𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐆 𝐃𝐔𝐌𝐁 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐁𝐑𝐎𝐊𝐄|𝐎𝐔𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐁𝐀𝐍𝐊𝐒

𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘂𝗲

Esmeralda Lopez sat next to JJ Maybank as she was flipping though her book for an empty place to draw. She was getting frustrated when she couldn't an empty page, since she had been drawing all week. Mostly because her mom had been pissing her off a lot more lately and she needed a stress reliever. When she finally found a page she hummed in satisfaction before getting to work. She decided to draw some in progress House they were at. She looked up to see John B, one of her closest friends standing on the edge of a building. One foot was dangling off the building while the other one was still on the edge. One wrong move and it's bye bye John B.

"That's what, a three story fall to the deck? I give you about a one-in-three chance of survival." Pope Heyward stated as he pointed a drill at the Routledge boy. John B hummed and stuck a finger in his mouth.

"Hm. Should I do it?" He questioned and Esmeralda shook her head chuckling. Her friends were such dumbasses sometimes. But she loved them though. "Yeah you should do it. I'll shoot you on the way down." Pope joked.

"You're gonna shoot me?" John B questioned and made hand guns pretending to shoot Pope. "Hey JB if you do it I'll make sure to draw you with half the bones in your body broken." Esmeralda said not looking up from her sketch pad.

"You're too kind Esme." JB sarcastically said placing a hand over his heart.

"They're gonna have Japanese toilets with Fowler warmers." Kiara Carrera scoffed in disbelief as she walked to where the group of four where. Kiara was an activist, working to save sea turtles and help the environment. Sometimes when Esme couldn't handle her mom and the boys were busy she would go out and help Kie with the turtles. It actually was kinda fun, helping out the environment.

"Of course they are why wouldn't they?" JJ sarcastically asked. "This used to be a turtle habitat, but who cares about the turtles I guess?" Esme raised her hand basically saying she cared about the turtles and she quickly put her hand down when she noticed no one was looking at her.

"I can't have cold towels."

"I would legit stab all of you for a toilet warmer or a cold towel." Esme commented. "Can you please not kill yourself?" Kie asked.

"Don't spill that beer. I'm not giving you another one." Right on cue John B happened to drop his beer making Esme snicker.

"Of course you did."

"Smooth."

"Great job JB!"

"A-Plus." Esme hopped down from her spot to stretch her legs. She moved to stand next to Pope who had wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Hey, uh, security's here." Pope said making Esme groan. She really didn't feel like running today. But then again she didn't feel like getting arrested again and facing the wrath of the police.

"Let's move out!" Esme yelled as she started running towards the van.

"Gary is that you? Hey Gary!" JJ yelled making Esme smile wider. "Yeah you're just asking for it!" Esme laughed hitting his arm, but not to much to hurt him. "Jj!" Oh for fucks sake. Esmeralda had started to run and when a security guard tried to grab her she dodged and started to run faster smirking. She just loved messing with the police and security guards.

"Go Pope! Go! Go! Go! Go! Go!" JJ yelled as Pope was climbing over the fence. JJ has helped Esme over before climbing over himself. Pope just had to fall and Esme stopped to help him up before they continued to run again.

"Get up Pope fatsos coming!" Esme turned to see Gary who was in fact getting closer so when Pope was up they had ran again. "Bus is leaving!" John B called and Esme had ran to her spot in the van and JJ closed the door as they started to drive off.

"Ay Dios mío!" Esme panted as she tried to catch her breath from all the running. She turned around to see Gary still chasing them making Esme burst out into laughter.

"Check out Gary gunnin' for a raise!" Pope laughed along with Esme. JJ had opened the door again to tease Gary who was still running after then. "Hey come Gary. Wait. Slow down!"

"Hey! You little pricks!"

"Stop guys you're gonna give him a heart attack."

JJ had grabbed a beer and held it out to Gary. "You're so close! You can do it. There you go," JJ threw the beer and Gary groaned when he couldn't catch it. "Aw! They don't pay you enough bro!"

"JJ, stop. Stop." Kie had pulled him back inside. "Oh come on, that sort of initiative is just begging to be punished." Esme had started digging through the van for a cigarette and smirked when she finally found one.

"Lighter." JJ nodded and threw her a lighter which she almost didn't catch. She lit up a cigarette and blew the smoke in Popes face making him grimace but yet he just had to smile since it was Esmeralda Lopez he was talking about, the girl he's been in love with forever. He smiled softly at her as she continued to smoke.

"You know you're gonna fuck up your lungs right?" He questioned. "Aw Pope, it's nice to see you care amor." That nickname. Amor. Love. It always made Pope melt like ice cream left in the sun for too long. Her accent, her body, fuck, everything about her is perfect. He just didn't know how to tell her.

"Can you drop me off at home?" Esme questioned. "Aw, man. You can't stay with us Esme?" JJ questioned and the girl shook her head. "My moms already pissed I snuck out with you guys. If I don't respond tomorrow send help immediately." Pope pouted and looked down making the girl frown. "Cheer up you big loser. You'll be seeing my preciosa face tomorrow." Esme plastered on a smirk making Pope laugh. Once John B had pulled up in front of Esme's run down garbage house she gave each of her friends a kiss on the cheek before getting out of the van.

"See y'all tomorrow!" She yelled before the van drove off. When she walked inside her house she was immediately met with the smell of drugs and cigarettes. And liquor. Esme scrunched up her nose before spraying the whole house. She saw her mom on the couch, smoking a cigarette and watching the news. Something about a hurricane coming to Outer Banks.

Hurricane Agatha.

"You just gonna keep standing there being a weirdo?" Her mother asks not looking away from the tv. She took a long drag of her cigarette and turned around.

"Don't think I didn't forget you sneaking out this morning. You're lucky I don't beat your ass. You little shit. You know what, go to your room. Rickys gonna be back soon."

"Where did Ricky go?" Esme questioned. Ricky was her moms current boyfriend, and a huge asshole at that. He never cleans, he eats all the food and doesn't even bother to help paying the bills. Esme had complained to her mom about Ricky multiple times but she never batted an eye and just said how Ricky was a good man with good morals.

What a fucking lie.

"I don't think that's any of your concern. Go to your room. Now." Esme scoffed before walking off.

"I'm sorry what was that?"

"Nothing!" Esme muttered before closing her door. She threw her backpack down on the ground and sat on her bed holding her head in her hands. Maybe staying the night with John B wouldn't have been such a bad idea after all. It's not like he would care. Even before her life went to hell, she would stay the night at John B's place because of how close her parents were. But she couldn't now, because her parents were on her ass 25/8. And it was annoying to say the least. The sound of thunder snapped Esme away from her thoughts as she looked out of her window to see lightning. Perfect.

Well she knew she was going to have a good nights sleep tonight.