Lost

one | Chateau

For as long as I could remember, I had been going to the Chateau in The Outer Banks every summer.
All year long I would count the days until I was in that house, with those people.
Every summer, every year, I always made my way to that house one way or another. To The Outer Banks.

My mom hated when I would stay with my dad the whole summer, she always told me that he didn't know how to take care of me or John B. But then again she never saw my dad or John B for that matter.

My mom would stay with the Cameron's and she always tried convincing me to stay with her. Saying how it wasn't too far from the chateau, but I never listened and somehow I always found a way to convince her to let me stay with my dad. It wasn't easy.
With just my luck it was going to be even harder to convince her considering that my dad had been missing for almost nine months.

Yeah, missing.

My mom shook her head. "I don't know Haley..."
"Please, mom! John B needs me. I was talking to Pope and he said that he's not doing good. We have to go this summer" I explained.
She turned off the faucet to the sink and just stared at me for a moment. I'm sure my face looked desperate because I was extremely desperate.

"Who is even watching John B right now?" She asked, as she started grabbing dishes and drying them, then putting them away.
"Uncle T" I stated.
My mom groaned. "Of course." She looked over at me. "You know, that man is probably the least trust worthy person in your dad's family."
"Exactly! We need to go help John B before he, like, starves to death. And you'll just be across the island at the Cameron's. I'm sure Rose is asking for you" I pointed out.
My mom sighed, finally giving up. "Fine. But we're not staying the whole summer"
that's what you say every time, I thought to myself.
"Okay" I nodded.
She waved me off. "Go pack your bags."

Let me get this straight before you people start making assumptions—John B isn't my mother's kid. So it's not like she just doesn't care about her son at all because John B isn't her son. She cares for him, yes, but she barely even knows him.

My dad cheated on my mom with another women while they were married. That other women is John Bs mother. She didn't stay though. Gave John B to my dad and left. My mother was going to leave but then found out she was pregnant with me.

Then I was born and my dad really started to turn things around for the better. But then he got caught up in this ship reck, treasure, type stuff. Everything just went down hill from there.

So that's how we got here. My mother living in New York with me, and my father living in North Carolina with my half brother.

My mom was strict when she needed to be but she really had no rules. I had a lot of freedom growing up. Most people say that's because the parent doesn't care but that's probably the farthest thing from the truth. My mom cares more about me then probably any other parent does with there child but she grew up in a household that she doesn't like to discuss with me and I guess that kinda leans into why she's so chill with me.

My mother has always been pretty—actually beautiful. And I wasn't. I was always a little chubby so I didn't look perfect in dresses or bathing suits. I had dirty blonde hair. It wasn't light enough to be called blonde but it wasn't dark enough to be called brown. And I had a gap in between my two front teeth which I had to get braces to fix.

The last time anybody saw me back at OBX I was chubby, had almost brown hair, and had braces.
I don't look anything like that anymore

"I thought you came here to help me pack"
Ava sat up and groaned. "Fine i'll help. Here's a tip, don't bring that speedo."
I looked down at the one piece bathing suit in my hand then back at her.
"it doesn't do a thing for your new boobs" She told me as she laid back down.
I laughed and rolled my eyes. "it's not a speedo"

"i'm just saying Hales, you need to pack cute things" Ava shrugged.
"Well I always buy a new suit when I get there"
"Okay so buy one that doesn't look like you're trying out for the swim team"
I scoffed and started laughing. "What?!"
"That looks like you are trying out for the swim team!" Ava told me as she started laughing.

I put the bathing suit in my suit case and shook my head. "It does not"
"Whatever, you just need to pack—or buy stuff that shows off your new body. You're smoken hot now" Ava explained.
I laughed and zipped up my suit case. "You're crazy"
"No you're crazy for not wanting to show off your body. I mean come on, wouldn't JJ love it if you did"
I widened my eyes at her. "Ava!"

"What?! I'm just saying!" She defended.
"Kat, we're leaving in 10 minutes!" My mom shouted from her bedroom.
I stood up and walked over to my bed. "10 minutes."
Ava nodded her head. "yes, 10 minutes"
I sat down next to her and she smiled.

"Okay, before you leave you have to tell me your summer wish—what you want to happen this summer" Ava told me.
I thought about it for a second and only one thing could come to mind.
I shook my head and shrugged. "I don't know"
Ava laughed a little bit. "You lair!! You want a hot make out with JJ Maybank!"
I laughed and shook my head.
"You want his tongue in your mouth you little lair!" Ava continued.
"Okay stop!" I laughed as I pushed her down.
She sighed as she sat up. "I'm just saying. You've been in love with him since you were 12... you gotta shit or get off the pot"

I smiled. "A—that's disgusting and B—it doesn't matter what I do... he doesn't see me that way"
"Oh he'll see you, if he wants to or not. You look a lot different than you did last summer, Haley."
I shrugged my shoulders and stood up. "I don't know Ava..."
"Come on Hales! You're skinny you have boobs your hair is black. You're beautiful. There is no way he won't see that too"

Soon later I said my goodbyes to Ava and put my bags and myself in the car.
I always loved that moment. That drive.
It was going home after being away for a long long time. It was refreshing.

Me and my mom always made it a girls trip—the drive down to The Outer Banks.
We would blast music in the car and have deep conversations about the most random things.

When I was little it was nice to know that my mom was just a few minutes away. That all I had to do was have my dad drive me over to the Cameron's and I could see her, but it wasn't like that anymore. It was more like a burden than anything else. I felt like I couldn't do anything fun for the whole summer because there was always a chance that she would see me.
But that time it was different. Everything was.

It was around a 10 hour drive. Once we got to The Outer Banks we went to the Cameron's house like we usually would do. My mom was only staying for a couple of weeks that time so she didn't have as much. It was easy to un pack.
I said hi to Rose. She was always really nice. Sarah and Rafe both weren't home. Sarah was with Topper and Rose had no clue where Rafe was. I always looked forward to seeing Sarah so that kinda dampened my mood. I was glad Rafe wasn't there.
Then it was time to go to my dad's house.

The drive there was the same. I had the window down like I usually did and the air smelt the same. Like it had been waiting for me to get there.

Then I was there.

"You ready to go in?" My mom asked.
I smiled and took in a deep breath then nodded my head. "Yeah"
I didn't know what to expect. I knew that John B was going to be acting weird and I had never been the best with emotions so I had no clue what to do.
And then seeing the boys and Kiara.
My heart felt like it was going to drop out of my ass.

We both got out the car and my mom went to the trunk to get all of my stuff.
I just admired the house. Looking at every detail of it. I missed it so much.
Then I saw Pope walk out and my face lit up.
Once he saw me he smiled. "Look who came back all grown up?!"
A huge grin formed on my face. "Hey!"
He ran over to me—picking me up and hugging me. I rapped my arms around his neck, hugging him back as tight as I could.

Me and Pope had always been close. When my brother and JJ wouldn't hang out with me because I was "too young" Pope would.
He was always there for me and I could count on him no matter what.

Then I heard another voice.
"Hey sis"
John B.
Pope put me down and John B was walking out of the house smiling. "I missed you"
"I missed you too" I walked over to him and gave him a hug, it lasted a while. Longest hug I think he ever gave me. Then he pulled away.
"wanna say hi to Tori?" I asked.
My mother's name was Victoria but everyone always called her Tori.
He looked over at where my mother was. She was on the phone with somebody.
John B shook his head. "Nah, she's on the phone"