ᴘᴀʀᴀᴅɪꜱᴇ | ᴏᴜᴛᴇʀ ʙᴀɴᴋꜱ

Thirteen

After a while, the boat began to get hot fast. John B even took off his shirt and we all removed the extra clothing we had on.

"Oh my god," Sarah commented. I threw my head back in frustration and annoyance.

"What is the hottest you've ever been?" She asked us. "Right now." We said in sync.

"Same."She laughed fanning herself. "Do you...I don't know what to play a game?"

"No, I don't-"

"Cool. So there's this game my sister and I play. It's called truth or dare except there's no dare." She said.

"So truth or truth?" I laughed and she laughed and nodded. "Yeah, exactly that."

"Do you guys wanna play truth?" She asked. "Sure," John B said and she looked at me and I shrugged.

"So you get first question." She told John b. "Why did you kill Dimitri?" He said in a russian accent.

"Oh, that is too easy. Dimitri, he- he knew too much. He was compromised." She continued in an accent.

"Yes, you know, we all know too much, eventually." He said. "My turn,"

"What did you see in the painting?" She asked. John B and I both sighed. I knew this is where the questions would led to. Her asking about anything related to the treasure.

"Look, I can't tell you okay?" He said. "Why?" She asked,

"Because it's for your own safety." He informed her. "Okay but something made you want to go to the archives, obviously."

"Look, somebody who was supposed to be dead wasn't, all right?" He said to her and looked at me.

I furrowed my eyebrows at another hint.

"Like your dad?" She asked him. "Yeah. Okay. You know what?"

"I'm sorry-"

"It's fine." He said sighing. "Not it's not. I am such an idiot. That was a really lame thing to say."

"Yeah it was." I commented with my eyes closed leaning against a poll.

"I can't imagine losing my dad." She said. "My entire family would fall apart without him."

"Everybody thinks he's this really rich guy, but he's from the cut, like you." She said. "And he's busted his ass for everything we have."

I opened my eyes and traced my fingers over the bruise around my wrist. "You appreciate him." John B commented.

"What about you Sage?" I raised my head and looked up at her. "You're one of the most mysterious person in the OBX and you're a kook yet no one really knows about you."

John B raised his head and looked at me. "Well there isn't much to know." I said shutting down her question before more could come.

"Okay so you know how whales make those deep noises." John b said. "It's like a...unnn" He said imitating whale sounds making us laugh.

"Yeah?" Sarah said. "It's how other whales hear each other across the ocean and I know this sounds really weird, but, uh..." He stopped.

"I can hear him calling to me...like he needs my help. But I can't let feelings interfere with the mission."

"No, no comrade." Sarah said in a russian accent. "Aye enough of this bullshit man, get some sleep." I added in an accent making them laugh.

•••

"Ok guys go go go!" Sarah shouted to us as we got off the boat running from a foreign man that scolded us.

"Excuse me!" Sarah shouted as we ran through the crowds of people. "Comin in hot!" John b added.

"Sorry!" I shouted as I ran past an elderly couple. Once we got through we laughed and caught our breaths.

"Here's your shoe." John b handed Sarah her shoe. "Thanks" We laughed.

"Oh my god, we're disgusting." She commented looking at us.

Sarah's white pants were now covered in dirt and John b and I's clothes were also becoming bad.

"We will not get into the archives looking like this." She said. "Why not?" John b asked and I looked at him stupidly.

"I promise you, they will not let us in looking like we crawled out of a swamp." She said,

"Ok fine." We walked around the streets looking for boutiques.

"Hey what about this store?" She asked. "Absolutely not." John B said.

"Whoa, Sancho. I think we've arrived." We walked into the store and John b whined every step.

"I don't think you understand, this is like an organ with the wrong blood type. It doesn't work." He said making me smack him to be quiet as people eyed us weirdly. "What i'm serious?"

"You are the single most dramatic person I've ever met." Sarah said. "No i'm not." He defended.

"Oh but you are." I said looking through clothes. "God have you seen this shirt?"

"Holy shit." I muttered with wide eyes. "It's $190!"

"Yeah, don't worry. I'll sugar mama you both." She said making me snort. "Sugar mama?"

"I don't think you understand. I don't want anything from here." John b said and I couldn't help but agree.

"He's right. This is too much even coming from me." I said holding up a $270 pair of high heels in disbelief.

"Can I help you?" The store clerk said walking up to us. "Yes. Yes you may, Mr..."

"Mr. Ike." He said shaking Sarah's hand.