-
My other stop was going to be the Pogue Shop. I know it sounds nothing like me but I talked to Maddy about the property and she was eager to buy it, to help the Pogues. I wasn't as excited about this idea but if she wanted to do it, maybe this way I could not only clear things with Sarah but also make Maddy a little happy. 
I mean, she would need a little happy after she finds out, I took some of our money for the deal. 
"Hey, can I help you?", Kiara's voice asked after I had just entered the shop. The shop was kind of messy, looking like your usual Pogue shop, but the interior was kind of cool at the second glance. 
"I don't know, can you?", I chuckled as soon as the girl was standing right in front of me, "Hey Kie"
"What are you doing here?", she asked kind of annoyed by my presence.
"Uh, yea, Do you- What, you don't think I'm a customer coming to shop at my local surf and bait shop?", I asked, "No? I'm just looking for my sister"
"She doesn't want to see you, Rafe"
"Well, she is my sister, okay? I can come have a little chat with her if I want", I explained, wandering through the shop, "Uh, it was a really nice performance. Yesterday at the break. You gave it up for those turtles. It was super fun to watch. It was awesome".
I walked through the store in silence for a few more minutes before approaching the girl standing behind the register again.
"You know this place is on the chopping block, right?"
"You don't say. Let me guess. You and your little blonde girlfriend are behind that or something?", Kiara scoffed. My heart made a little jump at the mention of Maddy. 
"Uh- I - I could be, but no. It's not me. Well, I came to give you a heads-up, actually. You know to try to do you a solid, and to try to be a good brother and I - I wanna be better. But I already - I've got you snapping at me as I'm trying to help. As usual. And you guys always wonder why you end up at the bottom of the food chain. It's sad. Oh, take this, it's my business card. Tell Sarah to hit me up. I think I can help. You really did me wrong, Kie"
"Did I?", the girl, that I was so close to once, asked. 
"But I forgive you. We're good. I'm not your enemy. I'm on your side", I explained and right in that very second the doorbell rang another time and a beautiful blonde girl walked inside. 
Maddy's POV
I walked up the stairs to the Pogue shop. Me and my colleagues had decided it was about time to buy the Maybank property. It was an investment that I had to pay half of by myself. 
But you know, it didn't hurt my bank account really. 
I just wanted to talk to Sarah about it one more time, to inform her so she could tell her Pogue friends that they didn't have to worry about the property being taken from them. 
As soon as I stepped into the shop I noticed a tall guy standing at the register. My heart started pounding faster in my chest. 
"God, is this an invasion of Kooks or what?", Kie groaned annoyed. 
"Okay, sorry, miss girl", I muttered walking up to the shop register. 
"Well anyways. See you around Kie. You too Maddy", Rafe smiled before leaving the shop, as I felt his hand brush against mine slightly. 
"Now, what do you want?", the girl asked with an attitude. 
"If you would drop that attitude, I would gladly tell you something but since you still have it, then I won't. Is Sarah here?", I asked not really wanting to spend another minute with the girl.
"Why do you all want to talk to Sarah today? She's not here, sorry", Kiara explained, finally dropping some of her attitude. 
"Well okay, tell her to contact me, I have news", I explained, immediately turning around on my heel again to walk out of the shop, "Oh, and Kie, sometimes you should be nicer to people, you never know what gifts they could have brought".
I walked back towards my car, my heels clicking on the concrete ground. 
"What are you doing here, Mads?", my favorite voice asked. 
"If you would come to the office from time to time Rafe, you would know", I smiled at the boy leaning against my car. 
"Well, I was busy making my deal", he explained. 
I nodded and smiled at him, "Good for you".
"Are we really buying this property?", he asked looking at the huge property in front of us. 
"Yes we are, well I am", I explained, "I'm paying some out of my own pocket, this way we are going to make it seem more accurate".
"Are we buying it because of the property or because of him?", Rafe asked.
I felt how I stopped dead in my tracks, I hadn't thought about JJ this whole time, "JJ?"
"Yeah"
"No, why would you think that?"
"Because you are single and we both know how close you two were. I don't know anything about your personal life Maddy. I don't know, maybe you are seeing him again and are doing this just for him", Rafe explained. 
"What? No? I'm not seeing him or anyone, don't you understand how much your actions have hurt me? I can't seem to trust anyone anymore", I explained, "But no. This is not for him. This is for your sister".
"Maddy I'm sorry. I just don't know anything about you anymore and it's killing me. Just know if you would do this for him and if he would make you happy then I would be happy for you", Rafe explained. 
"Well, I'm not. He's with Kiara and even if he wasn't, JJ and I are history. It's over for good, it's been almost three years Rafe", I explained, thinking back to the time when JJ Maybank was one of my favorite people on this earth. 
"Okay"
"I will see you around, Rafe", I smiled at the boy before getting into my car. 
I sighed deeply after closing the door. I missed him so much. It was crazy even the thought of JJ and I reminded me of Rafe and how happy we were. 
I decided it was time for me to get my head clear again from all of these thoughts. So I dialed the number of my best friend. 
"Hey Scarlette, remember when we talked about how I should throw a big party? Let's plan it", I smiled after my best friend had picked her phone up. 
If only I would have known how this party would change my life.
***
Ahh last chapter of 2024! I wish you all a happy New Years Eve <3