𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗲𝗹 𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿.

four.

Kie smiles, "how do you look good in everything?"

I want to laugh but the sound falls dry from my lips, "so do you Kie."

She flattens down her black dress, slipping on her shoes as a knock echoes through the bathroom. I pull open the door, my dad standing there in a black suit.

"Are you girls ready?"

I nod and slip my hand into Kie's giving it a small squeeze, "let's go."

We load into my dad's truck and drive down to the beach, cars parked up and down the street. My dad lets us out then continues to find a place to park.

The first people I see are Pope and his parents, the boy smiling sweetly at me. I hug his mother and father first, Kiara then taking her turn. I then embrace Pope, the boy planting a kiss on my forehead, "John B's over there."

Kiara bids us a quick goodbye to find her parents and I follow Pope down to the water, stopping to pull off my black sandals.

John B sits in the sand in his suit, his jacket discarded and his tie loose. The water laps at his feet and he looks out at the sky, his face blank.

I take a seat beside him, my hands finding their way to his shirt as I finish his buttons for him. "The service is starting," my mouth is dry.

He doesn't answer and I begin to tie his tie, "have you seen JJ yet?"

Once again he doesn't answer.

I sigh, brushing off his shoulders as I finish and turning to watch the ocean with him. "Do you wanna just stay here?"

This time I receive a slight nod.

I settle on the sand and rest my head on his shoulder, Pope sitting on the other side of him as he kicks off his shoes. A moment later Kie joins us, dragging JJ with her, the blonde boy sporting a black eye most likely given to him by his dad.

They both take a seat, JJ setting a hand on my leg and rubbing circles as he mumbles an apology for being late to John B.

We sit in silence, John B deciding to break it after a few minutes.

"He's out there," he stares at the wide blue in front of us, "I know he is."

I lift my head and my heart drums with anticipation. This feels like a beginning.

A beginning to something big.

If only I had known then that I was right. This funeral was the beginning of my new life. One that I might never be able to escape.

* * *

I grin, swinging in the hammock as I watch the chateau be rebuilt, JJ sitting in the tree beside me. He chuckles randomly and I look up at him. I raise a brow, "what's so funny?"

"It's nothing," he sighs, "I just remember when we met. We really did drag you into our shit, didn't we?"

I scoff, "you have no idea."

He jumps down from the tree, straightening out his clothes and running a hand through his hair. "I believe it's time for our celebration."

He holds out his arm with a goofy smile, "M'lady?"

I slowly stand from the hammock and take hold of his arm as I fix my dress, "let's go, sir."

And we head for the kook side of the island, our side of the island.