Stairways | A Surviving Summer FanFiction

Part 52 - Alliance

"Pops, what are you doing?!" Bodhi hisses, but Poppy throws her a dismissive look before going straight to Griff's side. Their hands are nearly touching as they stand side by side, forming an alliance.

"Poppy invited us," Griff says, shrugging. "I didn't think it would be a big deal."

"We can put our differences aside for one night, right Bodhs?" Poppy says, and her friend hesitates. You can't believe Poppy's putting her on the spot in front of all these people, on her birthday of all days.

Bodhi eventually appears to give in, probably for the sake of an amicable evening. "Why not?" she offers, and someone switches the music back on. But the atmosphere is weird - people have stopped dancing, and there's about fifty eyes all trained on the party crashers as they make their way into the party. Poppy doesn't leave Griff's side as they take a seat next to the campfire. When did those two get so close? And why on earth would she invite them?

"What are they doing here?" Ari asks you, and you shrug.

"Oh, c'mon guys. Can't we just have a little fun? For one night?" Poppy says, noticing the three of you watching her and Griff intently.

"We can have fun without them. Why would you do this?" Bodhi hisses. Her previous relaxed demeanour about the crashers must have just been for show in front of the rest of the guests - you don't blame her for being angry. She then sighs exasperatedly as she glances around at the awkwardly silent crowd of party-goers, all watching the scene play out in front of them. You don't blame Bodhi when she turns on her heel and makes her way inside with a huff.

The other Anchor Coves, including your brother, walk forward slowly. The atmosphere is strange though, as if all the fun had been sucked out by the crashers.

Poppy doesn't leave Griff' side - what the hell is going on between them?

You and Ari hang back at the bar, seemingly the only two in the group not caught up in all this drama. But when Marlon makes his way towards you, a nervous look on his face, you're reminded that you've barely spoken to him since Stairway.

"Hey." He nods to you both as you realise he's only come over to get a drink. Classic Marlon. Can't swallow his pride and fix things himself, even if it means being within two feet of you just so he can get himself a drink.

You watch as he grabs a bottle of something strong and irresponsibly pours himself a cup - a large one made for lemonade or Coca Cola, not alcohol.

"Maybe you should just drink from the bottle." You mutter, turning slightly and making to get the hell away from him.

"Maybe you should mind your own business, Y/n." He remarks, not even looking at you as he tips the cup back, basically swallowing the whole drink in one.

"What is wrong with you?!" You exclaim, suddenly unable to hold your anger back, which is multiplied by a hundred when your brother does nothing but shrug. "You haven't spoken to me for days and then you show up here and crash Bodhi's party! Don't you care about her at all anymore?!"

"We didn't crash. We were invited." He says simply.

"By Poppy? Didn't you think that was weird in the slightest?" You reply.

"I thought Bodhi would be cool." He shrugs with an unbothered glance at his teammates.

"Well she's not. So leave."

He sighs. "C'mon. We both know this isn't about Bodhi."

What's it about then?"

He shrugs, continuing to drink nonchalantly.

"I'm trying to fix things with you! Just tell me why you're not talking to me!" You exclaim, as Marlon looks around the party, unbothered. His lack of care is making you so mad as he continues to sip his drink. "Marlon!" You try to get his attention when it seems like he's had enough. He slams his drink down on the counter and takes a step towards you.