latibule [jj maybank]

0.2

Chapter 2

"India, sweetie?" India's mom calls out, looking around the house for her. 

"Yeah, Mom?" India replies, peeking out from her new bedroom door. Her mom smiles at her, motioning to the stuff behind her. 

"Will you take your stuff up to your room some time later today?" She asks, looking at her. 

India nods, checking the time in her phone. 

"Sure mom. I'll do that later" She replies before turning around and looking at the bare bedroom that was supposed to be hers. 

When her father had told her that they were moving to Outer Banks, India hadn't been the happiest. Yes, it was nice because it meant having Lakes and small beaches nearby, something that India had always wanted. But it also meant having to live in the same island as her boyfriend. 

She and Rafe had a complicated history. They'd grown up together, their fathers being good friends and business partners. All her life she'd grown up with expectations and people telling her that someday she was going to marry Rafe, and while it hadn't been forced, she knew that both her mother and her father wanted her to marry him. 

It was nice, when Rafe had asked her to be his girlfriend. He'd catch a ferry and visit her whenever he could, and India believed that she was in love. But Rafe had turned into someone else the last few months. He was manipulative and controlling, and sometimes, though India would never tell anyone, when Rafe was angry he would pull her arm a little too hard, or push her a little too roughly. She'd ended up with some bruises, but she knew how to cover them up. 

It had made her realize that while she cared for him, she didn't want to spend the rest of her life with him, and she sure wasn't in love with him. 

She could  just break up with him, but she didn't want her mother to be disappointed, and while she wasn't happy, India was a selfless person and she would do anything to make her parents and family proud. 

She sighs, shaking off the memories before grabbing her skateboard and walking out of her room. 

"Mom, I'll put the boxes in my room later. Can I go out to explore the island?" She asks, walking into the kitchen. Her mom turns to look at her, eyeing the skateboard in India's hand. 

"Is Rafe going?" She asks, looking around for him. 

India sighs, shaking her head. 

"He left a while ago. He needed to take care of some things" In truth, she'd told him that she wanted to be alone so she could unpack and settle in in order to get rid of him. 

"Oh, okay sweetie. Your father and I will be going back with Tyler to the port for the night and will be back in the morning, ok?" She tells her. 

India nods before walking out the door and pushing on her skateboard and setting off to explore the island.

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She'd been skateboarding through the island for a few hours now, and after the realization that she hadn't eaten since before she got to Outer Banks, she'd come at a stop at a small restaurant nearing the cut. 

She pushes her board into her hand, walking into the restaurant and ordering before taking a seat at one of the tables. 

"What is a Kook like you doing this near to the cut?" A voice asks suddenly. 

India looks up at the boy talking to her. She frowns. 

"Kook?" She asks, a hint of confusion in her voice. The boy smirks, shaking his head.