Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"SANTANA, SIT DOWN HONEY," Rose sniffled, ushering to a seat next to her. The Cameron's were sprawled around their dining table, watching the video Ward Cameron and Selah Marks had left behind for them.
"I'm good," Santana bluntly replied, though a soft look from Sarah was enough for her to sit down, "Play the damn thing already."
"You don't have to be so inconsiderate," Rafe barked at Santana, "This happened because you Pogues wouldn't stop."
While Santana definitely had the energy to argue, she didn't want to cause a scene for Wheezie and Sarah; instead she slouched into her chair and watched Rose press play.
Ward spoke concisely, admitted to the murder of Big John Routledge and covering for the murder of Sheriff Peterkin. In the same breath, he admitted to the murder of Gavin, the pilot.
"-Many will say I took the easy way out," lingered in Santana's mind. She thought they did too. Santana's momentary sadness has festered into anger, she wished that she saw Selah and Ward pay for what they did.
The Cameron's were in tears, Rose gripping the screen of her dead husband while the children sobbed.
"To my family I leave my estate to be divided equally and I leave a live deeper than I could ever express."
After Ward's last words, the Cameron's dispersed from the table — Rafe walking to lean against a wall with another glass of alcohol tightly gripped in his hand while Wheezie and Rose walked away in tears.
Sarah leaned over the table and pulled it close, "They left this one only for you."
"que?" Santana furrowed her brows watching Sarah wipe her tears.
"It arrived this morning from Selah's shop supposedly," She shrugged, "Open it."
Santana did. Inside were a set of keys, presumably to the board shop and what looked to be an overfilled mess of polaroids.
A note too, signed by Ward.
Santana let out a laugh, "Guess Selah never really cared, couldn't even bother to give me the keys herself."
"Santana-"
Sarah kept silent but lightly searched through the polaroids. She smiled when she saw one of her dad and Marisol, "Pretty full circle huh? Our family spiral started with these polaroids-"
"And died with them," Santana stood up, pushing the box away, "I don't want them, feel free to take them S."
"But he left them for you."
"I know you don't wanna hear the next words out of my mouth, so don't make me say them," Santana grabbed the board shop keys as she started to walk out.
"So that's it?" Sarah's eyes flushed with tears again, "You're just gonna leave me here too?"
"I need to clean up the board shop and house," She paused, "I've gotta get something ready for business if I'm gonna stick around on my own."
"H-How're you gonna stay here without a guardian?" Sarah begun to smile a little, hoping Santana had thought it through.
"Gia offered to sign a couple dotted lines for me," Santana pouted, "Gia's always acted like my guardian, it'll just a little more official now."
"I'm happy for you San. And it might be selfish, but I feel like you're the only family I have left and I... Im just glad you didn't leave with your brothers."
"Me too."
—— that night,
"DID YOU HEAR SARAH DUMPED JB?" JJ howled as he jumped Selah's fence, catching Santana off guard who was out of breath and lying on the grass.
"I leave those two for a few hours and this is what happens," She whined, meeting JJ for a kiss who'd towered over her on the ground. He rolled over beside her, "Wanna tell me why we're laying in the grass?"
"I have no fucking idea," Santana facepalmed herself, "But it's better than being inside."
JJ squinted his eyes, sitting up and peering into the open back door. Smashed glass.
"You trashing the place before you go?" JJ dropped his face, taking off his cap and holding it tightly, "Like a hit and run."
"Supongo que no has escuchado las noticias," Santana faked a frown before sitting up, "Actually Maybank, I'm sticking around. I'm even getting adopted, kinda - Gia'a about to be my new guardian."
"I just thought-"
"That I was gonna crawl back to Freeridge after yesterday's... fiasco?"
"Undoubtedly."
She sighed, tilting her head to lean on JJ's shoulders, "In actuality, I just found Selah's really expensive alcohol from home, drained it and smashed it in a slight rage."
"Slight?" JJ snickered, "Looks like a crime scene in there."
"They left me these sappy polaroids and a note that I refuse to read," Santana add, "I just need to remember that I only really knew them from this past summer. Selah hadn't been around for ages and I only just met Ward."
"Yet you're staying for us?" JJ bit his lip, "You've only known us for the same time"
"I'm sorry J, did you want me to leave or something?" She bit back, lifting up her head.
"Of course not!" JJ sighed, "I just- I don't know okay! Your mom just came back San, and you lost your dad in the same breath. Maybe you should be around your family."
"And the Pogues aren't?"
"Santana you know that's not what I'm saying," His tone sounded firmer, a little more frustrated. JJ scratched his neck, "This shits crazy Sana, I just don't want you to make a choice you'll regret."
"You try living in Freeridge for your childhood and then come and tell me about regretting choices," Santana blurted out angrily, rolling her eyes out of instinct, "I told you I'm staying, you don't need to read into it."
"Alright San," He threw his arms up defensively, "No more family talk."
"I'm good with that," She said as she jumped up, extending her hand to JJ, "I'll see you tomorrow?"
"Have I pissed you off so bad that you're kicking me out?" JJ took her hand.
"I've got so much shit to do in the board shop, it's been dead for weeks," She replied, "I'll be in a happier mood tomorrow too."
"How much happier could you be right now after everything that happened in the last few days?" JJ shook his head.
"Let's not do this, yeah? This is fucking stupid," Santana rolled her eyes, "I'm just grumpy and we're both gonna say some dumb shit to piss eachother off right now."
"It's not dumb shit Sana," JJ cleared his throat, "You're just avoiding everything and I'm the only one who's gonna pull you up on it."
Santana laughed, "As if you weren't the one suggesting we run away to Yucatan."
JJ looked down at his feet then back up at Santana, clearing his throat, "I'll see you tomorrow."
— cloudydior i don't have an excuse but sorry for the hiatus! this book is entering its flop era but that's okay bc i love writing it <3
