Can't Get Over You || Pope Heyward

7

Chapter 7 -
Present day

Hallie Routledge knew all too well the consequences that awaited her for arriving late to her brother's much-anticipated party. Determined to avoid it, she stealthily made her way onto the beach, tiptoeing through the sandy expanse like a shadow. Each step she took sunk her dirty sneakers deeper into the mysterious boneyard, as if they were swallowing her whole.

The atmosphere was alive with laughter and music, merging with the gentle caress of the ocean waves against the shore. Drawing closer to the vibrant party, a gust of coastal wind tousled her hair. Hallie scanned the environment, searching for her brother and his friends. Amidst the energy and contagious joy, party-goers called out her name with excitement, their smiles and waves directed towards her. Once she had turned sixteen, the girl had successfully shed the label of "John B's kid sister" and emerged as Hallie, one of the pogues.

It was difficult to stay invisible now.

As Hallie weaved her way through the vibrant crowd, she couldn't help but flash smiles at everyone she could as she desperately tried to blend in. She aimed for the center of the crowd, hoping to give off the illusion that she had been here all along. However, her plan was abruptly halted when a firm hand landed on her shoulder, forcibly turning her around. Her gaze met her older brother's annoyed eyes, his expression clearly conveying his emotions.

"Where have you been?" he demanded, his voice heavy with irritation. "You're late."

A mumbled apology escaped Hallie's lips, as she muttered, "Sorry, lost track of time." The words were only half the truth, for her real delay had been caused by her mission of sneaking her grounded best friend Lela out of her house and back without getting caught.

Her brother rolled his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest in a stance of exasperation. "I specifically told you to be here at seven. It's almost ten," he retorted. "I had to take over your shift at the keg. We all agreed to take turns."

"I know, and I said I'm sorry," she replied, an edge of defensiveness in her voice. "I didn't think it would take me so long."

"We had a deal. Each pogue takes a shift, and you just skipped yours." He went on with his rant, causing the brunette to roll her eyes in response.

"Remember when I wasn't allowed at these parties?" She rhetorically asked, her tone laced with a touch of mischief. "I really miss that right now."

A flicker of annoyance crossed John B's face, his arms still defiantly folded across his chest. "I could start banning you again, you know."

"Oh, would you be so kind?" Hallie shot back, her voice dripping with sarcasm as she mockingly brought her hands together in a pleading gesture.

But before their verbal banter could escalate any further, a voice intervened, placing a calming hand on both of their shoulders. Her loose curls swayed gently from side to side as she turned towards the siblings. "Enough already," Kiara Carrera stated firmly, her presence bringing a temporary respite to their sibling feud. "No one wants to hear you two bickering."

"Trust me, neither do I," the brown-haired girl retorted, a flicker of agreement in her eyes.

John pointed resolutely towards the nearby keg, his gaze stern. "Then go over to the keg and don't leave. I swear, if I don't see you there-"

Rolling her eyes in response to her brother's familiar lecture, she interjected with an air of exaggerated compliance. "Alright, dad. I get it."

As their eyes followed her, Hallie made her way to the bustling keg. JJ, who stood behind the keg, immediately noticed her presence and wasted no time thrusting the hose into her hands. "Finally, it's about time," he remarked, stepping out from behind the bar and placing his hands firmly on her shoulders, urging her to stand where he once did.

Immediately, a strong stench enveloped her senses, causing her face to scrunch up in disgust. The boy's face had a tinge of red, a clear indication of the alcohol coursing through his veins. Leaving JJ in front of the bar for so long had proven to be a foolish decision.

"Because of you, I missed my chance to talk to one of the hottest girls here," he complained, running a hand through his messy blond hair. "Up and left like five minutes ago."

"Was definitely doing her a favor," she quipped, not being able to resist. A fake laugh escaped out of the blond's chapped lips as he raised his middle finger in her direction.

"No worries though," he continued, undeterred. "I found myself another." Holding a plastic cup, he extended it towards her. "Juice me."

Raising an eyebrow skeptically, she warned, "You're going to regret this tomorrow." Despite her reservations, she obediently fulfilled his request, watching as he stumbled over to the crowd.

Despite being banished to keg duty, Hallie Routledge didn't seem to mind. In fact, she relished in it. Tourons flocked to her, forming a lively crowd around her. Conversations and laughter intermingled, creating an energetic atmosphere. A genuine smile graced her lips as she stood there, the arm of a striking red-head casually draped over her shoulders.

As the lively conversation surrounded the girl, time seemed to slow down when a determined hand pushed through the crowd, the pogue eager to confront the guest who dared to run the keg. "Excuse me, excuse me," his determined voice called out as he expertly navigated through the mess of teenagers. "Guests aren't allowed to run the ke—." His words trailed off, swallowed by a lump in his throat as he reached the destination and his searching gaze fell upon her familiar brown locks.

In that moment, the girl turned towards the newcomer, her delicate hand gracefully pushing her hair back, and her eyes locked with his. Suddenly, it felt as if time stood still. The boy's heart skipped a beat, his breath catching in his chest as he realized it was Hallie Routledge standing before him. Emotions swirled within him, a mix of nostalgia, longing, and an unexpected rush of affection, amplifying the intensity of their hazel-eyed connection.

Unable to contain his surprise, Pope Heyward exhaled softly, whispering her name, "Hallie."

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(Not edited)
Sorry this chapter took a little longer to post up, honestly not the biggest fan of it and I tried to fix it up a bit but if I do too much I mess up the next few chapters.

This chapter is just to show Hallie fits a bit more in with the pogues and has more of a relationship with the group (although it isn't much yet).

But the next chapters are coming up and are better I swear!! Like and comment lmk what y'all think!!

- Kay