: ̗̀➛ 𝐈𝐍 𝐖𝐇𝐈𝐂𝐇 Victoria Miller's world is upended when she learns her life as the Pogue Princess is over. No longer surrounded by her group of friends, she's forced to adjust to a new, unfamiliar reality as a Kook. After a year of her not so...
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JJ WHISTLED AT THE VIEW of the motel. Clothes were scattered across the area, torn and abandoned, a chaotic mess of fabric caught in the wreckage. Trees had crashed to the ground, their splintered trunks strewn over boats, causing significant damage. Even the sign that once proudly marked the location was now missing, probably torn away in the storm. The walls of the motel were covered in green stains, likely the remnants of floodwaters, making the entire place look abandoned and decayed.
"I thought the Château looked bad," John B remarked, surveying the scene with a grimace.
"This place is a shitshow," Victoria added, wrinkling her nose as she scanned the dirty water, which was littered with plastic bottles and debris.
"Motel or meth lab?" Kiara joked, her face contorting with disgust as she took in the surrounding mess.
The damages only seemed to reinforce the reputation of the place. John B knew this motel well—it was never in great condition to begin with, and now, it was worse than ever. "Doesn't look like a place somebody with a Grady-White stays," he commented, his voice tinged with disbelief.
"No," Pope agreed, narrowing his eyes at the wreckage. "Looks like a place someone with a Grady-White would get killed."
The boat was getting closer to shore, and everyone fell silent for a moment, letting the gravity of the situation settle in. They were about to step into the mess of a place that might hold the answers they were looking for.
"All right, here we go," JJ said with a grin, picking up a rope from the bottom of the boat and preparing to tie it to the dock. He dramatically imitated a walkie-talkie, his voice booming in a mock-serious tone. "This is your captain speaking, HMS Pogue comin' in for landing!"
With that, he leapt off the boat, a whoop of excitement escaping him as he landed with a splash on the dock, securing the boat to a piece of wood that was stuck in the ground.
John B followed him, stepping onto the shore. "Here goes nothing," he said, his tone matching the unease that had been building in the pit of his stomach.
Pope turned to Victoria, a serious look on his face. "Go with them," he said firmly, gesturing toward the two boys already moving ahead.
Victoria and JJ exchanged confused glances. Before she could protest, JJ crossed his arms, blocking her way. "What? She's not coming with us," he argued, his voice defensive.
