This is Me Trying ⭑ Rafe Cameron

forty six

CHAPTER FORTY SIX
[46]
song: if i get high by nothing but thieves

It had been weeks since the Enduro.

Cassie had been picking up shifts at the marina, docking boats and cleaning them like she used to before any of this.

The pay was bad. The tips were great. The clientele was awful... The tips were great.

And she put every last cent into a box under her bed. Labeled it 'Do Not Touch - Girl Stuff' and hoped that would steer anyone who got too curious away.

She was gonna pay back Barracuda Mike. She had no choice.

And it took time away from Poguelandia. But the tips weren't so great there. Actually, they were pretty non-existent, and all of the money she did make went into their joint account.

But working again wasn't too bad. It kept her distracted, and when she worked with other people, they tended to dump all their problems onto her and Cassie could just sit and listen.

Sofia worked at the bar across from the marina. Most days, Cassie grabbed lunch or dinner with her, which kept her even more distracted.

They spent their time gossiping over every meal, about Topper, Rafe, Ruthie. All of the Kooks that seemed like they'd turned their delusion up to its max level lately.

Sofia stayed out of it, mostly. It was usually Cassie who caught her up on everything. But it was nice to have someone like her to talk to.

Someone she didn't live with, someone who kept out of the fray. It kept her level-headed.

Cassie returned home after a long shift. Her feet sore, her hair barely hanging on in its claw clip. Her baby pink nail polish chipped, and her back aching to just sit down on the couch.

When she got to the house, she expected to see someone manning the shop. At least one person had to always be there. JJ and John B were usually out doing charters, so she knew they'd be gone, but it was completely empty.

Confused, Cassie unlocked the door with her key, got inside and dropped her bag at her feet. Too tired to even hang it up.

But immediately after walking in, the house was filled with a frantic, loud chatter.

"What the hell?!"

"How did they get all this information?"

"I look insane in that!"

"Are we famous now?!"

"Who sent them that picture?!"

Cassie took a sip from the watered-down iced latte in her hands as she came around the corner into the living room, following the voices.

Everyone was huddled around Kiara on the couch, all trying to get a better look at her screen.

"Get in here!" Pope gestured Cassie on excitedly. "Listen, listen—"

"The extraordinary discovery made by the young adventurers has validated the existence of the City of Gold?!" Kiara read from her computer.