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THE BOAT ride back to the Outer Banks was the first time Aurora had truly felt happy all summer. She realised how much she missed the comfort of her friends- she couldn't lose them ever again. Aurora, Sarah, and Kie searched for food on the Cut, whilst the boys stayed back at the boat. They spent quality time with each other, as they picked strawberry's off of bushes. Somehow Kiara managed to find a huge watermelon, so they stuffed their faces with the fresh fruit whilst Sarah told stories about her time in the Bahamas.
However, Aurora felt a familiar nauseous feeling knot in her lower stomach as Sarah's stories went too far..
Kie gasped excitedly, "You really got married?"
"It wasn't exactly legal, but... uh, yeah." Sarah smiled, "Am I crazy, or is there definitely something going on between you and Pope?"
"Maybe." Kie shrugged, yet a smirk grew on her face.
Rory tuned out of their conversation, as the situation replayed in her head. Sarah's married? Married! She thought over and over again, How could she do this? Rory stopped eating the fruit, unable to swallow anymore because of the burning lump at the back of her throat.
"Hey." Kie's voice snapped her back into reality, "Hey, are you okay?"
A high-pitch noise buzzed in Rory's ears as her breath became heavy. She quickly stood up, stumbling over her own feet, before dropping her watermelon on the ground. She spluttered, "I-I'm just... I need to go."
Aurora wiped a tear from her cheek as she began to walk away. Sarah stood up quickly in attempt to stop her, "Rory, wait! Shit."
Aurora walked quickly through the long grass, brushing past her ankles, as she arrived at the Château. She held her throat, trying to catch her breath but she had ran out of oxygen. Married. Fucking married. She stumbled to the bathroom, locking the door behind her as she leant over the sink. Rory desperately wanted to feel numb again.
Suddenly, a gentle knock tapped on the door as Aurora caught her breath to respond. She panted, "Go... away."
"Rory, are you okay?" Sarah's soft voice was muffled by the door in-between them, "It's only me, Kie's gone to get JJ. Can you open the door?"
Aurora stayed silent, as she slid down the wall, gripping onto her t-shirt.
"What's wrong?" Sarah questioned sympathetically, as she knocked again, "Rory, come on, you can talk to me."
Aurora tried to breathe, as she mumbled, "You got... married."
"What?" Sarah questioned sarcastically, "Are you mad you didn't get to be the flower girl?" Rory's silence made Sarah stop, realising why she was upset. She sighed, "Shit, Rory. I'm, uh, sorry. I thought-I thought we were cool."
Aurora's gaze traveled to the medicine cabinet above her head, filled with bandages, first aid, and pills. The silence sent a shiver down Sarah's spine,
"Rory?" She knocked harder on the door as she worried, "Rory, let me in. What are you doing?"
Sarah heard a creak then a clash of, what sounded like, plastic containers. She began pounding on the door loudly, her calls turned to shouts. She sprinted out to the front-porch, noticing JJ running towards the Château in distance. Sarah quickly ran inside, before yanking on the door handle of the bathroom.
"Aurora, open the door!" Sarah cried, "Please! JJ!"
Suddenly, the front door bursted open and JJ came running through towards the bathroom. Sarah took a step back, as JJ tried to open the door. He clenched his jaw,
