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''JJ! What did I tell you about sticking your hands into the fire?!''

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I SAT IN the Twinkie, the cool breeze brushing against my skin through the open windows. The annual OBX bonfire buzzed with life that came with a gathering of Pogues and Kooks. The old skate park was a new location, but it was somehow perfect — graffiti-covered concrete walls, abandoned ramps, and the faint glow of flames dancing in the night.

JJ turned to John B., a grin plastered on his face as if he'd been waiting for this moment. ''I missed you so much, dude.''

John B. let out a half-hearted chuckle. ''Yeah, I know I've been pretty down lately,'' he admitted, his fingers tapping nervously on the beer can in his hand. ''This breakup thing... it's really hard, y'know? I didn't expect it at all. She's just like, 'That's it.'''

''I know, I know,'' JJ said with a small nod, his tone softer now. ''But, dude, her father blew up right in front of her. Just give her a minute, all right?''

The tension in John B.'s shoulders didn't ease, but he nodded slightly, acknowledging JJ's words.

JJ, never one to dwell on the heavy stuff for too long, grabbed a beer can and held it up. ''In the meantime, shotgun right now,'' he declared, his grin returning. ''Like old days.''

Before he could puncture the can, a voice rang out from the skate ramp. ''Hey, derelicts!'' Yvonne called, tossing an empty beer can in our direction. She sat perched on the edge of the ramp, her legs swinging carelessly and a teasing smirk aimed squarely at John B. 

JJ elbowed me lightly, jerking his head toward the other end of the park. It was our unspoken cue to leave them alone. I gave him a quick nod, and as Kiara and Pope wandered off in the opposite direction, JJ leaned close. ''I'm gonna find me a girl to dance with,'' he said with a wink. ''You should do the same, Mavie.''

I rolled my eyes and sighed, waving him off. ''Yeah, sure, JJ. Have fun.''

He darted into the crowd, his laughter fading as I found a quiet corner to sit in. The music pulsed through the air, and the voices of the crowd blended into a distant hum. I leaned back against the cool concrete wall, letting my mind drift as I stared at the flickering flames in the distance.

Suddenly, a hand rested on my shoulder. My body tensed immediately, and I whipped around. Rafe Cameron stood behind me, his sharp features illuminated by the glow of the bonfire. My heart raced as adrenaline surged through me, and I wanted nothing more than to stand up and bolt. But his grip on my shoulder tightened—not harsh, but firm enough to keep me in place.

''Relax,'' Rafe said, his voice surprisingly calm. ''I don't want to hurt you.''

I glared at him, my instincts screaming to run. ''Then leave me alone,'' I snapped, my voice low but steady.

His brows furrowed, and for a moment, he looked almost... genuine? ''I'm sorry,'' he said, the words awkward and halting. ''I didn't mean for any of it to happen. I just— I want you to understand.''

''It would be nice if you actually meant that apology,'' I shot back, narrowing my eyes at him. ''And weren't high while saying it.''

''I'm not high,'' he insisted, his voice rising slightly, but I didn't miss the faint edge of desperation.

I pulled away from his grasp, my movements sharp and decisive. ''Goodbye, Rafe,'' I said firmly, stepping back. His hand dropped to his side as I disappeared into the throng of people, my heart pounding in my chest.

The crowd swallowed me up, and I found myself scanning the faces around me until I spotted Kiara and Pope near the fire, either talking or arguing, hard to tell with them. JJ was off in the distance, already chatting up some blonde girl with his signature charm. I slipped into their group, the heat of the bonfire warming my skin as I tried to shake off the encounter.

I weaved through the crowd, the flickering firelight casting shadows that danced across the graffiti-covered walls.

That's when I spotted Blake.

He stood near the edge of the crowd, his tall frame easy to spot among the moving bodies. His dark hair was tousled, and his sharp jawline caught the glow of the firelight. It took me a moment to place him, but then it clicked—he was the guy I'd danced with at another bonfire weeks ago. Back when life felt just a bit lighter.

Blake's face lit up when he saw me, and he stepped closer. ''Mavis, right?''

''Blake,'' I replied, a small smile tugging at my lips. He'd been a rare gentleman the last time we danced, so I didn't mind him approaching me again.

''Mind if we pick up where we left off?'' he asked, gesturing toward the makeshift dance floor near the fire.

I shrugged. ''Why not?''

He offered his hand, and I let him lead me into the rhythm of the crowd. His movements were confident but not overbearing, and he kept a respectable distance between us. For a moment, it felt easy—normal. Just dancing and letting the music carry us.

But then, as the song began to wind down, his expression shifted. His easygoing smile faded, replaced by something more serious. ''I owe you an apology,'' he admitted, his voice quieter now.

''For what?'' I asked, slowing my steps slightly.

''The rumors,'' he explained, his eyes meeting mine earnestly. ''I didn't know about them at first. When I found out, I tried to help. I posted disclaimers online, telling people they were wrong about you. That you weren't... what they were saying. But no one listened. I couldn't do much more.''

For a second, I didn't know what to say. His words surprised me—most Kooks wouldn't have lifted a finger to defend a Pogue like me. But he had, even if it didn't change much. ''Thank you,'' I said sincerely. ''It means a lot that you tried.''

Blake smiled faintly, but it didn't reach his eyes. He glanced over my shoulder, and his whole demeanour changed. His posture stiffened, his eyes darting nervously past me.

''Blake?'' I asked, frowning. ''What's wrong?''

He didn't answer, his focus still locked on something—or someone—behind me. ''I'm sorry, Mavis,'' he murmured abruptly before pulling away. ''I've got to go.''

Before I could ask him what was happening, he turned and disappeared into the crowd. Confused, I turned around, but all I saw was a sea of people. No one seemed out of place, yet Blake's reaction stuck with me.

Shaking off the weirdness, I headed toward the makeshift bar to grab a drink. The coolers were stacked high with cans, and the air around them smelled strongly of spilt alcohol. As I reached for a drink, a hand grabbed my arm.

''Mave!'' JJ's voice broke through the noise.

''What is it now?'' I asked, rolling my eyes.

He leaned closer, glancing over his shoulder like someone might be listening. ''I may or may not have danced with a taken woman. And her boyfriend is... less than pleased.''

I snorted, folding my arms. ''JJ, that's a new low, even for you.''

''I'm serious!'' he hissed, grabbing my hand. ''He's after me, and now you're with me, so let's go!''

''JJ, no one's chasing you—''

Before I could finish, I caught sight of a burly guy storming through the crowd. My laugh died in my throat as JJ yanked me away from the cooler, dragging me toward the edge of the skate park.

''Okay, maybe you're right!'' I exclaimed, adrenaline kicking in.

''Trust me, I usually am!'' JJ quipped, his grin breaking through even as we bolted.

We dodged through the crowd, weaving between groups of people who shouted in protest as we jostled them. The guy's shouts grew louder behind us, spurring us to run faster. The edge of the skate park came into view, and JJ practically leaped over the crumbling concrete barrier.

''Taxi!'' he shouted, flagging down the first car he saw.

The driver barely had time to react before JJ flung open the door and shoved me inside. He jumped in after me, slamming the door shut just as the angry boyfriend burst out of the crowd, his face red with fury.

''Drive!'' JJ ordered, laughing breathlessly as the car sped away.

I slumped back in the seat, my heart still pounding. ''You're unbelievable,'' I muttered, though a smile tugged at my lips.

''And yet, you keep me around,'' JJ replied with a wink, throwing an arm around the back of the seat. The lights of the town blurred past as we made our way back to the Chateau, leaving the chaos of the bonfire behind.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

THE NIGHT AT the Chateau had started off calm enough. JJ and I had spent the better part of the evening nursing beers, talking about nothing and everything. When the others came back early, the shift in energy was obvious.

John B looked roughed up, again.

''Another fight?'' I asked, watching him drop onto the worn-out couch like it was the only thing holding him together.

''Topper and Sarah,'' he muttered, rubbing the side of his jaw where a faint bruise was already forming. ''Let's not talk about it.''

We didn't press further. Instead, we fell back into our usual rhythm—Pope throwing out his snarky commentary, Kie trying to keep everyone fed, and JJ being JJ, which tonight meant accidentally burning his hand on the fire.

''You idiot,'' I whispered, grabbing his wrist and inspecting the red mark. I smacked his arm lightly for good measure. ''What were you even doing?''

''Experimenting,'' he replied with a sheepish grin, his blue eyes sparkling in the firelight. ''It's what scientists do.''

''You're not a scientist, JJ.'' I rolled my eyes but smiled.

''Hey, did you really stick up for Sarah?'' John B asked, looking directly at Kie, his brows raised, ignoring JJ being JJ.

''Of course I did,'' Kie replied without hesitation, flipping her hair over her shoulder. ''She's not a real kook.''

''Right,'' John B muttered with a dry chuckle. ''Yeah, tell that to Topper.''

J leaned closer to the fire to toss in another piece of wood. A sharp hiss escaped his lips as he quickly yanked his hand back.

''JJ!'' I reached for his arm and pulled it away from the flames. ''What did I tell you about sticking your hands into the fire?!''

He winced but gave me a sheepish grin. ''Sorry, Mave.''

I rolled my eyes and gave his arm a light slap, more out of habit than anything. ''Just sit your ass down before you burn the whole place down.''

He laughed quietly, rubbing his arm where I'd swatted him, and plopped back onto the log.

''I just want one bite,'' John B said suddenly, grabbing Kie's hand as she was about to take a bite of her food.

''What are you doing?'' she demanded, glaring at him.

John B didn't respond, instead swiping a bite from her plate. As he did, the food slipped from her hand, landing on the ground with a soft thud.

''No, stop!'' she exclaimed, her voice rising in disbelief.

''You're not having any of mine,'' JJ piped up, smirking.

''I thought you were gonna share,'' John B shot back.

Kie crossed her arms. ''I spent the last of my money on that.''

''Sixteen years in most federal prisons,'' John B quipped, grinning as he picked up the fallen food and began eating it.

''Ew!'' I groaned, watching him. ''You're seriously disgusting.''

John B just winked at me before stuffing another piece into his mouth.

''I'm stealing your marshmallow,'' Kie announced, clearly still annoyed as she grabbed one from Pope's stick.

''I believe that's... not even a fair trade,'' Pope said.

''It's not at all. Not even close,'' Kie replied with a laugh, popping the marshmallow into her mouth.

The night dragged on and I felt that rare sense of normalcy settle over us.

Until it didn't.

John B froze, his eyes narrowing as he motioned for us to quiet down. ''Hey, hey. Somebody's here.''

The crackle of the fire suddenly felt too loud. My chest tightened as I glanced at JJ, who had gone rigid beside me.

''You don't think it's Topper?'' Kie whispered.

JJ scoffed, reaching for the nearest metal object he could find. ''Wouldn't put it past him.''

''Do you have your gun?'' Kie asked.

JJ hesitated. ''Uh... no.''

''So, your 'secret weapon' is just... not here?'' Kie's eyebrows shot up in disbelief.

''It's not really secret when you wave it around in front of a crowd and threaten people,'' I muttered.

Pope stifled a laugh. ''She's got a point.''

Before JJ could come up with a snarky response, John B called out, ''Hey, who's out there?''

''You kooks better not try anything!'' Kie added.

A figure emerged from the shadows, and my stomach dropped when I recognised him. Renfield.

''This piece of shit,'' Pope grumbled, his fists clenching at his sides.

''You've got to be kidding me,'' JJ muttered under his breath, stepping forward slightly as if he could intimidate Renfield away.

''Lovely evening, isn't it?'' Renfield's smirk made my skin crawl. He walked closer, completely at ease, like he owned the place. ''Look, I, uh... I don't hold a grudge with any of y'all, all right? But this can go hard, or this can go easy. You know what I'm here for. Let me give you a little demonstration. You see that swing right there?''

My heart pounded as I watched him gesture towards the swing set. ''I've got the best bow hunters in the Army Rangers with me.''

JJ didn't back down, his jaw tightening. ''Yeah?''

''Hidden.'' Renfield clarrified, which only made JJ chuckle.

Suddenly, Renfield's whistle cut through the air, and before I could process what was happening, an arrow flew past JJ's head, slicing through the swing behind him. Instinctively, I grabbed his arm, pulling him back towards me.

''Now, they're out there,'' Renfield warned, his smirk growing. ''And they'll stick you just as soon as I say so.''

JJ moved again, his anger bubbling over, but Renfield whistled again, and another arrow landed dangerously close to where JJ had been about to step.

''We clear?'' Renfield asked, his tone mocking.

Pope's voice broke through the tense silence. ''No.''

He held the key tightly in his hand, his knuckles white. ''This key belongs to my family.''

Renfield laughed. ''I'm losing my patience with you, Pope.''

JJ's eyes darted around, scanning the darkness for any sign of the hidden bow hunters. My grip on his arm tightened, my nails digging into his skin.

Finally, Pope relented, holding the key out with a defeated expression. Renfield snatched it from his hand, his smirk deepening.

''Did the right thing, kid,'' Renfield taunted. ''Knowing when you don't have a choice is an underappreciated talent.''

As he walked away, he whistled again, the sound slicing through the heavy air like a final warning.

The silence that followed was suffocating. Pope's breathing grew heavier.

''I am so sick of this shit,'' he growled, storming off into the night.

Kie followed quickly, trying to calm him down, leaving the rest of us to stand in the flickering light of the dying fire.

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