General POV:
The North Carolina heat hit the Outerbanks hard. Even though August was coming to an end, It still felt and looked like summer outside. The pouges had lost one of their best friends towards the beginning of the summer. and It took them this long to finally accept the deaths of John B Routledge and Sarah Elizabeth Cameron. School was starting up again and if any of them wanted a chance at graduating high school and moving away from this hell hole, they would have to make it through 12th grade.
although the pouges accepted the deaths of their friends, they never did have a funeral instead they decided to get together and have a few beers while rejoicing over the fun memories they all had together. But one thing after another, and the school was holding a memorial service for John B Rutledge and Sarah Cameron. And there was no way the pouges could avoid that!
after the events over the summer, Kiara Carrera and her family stayed away from the cut, her Father already didn't like his daughter hanging out with the pouges, but after what happened he would never let one in her sight. Pope and his family suffered greatly.
Pope had given up his only chance away from the island, his scholarship interview. after walking out in the middle and ditching, he was basically shunned by his father. Pope's mother still let him stay in the house and provided a roof over his head, but his own father hadn't said a word or even made eye contact with his son in over a month.
Similar to JJ Maybank, He received horrid punishment after taking his father's boat, the phantom out into the tropical depression. his father basically kicked him to the curve. But surprisingly JJ was taking the death of his best friend since 3rd grade very well.
school starts tomorrow, and all three of them haven't seen each other since there hang out where they happily remembered their friends and then parted their ways for the rest of the summer.
And that's where our story begins, pouges gone their own ways, two friends dead, and around the same time, a rich kook moves into town with her daughter. the pouges wouldn't know it, but there was something happening around the Outerbanks that was much bigger than anything they could have imagined.
"Kie?" her mom shouted from down the stairs. Kiara groaned and rolled out of bed while turning off her phone alarm that was also going off.
"Sweety I made breakfast if your hungry" her mom shouted again as she made her way to her closet to find something to wear. 'God!' she thought to her self. 'What the fuck happened this summer' as she slid on a tube top and shorts along with converses and a jean jacket. she threw her hair into a bun and let two pieces frame her face.
after making her way downstairs she kissed her mom goodbye and jumped in her car on the way to school.
"BEEP, BEEP" screeched Avrey's phone's alarm. she always set alarms for way too early in the morning claiming that they would help her wake up early. But no matter what, she would always hit snooze and sleep in until the last moment. Accept this time she squirmed her way off her bed and headed towards her bathroom where she turned on the shower and undressed.
"Av, is that you?" her mom yelled from down the hall. Avrey creaked the door open and whispered
"Yeah, sorry to wake you. getting ready for school." her mom groaned and slammed her room shut while Avrey hopped in the shower.
after Avrey was all dried off, she went through her wardrobe trying to find something to wear. she settled on a yellow tee with cactuses and a pair of jean overalls witch she threw on along with a lemon hairband and checkered vans. although her mom was quite the kook Avrey liked to drees like a pouge.
on the other side of town, Pope was standing at the bus stop waiting to be picked up for school.
"and to think he would be off at college right now! a year early!" popes dad said to his mother walking slightly behind him. Pope just put in his earbuds and ignored his dad and his negativity. at the same time, the bus came and the pope climbed in. he was greeted by faces of people who heard millions of different versions of what actually happened to John B this summer. all they really knew was they drowned in a hurricane, he kept moving and took a seat in the back of the bus away from the other kids and looked out the window. at the same time, he noticed a girl pushing off the ground hard with her skateboard trying to catch up to the school bus. pope watched confused as she screamed
"STOP!!" and tried to keep up with the buss. Pope noticed she was growing tired and stoop up impulsively.
"Hey!" he yelled from the back getting everyone's attention.
he hesitated before saying "Th- there's a girl trying to get on the bus" they all looked out the window to see Avrey hunched over holding out her hand to show she was okay catching her breath. she kicked up her skateboard and jumped on the buss thanking the driver for stopping.
she noticed all the people staring at her she made her way down the aisle.
"It's okay guys! sorry I made you guys stop. I just kind of suck at skateboarding" she said addressing the crowd who were all staring as she plopped down in the back on the seat across from pope "then why did you take your board?" Pope asked looking at her confused.
"Oh," she said noticing him "For the aethstetic," she shrugged nodding her head knowing she sounded totally basic.
Pope looked away and out of the window questioning what gave him the erge to even let the girl on the bus.
"Your new," he said looking back, she nodded and held out her hand.
"I'm Avery, and I would tell you my friends call me Av. But relly just my mom calls me that!" she said smieling. Pope nodded and looked back out the window.
"And you are?.." she said still looking at him
"Oh," he said realizing he forgot to introduce himself. "I'm pope, Pope Heyward"
she looked him up and down and said
"I'll see you around pope" as the bus came to a stop. Avery ran out and skated the rest of the way until she had to put her board next to the bike rack.
Once school started Kiarra avoided running into Pope or JJ, but she knew it would be inevitable because it was a small school. she did however notice Avery. Standing tall walking down the long school hallways heading to each class. Kiarra watched between every class as this girl strutted her stuff down the halls waving and smiling to everyone she saw.
during Kie's lunch break, she decided to walk over to the girl who sat alone eating a tuna fish sandwich while scrolling through her phone.
"Hey!" Kie said walking up and taking a seat next to her.
"Oh," Avery said sitting up and taking her feet off the table. "Sorry it's just no one usually talks to me!" she said swallowing her bite of tuna. Kie nodded her head and pulled out her hand
"I'm Kiarra, I was new here a few years ago. I know how hard it can be" she said softly watching as the girl closed her phone and set it down while taking yet another bite of her sandwich.
"Well, thanks," she said turning to face Kiarra "Oh and I'm Avrey by the way" she made sure not to mention her last name knowing it might strike curiosity around the school.
"cool-" Kie started but was cut off by Avery.
"Oh Hey Pope!" Avery shouted from across the cafeteria. Pope looked her way and noticed Kiarra sitting next to her.
"Shit!" Kie whispered getting up to hide.
"What?" Avery asked confused. "I met him on the bus this morning he's super nice," she said confused as Kiarra slowly inched away. but before she could explain Pope reached them.
"Hey Kie, I have been looking for you all day!" he said sitting across from them. Kiarra sat back down from her hunched over seat position and smiled.
"Oh and hey Avrey nice to run into you again," he said waving she smiled while biting into an apple.
"Hey, Pope!" Kie said sighing while trying to think of what to say.
"How have you been?" he asked she lifted her eyebrows and looked away trying to think of an answer that could be non-related to john B even though the last months of her life were a complete emotional rollercoaster.
"I'm fine!" she said nodding her head looking towards Avery. Avery laughed while looking up from her phone confused with them.
"What? sorry, it was a funny meme," she said defending herself. pope chuckled while Kie rolled her eyes.
"So... have you seen JJ?" Pope asked looking at Kiarra who took one of Avreys chips.
"Whos JJ?" she asked looking up at them. Kie didn't know what to say. she laughed and turned to face her.
"One of our best friends!" she said placing a hand on Avery's shoulder. Av laughed and said
"Okay cool! I haven't met him" while looking around trying to spot him in the cafeteria. pope laughed and looking at Avery.
"Oh! he's not here!" the pope said laughing at Kie. Kiarra rolled her eyes.
"He's probably ditching!" she said looking at Av annoyed. Avery rolled her eyes and sighed.
"Sounds like a good friend!" they all laughed at her joke.
"So Kie," pope started. "There is a party at the boneyard tonight if you want to come?" he said
she smiled and looked at Avrey who looked very confused.
"Whats the boneyard?" Avery said looking between the two of them. Kiarra sighed and laughed.
"Oh Av, we have so much to teach you".
When the last bell of the day rang, Kie headed out the school waving goodbye to Pope who got in line to get on the bus and then found Avery.
"Hey Av!" she said as she watched the girl kick up the board and hold it in her arms.
"Hey Kie!" she said smiling as she headed towards Kiarra. "What does one even wear to a boneyard party?" she asked.
"Well, It gets cold so layers, oh, and maybe a dress?" Kiarra said also thinking about what she would wear.
"Okay cool! bye, Kie see you later" Avery shouted as she skated off on her board.
Kiarra laughed as she watches the girl attempt to do tricks on her skateboard.
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Avery's POV:
I placed my skateboard against the mailbox as I headed up the steps to my huge house. I hated being rich. it was something that I didn't get to choose in life. I was forced into a life of riches and wealth. and even though I was always grateful for it, deep down I hated it!
I quietly opened the door and crept inside knowing that either my mom would be passed out drunk with a glass of wine in her hand or on an important business meeting with her boss. I closed the door quietly behind me.
"Mom?" I said softly as I started heading towards the kitchen. But I heard nothing back, I turned around and was faced with my mom who stood over me holding like suspected a glass of wine in her hand.
"Oh hey!" I said surprised to see her. she sighed and walked towards the living room and threw herself down on a faux fur blanket.
"What's wrong?" I asked grabbing a water bottle from the fridge. she looked up at me and patted the spot next to her I slowly walked into the living room and sat down next to her. at the same time, her tiny ugly chowchow dog jumped up next to us, really selling the whole spoiled rich kook vibe.
"How was your first-day hon?" she said. I gulped and looked up knowing what she was going to ask next.
"it was great!" I said screwing off the lid of my water. "but...I know what your gonna say and the answer is...no" I said hesitating she looked me up and down before responding.
"Honey!" she quietly shouted. "We went over what you needed to do last night," she said throwing her arms around whaling like a child. I took a sip of my drink and then looked out the window.
"Look, mom, I'm sorry I didn't talk to the principle about the memorial service." I said "but I met his friends" I looked back at my mom trying not to choke on the word his knowing who it applied to.
"Good," she said clearly thinking. "witch ones, the..." she hesitated.
"Pope, and Kiarra," I said helping her remember.
"Right yes,.... yes this could work," she said snapping her fingers. I looked her up and down confused.
"mom whatever your thinking-"
"Enough!" she yelled I froze. "Avery I need you to start hanging out with these pouges"
she said disgustedly from using the word pouge.
"I was planning on going to a party with them tonight," I said standing up "wait, why?" I asked looking down at my mom.
"Because dear, we are going to use them to get that gold," she said looking at me stern in the face. I nodded my head and walked away trying to ignore that guilty feeling when your doing something wrong. Why did I have to help? I thought the main reason we moved here was because of the incident? what was my mom planing? Is there something much bigger than I though happening?