haven murphy had nothing to lose. everything was different after sarah cameron's birthday party, the night her father died. haven just didn't feel right in her own skin. then, on a whim, she befriended pope heyward and got sucked into a wild goose h...
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CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE: GOOD FOR YOU (episode four: homecoming)
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WITH JOHN B AND Sarah back, Haven found it so much easier to pretend she was a pogue. Nobody wanted to acknowledge the elephant in the room, not with John B and Sarah so happy to see them together again. So they did their best to keep quiet, laughing along to each other’s jokes, smiling like they’d never been closer. It got easier over time, and before they knew it, Haven was giggling along with Kie and Sarah as Arden and Harlow Kim begged John B to tie down their newest vehicle to the back of the boat. He eventually agreed, just to keep the two sisters from being upset the whole trip home.
And yeah, you read that right. The girl that John B and Sarah were with was Arden’s older sister on her father’s side (a long story that Arden only vaguely explained when met with the confusion of her friends.) According to John B, Harlow was living in the Bahamas and recognised him and Sarah from pictures on Arden’s instagram, not even hesitating to help them out when she found them in some trouble. It was strange seeing her around, not exactly unpleasant, but like they had two Ardens in the group. Both girls were freakishly similar in looks and personality, something that everyone, especially poor JJ, found particularly frightening.
But fortunately for him, Harlow fit in effortlessly. She was really flirty, and joked just a little too much, but Haven liked her well enough. And so did Brec, it seemed. When she wasn’t holding Haven’s hand or sharing a beer with a beaming JJ, she was chatting to the girl about what growing up in the Bahamas had been like for Harlow. It was nice seeing her so happy and comfortable around the pogues. Haven had worried the mood in Charleston wouldn’t last, that she and Brec would be outsiders once again. Which didn’t seem the case so far, but as Haven knew well, a lot could change so quickly.
“Anybody else starving?” JJ asked just as the sun started to rise. After the group had left Charleston behind, they’d set off back to the Outer Banks, eager to be on familiar soil again. Nobody had noticed it, but at some point, day faded into night then day again. They were officially gone from Outer Banks for two days. Oh, Melinda was going to have Haven’s head on a stick. “We need to grab some breakfast.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Harlow grinned, eyes eagerly surveying the jetty that John B pulled up to. Fortunately, nobody was around, meaning they’d be able to roam freely for a while. “So where to, my friends?”
“You can come with us,” Sarah offered, smiling as she gestured between herself, Kie and Arden. “We’re gonna look for some food we can―”
“Steal?” Harlow finished, clapping her hands in excitement.
“Well, I wouldn’t call it that…” Sarah frowned, looping her arms with Harlow’s and Arden’s to skip down the jetty.
