The Girl In The Shadow || Outerbanks || Pope Heyward & Cleo Anderson

7.

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"..then we sunk his boat!" Valera laughed, and Dawn chuckled, taking a swing of his beer.

"So.. what happened that made everything so complicated?" Dawn asked, stumbling a bit, and Valera reached out, giggling as she helped balance him.

The two made it to the beach, sitting down on the sand, Valera's red dress getting sand on it, but she didn't care.

A frown appeared on her face, "I made everything complicated."

Dawn laid down next to her, staring at the dark sky, "why?"

Valera laid down, "Because... because I felt like Sarah was taking my friends, but.. I just gave them up."

"Sarah? Who's sarah?" Dawn asked, and Valera chuckled, but it was dry and held no humor in it.

"Sarah Cameron, my twin sister, our dad's pride and joy, favorite child, golden child,the perfect girl that can do nothing bad," she let out a laugh

"She cheats on her boyfriends! Do you..do you know how many times she cheated on Topper? Oh God! Do you know how many times I walked in.." Valera trialed off,

"Top is nice guy, weird as fuck, and a wannabe Rafe but he's okay." Valera said,

"Daddy issues, "Dawn chuckled, "Yeah, me too, princess, and mommy issues."

"I don't know my mom," Valera confessed, "My mom left after wheezie was born, I think, that's what our dad told us,"

"Sarah..she always gets what she wants, and it's not fair," her voice cracked a bit.

"They were my friends first, my only friends," she let out a watery laugh, sniffling as tears clouded her vision

"Years ago, I invited my friends to my birthday party, but nobody showed up, and I never had friends until I met the Pogues, and I wanted to keep them, I got attached, they were mine and not Sarah's," Valera rambled and Dawn listened, sobering up a bit.

"Then Sarah and John B clicked..and..and I got insecure because he wanted Sarah to join the hunt, but nobody else did, I told him that he can't have both us.."

Valera let out a small sob, "he didn't pick me. I'm not even a second choice, not when it comes to Sarah, I'm just..her twin..her shadow, just like dad told me,"

"Valera," she mimics her father's voice, "Sarah is more important than you. Her happiness is more important to me, Sarah will always get everything first because she will always be the first choice. You live her shadow, act like it,"

Dawn frowned. His parents were strict assholes but they never said anything like that. They were always disappointed in him and his younger brother, but they were treated equally.

"I.. I think I would've killed myself a long time ago, i..almost did a few years ago," Valera confessed,

She never admitted that out loud before. Not even to Rafe.

Valera sniffled, and she lifted her wrist, taking the bracelet that she always had on.

There was a small scar on her wrist where her veins were. Dawn grabbed her hand and traced the scar with his thumb.

"I didn't go through with it because...of my older brother, Rafe, the one you find super hot,"

They both let out a small laugh ,"I thought about what would happen to him if I died, he's been taking care of me my whole life..and I just couldn't do that to him."

"Well, I'm glad that you didn't go through with it," Dawn spoke, "you are like a really fun person to be around, and even..even if I didn't meet you and just heard stories..I think I would miss you."

"You just met me." Valera quietly said, and Dawn interlocked his hand with hers and laid them on his chest.

"Do you believe in soul mates? Like not lover soul mates but platonic soul mates?" Dawn questioned

Valera hummed, "Yeah."

Dawn smiled, "I think you're my platonic soul mate."

Valera smiled, letting out a small laugh, "Yeah?"

Dawn nodded ,"Yeah."

Valera lip quivered, and Dawn pulled her into a hug, and she started to cry.

"It's okay, princess, just let it all out."

Dawn didn't know what it was, but he had this protective instinct over Valera. Maybe it was because he was also an older brother, or maybe he could relate to her in some ways.

He never got attached to people. People tend to just want him because of his looks or popularity.

Valera didn't care for his looks. She wanted a friend who would stick with her, who would choose her when nobody else did.

She wanted to be someone to somebody, and that was all she was asking.

Dawn wondered why it was so hard for people to understand that about Valera.

She wears her heart on her sleeve, and she cares and cares, but who cares about her in return?

Dawn was gonna be their for her. She needed a friend, and so did he.

Maybe they could fix each other in ways others can't.

🌊

Valera felt embarrassed that she told her whole life story to a total stranger, well, not a stranger, Dawn.

She felt embarrassed that she cried on him, but he didn't care. He told her it was fine.

He had walked her home, but the two sneaked into their own houses afterward.

Luck to be on her side when nobody stopped her. She showerd and changed before she collapsed on her bed.

It did feel great telling someone about everything. It was like a weight was lifted off her chest, and she could breathe a little lighter.

She sighed, and she reached for her phone and clicked on contacts.

She sent a message to John B. They needed to talk, and enough was enough.

She pulled the covers over herself, her eyes slowly closed, too exhausted from crying earlier.

Maybe tomorrow could be a better day, but with her luck, it could be worse than it was today.

Her life was never easy.

🌊

1003 words

Short chapter

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