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"Welcome to the Outer Banks, Cleo." Pope says as they walk onto the dock
"You're crazy, Pope. Your parents are not going to appreciate me shacking up."
"Of course they will. Are you kidding?" He says, "Heyward might put you to work, but we could always use the help."
"I don't know, man. You sure?"
"Yeah, look, he might squawk a little bit, but let me talk to him. We'll figure it out."
•••
"This is me." Kie sighs opening the gate, "Home sweet home."
"Damn, Kiara. You live here?" Cleo gasps, "This is like the White House, man."
"How bad you think it's gonna be?" Pope asks
"Scale of one to ten?" Kie says turning to them, "Twenty."
"Do you want us to wait?" Estrella asks
"No, I... I gotta take this. Thanks for walking me." Kie says. As she walks up the steps, Kie turns back to Charlotte, "Bye, Char."
"Bye." She says softly. Kie smiles to her before continuing up the steps.
When Kie makes it into the house, the other teens turn back to the gate. Pope shuts the gate behind him with a sigh, "Who's next?"
"My house is all the way that way. I don't want you guys making any more stops than you have to." Estrella points
"We don't mind." Cleo shrugs
"I don't even know how my mom is gonna react to seeing me, so it's probably best that I go alone anyway." Estrella says, "I'm sorry, Charlotte. I don't think I'll be able to convince my mom to let you stay. I don't think she'd let me stay."
"No, it's okay. Don't worry about it." Charlotte smiles shaking her head
"You can come with us." Pope says
"Are you sure?" Charlotte stammers
"Yeah." Pope says, "And if your mom gives you shit, come to Heyward's, Estrella."
"Got it." She says turning the other way
"I mean it." Pope calls out
"Okay." Estrella chuckles, "Bye guys."
"Bye." They call out
Estrella noticed JJ hadn't followed Pope and had actually started making his way toward her. The girl frowns, "What are you doing?"
