Outerbanks Imagine

A hell of a year - JJ & John B

Your leg is bouncing while you're sitting on the chair, waiting for Shoupe to come back and tell you that John B got away or that they caught him. JJ is holding your hand.

'Can you please stop?' he whispers.

You stop bouncing your leg for a second, but then it automatically starts again. It's a thing you do when you're nervous or panicking.

'Guys...' Kie nods to Shoupe and his men walking into the tent.

The four of you stand up and walk over to them.

'Did you find them?' Pope asks.

Shoupe is silent for a moment. 'No.'

'So, they got away?' You ask hopeful. This can be good news for John B and Sarah.

'We, eh... we lost them. I'm sorry.' Shoupe looks at me.

'You lost them?' Pope asks. 'What do you mean you lost them? Like, they're gone? What are you talking about?'

'They took an open boat into a tropical depression, Pope.'

It feels like your heart stops working. Everything around you stops when you hear Kie say the words. 'So, they're dead?'

Shoupe looks form Kiara to me. 'We don't know.'

JJ his hand slips out of mine. 'You drove them straight through the storm, man! Are you kidding me? Come here! I'm gonna kill you!' JJ runs over to Shoupe and tries to punch him. All I can think is: let him. Because of Shoupe, I don't have a brother anymore. He was the last family I had left and now he's gone.

'JJ, stop!' Kie yells.

'I'm gonna kill you, you bastard!' JJ yells. Thomas drags him away from Shoupe.

'You killed him! He didn't kill anyone, and you know it!' Pope flips out on Shoupe.

'We're still looking for him, alright?'

You hear Kie crying as Pope bursts out in tears as well. You just stand there, frozen. You can't move. Your limbs are stuck. Your heartbeat is slowing down. If you would die right now, it would be okay. John B is everything to you. Not only was he your brother, but he was your best friend. He was the only family you had left. After your dad went missing at sea, John B was your rock. You got through it together and now you're all on your own.

In a haze, you see Kiara her parents walking in, followed by Pope his parents.

'He didn't make it,' you hear Kie cry.

You feel tears rolling down your cheeks, but you don't care. JJ get's hugged by Pope his family. It's just you now. You're all alone. Pope lets go of his parents and hugs Kie.

Kiara her mom looks at you. 'Honey, how you're doing?'

You look up at her. How do you think I'm doing? My brother just died! No words come out of your mouth, you just stare at her, tears rolling down your cheeks.

'Y/N?' It's JJ.

'She is shaking. We should get you kids home. Why don't you come all over to our place?' Kie's mom says.

Everybody agrees. Kiara his mom wraps an arm around you and takes you with her to the car.

You're sitting on the couch in Kiara her home. There are two blankets wrapped around you, but you're still shivering. JJ hasn't let go of your hand ever since you got here.

'Is she okay?' He asks the adults.

'It's just the shock. She'll be okay.'

You slightly squeeze in JJ his hand. His head shoots up at you. 'I...' the lump in your throat grows as you fight back the tears. 'CPS...'

'They won't be coming for you, Y/N. You can stay with us for as long as you want,' Kiara her dad says.

You only nod at him. You look back at JJ. 'I... f-feel l-like I c-can't b-breathe,' you say with a shaky voice.

'Come here.' He pulls your body closer to his. Tears roll down your eyes, before you break out in sobs. You cry uncontrollably in the arms of your boyfriend. He tries to comfort you the best he can, while he fights for the tears himself. He has never heard someone cry with so much heartbreak. And it breaks his heart.

☆

It has been a year since John B and Sarah got lost at sea. Kiara her family took you in like you were their own daughter. This year has been hell, but you're finally back on track. You're working at the Wreck, hanging out with your friends and finally feel like it's okay to have fun again.

You're now sitting outside the Wreck with JJ, Kie and Pope.

'I can't believe that it's going to be a year tomorrow,' Pope slowly says.

'It has been one hell of a year,' JJ mumbles.

'At least I got a sister,' Kie smiles at you.

You want to say something, but the ringing of your phone interrupts you. 'It's an unknown number,' you mumble before you pick up. 'Hello?'

'Y/N, is that you?'

The world stops spinning, everything else around you freezes. Your hands starts shaking, taking you right back to last year.

'Y/N?'

'I...'

On the other end of the line you hear a sign of relief. 'Are you with the Pogues? Put me on speaker!'

You slowly put your phone on the table and put the call on speaker.

'Who is it?' JJ asks.

'JJ? Is that JJ Maybank I hear?'

JJ looks at me, before he looks back at the phone. 'John B?'

'Hell yeah brother, how is it going?'

'How is it going? Am I dead?'

John B starts to laugh. 'No, you're not dead. I'm sorry it took so long to reach out to you. Sarah and I are fine. We're actually going to be on our way home soon.'

'What the hell?' Kie asks. 'When? With the gold?'

'No, but a big chunk of money. Enough to buy the whole freaking Outer banks.'

'So, you're not dead?' you ask.

'No, far from that, sis,' John B says.

'Holy smokes,' you mumble in shock.

'Sarah and I will be arriving one week from now at 3pm. Wait for us there, okay? I have to go now.'

'We'll see you in a week!' Pope yells.