Carolina Blue [ Outer Banks ]

IV

Putting the car in park in the Cameron's driveway I check the time. Quarter past one, I look over and see the boys asleep. Sarah still has an upset look and I smile at her saying that I'm always here if she needed to get away from anything. Sarah nods getting out of the car heading to the front porch.

Greer, Topper, and Rafe are all out cold. Minus everything that happened less than thirty minutes ago seems like a lucid dream.

"Guys we're home," I whisper shaking Rafe' s leg to wake him up. "Y'all need to get inside and change."

Rafe groans as he rubs his chin squinting at the car lights. His groan soon wakes up Topper. Mumbling something in a raspy voice, it then wake  up Greer. Shaking Greer' s leg ,like I did to Rafe' s, telling him that we have to go back to the house.

The guys get out of the car all in a tired manner. Handing Topper his keys back, he thanks me and heads inside the Cameron's. Greer goes back to our house stumbling as he walks. Seeing Greer like this makes me chuckle a bit as he makes his way to the front of the house. As I get out and shut the door, Rafe waits for me. His chin will definitely have a bruise in a couple days, and his nose still needs to be cleaned.

"Magnolia?"

I turn around and see Rafe standing there switching his weight on his feet.

"Yeah?" I reply back leaning on the car.
"I'm sorry for tossing you in, really I am. I know you and Sarah are both mad at me and Topper and I don't blame you. It's just..." Rafe pauses himself. Either John B knocked him out bad, or he's trying to find the right words. "It's just when I tossed you in as a joke, that John B kid came out of nowhere and started it."

I pinch the bridge of my nose closing my eyes as I try to process everything. It seems like it's all a dream, that I didn't just try to pry Topper off of John B and if it wasn't for the police, I don't know if Topper would of let go.

"I..." I start as I try to process my words "John B was getting defenseless. I kept saying stop and you didn't listen! Yeah you thought it was a joke Rafe, but I didn't  want to get wet in the first place. I apologize for elbowing you in the stomach before all of this happened. But if you hadn't been such an asshole, John B-"
"John B!" Rafe yells flinging his arms in the air "After his dad died, he hasn't been acting right. CPS has been trying to get him in foster care since Agatha! He gets triggered with water, and if I was you Magnolia..." he pauses taking a deep breath "I would stay away from him. He's not a good person."
"Topper almost-" I choke up as I remember Sarah an I begging for Topper to stop. "Topper almost killed him. He almost choked him to death!" The last sentence makes me tear up as I hold it in making a lump in my throat form.
"How would you react if he knocked out Sarah?" He asks making the lump in my throat grow "would you just stand there, or would you fight for Sarah?"

The lump continues to grow. Holding it in, tears roll down my face as I continue to bottle up the emotions of sadness and rage. I want to yell, I want to scream at Rafe and Topper. I wan to get out of this conversation.

"Answer the damn question Magnolia." He state again as he grits his teeth.

"Fine. Fine!" I yell letting the bottle of emotions break and run through "I would fight back, I would of also been the one to tell someone to stop what they were doing. I would also listen and stop. Apparently it's easy for girls to understand the words stop and no, but clearly it's not in any guys vocabulary!"

I start to cry and push Rafe out of my way as I walk to my grandparents house. I don't think I've had this much rage in my system since I got in a big argument with Greer about an abortion debate after I asked mom about different birth controls. I do consider myself a feminist and I do care a lot about my body as well as my opinions about different situations.

Making my way to my room, I change out of my wet clothes and put on pajamas I look at my reflection in the window. My hair still damp from the pool plus cheeks flared and red from crying, I wipe my tears away with sleeve and get ready for bed.

____

The morning comes fast. Checking the clock on my bedside table, it reads twenty-four after 9. Getting out of bed I check the mirror and see that my cheeks aren't flared anymore. Rubbing my eyes I grab extra clothing and head to the bathroom.

The hot water feels nice as I just stand in the shower with my eyes closed. Letting the water hit me I just stand there stressed free. Letting my mind free to wonder, it feels blissful. My own little world with just the soothing relaxation of pure warm feelings. Getting caught off guard I start leaning to one side, making me shake off my daydream. Catching myself  before I could fall in the shower, I quickly turn the water off.

Drying off, I put lotion on as I wash my face and brush my teeth. Today's a new day Magnolia...make it count. Changing into a Simply Southern tank top and soccer shorts I pull my wet hair into a messy, wet bun by twirling it in one hand then wrapping it around my head securing it with a hairtie.

As I head downstairs, I decide to check on Greer to see if he's still in bed. Opening his bedroom door, I see that his bed is empty. Heading down stairs, I see him in the kitchen making breakfast.

"How are you feeling?" I ask Greer jumping up on the counter.
"Eh, my headache isn't as bad as I expected. Topper stayed the night with Rafe so he wouldn't drive intoxicated." He replies poring juice in his cup.

I nod hopping off the counter to the cabinet to grab a granola bar.

"How are you feeling?" He ask looking back at me. "I mean minus the stuff that happened."
"I'm fine," I huffed taking a bite of the bar "I just needed to get my mind off everything. I'm still mad at Rafe and Topper."

He nods as he takes a sip of his juice. It was nice of him to save Rafe from drowning, although I feel like he deserved to get hit for not listening to me.

"I think I need to talk to Sarah." I state to Greer walking to the front of the house.

As I open the front door I jump a little. Surprised to see both Topper and Rafe walking up the front steps.

"Magnolia-" Topper tries to speak
"Save it." I bluntly state walking past them ignoring them both.

I can sense them both look at me as I walk to the side of the driveway. Making my way to the Cameron's property, I see Bluegill in the corner of my eye tied up on the dock. Instead of knocking on the Cameron's front door, I make my way to the dock. I know I should ask permission, but I need to get my thoughts straight. And away from the boys as soon as possible. Unhooking the rope I start the motor heading south.