The girls walked out through the front door of the villa onto the rough path toward the cliff edge. Peach led the way, several paces out in front. She was messing with her phone, apparently still trying to find a signal.
The sun was in the west, lowering in the sky.
Marlowe sighed and stretched her arms over her head. “This feels nice,” she said. “We should aim for watch time at this time, really. It’s the nicest part of the day.”
Sofia snorted.
“What?” Plum asked.
“Nothing, just I really hope angling for the best watch time doesn’t have to become part of our lives now.”
“Ugh, seriously,” Marlowe agreed.
They walked slowly toward the beehive-style FEMA tent set near the new bonfire.
There was a sudden squawking. Henrietta was flapping, struggling and scratching in Sofia’s arms.
“Oh my God, calm down!” Sofia yelped.
“Here!” Plum lifted her shirttail and placed it over the bird’s head. Henrietta calmed instantly.
“What was that all about?” Marlowe asked, returning the few steps she’d retreated.
“I think she saw that?” Sofia pointed to a curled piece of dried palm frond on the path. “It looks like a worm.” Sofia shrugged.
“She’s hungry again, I bet,” Plum suggested.
“Yeah, I just gave her some beans,” Sofia said. “Let me tell you, it is not easy having a dependent.”
“We need to get you a stroller or something,” Plum said.
“Maybe like some kind of carrier,” Marlowe agreed.
“I love this bird and everything—” Sofia began as they started walking again.
Plum held her breath. Next to her, Marlowe paused on the path.
It felt like Sofia was on the verge of a major confession, admitting that she wished she hadn’t taken on the burden of Henrietta.
“—but yeah, that would really help,” Sofia finished, sighing.
Marlowe glanced at Plum. They’d both thought the same thing.
Marlowe put a hand on Sofia’s shoulder. “Can I call you Farmer Torres?”
“Oh my God, I swear,” Sofia warned, but she was smiling.
The smile didn’t last.
“I take care of everything. Everyone. Too much, especially with Krystal at college now,” Sofia said. She dragged her feet on the path, almost as if she was feeling self-conscious. “And . . . don’t judge me, okay?” Sofia’s voice was small. “For flirting with Warix before . . . I love Louis! But he isn’t here and I just . . . I liked . . .”
“It’s okay.” Marlowe hurried to reassure their petite friend.
“I liked the way Warix looked at me. It’s been a while since I felt . . . I don’t know. Young?” She didn’t look up. “It’s just sometimes it feels like my whole life is right there, like I’m on a train, and my life is following the tracks. And the tracks aren’t bad. They lead to good things! It’s just . . . sometimes . . . I want to . . . go somewhere else. I guess.”
Marlowe moved to Sofia’s side. She wrapped an arm around the smaller girl’s waist. “Hey, it’s okay,” Marlowe said. “I understand. We get it.”
Plum squeezed Sofia’s hand. “Yeah! That’s normal! That’s like me! I just wanted an adventure, and that’s why we, um, ended up in this mess.”
“I know,” Sofia said. She closed her eyes. “I’m sorry, too. It’s just . . . it doesn’t particularly help anything.”
“Hey, wait.” Marlowe stepped forward, frowning. “Are you mad at Plum now? After asking us not to judge you?”
Sofia took a step back and shifted so the chicken was between her and Marlowe. “Don’t start, Lowe,” she snapped, shifting into their private nickname. “It’s bad enough that you already second everything she says. I don’t need you guilting me about being upset that we let her talk us into everything.”
“Don’t fight, you guys.” Plum’s heart felt like it was filled with wet sand. Her friends were fighting because of her.
“Hold on one minute!” Marlowe turned to Sofia. “It’s not Plum’s fault. We agreed to it. We’re weak for—”
“Oh my God, did you just call me weak?”
“Don’t start with me.”
“I swear, if you weren’t so lovesick about—”
“Stop, y’all,” Plum finally broke in.
“Don’t you dare talk about my heart!” Marlowe shot back at Sofia. She looked absolutely furious, which was a rare occurrence. Her eyes narrow, her teeth bared.
Plum glanced at Sofia. She was squared up, firmly in Marlowe’s face.
It was unusual for Marlowe and Sofia to truly fight, but when they did, it was like this: all at once, like how smoke can cause a flash-over fire in an instant.
“Then YOU STOP TELLING ME ABOUT IT AND DO SOMETHING ALREADY.”
“Y’all, please.” Plum felt like she might start to cry. “What are you even fighting about right now? Honestly.”
“Jesus!” Sofia yelled. “I don’t know who’s more ridiculous!”
“You’re the one holding a chicken,” Marlowe sniped.
“You’re the one scared of a chicken.”
“Y’all!” Plum yelled. Marlowe and Sofia turned to look at her. On the path ahead, Peach turned back, surprised at the commotion.
In front of them, Cici, Shelley, and Warix stood next to the FEMA tent, watching the fight. Plum had barely realized they’d finally reached the other group.
“Are they always like this?” Peach asked Cici with an arched eyebrow. “I thought they were friends.”
“Don’t you know? She’s your sister. Or is that only good online when it’s Siblings Day?” Cici sniped, clearly shocking Peach, who had obviously expected a warm, eager-to-please reaction from the lesser celebrity.
“Excuse you?” Peach fumed.
“OH MY GOD, DON’T YOU HAVE A JOB TO DO?” Marlowe yelled to Cici and Peach, gesturing wildly at the expanse of horizon beyond the cliff’s edge. “Like watching for rescue?”
Cici put her hands on her hips and turned in an exaggerated fashion, swinging her dark ponytail out wide.
Warix shook his head at them.
Shelley looked sad. “Oh,” she breathed. “I thought nothing would come between you three.”
“STOW IT, STAR CHILD!” Sofia yelled.
“YEAH!” Plum yelled back. “Families FIGHT.”
“Yeah! They do!” Marlowe joined in the yelling, then blinked in surprise.
Sofia let out a little huff of laughter.
Marlowe looked like she wasn’t sure if she should keep yelling or smile back at Sofia. The smile won out. Her cascading laugh followed.
“What were you even fighting about?” Plum asked, starting to smile in relief. “I mean, I thought I knew at first, then it got confusing.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Marlowe said.
“Aw! Babe in the woods,” Sofia cooed, turning and grabbing Plum’s hand. “I love you, girl.”
Plum realized she wasn’t getting an explanation. She tried to be mad about it for a minute, but the happy scatter of light in her heart from both her friends’ smiles took over instead.
“I love you, too,” Plum hiccupped.
“Wait, what’s happening?” Warix asked Shelley.
“That’s right, get it over with,” Cici sassed, waving the back of her pink-tipped fingers at them, not taking her eyes off the ocean.
“You’re exasperating, and I love you, too,” Marlowe said. “Both of you.”
“Me too,” Sofia said. “Sorry I said anything about your heart. I love your heart.”
“It’s okay, we’re all under stress.” Plum swiped her fingers under her eyelashes. “I love you guys so much.”
“Does anyone want to tell me why you’re here?” Warix thrust his palms forward in exasperation.
Sofia sniffed. Marlowe handed over her linen pocket square. Sofia took it and dabbed at her nose and her eyes. “Yeah,” she said to Warix. “Brittlyn’s body is missing.”