WIPEOUT ━ John B. Routledge

chapter three

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(gabriela's pov)

THE BON FIRE WAS blazing in front of my eyes, the orange-yellow flames dancing about above the wood. They cast a bright glow over the sands of the Boneyard. A crowd had formed on the beach as the party raged on. Kooks, Pogues, and Tourons talking amongst their own groups. Well, I did see some Tourons mingling with some welcoming Pogues. John B being one of them, earlier he sat on a tree branch conversing with a pretty blonde who was in the Outer Banks for vacation.

I forced a smile at a joke a nearby Pogue made. A group of us were sitting on the driftwood around the fire. I was feeling off, and the cool beer from the keger surprisingly wasn't helping. The anxious feeling in my core only got worse as I drank. Brushing it off, I quickly downed the last of my second drink. I looked down at the white sand resting on my shorts and sandals, the particles stuck between my tanned toes. Although it was irritating, living on the beach made a person used to it. I sluggishly kicked around the soft sand with my foot.

"You okay? You chugged that last beer." Kiara voiced as she suddenly appeared and took a seat next to me. She had been watching me with a concerned look.

"Oh, I'm fine, just having fun." I knew she saw right through my lie, but she knew me well enough to drop it and ask what was wrong later.

Frowning, Kie sipped her beer, "Sarah's here." Sarah Cameron, Kook princess. Royalty, basically. With her golden locks and plump pink lips she strutted around the island like she owned it. In a way, she kind of did. The girl was known by everyone and adored by her fellow wealthy Kooks, but she was an ex friend to Kiara and myself.

Along with John B, I work for Sarah's father sometimes: Ward Cameron. I work in maintenance, specifically house maintenance, like security and electrical systems. Yeah, a totally fun job. I get to be around Kooks and see their rich things, constantly reminding me of what I once had. At least I'm getting paid. My dad had always done business with Ward, and were even friends, so my younger self was around the Cameron's pretty often. Ward used to be like that classic 'not really your uncle, but your uncle' type guy for me. He's still kind to me and offered me a job after my dad left, but now he's just a guy I do work for.

I guess with me being around their house I pretty much see Sarah on the regular. There isn't really any bad blood between us, we just simply lost contact when I became a Pogue. Sometimes I wonder why she didn't stay friends with me, we were so close, but then I remember: Kooks versus Pogues, that's how it is, that's how it always will be. Even if I'm only slightly jealous of Sarah, and her popularity, and her prettiness, and her wealthiness, I don't hold any grudges. It is how it is. Kiara, on the other hand, was different.

"I can't believe she came." Kie groaned as she gestured toward the girl who was standing in the distance with her boyfriend's arm around her. And there was Topper Thornton. Who also used to be my friend, but turned on me ever so quickly when my dad left and I lost my Kook title.