Chapter Text
The Outer Banks, paradise on Earth. It’s the sort of place where you either have two jobs or two houses. Two tribes, one island.
It was the start of summer break, the time when we Pogues were truly neglected, a time to party, drink, smoke, and just have a good time all the time.
That’s Kiara or Kie as we call her, so she’s a rich kid actually, foot in both worlds. And when she’s not saving turtles, listening to Marley, or getting a dolphin tattoo, she hangs out with us. And that’s Pope. The brains of the operation. Finalist for the Lucas T. Vanderhorst merit scholarship, and the smartest person I know. A little bit of a weirdo, but he was a Pogue, just like the rest of us. Can’t forget John B. My best friend since the third grade. John B was like the leader of the group. He lives at an old fish shack on the marsh, we call it the chateau. His dad also went missing about a year ago, and now John B has to deal with the DCS since his Uncle T wasn’t here to be his legal guardian. Finally, there’s me, JJ Maybank. I’m about as local as they come. Latest in a long line of fishing, drinking, smuggling, vendetta-holding salt-lifers who made their living off the water. Mild kleptomaniac and a future tax cheat. That’s the crew. A group of friends who were neglected, doing stupid shit, and getting into trouble with the cops.
School was finally finished for the rest of the year, not like I really stayed in classes or paid attention anyways. But it meant the Pogues and I could surf whenever we wanted, party all night long, do whatever, and sleep wherever.
I sat in the Twinkie riding upfront with John B who was driving, Pope was sitting behind me with Kie behind John B. “Hey, mind if you drop me off at my dad’s store?” Pope piped up, “my dad told me I had to help him at the shop once school finished.”
“Sure thing” John B replied. He turned down a street passing by some of the locals, the other Pogues. We shortly arrived at Heywards, Pope’s dad’s seafood shop. Heywards provided seafood for the entire island; he was also this legendary character in Outer banks who could provide anything for anyone on the island.
“See ya later Pope!” I yelled out the window, quickly doing the Pogue handshake with him before he ran inside the store with his school bag over his left shoulder. Disappearing into the shop.
"Hey John B, since you dropped Pope off could you maybe drop me off too?” Kie asked in a soft tone, she was obviously in a good mood for some reason. I looked at John B who seemed to have been smirking then I whipped my head back to Kie. I raised an eyebrow at the two till John B finally answered.
“Was it the Chateau or Figure 8?” I let out a small giggle as I saw Kie turn hot pink in the face, it kind of looked like steam was coming from her ears.
“Where do you think, dumbass?” she retorted back.
“Calm down, I was only joking,” said John B quickly trying to save his hide from an angry Kiara.
“pick you up at 10?” he turned his gaze to the rearview mirror so he could see Kie sitting in the back,
“Sounds good to me.” she huffed out. I turned back to the windscreen as we sat in silence till we got to Kie’s house.
Now that it was just John B and I left it wasn’t so quiet anymore.
“So…” I started, “what’s up with you and Kiara?” John B faced me with one eyebrow up and the other down. He clearly meant ‘really?’. “Whattttt. I’m just asking, geez.” I drawled out as I chucked my feet on the dashboard.
“Nothing is happening between us. Ok?” John B said with some sassiness to it. I just nodded and pretended that he was right, that there was nothing going on between them. John B pulled up to the Chateau and hopped out. I followed him to the front porch and immediately went to get a beer from the fridge. When I looked in the fridge all the beers were gone, along with any food that was left from the night before. Grumbling, I shut the fridge and grabbed my backpack along with my motorbike keys.
“I’m going to get more beers!” I shouted to John B, he was busy cleaning around the house. Once I was outside I jumped onto my bike and rode off.
“Uhhhh. Could I get a twenty-four pack of beer?” I asked the checkout lady, she smiled while reaching for the pack of beers. She placed them on the counter and scanned the pack. I handed her the money and picked up the pack of beers. I got to my bike and placed the beers in my backpack so I could ride back to John B’s. Right before I was about to hop on I was greeted by none other than Rafe Cameron, the Kook prince.
“Yo, what’s up JJ,” he said with a shit-eating grin on his face. He walked up to me, inches away from my face,
“looks like someone came alone. Damn. I was hoping Kiara was with you, seeing as you two are close and all.” his words were now making me agitated, and I was finding it difficult not to punch Rafe square in the face.
“Yeah no, Kiara is busy saving turtles from douchebags like you, Rafe.” I spat back, looking him right in the eyes. Rafe chuckled before he leaned into my ear,
“Funny JJ. Maybe you should go help her from now on” he whispered, it sounded like a threat so I didn’t take the bait, hopped on my bike, and glared at Rafe, giving him the bird before I quickly rode off.
I stormed inside the Chateau and stuffed the beers in the fridge but grabbed a can before I shut the door. After I had opened the can of beer I started to chug it down. What Rafe had said made my blood boil with pent-up aggression. John B had heard my loud entrance and made his way over to me.
“I see you got the beers.” he clapped my shoulder while reaching for a cooled can of beer. I stood where I was, leaning on the countertop,
“Can’t believe that fucker!” I mumbled under my breath, but John B had clearly heard it because he was now looking at me.
“Did something happen Slick?”
“Yep.” I paused and drank the last bit of beer left in my can, “Rafe happened” I crushed my empty can in my right hand out of anger, then chucked it in the trash can and sat on the pull-out bed. The fabric of the pull-out helped ground me as I made a fist in the fabric. I felt the pull-out dip beside me, soon after I had taken a seat. I turned to see John B who was staring at his can of beer.
“JJ I’m sure that whatever he said was just to get a reaction from you. No need to start beating the crap out of him” he reassured me. “Now let’s go cause some trouble.” to which I agreed.