Grace was sat on the couch, guitar in hand, notebook open, and hot chocolate long forgotten. The rain and wind pounding against the Chateau's thin walls. She was dead set on figuring out the lyrics she wanted for this song she had been writing.
JJ had left an hour or so ago in order to make sure his house was secure before the hurricane hit. He promised he would be back before the worst of the storm began. That left her alone with her thoughts and in need of an outlet to channel them.
She was pretty good at love songs about fleeting glances, hallway crushes, and perfect romances she created in her somewhat delusional head. She could even write breakup songs about star-crossed lovers or affairs and drama.
She had been able to branch out of her delusions into reality when she had been in a relationship a couple months ago.
Her and Topper Thornton, the Kook prince, had dated for about 3 months before he broke up with her over a short phone call with essentially no explanation. Looking back he was a total douche. He's the type of guy all her friends would (and do) make fun of for good reason. He drives a pristine car, wears button ups daily, has a golf membership and whines when he isn't allowed his monthly allowance. That didn't stop her from being heartbroken. It was her first real relationship after all.
Looking back, she isn't really sure why she went out with him in the first place. They had met at one of the Cameron family functions she was required to go to. She would totally skip out on it but Ward Cameron was the one paying her and her stepdad's bills and she couldn't risk him cutting it off. As much as she hates to admit it, dating Topper was really just a cry for approval from her father.
Grace grew up going back and forth between her mom and dad's houses, however, that came to an end once she turned thirteen and came to the brutal realization that it was all for show.
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It was Christmas morning. Grace had just finished opening her gifts from her mom. One of which was the guitar that remained by her side ever since that day. Her mom had gotten her packed up and into the car despite her protests. All Grace wanted to do was stay at home, fiddle around, and play guitar.
Despite her pleading, she ended up being half an hour early to her dad's house. Grace opened the door and followed her half-sibling's excited voices to the living room. There she saw them gathered around without her, opening presents far grander than her father had ever given her.
It wasn't the cost of the presents that upset her, it was the fact that it had remained a secret from her for god knows how many years. She had always felt like an outcast at Tanny Hill. She was the result of Ward Cameron having an affair. Her half-siblings had lived together since birth unlike her coming and going, and Ward's smiles had always seemed forced and faked whenever she was around.
That day, she walked all the way home crying and flopped down onto her bed. Soon after, JJ had knocked on her door excited to wish her a Merry Christmas and give her the cookies he spent the full previous day perfecting, only to find her heartbroken. They sat together, ate cookies, watched Star Wars and she cried into his arms until she couldn't cry any longer.
She hasn't spend another night at Tanny Hill since.
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Grace picked up her pen, grabbed her notebook and began to write.
Writers block finally cleared, her pen flew across the page barely able to keep up with her thoughts.
YOU ARE READING
𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞 - JJ Maybank
FanficGrace Cameron was a Pogue. Always has been. Sure her dad and half-siblings were the Kookiest a Kook could get but her mom had grown up on the Cut so she did too. Her friend group vowed to have a good time all the time but when a boat goes down in th...
