The Lines We've Crossed

NINE

The morning sun was high by the time I finally left the Cameron house, the lingering warmth from the night before making me feel lighter than I had in days. The air still carried the scent of wet earth, and the occasional gust of wind reminded me that the hurricane had only just passed. With a quick glance at my phone to check the time, I hopped on my bike and headed to the first stop of the day: John B's chateau.

The roads were littered with fallen branches and leaves, but the damage wasn't as bad as I'd feared. When I pulled up to the chateau, I found John B and JJ already outside, picking up debris that had scattered across the yard. The HMS Pogue bobbed in the water nearby, looking none the worse for wear despite the storm.

"Hey, Heather!" JJ called out as I approached. "Glad to see you survived the hurricane!"

"Same to you," I replied with a grin. "How bad was it out here?"

John B wiped his brow and leaned on his rake. "Could've been worse. Just some branches down, and a lot of leaves everywhere. But honestly, considering how many trees surround this place, we got lucky."

"Yeah, those could've easily come crashing down on the house," JJ added, looking up at the towering oaks. "But the old chateau held its ground."

We chatted for a bit, catching up on the night's events. JJ, always one for excitement, suggested we take the HMS Pogue out to check on Pope and his family next. With nothing else pressing to do, it seemed like a good idea. We piled into the boat and set off, the water calm under the midday sun.

Pope's place was our next stop. The Haywards' shop, always neat and tidy, had a few items knocked over and some dirt blown in from the storm, but overall, it looked like they'd weathered the hurricane well. Pope was outside with his parents, helping to clean up the last of the mess when we arrived.

"Hey, Pope! How'd you guys do?" I called out as we docked.

Pope waved us over, a relieved smile on his face. "We're good, just a bit of cleanup. The shop took a little hit, but nothing we can't fix."

"Good to hear," John B said, slapping Pope on the back. "We're making the rounds, making sure everyone's okay."

"Appreciate it," Pope replied, setting down the broom he'd been using. "What's next?"

"Well," JJ said, leaning against the boat with a smirk, "we thought we'd grab Kiara and then maybe head out for some fishing. The hurricane probably pushed a lot of trout into the marsh."

Pope's eyebrows raised. "Kiara? Good luck with that. Her parents have her on lockdown, helping them clean up The Wreck."

"Leave that to me," I said with a confident grin. "I've got an idea."

We set off again, this time heading towards The Wreck. Kiara's parents were known for being strict, especially when it came to letting Kiara out after something like a hurricane. But I was determined. When we arrived, the restaurant was bustling with activity as her parents directed the cleanup.

I approached Mrs. Carrera, who was busy sweeping the entrance. "Mrs. Carrera, hi! I was wondering if I could borrow Kiara for a bit. We're planning to help protect some field mice from the birds—they've been scattered everywhere after the storm."

Mrs. Carrera paused, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. "Field mice?"

I nodded earnestly. "Yeah, you know how displaced they get after something like this. Sarah and I were hoping Kiara could help us out."

Kiara's mom, a fan of Disney's *Cinderella*, couldn't resist the thought of helping the little creatures. Her stern expression softened as she sighed, "Alright, but bring her back before dark. There's still a lot to do here."

"Thank you, Mrs. Carrera!" I said, flashing her a grateful smile.

I found Kiara inside, already sweating from the work. When I told her the plan, she grinned and grabbed her things, eager to join the group. Together, we headed back to the HMS Pogue, where the boys were waiting.

As we pushed off into the marsh, the sun was shining brightly, the water sparkling in its light. The boys immediately got to work, casting lines and settling in for what they hoped would be a fruitful fishing trip. Kiara and I, however, had other plans. We spread out towels on the deck, hoping to soak up some sun while they fished.

JJ, of course, couldn't resist causing trouble. Every now and then, he'd catch a fish and sneakily drop it near us, watching with glee as we screamed and jumped up to avoid the slippery creatures.

"JJ!" Kiara yelled, trying to sound angry but failing to hide her laughter. "If you drop one more fish near us, I swear—"

"Sorry, couldn't hear you over the sound of how awesome I am at fishing," JJ quipped, grinning mischievously.

Annoyed and bored, Kiara turned to me with a sigh. "Guys, I understand you enjoy fishing. But we're bored."

Pope, ever the peacemaker, glanced over at us. "We're just about done."

"Then what can we do after this?" JJ asked, still half-focused on his fishing rod.

I exchanged a look with Kiara, a smirk tugging at the corners of my mouth. "Want to throw a party?" I suggested.

The boys groaned, but JJ's interest was piqued. "Where?"

"The Boneyard," I said casually, as if it were the most obvious choice in the world.

JJ's face lit up. "Wooh! Let's throw an after Hurricane Kegger!"

John B and Pope exchanged looks, but soon enough, the excitement spread through the group. The idea of a party after surviving the storm was too good to pass up.

As we headed back to John B's chateau, the conversation was filled with plans for the party. Who to invite, what to bring, how to make it epic. When John B asked who was going to spread the word, all eyes turned to me.

"The popular one here," JJ said with a teasing grin.

I placed my hand on my chest, pretending to be flattered. "Thanks for the title, JJ."

With that, I whipped out my phone and started drafting a post on all my socials. I made sure to emphasize the location, the time, and of course, the all-important BYOB. With a final flourish, I hit "post" and leaned back, already feeling the buzz of anticipation.

The storm was behind us, and what better way to celebrate than with a party that would go down in history? The Pogues were back in action, and the Boneyard would soon be the place to be.