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chapter three / hurricane shaped hearts
Mother nature is always speaking to us, in a language only understood by ears open to her tongue. In the crashing of waves, billowing of palms in the wind and the gushing of a waterfall cascading overhead as if it were cleansing you of any impurities.
And she spoke the night Hurricane Agatha hit the Outerbanks.
"Hey Lysh!" Sarah Cameron hollered from the opposite end of the sprawling greens in Tanneyhill as droplets sprinkled across quickly evolved into torrential rain. "Scooter's gonna help me on the Druthers! I'll be back just make sure to seal the hatches!"
Ilyshah's voice climbed higher over the rapid doses of water rushing down from the heavens. "Don't worry, I got this!" she formed an 'ok' symbol with her hand. "I'll meet you back inside!"
The day became a tiki tour around the island, helping anyone possible batter down the hatches. Working their way around instruction manuals for generators, hauling sandbags over shoulders and giving out water. A community spirit Ilyshah hadn't witnessed since being back home.
It had all been topped off by clinking their crystal encased champagne flutes overflowing with the Veuve Cliquot Rosé Sarah pinched from the cellar, giggling incessantly on her bedroom floor. The second that bitter fruit tinged liquid pierced their tongue, they were poking them out in distaste, tastebuds not yet matured to the ideals of premature alcoholism.
Golden locks fell over her shoulders effortlessly, rose tinted lips pulling up into a smile radiant as the sun itself. And if Ilyshah were honest, she would have been wholly intimidated by a girl like Sarah Cameron if it weren't for Lani bringing them together. Only then could she discern the depths of her genuine heart, and the kindness that spilled out from her, making Ilyshah feel like maybe, just maybe she could belong here.
Pale blue walls decorated with framed artwork of butterflies gleamed under the flickering light of close to ten lit candles sprawled out, an uno deck between them. The warm vanilla sugar and rosewater & ivy from Sarah's scented candles fought for potency in the air—they capsuled the sunshine left between them as the storm raged on beyond the window.
"This room looks like we're about to straight up sacrifice someone," Ilyshah murmured dreamily as her gaze danced across the room, only giving a snort when faced with Sarah's scrunched up grin teetering on the edge of a full fledged cackle.
Sarah mimicked a darth vader like voice, cupping her mouth. "We're invoking the spirit of the knights of the rhododendron."
"The fuck is a rhododendra?" She breathlessly sniggered, now wiping away tears as Sarah lifted her arms in confusion, escalating to rolling around on the ground together.
Four games of uno with Sarah and Wheezie Cameron later, the reigning champion of all four being Wheezie—the two girls tucked themselves into bed. Darkness shrouded the room from freshly blown out candles as the force of nature roared on outside. Sheets of rain blanketing the surroundings until the view from Sarah's bay window faded into non existence.
