Always you

Chapter 11

The sea stretched endlessly, shimmering under the afternoon sun as the girls lounged on the deck of the Camerons' yacht, the gentle lapping of waves creating a peaceful rhythm. Sasha reclined on one of the deck chairs, eyes closed and face tilted to the sun. The warmth seeped into her skin, relaxing her and melting away the lingering thoughts of the past few days. Layla, Sarah, and Kiara sprawled nearby, equally blissed out in the summer sun, chatting and laughing easily as they sipped on iced drinks.

Sasha loved how effortlessly these girls had welcomed her. Layla had her signature sunglasses perched on her nose, her long legs stretched out, and her laugh echoed over the water. Sarah, ever the social one, leaned against her and kept the conversation lively with stories and teasing. Kiara, who had only recently joined the group, had a grounded calmness about her, balanced with a feisty streak that shone through her witty comebacks.

After a while, the girls decided to gather at the round table under the shaded part of the deck to cool off and chat. Sarah poured more drinks, while Kiara passed around snacks, and they settled into their seats. They slipped into easy conversation, the kind that only seemed to happen under an open sky on a warm, lazy day. Sasha felt a pleasant buzz, the ocean breeze making everything feel like a sun-soaked dream.

"So, Sasha," Layla began, stretching luxuriously, "it must feel like a whirlwind, right? Coming back here and falling right into the middle of our lives."

Sasha laughed, shaking her head. "You could say that. But you guys have made it so easy for me to fit right in. I didn't expect it, honestly."

Sarah grinned, nudging her playfully. "Of course! You're family. We'd never let you feel like an outsider."

As the conversation drifted toward memories of past summers, the stories grew more animated. Layla shared tales of their crazy beach adventures and spontaneous road trips, while Kiara threw in the occasional sarcastic remark that had them all laughing. The sun continued its gentle arc across the sky, and they spoke in that relaxed, meandering way that comes with trust.

Eventually, Sarah's expression turned thoughtful, her gaze shifting toward the horizon as she spoke. "You know, it's nice having things feel so normal again. I mean, the last couple of years have been... a lot, especially with everything that went down with Rafe."

The atmosphere shifted subtly. Sasha noticed a flicker of tension in the way Sarah's lips pressed together, and she could see Layla exchange a glance with Kiara, as if they were bracing themselves for something unsaid.

"What happened with Rafe?" Sasha asked carefully, her curiosity piqued despite herself.

Sarah took a breath, as if weighing her words. "It's kind of a complicated story," she began. "A couple of summers ago, before Rafe left for college, he got mixed up with... let's just say, the wrong people."

Layla leaned forward, crossing her arms. "Some drug dealers had come into the picture. They were bad news—real bad. Rafe was young and trying to figure things out. He was kind of on a reckless path back then."

Kiara nodded, her expression serious. "He didn't tell us much at the time, but we all knew something was wrong. He'd been hanging out with these guys for a while, and then, out of nowhere, he was in over his head. These people started making threats."

Sasha's heart skipped a beat. "Threats? Like, to his family?"

Sarah nodded, her eyes shadowed. "They said they'd come after all of us if he didn't pay them back or find some way to keep them happy. They wanted control, money—whatever they could squeeze out of him. They knew dad and they wanted everything drained out. The funny thing is, dad didn't even know all of this was happening."