────୨ৎ────

Cali trudged down the stairs, her body

heavy with exhaustion. The nightmare still clung to her like a second skin, making the walls feel smaller, the air thicker. Rubbing her temples, she barely noticed the figure standing in the doorway-until Sarah shifted awkwardly, her arms crossed, gaze flickering toward her before darting away.

Cali stopped, already wary. Sarah was never awkward.

"Hey," Sarah said, her voice hesitant, the confidence she usually carried noticeably absent. "So, um... Topper and I are heading out to clean up the island. You know, do some good or whatever." She let out a small, forced laugh, like she was trying to make the moment feel normal. "I thought you might wanna come?"

Cali blinked. Was she serious? After everything? After the party, after Topper's passive-aggressive comments, after the way Sarah let it happen?

She should say no. She wanted to say no.

But hesitation crept in.

Sarah was standing here, trying. And wasn't that what Cali always wanted? For people to stay, to reach out?

Her fingers twitched at her sides, the familiar push and pull of her own mind taking hold. If she said no, would Sarah stop asking? Would she pull away?

A small part of her-the part that wanted to prove she didn't care-urged her to walk away. But the deeper part, the one always afraid of being left behind, whispered that this was how you kept people around.

Sarah must've noticed the hesitation because she pressed forward. "Come on, Cali. It'll be fun. And hey, maybe you'll enjoy doing something good for a change." She said it lightly, but there was something else in her tone. A need for this to be okay. Maybe even a need to make up for last time.

Cali clenched her jaw.

"Fine," she muttered, hating the way her own voice felt like a surrender.

Sarah's face brightened instantly. "Great! You can ride with Topper and me. We're taking his boat-"

"No."

The word came out sharp, automatic.

Sarah frowned. "No?"

Cali's heart pounded in her chest, her body already bracing against the thought of being surrounded by water. The flashes from her nightmare surged forward-dark waves swallowing her whole, her parents' faces disappearing beneath the surface, Andro's voice screaming her name-

She forced herself to breathe. She wasn't there. She was here.

"I'll take my bike," she said, her voice firmer now.

Sarah hesitated. "Cali, come on. It's just a boat ride. It's faster, easier-"

"I said no."

This time, it wasn't just sharp-it was almost desperate. Her fingers curled around the hem of her shirt, trying to ground herself.

Sarah opened her mouth to argue, but then she saw it.

Not defiance. Not stubbornness. Fear.

Real, raw fear.

Sarah's face softened. She exhaled through her nose and nodded. "Okay. I'll see you on the island then."

Cali gave a stiff nod, barely able to force out a response before turning toward the door.

And then-

"Cali."

Her brother's voice stopped her in her tracks.

She turned to find Andro standing in the kitchen doorway, arms crossed, but not in his usual relaxed way. His brow was furrowed, his gaze searching her face like she was a puzzle he couldn't quite solve.

"You okay?" he asked.

Cali forced a smirk. "I'm fine. Just didn't sleep great, that's all."

Andro didn't look convinced. He studied her, like if he stared long enough, he could pull the truth out of her.

A silence stretched between them.

"What were you up to yesterday?" he finally asked.

Cali shrugged. "Just out with friends."

His lips quirked up slightly, but the smile didn't reach his eyes. "Friends, huh?"

"Yep."

He exhaled through his nose, nodding slowly. "Alright. Just... stay out of trouble, okay?"

"Always," she quipped.

She stepped forward and hugged him-tighter than usual.

Andro stiffened slightly, caught off guard, but then he hugged her back.

Cali didn't let go right away. She pressed her face into his shoulder, squeezing her eyes shut as his voice from the nightmare echoed in her head.

Save me.

She tightened her grip for a second, as if holding onto him hard enough could erase the lingering fear.

And then, just as suddenly, she let go, stepping back before he could see the look in her eyes. She turned and walked out the door without another word.

Andro watched her go, his gut twisting with unease.

She was slipping-he could feel it.

And the worst part? He had no idea how to stop it. No idea how to help her.

How was he supposed to guide her when he barely knew how to help himself?

He wished-God, he wished-his parents were here. They would know what to do. They'd know how to talk to her, how to get her to open up.

But they weren't. It was just him.

And right now, he wasn't sure if that was
enough.

────୨ৎ────

Cali arrived a little later, finding Sarah, Topper, and Kelce huddled together, their laughter floating in the air. She didn't have the energy to deal with Topper's clique, so without a word, she grabbed a trash bag and started picking up trash on her own. The distance felt better, the silence more familiar.

The waves should have calmed her. They always did. But tonight, every crash against the shore felt like a gut punch, each one echoing with the ghosts of those lost to the ocean-her parents included. The usual peace she found in the tide was gone, replaced by something restless, something bitter.

She exhaled sharply, shaking off the thought as she bent down, plucking a red cup from the sand and tossing it into the black trash bag slung over her shoulder. That's when she heard them.

"I mean, he's lucky her dad didn't press charges."

Cali turned, spotting Sarah and Topper-way too at ease for people who were supposedly here to clean up the island. Topper leaned into the weight of the pink bottle in his hand, his smirk already cocked and ready. Sarah, arms crossed, looked like she was trying to pretend she wasn't tipsy. Cali rolled her eyes. So that's the vibe tonight.

They lazily kicked at pieces of trash like that counted as picking it up.

"I know!" Sarah whined, her voice tinged with drunken frustration. "After everything my dad's done for him? It's ridiculous."

"You'd think he'd be more grateful," Topper added, and there it was-that smirk, like he'd been waiting for the perfect excuse to say it. "But no, that's just Pogues for you. No respect, no class-just take, take, take."

Cali let out a low whistle, crossing her arms as she stepped closer. "Wow, you're so right, Top. It's crazy how they don't fall to their knees and worship the ground you walk on. Maybe if you threw in a little more entitlement, they'd finally see the light."

Topper blinked slowly, like his brain was buffering.

Sarah huffed. "Cali, come on-" She was already tensing, anticipating the fight, hating that every time she tried to hang out with her best friend and her boyfriend, it ended up like this.

But Cali was just getting started.

"No, seriously," she continued, voice dripping with mock concern. "How do you guys even sleep at night, knowing you have to share the island with the unwashed masses? It must be so hard, being this rich and oppressed."

Topper scowled. "That's not what I-"

"Oh no, I get it," Cali interrupted, eyes wide with exaggerated sympathy. "The Pogues didn't throw you a thank-you parade after you so generously let them exist in your presence. Tragic, really."

Sarah groaned. "Cali, why do you always have to-"

"You know what?" Cali cut in, shaking her head. "I don't even know why I thought coming here with you two was a good idea. Must've been a lapse in judgment. Or temporary insanity."

She glanced at Sarah then, a flicker of something softer behind her sarcasm. "Call me when you finally break up with him." She knew Sarah wasn't like this-wasn't this shallow, this insufferable-but Topper's privileged bullshit was rubbing off on her, and it was exhausting.

Turning on her heel, she grabbed her bike.

"Where are you going?" Sarah called after her.

Cali swung one leg over, smirking over her shoulder. "Somewhere I don't have to pretend money equals personality."

And with that, she pedaled off, leaving their drunken outrage behind. The ocean still roared, but at least now, she wasn't standing still long enough to drown in it.

────୨ৎ────

Cali pedaled down the dirt path, her chest still tight with frustration. The ocean breeze bit at her face, but it wasn't enough to cool the heat burning beneath her skin. She replayed the conversation with Sarah and Topper in her head, every word scraping against her nerves like sandpaper.

The island blurred by as she sped up, gripping the handlebars so tight her knuckles turned white. She just wanted to be away from them, away from the Kook nonsense that made her stomach twist.

Behind her, the low rumble of a van crept closer, then - HOOOONK.

Without breaking stride or looking back, Cali threw her hand up, flipping them off as she kept riding.

Inside the van, JJ burst into laughter, practically wheezing. "Oh, that's definitely her."

"Are you sure?" Pope asked, craning his neck to look out the back window.

"Pretty sure the middle finger confirmed it," Kiara snorted, leaning against the dashboard.

John B, hands steady on the wheel, honked again - two short bursts this time. "Cali!" he yelled out the window, slowing the van until it rolled alongside her.

Cali glanced over, eyebrows furrowing. "Are you guys serious right now?"

JJ grinned, practically hanging out the window. "What? You seemed lonely. Thought you might want an escort."

Cali rolled her eyes, but her pace slowed. "I'm good, thanks."

"We're going to break into a tow yard," Kiara called, a mischievous edge in her voice. "You sure you don't wanna come?"

That made Cali hesitate. "Why?"

"We're getting a drone," John B said, like that explained everything.

"Rov" pope tried to correct him but jj interrupted him "hush"

"A drone?"

"Long story," Pope sighed, rubbing his temples like he was already exhausted.

JJ smirked. "Come on, C. Don't tell me you'd rather spend the night sulking around the island by yourself when you could be committing minor crimes with us."

Cali slowed her bike, biting her lip like she was genuinely weighing the options. Finally, she swung off the bike, kicking the kickstand down. "Fine. But if we get caught, I'm blaming all of you."

John B popped the side door open, and JJ jumped out to grab her bike, hoisting it into the back with an exaggerated grunt.

"Damn, what is this thing made of? Lead?" he teased, wiping his hands on his shorts as he secured it.

Cali smirked, climbing into the van and squeezing between pope and JJ. "Maybe I'm just trying to build your upper body strength, Maybank."

"This is such a bad idea," Pope muttered as John B started driving again.

"Relax, Pope," JJ grinned, slinging an arm around Cali's shoulders . "We've got our lucky charm now."

Cali snorted. "Lucky charm? I barely even know you guys."

JJ winked. "Exactly. You haven't been hit with our bad luck yet."

As the van rumbled toward the tow yard, their bickering filled the space - chaotic, messy, but oddly comforting. And for the first time that night, Cali felt the knot in her chest start to loosen.

On the way to the salvage yard, the Pogues filled Cali in on their plan: they needed to grab the drone to search underwater for the gold.

Simple enough. Maybe too simple.

"Let me get this straight," Cali said, leaning her elbow against the truck window as they drove. "The master plan is to distract the guard while you guys sneak in with JJ's dad's access code?"

JJ grinned from the backseat. "Works every time."

"Because you've done this before?" she shot back, raising an eyebrow.

He shrugged. "Not exactly, but, you know, it's all about confidence."

John B snorted, glancing at her through the rearview mirror. "You'll get used to his logic eventually."

"I really hope not," she muttered, but there was a faint smile tugging at her lips.

When they finally arrived, Cali hopped out of the van with Kie. She took a moment to adjust her tank top and fix her hair putting in all the work to distract the guard, all while the guys watching as they unloaded from the truck . JJ watched her with a dumbfounded look, muttering a dreamy, "Damn."

Cali smirked, winking at him before sliding behind Kie.

Kie stepped up, calling out to the security guard. "Hello!"

"Hi!" Cali added, her voice dripping with sweetness. "Um, we actually have a flat tire."

"We were wondering if maybe you could help us out?" Kie asked, flashing an innocent smile.

The guard squinted at them, clearly distracted. "Yeah... sure."

Cali leaned toward Kie and whispered, "It's too easy."

They led the guard to a car parked outside the yard. Kie gestured to the back tire. "It's just this back one right here. It must've been a slow leak or something."

"Been sitting in the yard too long?" the guard asked, crouching down to inspect it.

"Yeah," Kie said, throwing a quick glance toward the guys sneaking past the gate.

"Thank you," Cali chimed in, standing next to Kie as the guard checked the tire. Her stomach twisted when he gave them both a lingering once-over, but she plastered on a fake smile to keep him occupied.

"Got it?" she asked, tilting her head.

"Yeah..." he muttered, still fixated.

Just as things were going smoothly, loud barking echoed from deeper in the yard, and the guard snapped his head up.

"Do you hear that?" he asked, confused.

Kie feigned ignorance. "Hear what? Oh..."

The guard straightened up. "Tebow's got somethin'."

"It's probably just a raccoon," Kie said, her voice laced with forced nonchalance. "You know?"

"Nothing to worry about," Cali added, gently grabbing the guard's elbow and steering him back to the car. "Actually, this part's been making weird noises all the time , driving me crazy." She crouched down, pretending to examine something, hoping to keep his attention long enough for the others to finish.

But then -

tire hissing.

Cali's eyes went wide, and she shot a look at Kie, who was poking the other tire in a panic.

The guard's face twisted with suspicion. "What are you doing?"

"This one looks a little low, too," Kie said, trying to play it off, but the barking grew louder, and the guard bolted toward the sound.

"Wait! Wait!" Kie called, but it was useless.

Cali grabbed her hand. "We have to run - they'll catch up!"

The two of them took off, sprinting through the yard as fast as they could, adrenaline pumping through their veins. They didn't stop until they were far enough away, lungs burning and laughing through the chaos.

JJ and the guys pulled up in the van, honking as they swung open the door.

"Get in!" John B yelled.

They dove into the van, hearts pounding as they sped off, the stolen drone rattling in the back.

Cali collapsed onto the seat, breathless. "Please tell me you got it."

JJ spun around, grinning like a maniac. "We got it."

She let out a relieved laugh, leaning her head back against the seat. "You idiots are gonna get me arrested."

"Welcome to the club," Pope muttered, shaking his head.

JJ, still high off the rush, shot her a wink. "You love it."

────୨ৎ────

As they hopped out of the van in front of Kie's dad's restaurant, Kie stretched.

"Stealing drones makes you hungry," she muttered.

JJ rubbed his empty stomach. "What I would do for a beer and some shrimp and grits right now..."

Pope grimaced. "That would not be pretty."

"I'm gonna make a call," Cali said, pulling out her phone. The others nodded and headed inside while she stepped away to let Andro know she'd be late tonight.

Inside, Kie walked up to her dad and gave him a hug. "Hey, Dad."

Mr. C returned the hug with a sigh. "Hey."

"How'd we do?" she asked, her eyes scanning the restaurant, concern creeping in.

"Didn't turn it over once," he replied, clearly frustrated.

Kie winced. "Probably just bad luck because of the storm."

"Yeah, I'll be sure to tell the banks that," he muttered.

She hesitated before giving him a sheepish look. "So... now's probably not the best time to ask for free food for me and my friends?" She glanced over her shoulder at the guys, who were too busy ogling a customer's fries to notice.

Her dad sighed, shooting them a look of disapproval. "Look at them," he muttered. "Greedy pelicans."

John B, completely unaware, whispered, "So hungry..."

"I told you to stop hanging around them," Mr. C said, his tone strict but tinged with concern.

Kie rolled her eyes. "Well, everybody at the Kook Academy hates me, Dad."

"Because you never gave them a chance."

"I did!" she argued. "They care more about shoes than surfing. What am I supposed to do with that?"

Before her dad could answer, the door jingled again. Cali walked in, her eyes scanning for the Pogues.

Mr. C frowned slightly. "What's Alessandro's sister doing here? She's never been here before."

Kie followed his gaze and, suddenly, an idea formed. If she told her dad she was friends with Cali, maybe he'd stop nagging her about not hanging out with Kooks.

"She's with me," Kie said casually. "Cali!"

Cali, mid-step, paused and turned back, confused about why Kie was calling her over. Still, she put on a polite smile and walked up to them.

"Hi, Mr. C. Nice to see you again," she said, shaking his hand with a well-practiced charm.

Mr. C grinned. "Good to see you too." Then he turned to Kie. "Since when have you two been friends?"

Kie blinked. "Wait-how do you guys know each other?"

Her dad gave her a pointed look. "If you actually stuck around at Midsummers, I would've introduced you."

Cali shifted uncomfortably as tension started to rise between father and daughter. She glanced toward the Pogues for help, but they just smirked, enjoying the scene. Oh, they are so gonna pay for this.

Before Mr. C could continue, Kie threw an arm around Cali's shoulders. "Well, looks like fate did the job for you, Dad. She's my friend."

Cali stiffened slightly, side-eyeing her. Friend? Since when?!

Mr. C, oblivious, looked pleased. "That's good. You're both good kids. You'll benefit from each other."

Cali forced a small smile while Kie shot her dad a So? look.

He sighed, relenting. "Look, I gotta throw some food out anyway. Might as well take it."

Kie grinned, hugging him. "Thank you!"

"You're welcome," he muttered. "I'll bring it out. Sit down."

After stuffing themselves with enough food to feed an army, the Pouges were sprawled out across the restaurant, lazily snacking on fries.

Cali, still feeling salty about being left in an