."
John B mimicked finger guns, making small sound effects with his mouth as Sage grinned a little, snapping another picture with her disposable. JJ simply watched, amused, raising his beer to his lips and sipping more.
"I'll take a picture of it," the brunette called. "Just, like, let me know when you're gonna do it so I know when to press the button."
The tan boy with honey highlights glanced behind him, only just noticing the fact that the girl had joined him on top of the roof's peak. John B grinned, deliberately posing with his tongue out and his beer raised higher so Sage could take another picture. She laughed and snapped one, aware she probably only had about ten left to use.
