CASTAWAY ⚓ R.C, J.M

TWO

Something happened at the end of last summer that should never have happened. And no matter where she went, what she did, or who she was around, Harley couldn't get it out of her head. The memory in her mind gleamed at the end of a red carpet encapsulated with a divine and enticing golden border. The memory was valuable, because it could never happen again. Harley had learnt her lesson last year about ignoring the lay of the lands in the Outerbanks. Well almost learnt her lesson.

Harley and JJ had shared a kiss. It was wrong, but in that bubble of time it felt oddly right. That didn't stop her from feeling guilty or awkward after though. The following morning she had disappeared the second a slither of light pierced the sky and birds sang a drowsy lullaby. She had ended up everywhere and nowhere. Eventually bumping into Barry who wouldn't take no for an answer. Here's where her day had gone downhill. He dragged her to a party, completely unaware her and Rafe were no longer an item. The party had been spilling with drugs and unfortunately Rafe was there. He hadn't left for college then.

Harley's sparky eyes met JJ's as he stirred from his sleep. John B had gotten up a few minutes ago surprised to see his sister sat there daydreaming as usual. 

"There's no cell service," she had commented when she watched him reach for his phone. 

John B had dragged himself up from the mountain of blankets on the sofa bed and flicked the light switch. The siblings stared up at the clear bulb. 

"No power. Great."

None of the storms in the Outerbanks that Harley had made it through had been this bad. She could see from the window that outside was a wreck. 

"Yo. JJ, have you been outside?" John B shook his best friend. JJ had been sleeping on his stomach rather peacefully. 

"I have polio, bro. I can't walk."

"Yeah right," Harley laughed. She carefully climbed over the blonde, barely missing his outstretched hand in the end. She pulled a fluffy white blanket with her and shuffled outside after John B. The light was mellow today a stark contrast from the murky, enraged skies last night. 

On the right, one of the thick trees had uprooted and fallen on top of something. The HMS Pogue was now ashore, almost at the porch of the chateau, even though it had been tied in the water last night. The spot with the hammocks had been ruined also. It would take a little time and effort to get the garden looking pretty again. This definitely gave Harley the excuse to plant beautiful flowers in the front similar to the ones she planted a little to the right beneath her bedroom window round the back. 

"Agatha did some work, huh?" JJ came through the door and perched on the porch draining one of Harley's fruit smoothies.

John B agreed, but she had dismissed his response too busy gasping in horror at a handsomely, shirtless menace named JJ. "JJ, my smoothie!" she whined fast walking over to him fully prepared to rip it from his soft lips. He took it as a challenge to down it all before she could reach him. 

JJ sighed in appreciation holding the empty bottle in his hands. "Yeah. It was really nice. Very refreshing for a morning drink. Though I haven't had this one before."

Harley folded her arms and jutted out her hip sending him her coldest glare. "You've only tried them because you keep stealing mine, jerk. Stop it." She hissed out smacking his abs, snickering as she took him off guard. "If you hate me just say that."