Black and White | OBX

chapter 6: Square Grouper

     It was late when Sid finally returned home to the Cameron's. She leaned her bike up against the garage and snuck in through the back door. Creeping up the stairs, Sid tried to be as quiet as possible so as not to wake Ward or Rose. Gently, she creaked her bedroom door open only to find a lump lying in the middle of her bed. Thinking it was Wheezy covering for her, Sid threw the covers off only to find Rafe sound asleep.

     At that moment, Sid knew she wasn't a good girlfriend. She would flirt with the boys, come home late, put her friends first, and never spend time with him, just the two of them. Sid vowed to be better because Rafe deserved more. That meant putting the wild goose chase on the back burner and not kissing JJ and John B. on the cheek anymore. Sid climbed into bed and cuddled herself next to Rafe, his warmth immediately calming her into a deep sleep.

     She was awoken the next morning by movement coming from her right side. Fluttering her eyes open, Sid found Rafe sitting up in bed. She knew it was still early because the sun hadn't risen yet. "Go back to sleep," Rafe hushed.

     "No, we need to talk. Or, I need to anyway. I'm sorry," She apologized. "I'm sorry you had to wait up for me; I'm sorry we don't spend any time together; I'm sorry I put my friends first. From now on, it's just you and me this summer," Sid promised.

     A smile grew across Rafe's face when he heard Sid's words. "I'm so glad you said that," Rafe told her, crawling back into bed.

     Look, for nine months, they tried to get me to believe that my dad's dead. They say I'm in denial. Whatever. Denial's underrated. You should try it sometime. It's highly effective, and it's only denial if you're wrong.

     It doesn't make any sense. My dad is the last guy who would ever get lost at sea. This compass coming back to me, my father's compass, which was passed down for generations, it's a sign. My dad's still alive, and I'm gonna find him.

     Sid snuck out of bed later that morning, letting Rafe sleep a little longer. She went out in search of her friend, Sarah, who was found sleeping on the Druthers. Sid sighed at the feeling of cold air conditioning touching her skin forming goosebumps. A much-needed change from the warm, humid air inside the Cameron's house. Sid sat down in a chair flipping through magazines, the only thing left to do with the cell towers down when she heard the door to the boat open.

     "Hey, babe. Doesn't this air conditioning feel amazing," Sid spoke, not looking up from where she read a Vogue article.

     "Uh, yeah, I guess, babe," John B. smirked, walking through the entry with the scuba tanks.

     "Oh, sorry, I thought you were Rafe," Sid sheepishly admitted.

     "Oh my God, Wheezie. Shut up," Sarah groaned from where she lay on the couch.

     John B. attempted to continue walking the tanks back, where they went quietly, but they hit the couch with a loud clang causing Sarah to shoot up. "You're not Wheezie," Sarah said groggily, rubbing her face.

     "Correct," John B. chuckled.

     "What are you doing here?" Sarah asked, annoyed at the intrusion.

     "Just dropping off some scuba gear," John B. answered. "What are you doing here?"

     "It's our boat. It's also the only place with air conditioning," She explained. "Did you, um, top off the tanks?

     "Uh, no. No, power's down, so the compressors were off," John B. stated, clearing his throat.

     "So, you're sneaking onto our boat at five a.m. with empty tanks?" Sarah questioned. "I'll make sure to tell Ward."