𝐂𝐑𝐔𝐄𝐋 𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐄𝐑 - kiara carrera¹

𝒊𝒗. 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒃𝒃𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈

"FUCK OFF, JOE. I'M GOING NOW."

Waiting for John B and JJ to pick her up at the deck outside of her house, Tatum and her brothers argued back and forth. Thomas and Joseph thought it would be funny to but a steak knife in the sink. So when Tatum went to clean the dishes, she sliced her palm open. And all her brothers did was laugh at her. So she stabbed both their spleens.

As expected, JJ and John be pulled up at the deck for her. She ran and jumped up on the boat with two of her three brothers chasing after her. "Come back here, you're dead!" called Thomas furiously.

She giggled and flipped them off as John B drove them away. "You okay?" asked JJ, looking down at the bandage wrapped around her hand.

Tatum shrugged. "It's just a little cut." She turned back to look at her twin brother's bloody shirt. "I can be very dramatic at times."

John B chuckled and sped forward. "To Heyward's!"

Tatum ignored both boys as they commented on everything they seen. She sat back on the boat, snuggling her head into the thick coat she always wore, and watched her brothers fade into the distance. Sometimes she wished she was born into a normal family - with big brothers and a dad that would protect her - but whenever she went to that place, she had to remind herself that what she grew up with, made her who she was. And she liked the way she was. Bubbly, fun and strong - she wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

"Well, look who we have here," said John B as they approached Pope's deck. Tatum and JJ let out a whoop. John B covered his mouth with his hand to make it sound like he was talking through a speaker as he said, "We have a safety meeting. Attendance mandatory." He mimicked a static sound.

"I can't," said Pope with a frown. "My pop's got me on lockdown."

"But you said you'd come," moaned Tatum, standing up and resting her head on John B's shoulder as she pouted.

"Come on, man," said JJ. Seeing Heyward approach, he covered his mouth and mimicked a static sound, like John B did seconds ago. "Your dad's a pussy. Over."

"Oh, I heard that, you little bastard," Heyward said, holding a broom in his gloved had.

"We need your son," John B called out to him.

"Yeah, and island rules," added JJ, holding his arms out. "Day after a hurricane's a free day."

"Who the hell made that up?" asked Heyward disbelievingly.

JJ pointed at Tatum. "Uh...Leroy Quinn, I think," he said.

Tatum rolled her eyes, knowing not even her psychopathic brother scared Pope's dad. Though, he definitely should. Leroy was one nasty fucker in a fight. "We have security clearance," she said with a charming smile. "I have a card."

"You think I'm stupid?" asked Heyward.

She held her bandaged hand to her heart in mock offence. "Absolutely not, Sir. I cannot believe you even suggested that."

Still standing at the edge of the deck, Pope rolled his eyes. "I'll do it tomorrow," he told his dad. "I promise. Tomorrow."

"You think - no, no," his dad said sternly. "Hell no. You doin' it right now."

"Get in the boat," whispered John B.

"Make a run for it, bro," said JJ, speaking normally. "Make a run for it."

"Boy, if you get in that boat -"

Tatum leaned forward and grabbed Pope's hand, pulling him onto the boat with a giggle.

"How does that feel?" asked JJ, knowing Pope had never disobeyed orders before. Especially not orders made by his dad.

"Go, go, go," said John B stupidly. He was the one driving.

"Bring your ass back up here," called Heyward.

"I promise I'll do it tomorrow, Dad," said Pope stressfully, while JJ, John B and Tatum continued to childishly whoop.

"You get back, you gonna clean shrimp, you gonna clean fish -"

"Love you, Pops," said John B, sticking up his thumb a the angry man.

"You'll clean your dirty-ass room!" shouted Heyward, pointing a finger at his son.

"We'll bring him back in one piece, I promise" John B assured him.

"And I don't like your friends!"

The four teenagers all shared a look, because they knew that was far from the truth. With the crappy dad's JJ, John B and Tatum grew up with, Heyward was always the man they went to for fatherly advice. He even went to their school meetings when they were suspended. He fed them when their parents didn't, he gave them a place of shelter when they were kicked out and he held them while they cried. He was the whole group's dad, and he loved every single one of those kids like his own.

Tatum giggled and sat down with her legs swinging off the boat, sighing in peace as the cold water eat away at her feet. Since Kiara lived up in the northside, it took longer to drive up to her deck. The three boys took turns driving, refusing to let Tatum take the wheel, no matter how many times she offered. Last time they let her drive, she started playing drunken bumper cars with the other boats.

"Ooh, top o' the mornin' to ya."

Tatum jumped up at the sound of JJ's voice. It meant they were approaching Kie. She grinned and pulled out the small, pouched gift bag.

"Good morning, boys," said Kie, strolling towards them with a cooler in her hand. She smiled at the sight of Tatum's grin. "Hey, Tate."

The girls met each other's eyes. Each girl's sparkled at the sight of the other. "Hey."

The three boys watched their moment in awe, envy bubbling in their stomachs - though, they weren't quite sure which girl they were jealous of. "Morning," said John B with a nod.

"Whatcha got?" asked Pope in a cute voice that made Tatum smile even more. "You got some juice boxes?" He pointed to the cooler in her hand.

"You know, just some yogurts and carrot sticks," she answered sweetly. Tatum couldn't take her eyes off her. Nobody could. She was simply infatuating.

"How about our kind of juice box?" asked JJ, gesturing between him and Tatum as he held out his hand to help Kie onto the boat.

"Yeah," she replied cutely, handing Tatum the cooler as she jumped onto the aboard with the help of their blonde friend.

"Brace for impact," said John B from behind the wheel.

Tatum smiled and pulled Kie the the edge of the boat as the boys fished out beers. "Look what I got you," she said, holding out the small back.

Kie gasped at the sight of her lost amethyst bracelet. Then she frowned. "You broke into Sarah Cameron's bedroom."

"You're always complaining about how she never gave you it back," said Tatum proudly, convinced she had done a good thing. "I got you it back." She searched Kie's face for any sign of gratefulness. "Wh - aren't you happy?"

Kiara shook her head, sliding the relaxing bracelet onto her wrist. "I'm happy to have it back, Tate. I am," she said with a smile. She shrugged, shaking her head. "But you can't just steal from people's houses."

Tatum nodding, cementing the girl's words in the back of her mind. No more stealing. She touched Kiara's wrist lightly, grazing her fingertips over the bracelet. "Okay, well I can...I can take it back if you want. But that would mean I'd have to break back into the Camerons'."

Kie shook her head again, a sweet smile forming on her face as she watched Tatum squirm over it. "I don't want you to take it back, Tate. I love it."

Her words made Tatum's eyes light up. "You do? I knew you would."