MARLBORO NIGHTS [JJ MAYBANK]

diver down

IT DID, INDEED, HURT IN THE MORNING. In fact, Karolina's whole body ached when she woke up, her stomach churning like a rock polisher. She would've immediately run to the bathroom to puke, if not for the arms and legs she was tangled in when she awoke. Familiar with the long brown curls, Karolina knew it was Kiara fast asleep next to her; she didn't remember much from the night before after Topper smacking her head on the ground, but she figured that Kie probably brought her home and just crashed next to her.

After swiftly maneuvering from her best friend's tight hold, Karolina made her way to the kitchen, where her sister Amy was getting ready for the work day. "Morning," she called, tying her brown hair into a knot on her head, "You guys have fun last night?"

Karolina plopped into one of the chairs at the table, sighing. "Yeah..." She ran her fingers through her tangled blonde hair with a loud sigh. Her head throbbed painfully.

"You hungover?"

"Yeah."

Amy laughed, placing a bowl of Cocoa Puffs in front of her. "Eat something, it'll help," she smiled. "And take a shower. You stink."

The blonde smiled at her sister gratefully, taking a few bites. She watched as she cleaned up around the kitchen in her blue scrubs, before sliding on her tennis shoes sitting beside the door. Amy was the more attractive sibling, and always had been. Long brown hair, clear blue eyes, smooth blemish free skin, and always perfectly skinny, no matter what she ate. Karolina loved her sister indescribably much; ever since their mother died and their father left, she had taken on the mantle of caring for her growing and mourning little sister. Instead of living out her twenties going out with friends and getting married, Amy Scott chose to become an ER nurse and work endlessly to take care of Karolina, something that the blonde would be forever grateful for. It was Amy's dream for Karolina to get into an Ivy League school, to get off of the island and make a better life for herself somewhere else. She wouldn't even let Karolina work a job during the school year, insisting that she focused on her studies so she could become some fancy businesswoman and finally get out of the less than ideal life that her parents made for them.

"I'll see you later, right?" Karolina asked, watching her sister grab her keys and purse. Amy nodded: "I'm only working one shift today." She curled a piece of hair behind her ear, ruffling Karolina's hair. "Love you, little bit." Amy pointed at her suddenly. "Share that cereal with your friend."

"I will. Love you too, Ames," she gave her a soft smile as Amy slipped out the door. Kiara came into the kitchen then, sitting across from Karolina. "I wish I had a sister," she said, stealing her spoonful of cereal.

"I wish I had parents," deadpanned Karolina. Kiara glared, a blush dusting her cheeks.

Karolina's head pounded again and she buried her face in her hands. "Ughh, who told me to drink this much last night?" She and Kiara shared a brief glance before saying simultaneously-

"JJ."

They laughed for a moment, before she winced again, holding pressure to her temples. Her appetite disappeared, and she pushed the bowl to Kie, who accepted it gratefully. "Have at it."

"Are we going to JB's?" Kiara asked through a mouthful, crunching on the cereal loudly. Karolina pressed the button on her cell phone, bringing up about a hundred text messages from JJ, Pope, and John B. "I guess..." She scrolled through some of the messages, which asked when the girls were going to come over. "JJ wants us to pick him up."