The Lines We've Crossed

SIXTEEN

Heather, Kiara, and Sarah were enjoying a rare day out together, relishing the chance to catch up and indulge in some girl time. Their morning began with a shopping spree at WhatNot, where they sifted through racks of clothes, laughing over fashion faux pas and new trends. Afterward, they stopped for coffee at a quaint café and treated themselves to acai bowls and yogurt parfaits at the Outer Banks outlets, savoring the refreshing flavors as they strolled along the boardwalk.

As they made their way through the shops, Kiara's phone buzzed with a new notification. She glanced at it and smiled, her eyes lighting up with excitement.

"Hey, guys, there's a beach cleanup later," Kiara announced. "Why don't we go?"

Sarah's eyes widened with enthusiasm. "Oh, I'm totally down! I've been wanting to do something good for Mother Earth."

Kiara nodded, showing them the details on her phone. "Topper and Kelce are already heading over there. We should join them!"

The three friends exchanged excited glances and quickly gathered their things, heading to the beach for the cleanup event. The sun was bright and warm as they arrived, joining the crowd of volunteers armed with trash bags and gloves. It wasn't long before Kelce and Topper spotted them and made their way over, each carrying a cooler.

"Hey, ladies," Kelce greeted, offering them a bottle from the cooler. "Want to hydrate?"

Grateful for the offer, Heather, Kiara, and Sarah each took a sip. Almost immediately, they coughed, the harshness of the drink making their faces scrunch up.

"When we say hydrate, that means water, not Crystal Light and vodka!" Kiara exclaimed, laughing despite the surprise.

Heather and Sarah joined in the laughter, finding the situation amusing. "You know what," Heather said with a mischievous grin, "let's have some fun." She took another sip of the drink, feeling a buzz from the mix of flavors.

The mood shifted to a more carefree atmosphere as the group started to play an impromptu game of basketball with the filled trash bags. The beach cleanup turned into a lively event, with trash bags being tossed and everyone laughing as they ran around. Wheezie, who had joined in, managed to snag a jug of the infamous drink and took a sip.

"Oh boy!" Kiara exclaimed, seeing Wheezie's reaction. "Kelce, good job. Wheezie, be careful!"

The afternoon continued with the group having a blast, but as the sun began to set, it became clear that the drinks had taken their toll. Later that evening, at Sarah's house, Heather and Sarah accompanied Wheezie to the bathroom, where she was hunched over the toilet bowl, clearly having overdone it.

"Now, what did we learn?" Sarah asked, trying to sound stern but with a hint of amusement.

Wheezie, barely able to respond, managed to mumble, "Never mix vodka with Crystal Light..." before she heaved again.

Heather chuckled softly, patting Wheezie's back. "Okay, lesson learned."

"Don't tell Dad," Wheezie pleaded, her voice barely above a whisper.

Sarah raised an eyebrow. "I won't tell Dad, if you cover for me."

Wheezie looked at her sister with a mixture of confusion and concern. "Cover for what?"

Sarah grinned mischievously. "Topper's throwing a party tonight."

Wheezie rolled her eyes but couldn't hide her curiosity. "Fine. I'll cover for you."

"Thank you, thank you!" Sarah said with a relieved smile, giving Wheezie a quick hug.

As Sarah and Heather helped Wheezie settle down and recover, they couldn't help but feel a sense of camaraderie and relief. Despite the unexpected turn of events, their friendship had only deepened, and they were ready to face the rest of the evening with a sense of adventure and mischief, knowing that their bond would see them through whatever came next.