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────003, boneyard shift.
BY THE TIME CLEO AND KIARA HAVE ARRIVED TO THE BONEYARD, the party is well underway.
The boneyard itself was the quintessential hangout spot for locals and kids of tourists alike; the one spot on the island in which boundaries are blurred momentarily and rules are lifted and blind eyes are turned. Pogues mix with Kooks mix with Tourons, and the silent rift between the resident teens is smothered just enough under loud music and cheap beer. It's a spot Cleo remembers well, and has found herself in numerous times before. That night was not unlike any other. A myriad of characters already mingle on the beach amidst the driftwood that have made their home on the sandy shores of the Outer Banks, carried out by the ocean's waves, boisterous chatter and thrumming laughter echoing in the secluded area of the island. Far from the Figure Eight and located near the Cut, while also surrounded by a dense thicket of trees, their deviant party went unnoticed by the watchful eye of authorities and parents. A stereo system somewhere in the middle of the get-together thumps with bass as a song blasts throughout the entire expanse of the beach, and next to it is the keg that John B seems to be manning as he hands out red solo cups spilling with beer to each and every newcomer.
As soon as they arrive, Cleo has decided that maybe she should let herself have fun just for one night. There was no shame in that, was there? And certainly not when she would be reunited with old acquaintances from the island, and surrounded by people she knows and trusts like the Pogue crew.
It's a promise she intends to stick to, even as Kiara drags Cleo over to the Routledge boy who had been in the middle of a conversation with a pretty blonde girl. John B doesn't seem to notice the flirtatious eyes or batting of lashes the moment he spots the girls approaching, welcoming them with a broad grin and an array of sparkling diamond teeth.
"C! You made it."
"Thanks to me, of course," Kiara points out. "Get the girl a drink, John B."
"Right, how could I forget?" The boy wastes no time in serving Cleo, fiddling with the nozzle of the keg until he's messily poured her a drink, underestimating the power of the spout. He hands it to Cleo, who takes the sopping cup carefully and, albeit, gratefully. "Order's up."
"Yum. Warm beer with extra foam. You sure know how to charm a girl, John B." It's clearly a joke, though she hopes her playful words don't fall short on him. She wonders how far she can take a joke anymore with any of her friends, or if she's overstepped her threshold already.
Fortunately, John B's eyes twinkle devilishly. "Always a gentleman━━or so I've been told."
Cleo's own smile is hidden behind the rim of her cup as she takes a swig of the bitter beer. It burns as it glides down her throat, but it's a pleasant burn at that.
