༄ 𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗉𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝗌𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗇𝗍𝖾𝖾𝗇 ༄

THALIA WAS STILL avoiding both Rafe and going to see her psychiatrist. She needed to get out of the house, so she wound up on her skateboard, red hair tied into a sloppy bun at the base of her neck. Thalia's messy converse were on her feet as she rode her skateboard through Figure Eight, a t-shirt and jean shorts over her body. Suddenly, she blinked, and she was at Heyward's Seafood, Pope's family business.

Nervous for an unknown reason, Thalia popped her skateboard into her hand, moving deeper into the shop, finding Pope stocking coolers with ice. His shirt was unbuttoned and she looked away from his muscular chest quickly. "Oh, hey," Pope's eyes lit up when he saw Thalia, and she noticed this. "What you are doing here?" he asked, closing one of the many coolers in his father's store.

Thalia shrugged. "Guffy doesn't have any charters for a few days, and I guess I was bored." Thalia answered, following Pope around the building like a lost dog.

Pope's heart was racing a million miles per hour, but he had to stay calm and collected. "So you came to hang out with me? Won't Rafe be mad?" Pope filled his bucket with more ice.

"I don't give a shit what Rafe thinks. And I wanted to know what happened with the drone? Did you find it?" Thalia asked, referring to the Royal Merchant. It wasn't like she was part of the group, but she still cared, just a little bit.

Pope nodded. "Yeah, but the gold wasn't there. We found nothing." he said regretfully, filling a different cooler with ice.

Thalia held the lid of the cooler open. "Well, at least you tried." Thalia spoke, and Pope cracked a smile.

"Want to stick around? Help me out?" Pope suggested as he put the empty bucket away.

"Sure." Thalia said, and Pope smiled again. They talked about mundane things. It was mutually understood that they wouldn't talk about what Pope did to Topper's boat.

When Thalia snuck away to take a few hits from her vape, Pope was disappointed, and feeling conflicting emotions. He liked her, but he hated that she did drugs. They got back to work, and when they were taking a break, Thalia discreetly smoked a joint. "When did you start smoking?" Pope asked suddenly, sitting across from Thalia outside near the dock.

She was surprised at the question, and her face showed it. "Uh, I don't really know. My mom always smoked, so maybe twelve, thirteen." Thalia answered, looking down at her blue converse. She had stolen them.

Pope frowned. "Is that all you use? Just weed?" he asked tenderly. He cared about her, and she didn't know why.

"I don't really want to answer that. Why are you asking me?" Thalia said, taking another long drag from her joint. It numbed her, but it wasn't enough these days.

"We're friends. Friends care about each other." Pope reasoned with a simple and awkward shrug.

Thalia put her joint out, tucking some of her stray hairs behind her ears. "Not when it comes to this stuff. It's nice that you care, and I care about you, but there are some things that shouldn't get talked about." Thalia said, stuttering as she tried to make her words come out clear.

Pope understood. She was a closed off person, she didn't like when people got close to her. "It's okay to talk about it, sometimes. I'll listen." Pope added quietly, face flushed.

Thalia thought he was so sweet, but she was terrified she would ruin him. She ruined everybody. "Thanks. Maybe I'll take you up on that, sometime." Thalia matched his meek tone, looking away from him. It was easy to talk to Pope, and Thalia didn't know why.

Pope stood and offered Thalia both of his hands. She took them in her grip and hauled herself to her feet, following Pope as they got back to work, clearing tables and just tidying up. "Oh, shit." Pope said quietly, face falling.

Thalia looked at him quickly, then followed his gaze to Topper and Rafe, posted up inside Topper's jeep, staring at the pair. Thalia rolled her eyes, handing the rag she was holding to Pope. "One second," she said, and before a terrified Pope could say anything, Thalia was walking up to Topper's jeep. "Do you assholes not have anything better to do than to stalk the guy you jumped for no reason?" Thalia spoke as soon as she got to the car.

Rafe scoffed, angry. "I thought I told you to stop hanging around those Pogues." he said, hat backwards over his hair.

"And I thought you realized I don't listen to anyone, especially you. Why are you here?" Thalia said sharply, glancing behind her to see that Pope had darted inside, petrified. This only made him seem guilty.

"Someone sunk my boat. We think your Pogue boyfriend had something to do with that." Topper said. Thalia's face remained neutral. She was an excellent liar.

"He's not my boyfriend, Topper, and he doesn't have the balls to sink your precious boat. Just leave him alone." Thalia said, blue eyes glazed over.

Rafe inhaled sharply. "You need to get your shit together, Thalia. You're a mess, and an addict. Hanging out with dirtbag Pogues? Really?" he tried to taunt her, but she wasn't breaking that easily.

"That's rich coming from you, you idiot. We have the same dealers. Who I hang out with is none of your damn business, so please, find someone else to stalk and harrass." Thalia stormed away from her cousin and his stupid friend, finding Pope pacing inside.

"So, they know?" Pope said, breathing heavily.

Thalia shrugged. "I'd say it's 50/50," she answered hesitantly. Pope didn't like that answer, Thalia could tell just by his face. Thalia grabbed his shoulders to get him to stop pacing. "Relax. You gotta stay cool. Go talk to JJ. Deny everything." Thalia instructed, releasing Pope when she found herself staring at him for too long.

Pope nodded, and they left his father's shop. Thalia skated back towards Figure Eight, and Pope headed deeper into the cut to get to JJ's house. It was Thalia's house too, but no one knew that. Thalia locked herself in her bedroom for the afternoon. Rafe was on a rampage and she wanted to be nowhere near him.

Sarah was gone, which Thalia discovered when Ward said she was staying over at her friend Scarlett's house. Thalia knew it was a lie, but she didn't say anything. She just sat at her window and looked out into the ocean, wishing she was anywhere but North Carolina. Wishing she was anyone but Carolina Cameron.

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