COUNTRY CLUB

TEN

Those who think a secret dies the moment they choose to hide it, are wrong.

"What is she talking about, JJ?" said John B, pushing Dune roughly she landed on her back. Dune had broken her promise to JJ, even if she wasn't the one who made it in the first place, he did. She watched the gap between the Pogues widen, making it easier for her to run.

"I don't know what she's talking about, trust me John B." stuttered JJ, putting his hand on his chest, rubbing it. Dune never noticed this about JJ, it must be new. It could be an anxiety attack, nothing more, she hoped. JJ didn't deserve it, or did he?

He could be saying the truth in the middle of a lie. If JJ learned one thing from Dune, other than loving himself, it'd be crafting the perfect lie whilst keeping the end of a thread a bit loose. Kiara tried to step in between the two, she looked at Dune whose lip curved into a frown. She didn't want to do this, but some situations lead to certain consequences. She wasn't the one to blame, because she wasn't the only one who knew. Dune knew what went on between the lines with Ward and Limbrey, she knew how to read in invisible ink. JJ knew from Dune, a Pogue breaks a Kook's promise, that's why they couldn't step a foot in figure eight. A Pogue may lie to a Kook, may fall in love with a Kook, may kill a Kook and vice versa. But a Pogue never lies to a Pogue, a Pogue doesn't hide a gun behind his back while rubbing a Pogue's shoulder. No one knows what goes on underneath the table, the bed sheets and under water.

"I want to believe you JJ," said John B, confusion was written all over his face. He looked at Kiara, whose tears brimmed inside her eyes, hiding the truth. Pope and Sarah looked at each other, Sarah tugged on John B's arm as in letting JJ explain himself but the latter didn't even know where to begin with. He looked around him, Dune wasn't there.

"It has nothing to do with your dad or the gold. It's just a dirty little secret between Ward Limbrey, and I was there so was Kie. I'm going to tell you everything." Looking at Sarah, JJ shrugged in means of apologizing, if she only knew. "But we have to find Dune first."

In the meantime, Dune ran for her life. Which life? she thought. The life I should've had or the life I stole? the life I couldn't stick to or the life had to fight for? She ran towards the horizons, holding her heart in her palms, she could feel her skin falling off her bones, as for her mind? it was melting. Images from that day flashed in front of her eyes, the blood, those hazel eyes, the begs and yelps, JJ almost being beaten to death because of her. The hardest to love suffer the least, but those who fall hard suffer the most. She thought about visiting her, telling her about New York, how she tried to move on but ended up coming back, her attempts of swimming in Rafe's lustful eyes but failing because the moment she jumped she drowned. She wanted to tell her about the sunsets and sunrises she missed, how heavenly it felt wrapping her arms around JJ, how pleasurable it was to steal what's never been hers. However, she had to cover her mask with another thousand ones in order not to feel guilty. Guilt sticks around forever, there's no running from it, because they can see it right through her eyes.

She scratched her eyeballs, tried to see the devil dressed in all white. She believed it when it told her that it wasn't going to hurt, and it was right. She caused pain rather than feeling it. She faded, or that's what she thought. Until she came back, being visible to everyone but herself.

Rafe had been looking for Dune for a while now. Taking his motorcycle, he was flying without wings, without a helmet, he was saving it for Dune. Echoes and whispers bit at his brain, making him squint in frustration. He killed every living thing around him, it ran in the family.

"Rafe," whispered Dune underneath her breath, putting her hand on her chest, closing her eyes. She stopped for a moment, Barry's place was few steps away. She smiled, thinking Rafe would be there. She couldn't care if he was high off brains or not, she wanted to see him. She wanted to tell him, before they did.

A friend's friend is an enemy. She knocked on Barry's door, once, twice, no one's here. "Dune, I have been looking everywhere for you."

Turning around, eye contact was a perilous thing. Hating someone until loving them was even more dangerous, the only difference was that one of them had to hate themselves before falling in love. Rafe's mouth hung open, he eyed her up and down. She looked like she had to run otherwise her soul would've betrayed her and left. Mouths agape, their souls were scared from stepping closer but their bodies were not. Stone cold fingers and messy hair, those who exchange guns at the crime scene can still taste blood running down their tongues. She cupped his face and attached their lips before having the roof fall over their heads. If it did, at least she got to do what she always wanted. The whole establishment of a secret society like Country Club happened because of that moment, the hidden despair for a kiss from the undeserving.

He pulled away, hesitating to kiss back. Instead, he caressed her bruised cheek with his thumb. His finger ran down her bruise like a blade, cold, coated in pleasure. She wanted to stay like this forever.

"We could always run away, you know?" he whispered.

"They know Rafe, JJ has told them everything by now. They threw their knives at me Rafe, I didn't know what do." panted Dune, on the verge of having an anxiety attack. She was sweating, her legs couldn't help her anymore she clutched Rafe's wrists with the little energy she had. But she ended up slipping away from his fingers, falling on her knees. He kneeled down in harmony with her, he's used to watching people fall, not falling along with them.

With one swift move, they dissolved into each other's arms the way the sun dives into the horizon, the only difference being that the sun is fearless while Dune is not.