i love you, i'm sorry ─ R. CAMERON

IV || "SICK OF YOU, CAMERON?"

ASPEN

AS SOON AS I heard the pounding on my door, I knew it was going to be a long day.

"Aspen!" My cousin calls, but I continue to stay quiet. "It's nearly 7 pm, I know you're awake!"

"Go away, John B!" I yell back at him, groaning loudly and rolling over in my bed. "I'm not ready to leave my room yet."

I've lived with John B since I can remember, and it's the only home I've ever known. I've never met my parents, and honestly, I don't want to. The few things I've heard about them, aren't exactly good things. Apparently, my dad was a drunken fisherman, a pogue if I've ever heard of one, and my mom no better. My Uncle John took me in around my second birthday, and has looked after me ever since.

That is, until nine months ago.

Nine months ago, John B and I's life fell apart after his father went missing at sea. Nobody knows what happened.

Instead of leaving me alone, he does the opposite. Throwing the door open, John B, along with JJ at his side, stroll into my room with wide smiles.

"Did you not just hear me?" I roll my eyes, sitting up in my bed, scoffing while eyeing the two boys.

"Nope." JJ grins and practically jumps on my bed, barely giving me time to move my legs.

"Kie and Pope are waiting outside, we're gonna throw a keggar at the beach, scam some tourons." John B states, already beginning to walk out the door with JJ.

"But I-"

"Get dressed!" He interrupts me, his voice strained as he shuts my door and walks down the hallway.

After a minute of pondering whether or not I should give in to whatever stupid plan my friends dreamed up today, I finally decide to throw the blanket off and get out of bed. I throw on a pair of jean cutoff shorts and a pale cami top, slipping my socks and shoes on after. I don't feel like messing with my hair too much, so I simply just take it out of the messy braid I put it in last night.

After tying the laces of my Converse and grabbing my phone, I finally leave my bedroom. It's nearly dark outside. but still light enough for me to see. My friends are waiting for me, all four of them stuck in conversation while standing around our boat, the HMS Pogue.

John B picked the name out. I didn't agree.

"What took you so long?" Pope teases as I step onboard.

JJ throws his arm around my shoulder and shakes his head. "Leave my girl alone, man." He grins, taking the lit blunt that Kiara passes him. He takes it, puts it between his lips and inhales, then makes a gesture to ask if I want a hit. I shake my head.

"You know she wouldn't, dude." John B chuckles as he starts the boat. "Goody two shoes, huh, Aspen?" He too, teases me as we start moving.

"Losers." I roll my eyes playfully as I shake my head again. "You guys are lucky I even came today." I add.

"And miss a party with me? As if you'd ever." JJ taunts, and when I turn my head to look at him, I see he's still slyly grinning. He take another hit from the blunt before passing it back to Kiara, who's now walking closer towards JJ and I.

"JJ, get your grimy hands away from her." Kie laughs and accepts the blunt from him.

"Whatever, dude." JJ backs away, his hands in the air as a surrender, and I hear him lowly chuckle as he goes to talk to John B and Pope.

Kiara and I stand next to each other now, and when I look at her, I see her eyeing me, her eyebrows pulled together and her lips in a soft smirk. But before I could ask what she was on about, she speaks.