[INDENT][COLOR=SLATEGRAY][CENTER][sup][sup][h1][center][img] https://media.architecturaldigest.com/photos/672d4a5b823a46b3d7f713e1/16:9/w_2560%2Cc_limit/GettyImages-1867432941.jpg[/img][/center][b][center][color=black] S T . D Y M P H N A ‘ S H O M E[/color] [color=lightgray]S T . D Y M P H N A ‘ S H O M E[/color][/center] [/b][/h1][/sup][/sup] [sup][sup][h1][b][center][color=black] F O R W A Y W A R D Y O U T H S[/color] [color=lightgray]F O R W A Y W A R D Y O U T H S[/color][/center] [/b][/h1][/sup][/sup] [color=silver][sup][i]Joanie[/i][/sup][/color][/CENTER][/color][/INDENT] Redbank Pier had once belonged to Redbank Foundry, a mid‑century metalworks that supplied cast iron fittings to the shipyards along the estuary. The foundry had burned through its final contracts in the late nineties, then burned through half its moulding bay in a fire that shut the place down for good. The pier was left to the tide and the weather. Years of salt and sun warped the boards until they bowed and separated, becoming long uneven strips that clattered under wheels and rattled when the wind pushed through them. The teens who first claimed the abandoned stretch of wood called it the Slats, and the name stuck. Official paperwork still names it Redbank Pier, but anyone under twenty used the nickname without thinking. The Slats was busy tonight, scattered with skaters, drinkers, and a few older teens leaning on the railing. The trio reached it tiredly after another long sweep of the waterfront. They had checked the ferry landing, the alleys behind the boat sheds, the narrow side streets that ran between shuttered shops. There was still no sign of Row anywhere. Joanie wasn’t too surprised though. Hope was at an all time low. They each recognised a couple of faces as they made their way down. Trey nodded to a number of them, dabbing up some of his old classmates. Mina and Joanie seemed to do the opposite, the two attempting now to give many of them too much attention. Joanie in particular had spotted a pair near the far end, a couple she knew from school. Reece Tovey walked with the same stumbling swagger he always had when he drank too much, his shoulders rolling. His girlfriend, Shannon Pryce, stayed half a step behind him with her arms folded tight, her expression already sour. Joanie had shared classes with Shannon back at school, and the dislike between them had been mutual from the start. Shannon had never hidden her opinion about kids from care homes, or grays for that matter, always making little comments under her breath whenever Joanie answered a question correctly. Seeing them here was no surprise. The Slats attracted every kind of person who wanted somewhere to drink without being asked for ID. Mina slowed when she saw a familiar face near a cluster of crates. A boy with a fresh fade and a hoodie half zipped, laughing with two friends. “Who’s that?” Trey asked, following her gaze. [color=plum]“Jamie Bramhall. Mina’s old lab partner. He looks better than he used to. New haircut suits him.”[/color] Joanie explained, hiding a smirk as she watched the worry in her friend’s eyes. Mina heard her name and turned back to them, cheeks bright with excitement. “I am going to go say hi. Might try and score some drinks while I am at it. I want to celebrate your job.” Joanie felt a small warmth in her chest. Mina had grown so much, even with everything that had happened recently. She couldn’t always just walk up to a group of half drunk boys and ask for beers without flinching. Joanie was proud of her. Mina headed over to Jamie and his friends, slipping into the group. Trey watched her for a moment, his gaze lingering on Jamie handing her a bottle. [color=plum]“You can’t be jealous if you never ask her out.”[/color] Joanne teased, leaning back against the railing of the pier. Trey blinked hard and looked away. “I’m not jealous. Why would I be jealous?” She let out a chuckle. [color=plum]“Trey. It’s obvious.”[/color] He tried to hold his expression steady, but his mouth twitched. Joanie nudged him lightly with her shoulder. [color=plum]“You have nothing to worry about. Jamie is just being friendly. Mina’snot looking at him the way she looks at you.”[/color] Trey let out a breath he had been holding. His shoulders eased a little. “Maybe.” Joanie smiled faintly. It was cute, seeing him flustered. He was always so calm, so careful, but Mina had a way of knocking him off balance without even trying. Trey shifted beside her, turning his attention back to her “I am proud of you, you know. About the job. Marth choosing you for the B&B. This is big.” Joanie felt her chest tighten again, but this time in a softer way. [color=plum]“Thanks.”[/color] “It will be my turn next.” Joanie snorted. [color=plum]“Yeah. Qadir won’t let you be a freeloader much longer.”[/color] Trey laughed under his breath. “I have a plan.” Joanie raised an eyebrow. [color=plum]“Oh yeah?”[/color] “I am going to make it big. Become one of those powered influencers. Do reaction videos whilst bouncing on my bubbles. Start a misogynistic podcast.” Joanie shook her head, amused. “Or I’ll join Vanguard. Become a secret agent. Get my own codename.” He mimed aiming a pistol dramatically. Joanie laughed properly this time, the sound easing some of the tension in her chest. “Might even buy a yacht one day,” Trey added. “Let you take a trip on it. Somewhere warm. Somewhere quiet.” Joanie looked at him, the humour fading into something gentler. [color=plum]“You are ridiculous.”[/color] “Maybe. But either way.” He met her eyes, steady and warm. “I will always have your back.” Joanie swallowed. The words landed heavier than he meant them to. She nodded, her voice too tight to trust. A voice cut across the boards. Reece had noticed them. His eyes locked onto Joanie, his mouth twisting into a sloppy grin. “Look who crawled out of St… St… whatever that place is.” He waved his hand vaguely, unable to pronounce it. Shannon smirked beside him, somehow pleased with the jab despite how utterly awful it was. Joanie’s jaw tightened. “Didn’t think they let you out so late.” Shannon jeered. “Especially with how you lot keep dropping like flies recently.” Joanie felt heat rising through. Shannon smirked again, and something in Joanie snapped. [color=plum]“If I wanted to take advice from someone who lost their virginity to their cousin, I would’ve asked”[/color] She mocked, mentally thanking the gods for the gift of the rumour mill that blessed her with that knowledge all those months ago. Shannon’s face flushed instantly. Reece’s expression twisted. Clearly he wasn’t too keen on people knowing about his girlfriend’s ex. “Watch your mouth.” He barked. He stepped forward quickly and clumsily. His arm swung out. Joanie saw the start of the movement. The shift of his shoulder. The sloppy twist of his wrist. Then the world jumped. A split second later, Reece was no longer lunging and was already on the ground, swearing as he tried to push himself upright. Joanie’s breath caught. A faint shimmer clung to the air around her, as the last remnants of Trey’s bubble dissolved in front of her eyes, thin and wavering, then gone. Outside the bubble, Mina was already halfway toward them, two bottles in hand, eyes wide with alarm. Trey stood between her and Reece, shoulders tense, jaw set. He had reacted before she even understood what was happening. Shannon grabbed Reece, furious and embarrassed. He muttered something under his breath, still confused about how he had ended up on the floor. They moved away as Trey stood guard. “Told you I had your back.” He said, turning back to her with a smile. Once he was satisfied the two were gone, he took one of the beers from Mina and handed it to her. Joanie let out a breath finally, before giving him a grateful nod as she took it. The trio enjoyed the rest of their night as the Slats creaked beneath them and the tide pushed against the pylons below.