-32-

"Hiiii." Stella exclaims seeing Sarah, "omg are you okay?" She notices the tears in her eyes, and pulls her into a hug.

"Are you drunk?" Sarah mumbles into her hair. 

"No. Are you?" She nods to the glass next to her.

"Hey, hey, what are you doing?" Topper comes over.

"Nothing."

"Why did you chug that?"

"That's my drink."

"Are you crying?" He asks, as Sarah rests her head on Stella's.

"No."

"You can talk to me... to us." Topper gestures to Stella.

"What happened Sar?" Stella asks.

"John B found out."

"About  the kiss?" Stella looks at her and she nods. Topper pulls Sarah into a hug, while Stella sighs,  " Look, Sarah if he reall-"

"Oh shit." Topper mutters, interrupting Stella.  "No, not right here bro."

Stella looks to see John B storming towards Topper, "John B, just-"

"Out of my way Stella."

"We're not doing this." Topper announces.

"Feeling good about yourself?" John B shoves him and Sarah and Stella try to stop him. 

"Stop!"

"You need to chill out bro. Im not ruining their party."

"That's what you're worried about?"

"I would just walk away."

"Feeling good about yourself?" John B asks again.

"For once in your life," Sarah spins him around, "Would you please just turn around and walk away? Please."

"Hey, no hard feelings, bro." Topper laughs.

"Oh for fuck sake." Stella mutters as John B punches Topper.

"No, John B! No."

"You like that shit, Top?"

"What are you doing?"

"John B Stop!"

"John b." Kiara warns, as he gets on Topper and starts punching again.

"You ready for this?" He asks Topper. 

"Stop!" Sarah exclaims, while Stella motions for JJ to come over.

"Mr Carrera!"

Hey! Get out of here!" Kiara's dad gets him off. "Both of you get out of here." He yells spotting JJ.

"You happy, Sarah?" John B calls out.

"He wasn't defending himself." Sarah cries to Kiara and Stella. 

"Hey, it's okay. It's okay." Stella rubs Sarah's arm as they both stare at John B leaving. "You'll figure it out."

Sarah stayed at Kiara's that night, Stella also stayed. But once the other two had fallen asleep, she left.

As the sun was rising Stella storms into Rafe's house. Given her lack of sleep and the fact she was still slightly tipsy, this wasn't going to go well. She shouldn't have come but something was bugging her.

"Do you ever know how to not be an asshole?" She asks, finding him on the couch where Barry was talking to them yesterday.

"What?" He asks, clearly deep in thought.

"Do you always have to take it one step too far?" She stands in front of him.

"What are you on about?"

"Why did you bring up my dad last night?"

"Well you're always mentioning my dad... you don't even know my dad, you just like to put these thoughts." He taps the side of his head, "You keep messing with me, telling me that my dad's not good for me... you don't know-"

"Oh my god Rafe! Don't you understand.  Im not telling you those things for no reason." Stella raises her voice, "I've dealt with guys like your dad... manipulators, thinking they can get away with anything....I mean, I've dealt with the type of guy that makes his pregnant wife jump into the sea to save his drowning daughter. " She watches as Rafe's face drops but doesn't stop," So next time you tell me I don't know your father, that I don't understand the type of man he is... I do, I know him and I know worse.  So stop making excuses about him, stop trying to be like him. You don't want to be like him!" Stella states before  taking a deep breath. 

"Is that all you came here for?" Rafe asks, standing up.

"Yes? No. I don't know?" She exhales. "I just... last night crossed a line. Unlike you..." She pokes his chest, "I am nothing like my dad."

She turns away from him, but he grabs her wrist, "Ettie... my dad is nothing like yours."

"Yeah right... that's what he wants you to think." She scoffs, walking away. "Oh, hey Sofia." Stella plasters on a fake smile. "Nice top." 

• • • • • • • • • • • • •

Stella had texted Sarah asking how she was, but there had been no reply. Feeling exhausted, confused, and every other emotion under the sun she headed back to hers. As soon as her head hit the pillow she fell asleep. 

It was still light when she woke up, not bothering the check the time she heads straight to the Château. Well what was left of it, she arrives to a pile of ash and the other  Pogues sat outside staring at it.

" Verdicts in bro. Who is ever up there does not like you." JJ tells John B.

"Yeah I don't think this has anything to do with God." Stella stares at the pile of ash in shock, "What on earth happened?"

"Stella!" Sarah exclaims. "Where have you been? I texted you back hours ago."

"I was asleep. Sorry."

"What do you mean this has nothing to do with whoever's up there?" John B questions.

"Come on John B, Fires like that don't start on accident."

"Rafe?" JJ asks.

"No, defiantly not him."

"How are you so sure?" John B asks.

"Um considering your little fiasco with Topper the other night..."

"Let's not jump to conclusion" Sarah states, even though she knew Stella was right. "Besides I have news."

"She's got a plane to get us to Orinoco, for the gold." Pope explains

"No way, when is it getting in?"

"Like an hour, I mean once it get here, my dad says we can leave whenever we want."

"Okay, well, a much as I would to ghost my parents again, I can't" Pope says.

"Pope, we're talking El Dorado here. Can you just slip out the back maybe?" JJ asks.

"Great advice."

"It always worked for me. How to avoid unpleasant circumstances 101. If there's a problem you don't wanna face it, turn that face and keister around and walk the other way."

"Im not doing that, okay?"

"I just want you to be there, dog."

"Im gonna be there. I'll meet you guys at the airstrip in an hour." Pope promises before walking off with Cleo

"Im gonna take a stroll back to the shack. For old time sake. I always wanted to go to outh America. great surf, cheap weed." JJ explains walking off too.

"I guess I'll go pack some stuff and break the news to my parents."

Sarah and John B look at Stella, "Ugh I'll text my aunt but I think she'll be fine with it.  But i'll go grabs some stuff, leave you two alone."