Coralina Routledge, twin sister of John Booker Routledge, needs a distraction from the chaos of her life. Her father, Big John, known throughout the North Carolina island of Kildaire as a crazy treasure hunter is always running off and leaving his...
Leaning her head against the wall of the freighter Coralina sat cross legged at the stern of the boat staring out at the dark sea behind them. They'd been onboard for close to a week and would be in Nassau in another two days.
She should've been at home getting ready for her junior year of high school, but instead was forced to flee with her twin brother, John B, and his girlfriend, Sarah. She missed her home.
She missed her friends, Kie and Pope.
And she really really missed the only boy she'd ever been in love with, JJ.
Twisting the ring he'd given her around on her finger she wondered what he was doing.
'Probably going out of his mind thinking we're dead,' she thought to herself. She hoped he was staying out of trouble.
Snorting she rolled her eyes, "Doubtful," she said out loud.
"You talking to yourself?"
Startled Coral let out a small shriek before looking over her shoulder to find one of the crew members of the freighter, "Geez, girl, wear a freaking bell!" she exclaimed.
Smiling slightly the girl apologized before sitting down next to her, "Sorry, name's Cleo. You're Coralina?"
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Nodding Coral smiled, "Yeah, I've seen you around this past week helping out Captain Terrance. Have you been with him long?"
"Awhile," the girl responded vaguely, "What about you? What's your story, Girl?"
Clearing her throat Coral asked what she meant.
"Captain T fished you out of the sea along with the two lovebirds. How'd you get there?" she questioned.
"Oh well, that would be my bone headed brother thinking he can sail during a storm," Coral answered, using the cover story that she, John B, and Sarah agreed on.
Holding Cleo's gaze as the girl seemed to be studying her Cleo finally nodded, "That was dumb of him," she stated.
Laughing Coral agreed, "My brother does stupid things all the time. It's kind of the Pogue motto, 'Stupid things have good outcomes all the time' except this time not so much."
"Pogue?"
Smiling Coral nodded, "Yeah, it's what we're called back home. Our friends are known as The Pogues."
"Are there a lot of you?"
"No, just the five of us. Well I guess six now that Sarah is dating John B," she amended, "Kiara, Pope, and JJ make up the other three. We've all been best friends for years."
"It sounds nice to have such close friends. All I've got is Stubbs," Cleo laughed, pointing back to another one of the crew members.
"Oh, he usually brings us food down to the room we're staying in," Coral told her recognizing the boy, "He seems really nice."
