"Are you kidding me? You have never seen a play?" Miguel asked in disbelief when Karter took the shot. "Woah. Just woah."

"I would get board." Karter defended herself as she whipped her mouth. "Plus, most theater plays just have bad acting."

"That's true. You have to go to the good stuff to get the good actors." he agreed with her, pouring another shot and passing it to her. "Your turn."

"Never have I ever...been on a boat." Karter said back with an eyebrow raise.

"I told you I have never been on a boat before!" he yelled with a laugh.

"I don't remember!" she lied, laughing with him as the water floated around the pair. "Drink up!"

Miguel took the shot with a gross look on his face. "Okay, okay. Never have I ever... had a real boyfriend before?"

Karter exhaled. "Sorry. No drink for me."

"And you haven't told me about him?" Miguel gapped in disbelief. "I told you about Sam, and now Tory."

"He's nothing like Sam and Tory, believe me." Karter shook her head, rubbing her forehead as the headache started to set in. "You don't want to know about this guy."

"Come on, of course I do." he shook his head, kicking her leg under the water. "What's his name? How long where you guys together?"

"Uh, we met freshman year. Dated until the homecoming dance of sophomore year." Karter nodded her head with a minor exhale. "James."

"James. So, what happened?" Miguel pushed on, not noticing Karters discomfort.

Karter shrugged. "Just- we broke up."

"At homecoming? That's all you're gonna give me?" he gave her an offended look. "After all the details i've given you."

"He started drinking, got really, really, mad at me because I said that he should maybe slow down because there were chaperones around." Karter shook her head, her eyes casted down slightly with a shrug. "So, he grabbed me by the face, and told me that he hated me so much and that I was the worst thing that has ever happened to him. It was pretty clear after that."

Miguel's face fell. "Shit. Karter, i'm so sorry."

She forced a laugh, shaking her head. "It's fine. I mean, a lot of people warned me about him, you know? He had a bad past, but I didn't want to listen."

"Well, for the record, I seriously doubt you were ever the worst thing that has ever happened to him." Miguel pointed out as Karter gave a gentle grin. "I mean, you're the coolest. And you say really weird stuff, and you're kinda mean but never in an intentional way. It's hard to imagine that you could ever be the worst thing that's ever happened to someone."

Karters lips turned up slightly, rubbing her forehead. "You're a cheese ball, get your shot glass."

Miguel grinned, taking his glass as Karter inhaled. "Never have I ever asked Tory why she hates Karter so much."

Miguel exhaled, shaking his head with a faint chuckle. "She doesn't hate you."

"She acts like she hates me. Is it the whole us thing? I mean, you told her it wasn't for real." Karter pointed out with an odd look. "So, what's the problem?"

"She just has a hard time trusting people." Migeul spoke for her with a nod. "And, it's not really ideal for her to be kept like some secret until the end of summer."

"I'm all for some public, dramatic break up if that's what you want." Karter pointed out with a chuckle. "I'm talking, yelling, throwing my ring at you, drink to the face, getting custody of the dog, public break up."

Migeul laughed, shaking his head. "I think that two more days will be worth avoiding something like that."

"As long as she knows i'm not trying to, like, move in on you." Karter shook her head. "Even though, theoretically, she did the same thing before she knew we were fake dating."

Miguel rose his eyebrows, laughing. "Woah. That seemed personal."

Karter held up her index and thumb to show just a little space between it. "Two days isn't a long time."

"It still sucks you have to leave." Miguel said honestly, setting his shot to the side with an exhale. "Oh, woah."

Karters eyes widened. "Are you gonna be sick right now?"

"I forgot to tell you I haven't had anything other then beer." he said, standing up.

"Oh my god. Oh my god." Karters eyes widened, getting out of the hot tub. "Miguel, do not puke in this hot tub. Do not puke."

He latched onto her shoulders, stepping out of the tub as she lead him toward the bathroom in the pool house. Karter cringed as Miguel lost everything he ate that day the second he leaned over.

"Okay, all better." Karter sighed, pulling a shirt over Miguel's head when they got back upstairs. She brought a cinnamon roll with her, setting it on the nightstand. "Okay, there's the bed."

Miguel crawled in slowly. "I'm so sorry, Karter."

"No, no, it's okay." she said, pulling the blankets up to tuck him in better. "Snug as a bug in a rug."

Miguel gave a small, weak smile. "I'm so glad you came to The Valley."

"Oh, god. Don't tell me you're a softie drunk." she shook her head, grabbing the cinnamon roll from the night stand.

"What? Noooo." Miguel scoffed, opening his mouth as she popped a piece in his mouth. "Oh, woah, that bakery pays off."

"It'll help when you wake up in the morning." Karter grinned, making sure Miguel had all he needed. "Finish this, i'll go get you a wet rag for your head."

"Thanks, Karter." he grabbed her wrist when she stood up. "Sorry for being so un cool."

"Come on." she gave a shrug. "Yes, un-cool, but maybe I like un-cool."

Miguel cracked a grin. "Insult and a compliment in one."

"You know it." she hummed, heading for the bathroom as she grabbed a rag from under the sink, wetting it under the faucet. She grabbed some aspirin from the cabinet, heading back into the room before pausing. Miguel had fallen asleep, the half eaten cinnamon roll on his shoulder as he curled up to the blankets.

Karter smiled slightly, walking over as she set the bottle on the night stand. Grabbing the cinnamon roll, she leaned down to place a small kiss to the crown of his head. "Sweet dreams, Rwanda."

Leaving the wet rag on his forehead, her and the half eaten cinnamon roll headed to her room at the end of the hall.

When Karter woke up, she had her own headache from the night before. She looked down, seeing the movie she had been watching before falling asleep was paused now. Yawning, she immediately thought of Miguel. A panic set in when she suddenly remembered she'd left him on his back last night, meaning if he puked again, he'd choke. Karter nearly lost her balance, running out for the door as she pushed the bedroom door open.

Karter had to sigh in relief when he wasn't there, meaning their was no way he had choked. Laughter came from down stairs, getting her attention as she headed for the staircase.

"I can't believe you would actually do something like that." Lolly laughed, flipping a few pancakes as Migeul sat across from her at the bar. "You'd think you'd learn better after the first try."

"You'd think." Miguel agreed with a laugh.

"It's like the...what's it called? A domino effect, only with one person." Pop wheezed, sipping his coffee from the table in the dining room.

"So many morning people in one." Karter hummed, rubbing her eyes as she adjusted to the light.

"Aw, morning baby." Lolly grinned her way. "Made you some pancakes."

Karter smiled at her as Pop cut in. "You sleep good?"

"Yeah, I gave Miguel my room , but the one at the end of the hall isn't so bad." she answered, heading for the bar as Miguel pulled the stool out for her. "What are you guys talking about?"

"Your boyfriend was just telling us about how he tried to roller skate when he was younger, broke his tooth, then did it again when it healed, breaking it again." Lolly laughed slightly, shaking her head. "Sounds like something your mom would do."

Karter looked over at Miguel. "Sounds like something he'd get himself into."

Miguel smiling, playing the part as he kissed her forehead. Pop turned back. "You two planned on heading down to Cooler Rays?"

"What's Cooler Rays?" Migeul questioned.

"I was actually hoping to take Miguel out on the water for a little bit." Karter spoke up, pouring some syrup onto her pancakes. "If that's okay?"

"That should be fun. Which boat?" Lolly hummed.

Miguel gapped. "You have more then one boat?"

"Well, we have the sail boat." Pop walked over, holding Lollys shoulder as he placed his plate into the sink, starting to rinse it off. "You ever been sailing?"

"Never." Migeul grinned.

"Take the boy sailing." Pop grinned at Karter as she did it back. "Just don't get lost again."

"Sounds like her." Miguel confirmed.

"I wasn't lost, I thought I found a shipwreck." Karter defended herself quickly.

"I told you that Mrs.Rambee didn't die in a ship wreck." Lolly corrected her again. "She's had this theory since she was little."

"Who's Mrs.Rambee?" Miguel gave a questionable look.

"She died here a long time ago and stuck around. We only see her sometimes." Pop informed him as Miguel's eyes went wide. "She's harmless."

"Doesn't make it any less terrifying." Karter pointed out. "All the reports say she died of old age but, rumor has it, when you see her lurking around, she's soaking wet."

"Like she drowned?" Miguel turned her way.

"Exactly." Karter agreed with a grin.

"Oh, god. Not another one." Lolly announced, cleaning her plate. "One conspiracy nut is enough."

"Sailing is kinda terrifying." Miguel admitted as the two came to a stop out in the water. "I kept thinking we were gonna tip over."

"We could." Karter unhooked her life jacket. "My grandparents are gonna be so devastated when we break up."

"Well, maybe at christmas we can pretend to fake date again and I'll just come down." Miguel pointed out as Karter looked over with a grin. "Maybe also thanksgiving."

"Hell yeah, you can meet my moms." she exhaled, shaking her head. "And get to see them compare me and Hawk the entire time."

Miguel looked over at her, the wind blowing over the water. "Your grandparents don't seem to do that."

"They don't. Just my moms and my aunt do it pretty bad." Karter nodded her head. "I know they aren't necessarily trying to, like, just in a way of making us want to be better. But, sometimes, just the right jab can hurt."

"Like a roundhouse kick to the throat?" Miguel rose his eyebrows.

"Exactly like a roundhouse kick to the throat." Karter agreed, reaching into the little cooler to pull out two bottles of fruit punch.

"What was that place your Pop was talking about?"

"Cooler Rays?" Karter rose her eyebrows, getting a nod. "It's this little bar right at the end of golf course. They serve alcohol to anyone that lives in this area of Clearlake. Hawk and I have been bringing our friends there since middle school."

"Seriously? Wont they get in trouble?" Miguel asked with wide eyes.

"Won't Sensei Lawrence get in trouble for letting you drink with him when it's time to celebrate?" Karter have a small snort.

"Fair." he hummed, sipping the fruit punch.

"Maybe, if I can get you down for Christmas, i'll take you down there. They have a fantastic christmas drink they do, it's like Santa Clause decided to straight up take a piss in your mouth." Karter explained, talking with her hands as she grinned. "It's great."

"Sounds magical." he admitted with a nod. "Yeah, totally, I can't wait."

Karter grinned as she looked at him. "You know what I think we're gonna turn into?"

"What?" Miguel asked with a faint laugh, resting his head back.

"We're gonna be those two friends, that everyone talks about, that only meet up, like, twice a year and end up hooking up in the bathroom." Karter confirmed as Miguel laughed. "I can picture is turning into that sort of clique."

He calmed down from his minor choke, holding his bottle out. "To whatever the future holds."

"To whatever the future holds." she grinned, clinking their bottles together.

•

kylie speaks

ain't no way he didn't
fall for her after this.