MECHANIC | Rafe Cameron - JJ Maybank - Outerbanks

8 - taste of laughter

Anastasia's feet carried her upstairs. The pogues immediately walked up to her, asking where she had been, what happened. Her answer was short. "We need to leave".

"Thank god", Pope sighed, relieved that tonight finally found an end and most importantly a peaceful end.
No one knew what happened downstairs. Anastasia wouldn't have told them either.

The only thing Anastasia needed was to get away, drown her feelings because right now the emotions were drowning her. Killing her. Slowly making her suffocate.

"Man, I'm not even drunk enough", JJ sighed, following Anastasia - John B was walking next to her. He was worried about Anastasia. He didn't know this version of her; this look on her face. She was hiding something, something that clearly bothered her. John B wanted to help her.

"Me neither, J".
Anastasia's head whipped around, facing JJ. Her eyes twinkled viciously and he knew that the girl in front of him was trouble; that this wasn't the end of tonight - this was just the beginning.

Her feet carried her around the corner of the bar and within seconds her small hand was holding a bottle of tequila. A grin formed on JJs lips. Tonight was going to be fun.

Once the five friends were all safely settled in the Twinkie, Pope and Kiara both eyed the bottle of Tequila in Anastasias hand. Pope spoke up:"Do you really want to empty that entire bottle of liquor? Because guys I'm out".

"Come on Pope! Why?", JJ frowned.

"I have to work, JJ. Or my dad is literally going to kill me", Pope answered and faced Anastasia once again, waiting for an answer.

"No Pope", Anastasia answered and her lips curled up into a grin,"We want to empty two bottles of Tequila". Her voice was still soft, yet you could tell that she had been drinking. Even though Kiara was looking even worse. After all that dancing she was basically falling asleep on Popes shoulder. Cute.

"Wait, what?!", Pope gasped,"You took two?!".

"Yeah", Anastasia unbothered, the smirk still lingering on her lips as she pulled the second bottle from underneath JJs hoodie.

"That is great!".

"JJ", Pope sighed, but decided to stop talking. John B was going to drop him off and he should let his friends drink if they felt like it.

"Guys", Kiaras voice was barely a whisper,"I'd looove to drink with you, but I'm already drunk".

"Oh don't worry Kie", Anastasia whispered back, admiring her friends face resting on Popes shoulder,"We'll listen to Taylor Swift and drink another time".

"That's great", Kiara smiled tired.

-

John B, JJ and Anastasia arrived at the Chateau. JJ decided to prepare the porch - he lit the candles, brought blankets and even some pillows.
John B and Anastasia quickly headed into the kitchen to grab some snacks and glasses. Ana even found some lemons and cut them.

"Are you okay, Ana?". John Bs voice was soft and comforting. He didn't need to say anything else, Anastasia knew what he referred to - he wanted to know what happened in the basement.

But she couldn't tell him about Rafe. Because that talk would need more than just two bottles of Tequila. She wasn't ready.
"Of course", Anastasia lied with a picture perfect smile.

"I don't believe you", John B answered, looking right into her eyes once he handed Anastasia the glasses.

"We need three glasses, John B", Anastasia distracted John B to stop him from talking about the party.