𝐂𝐑𝐔𝐄𝐋 𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐄𝐑 - kiara carrera¹

𝒙𝒙𝒙𝒗𝒊𝒊𝒊. 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒆𝒆 𝒕𝒔 𝒊𝒏 𝒂 𝒑𝒐𝒅

"OH, KIE TOLD ME TO GIVE YOU THIS EARLIER."

While Kiara and Sarah were sent off to bestie bootcamp, the rest of the pouges spent quality time fishing, drinking and smoking. Except Pope, who only fished. He was now holding a ruined cardboard box up to Tatum, who was laid on her back, lost in the beautiful stars.

"She said you should really take a look at it," he added, laying down beside her, the box on his chest. "Thomas, too."

"What about Thomas?" the boy called from the edge of the boat, dangling a fishing rod in between his legs as he downed beers with John B and JJ. Yes, he was actually getting along with the boys for once in his life.

Today was one of the most peaceful days they'd had in a long time. Everything was fine. Not a single argument, knife or gun was pulled out, and Leroy hadn't caught them around the quarry, which was an automatic win for the twins.

But when Tatum turned around to see what Pope was talking about, her whole body stiffened.

'Our three Ts'

The box from the Crain basement. Her mom's old box. Tatum lowered her sunglasses to her nose and sat up on the boat. Pope watched her curiously as she took the box onto her knee. The tension of it was so thick that the three drunk boys from behind them could even feel it.

"Oooh, Christmas presents," commented JJ, crawling towards them on his hands and knees, a beer can balanced ontop of his sandy hair. "Might be your puppy, Tate."

The girl rolled her eyes while John B and Thomas laughed like what he said was the funniest thing in the world. How the tables had turned.

But when Thomas' eyes met that box - that stupid, fucking box - he was dunked back into sobriety. He hated every single person on this boat except his sister - and he only tolerated her when she was fighting for her life, which seemed to happen a lot lately. "Why the fuck is that here?" he demanded with a scowl.

Pope furrowed his brows. Neither he nor the other two boys had any idea what this box meant to the twins. But by their reactions, he could tell it wasn't good. Tatum wasn't giggling and full of joy anymore, and Thomas was...Thomas. "Kie told me to give it to you guys - said Tate left it at JB's yesterday."

Thomas glared at his sister furiously. "You brought that thing back with you?!"

She shrugged. "I wanted to see what was inside."

"So, let's see," JJ impulsively decided, leaning over to grab the box, but ended up face-planting Tatum's leg.

"What's the big deal with it, anyway?" asked John B inquisitively, sitting down on the other side of Tatum. Unlike his friends, he was rather good at keeping in control whilst drunk. Plus, the weed and the beer kind of outmatched each other, so he was only a little tipsy and shaky now.

Everything was quiet for a moment. Mystery and tension spread through the air. Even JJ calmed a little.

"It was our mom's," Tatum revealed eventually. She shrugged. "It was the only thing she took with her when she left."

"So why was it at the Crain's?" asked Pope.

"How the fuck are we supposed to know?" hissed Thomas with a new joint in his mouth.

"Kie's looked through it?" Tatum asked, unsure it she should open it or not.

Pope nodded. "I think so."

Everyone watched Tatum closely to see what her next move was. Slowly, she peeled back the stained, dirty sellotape and lifted the wings of the box.

A single brown photo album sat inside, teasing her, waiting for her.

'Our three ts'

"Don't you dare look through that thing," warned Thomas. He didn't need any reminders of the woman who walked out and left them with a man like their dad.

But Tatum didn't listen to him, obviously. The only person she listened to was Kiara Carrera, and she was the one who wanted her to see this.

A gasp fell through the air when she opened up the first page.