Chapter song:
love is a compass by griff.
••☆••
Though Marie had started this race in the lead , Matt took over, and the rest followed along .
"Come on , let's lead on, baby." Amir broke the silence in their car, smiling softly at Marieh.
Marie looked at him silently through the driving mirror with a soft smile on her face .
Their eyes into each other, Amir's smile grew wider with a wink , Marieh maintaining her lovely smile, exposing her beautiful dimples .
Babi, Darnel, and William raised their eyes, watching them.
Truth is, Darnel and William had never seen this side of Marieh , she was happier, free, and wild . She didn't have to put on her composed perfect rich girl facade.
She truly was herself. Making them appreciate this side of her . But truly, none of them had ever given her a chance to show her true self.
"As you wish, Baby." Marieh finally said with a smirk, turning her eyes on the road stepping on it .
" Whoah..." Amir shouted as the wind rapidly hit his face .
Making them giggle lightly .
"You didn't complain this time round, baby," Babi said with a smirk.
Amir and Marieh chuckled.
"I will let it slide this time because she agreed to my request," Amir laughed.
"As she should, Baby." William suddenly said. This made everyone burst into laughter.
" Nahh...Nah...uh.ah...." Amir refused all them burst into laughter.
"Buckle up," Marieh said with a smirk, then stepped on it, increasing speed.
"Fuck you, Matt," Amir shouted out to Matt as they bypassed his car.
The boring dead car was now filled with life, all of them laughing and smiling.
"You asked for it bitches." Matt shouted increasing speed too. The peaceful ride turned into a race. Amir slid half of his body out the window laughing at Matt that were trying to keep up.
In between their laughing , Babi turned on the music .
" Yes " Marieh shouted already moving to the song beat .
"Yo, Amir please sit in right, I don't want you ending up in the hospital." Marieh loudly added to Amir.
"This is a piece of cake, baby," Amir said raising his hands while shouting.
They all giggled but Marieh wasn't having it.
"Get your ass seated in right now ," she shouted at him angrily.
"Yes ma'am." Amir immediately said sitting in right and leaning behind looking at her.
"Are we good now?" he asked.
"Yes, thank you," she said with a smile. Other burst into laughter.
"So Amir, is Marieh like your best friend, you two seem pretty close." Darnel had to ask.
He could feel and see how tight these two were.
Babi looked at Marie with a smile and then at Amir with a more fishy smile.
"She is my girl, best friend, mom at times, name it, she is my Marieh." Amir finally said .
The smile that had disappeared on Marieh's face reappeared even wider, her face showing how satisfied he was with his answer.
"I feel you," Darnel smiled.
"A cool friends group with best friends and couples within, wow," William stated.
"Then am guessing Babi and Nathan are best friends as well," William asked with a smirk but his eyes on Darnel and then to Babi.
Amir and Marieh looked at each other smiling hard.
Amir looked at Babi waiting for her reply.
"Let's clarify, B is mine, my best friend, she is mine before anyones," Marieh said.
"Are you jealous?" Amir asked smiling.
Their eyes were on Babi waiting for her reply.
She was stuck on replying, maybe not sure of what the answer was, but her eyes were on Darnel. She finally smiled looking at William.
"Nathan and I are close friends, like a brother, I've known him all since we were kids," Babi smiled.
Darnel wasn't happy to hear this, he bit his jaws angrily, there was no way in hell he could even hide it .
" are you two just friends with each other together with Marieh?" Amir asked.
William and Darnel quietly stared at Marieh, who was uncomfortable with Amir's question.
Did he ask because he doesn't know the dynamic between Marieh and Darnel.? They were left wandering.
" uhmm.." William replied.
He was not one to speak up on that , since Darnel and Marieh failed to answer . He did what he saw fit.
" its a lot complicated having titles and trying to make genuine friendships. " William added.
" but i have been surprised tonight. " William smiled.
"The both of you are in safe hands tonight. We shant promise heaven on earth but you are assuredto have hella fun ," Amir smiled .
"He is right, they are the best " Marieh assured William.
"How about you Darnel?" Amir asked wanting his take on the night.
"His case is different, his library and books take priority." William jokingly said making them laugh.
"Well that's great, I guess he is going to have a book buddy," Amir smiled.
"Some likings with Babi, she is obsessed with books, sometimes I even have to compete with them," Marieh joked .
The rest chuckled, Babi slightly smiled though she wasn't enjoying the direction of this conversation.
Darnel sat back quietly observing her . Another thing that was making her restless.
"Well, you two have gotten each other as book buddies from now on. And B, you won't have to struggle trying to make us understand your book plots and twists, Darnel will fill in for all of us." Amir laughed .
William was having the out most fun in this , gazing constantly at both of them.
"I thought you two would know be close or something since you share Miss Nancy, she is a mom to both of you," Marieh said.
Babi scoffed , which surprised all of them .
"Some people are too complicated even when it's easy , rather books they don't change like seasons and can be trusted," Darnel finally broke his silence.
Marieh and Amir were confused by his cold and angry response, did it have anything to do with what Marieh just said.
William folded his lips hiding his smile.
"Maybe, some people are too delirious and oblivious to see the complications in it," Babi replied, all feeling the anger in her voice .
"Maybe some people just always choose to see the complications in everything." Darnel angrily yet calmly replied.
"Did you guys have some complicated issues we don't know about yet?" Amir immediately came in asking.
It was clear the stray bullets were to each other.
"No, no," they said at once.
" Hmm..." William cleared his voice failing to hide the in this. William ends up widely smiling .
He clearly knew and understood the depth of the missing gaps in this argument.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Marie asked softly.
"We are good," Babi said, speaking for both of them.
"Is it connected to Aunty Nancy?" Amir asked.
"No, we are good," Darnel said, still speaking for both of them.
"Okay," Amir said.
Silence and tension filling the car only the radio playing .
"B, your song," Marie shouted happily as the next song began playing. She really wanted to go away with the awkward atmosphere.
🎵 'moments they mean everything, and just like magic can make the whole world sing, that look in your eyes
oh the joy it brings when I hold you and you hold me.
I know we are not, not what we used to be, but we carry so much history.
Put it on my shelves, and I roll the wind that leads me here to you, and I will do it all again.
I know I won't always be the same. Feelings don't change. They never fade away ....."
Babi turned her head staring out the window, hiding the tears in her eyes.
Something about the song , unlocking the emotions she was bottling up .
Darnel bent his head down clenching fists, sadness feeling him as well .
"We are here." Amir happily shouted.
"Those guys will be here in a few minutes, I'm sure Kalvin is going to be blown," Amir smiled.
Babi immediately got out the car , deeply gasping for air, she was suffocated within.
"Coming to the beach?" Darnel asked a sarcastically as he out of the car , William following suit.
"Not the beach, the beach campfire," Amir replied.
"Isn't this worth it?" Marieh asked Darnel and William on getting out the car aswell.
"So worth it " William replied , stretching out while staring at the shimmering sea water .
William happily inhaled , pulling off his shirt remaining in his pants.
"You're first swimming?" Darnel asked.
"Yes, you?" William asked.
"I need a drink," Darnel said.
"Matt's car has all the drinks and snacks," Amir said. As they stared at William freely run over to the waters.
Marieh walked over to Babi who was standing at a distance in thoughts staring at the sea.
"Speak of the devil," Darnel said as Matt's minivan pulled over next to Marieh's.
"Fuck Matt, you're slow," Amir said.
Matt blasted up the music laughing hard.
"What were you saying jerk?" Matt shouted at the top of his lungs to Amir.
They all burst out laughing, Kim , Neacky, Nathan , and Kalvin got out the car all stretching and taking in the see breeze.
" Oh fuck , what a way to be welcomed home " Kalvin happily said
"The night is still young and so are we," Kalvin shouted at the top of his lungs pulling off his shirt too.
"Let the night get started," Neacky shouted. Pulling off her dress remaining in her bra and knicker.
She and Kalvin running while shouting to join William in water.
Nathan and Kim immediately started dancing to the music.
Matt hurriedly ran carrying Kim up his shoulder then running towards the water as she screamed on top of her lungs.
Others laughed watching them.
"A little help here," Amir said opening up the trunk of Matt's car.
Nathan and Darnel already at hand ready to help him.
"With the buzz, the loud music, and the fire at the beach, the police normally raids how ready are we to handle it?" Darnel asked.
"That's Matt's role here, his father is the deputy in charge of this whole valley town and besides, with the Prince and a Grayson what could go wrong," Nathan said proudly.
"Let's not forget Marie McCall is here and Nathaniel Anderson too," Amir added.
"I like the strategies," Darnel said. All chuckling.
"Wait, you're Mr. Anderson's son?" Darnel said to Nathan.
"Yes," Nathan said.
"Do you know each other?" Amir asked.
"My father is a very good business partner and friend to Philip Grayson, his father," Nathan said.
"Small world," Darnel said.
"It all revolves around the Graysons and the royal family, when you think about it, most of us here are kinda connected to them," Amir said.
"Darnel, William, and Marie are from the inner circle, Amir, Babi, Neacky, Matt, and I, our parents work for or with the inner circle's parents, Kalvin and Kim are on scholarships at the royal Academy that's owned by those from the inner circle," Nathan said to Darnel in a way of enlightening him on it.
Darnel stood looking at Babi and Marie who were dancing, the others playing in the water.
"The circles never stop, even us the kids are trapped within." Darnel sadly said quietly.
"All of us here are our families' legacies that are supposed to carry on what the first ones started," Amir said.
"I don't know much about our parents but I know that all of us here are filled with love for one another, in this circle, it's safe and not suffocating," Nathan smiled.
Darnel uncertainly smiled , he took a deep breath his eyes on Babi , who had joined others with Marieh playing in the sea.
Darnel shifted his gaze to William, playing so freely and laughing genuinely , this in the longest time he had seen William that happy.
"Yes, it feels nice being in this circle," Darnel said heavily exhaling .
"Welcome to the crew bro," Amir smiled to Darnel.
After carrying the trays of drinks, the boxes of snacks, and some logs of firewood out the car .
Nathan immediately lit the wood, pouring some liquor in the fire to induce more buring .
Darnel sat at the fireplace, with an opened bottle of wine , sipping as he observed those playing in the sea.
"This is it," Amir shouted . He as well undressed running into the water joining the rest .
"You're good?" Nathan asked Darnel sitting around the fire as well .
"Yes," Darnel said drinking more.
"Your vibe says otherwise," Nathan said.
Darnel chuckled , his eyes on Babi every now and then.
Nathan sighed , he stood up undressed as well.
"Aren't you joining us?" Nathan asked.
"Not yet," Darnel said.
"This beach must have washrooms nearby," Darnel added.
"After the cars in the corner, at the watch tower," Nathan said running off.
Darnel sipped his drink again , he stood up walking to where Nathan directed him slowly as he filled himself with more wine .
Truth is this is the kind of fun he needs to be having, to loosen up a bit, get naked, play in the water after the sun has fallen like others, dance to the music, and laugh till his lungs pain and tears roll with friends.
Much as they have just met, they have a lot in common and they have been welcomed so well but something is wrong. He is too numb to feel the warmth ,joy and fun in this .
He felt so suffocated, like his heart was being squeezed tight, like he wanted to shout out his pain yet it's that pain he has refused to admit that he has.
His brain flooded with many thoughts, it was like a trap he couldn't escape.
As he slowly excluded himself, Babi's eyes were on him, watching him disappear in the dark.
Darnel didn't need the toilets, all he wanted was a place to sit down alone. He sat on the wooden veranda of the watch house, quietly drinking and rethinking whatever was in his mind.
As he raised the bottle to drink again, it was snatched away from his hands throwing it down.
"This is unlike you J," Babi angrily said forcing Darnel to chuckle sadly.
"Now we are back to our old names?" he sadly asked.
"Do you expect me to call you Sky, Babi, or act like we are good?" Darnel angrily asked.
"Then make it easy for me J, please." Babi pleaded.
"So it's my fault now?" Darnel angrily asked standing up leveling with her yet more like making her tilt her head upwards so they could see eye to eye.
"Was I that easy to you huh? now you're replacing me with some other dude." Darnel angrily said.
"It's a year, 6 months, one week, and two days since you cut me off, how many books have I sent you Sky, the notes, the postcards of every place I traveled to, just to keep you posted about what's happening in my life." Darnel shouted, the pain in his voice.
"You stopped picking up my calls, and replying to my texts and emails, you changed your number just to avoid me." He added.
"I get to realize later that you changed your number, I had to steal your new number from your mother's phone and the second you realized it was me you switched to another but all for what?" he painfully asked.
"All for what Sky?" He yelled
Tears flooded in her eyes looking at him with no answer.
"I spend every single minute of each day wondering what I did wrong, what did I miss, what possibly changed. I thought we were best friends, I thought we were supposed to be open with each other," he said tears in his eyes.
"Because it's hard, it's hard J, being best friends with you is hard, your family, my family," she finally breathed it out.
"We have been close since we were 6, six years Sky, it has worked out since then, what has changed in a year?" Darnel asked yarning for answers.
"It's, it's..." She couldn't say a word only broke down into tears.
"FUCK!!!!" He angrily shouted kicking the bottle of wine far ahead in frustration.
"If you wanted to let me go, you would have prepared me first, to let me down slowly, to at least give me a good reason why. You're crying now but do you how I have been feeling, can you even imagine the pain I have been living with?" Darnel sadly said.
Babi covered her face crying. Much as she covers it up, she has been hurting as well.
"Was I the only one considering you my best friend, putting you first before even Will," Darnel asked and a tear dropped down his cheek.
"No, nooo, no J." She cried.
"Sky we meet again and you pretend to be your sister but you're the same person, remembering that I don't do well with sugar, making my favorite songs your favorite then acting like we were nothing and still not giving me a reason why," Darnel said tears running down his face.
She still looked at him blank just tears pouring out.
"Alright ( he breathed out cleaning his tears) I said it in the note, I don't know if you read it, am done hurting and trying to make ends meet." Darnel painfully said.
"Let's play the game you started." Darnel breathed in , trying to catch his breath.
Babi burst out into louder cries as he walked away.
"Josiah, Josiah." she cried loudly very helplessly and terrified.
Darnel in pain stood facing her with his back, tears in his eyes.
"J.." she cried again.
She had held on and was strong with the fact that he was there on the other side. Losing him completely was what she couldn't deal with.
"I panicked when I got the news that Marieh was getting engaged to you, I didn't know how to handle the fact that my two best friends were engaged to each other." She finally breathed it out in between her tears.
Darnel moved closer to her step by step then embraced her tightly.
She held him tight crying out breathlessly .
" I was scared... I was.." she failed to say more only crying out.
"I am sorry, J. I am sorry for being so selfish and inconsiderate." she cried.
"I am sorry for not thinking of how hard this would be for you," he said, sobbing.
He made a step behind covering her cheeks with his hands cleaning her tears.
"You can lie to me if you want but I know it was hard avoiding this handsome mother fuckin best friend of yours." He said so sarcastically.
Babi burst into laughter in between her tears, she hit him hard in the abdomen making both of them laugh.
"Tell me, was it more painful to cut me off?" he said teased.
"It was painful but damn I'm the bitch, making you cry like a baby, you've been broken and helpless for a good time now." Babi laughed at him as well.
They laughed more and he came closer hugging her again.
"That's facts though, you have this much power over me, to make me cry and suffocated to the level my family fuckin hasn't hit yet." He said.
Babi smiled widely holding him tightly as he carried her up swinging her around.
"I missed you." she smiled as he put her down on her feet.
Holding him tightly, she was more relieved and feeling light weighted in his hands.
"I missed you more," he admitted.
Throughout their making up and halfway through their argument, Nathan stood afar watching the both of them.
Much as he could not hear what they were saying, this was just proof they knew each other a little more than what others expected.
Nathan had never witnessed Babi break down into tears like she had when he watched her then, the comfort she had when Darnel hugged her, him embracing her that tight and even swinging her around was another whole new story to him.
He folded his firsts and bitting his jaw angrily. The seethe glare towards them watching them embrace.
The pain , unjust and disappointed look all over Nathan's face.