9 - Running On Empty

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Morning crept in slow and hazy, the kind of humid outer banks morning that clings to your skin before you even fully wake up

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Morning crept in slow and hazy, the kind of humid outer banks morning that clings to your skin before you even fully wake up. We were all standing at the dock, restless, nerves buzzing under our skin as we waited for kie and pope. The second the boat nose into slip, we rushed toward them like we'd been holding our breath all night.

"Finally. Hey!" I yelled, relief flooding through me.

"Guys don't tie up. Stop it!" JJ said urgently.

"What?" Kie blinked.

"We're dipping" JJ says

"Wait why?" Pope asks

"What? What are you talking about?" Kie adds

"Where'd you guys go? What happened last night?" John B asks

"We slept on the break. What's up?" Pope shrugs innocently.

"Slept right. Yeah" JJ laughs under his breath.

"We were up all night" I said, heat still lingering in my chest from everything that happened.

"We gotta get the hell out of here" John B says

"Rafe knows we're here so we have to leave like now" Sarah adds, tension twisting through her voice.

"Okay" Kie says quickly.

"Come on" Pope nods.

We load into the boat and cut out into the marsh, letting the tall grass swallow us whole.

"Look if Rafe and Barry know it's only a matter of time-" Kie says

"-Before everyone knows" Pope added

"I told you. We should've gone south man." JJ scoffed

"Just stop it" John B mutters

"Why does no one ever listen?" JJ says

"I get it. I get it. I understand"  John B says, voice tight.

I step forward, feeling the words push at my chest.
"I have an idea. With me back, my dad's going to have to choose between Sarah and I or Rafe." I said

"Stella, Star..." John B starts gently, wordy already filling his eyes.

"He's gonna choose us" I say, more to convince myself than them.

"Just please listen. Ward keeps lying to you, Star" John B says

"Stel he's not gonna agree after all that's happened" Kie tells me carefully.

"No. I... I know it sounds crazy" I say

"Yeah it does." Kie nods

"I know! But he's my dad. And I know him, and I know he loves me, loves us. I'm just asking for two hours." I said, my voice cracks, and I turn away.

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