Kind Of Infinite (Outer Banks)

Chapter 5

After the pogue meeting, JJ had texted Ava, that he needed to skip surfing lessons for a few days, so he could spend some time with his friends. Ava understood that, even though JJ still felt bad about it. Probably more for himself than for her. It wasn't, that JJ didn't like to hang out with the pogues anymore. He still enjoyed the time he spent with his friends and he definitely had missed to surf with someone who could actually surf. What he didn't like was their new mission. The questions, the riddles, the what ifs. Four days into it and JJ started to feel anxious again. Thanks to his great convincing skills, the pogues agreed to go to the bonfire that night, to get their minds off the key for just a few hours. The plan worked well for about five drinks, until JJ suddenly spotted a familiar face in the crowd. About 20 feet away from him, Ava stood right in front of the bonfire. He could only see her side profile, but he recognized the soft features of her face anyway. Ava wore a high waisted, light blue short of jeans with a brown belt around her waist. A black bikini top shimmered through the thin fabric of a yellow patterned cropped blouse, which she had knotted right underneath her chest. Her blonde curls fell onto her chest and JJ thought about how her once pale skin, suddenly had gotten so much darker in just a week. JJ hadn't realized, that he had been staring at her, when she suddenly turned her face and looked straight into his eyes.

"Oh shit.", JJ mumbled and quickly looked away from her.

"What's up?", Pope questioned and looked around to find whatever had caught JJs attention.

"Oh god no, she's coming over.", JJ realized with big eyes and helplessly moved closer to Pope, like he hoped to disappear behind his friend. Pope still looked around like a confused meerkat, when suddenly, a blonde girl stopped right in front of him.

"Hey.", she said with a sweet voice and went in to hug JJ. At her genuine smile, JJ instantly relaxed and hugged her back. Pope just watched them in confusion, until he realized, that this must be the girl JJ hadn't wanted to talk about.

"Nice to see you here, Elfie.", JJ said after she had pulled away from him. Ava laughed and tilted her head a little, something she always did, whenever she felt shy. JJ thought it was cute and gave her a small smile, before he started to talk her out of her shyness.

"How did you get here? Did you get lost again?", he joked and Ava laughed. Her fingers played with the red cup in her hands, when she slowly turned her head to look behind her.

"No. My cousin took me here to get to know some people. He's like the younger version of my dad, so you can imagine how many drinks I already needed to survive the embarrassment.", Ava explained, before she turned back to face JJ again. JJ put his hands into his pocket and grinned at her, when he suddenly felt a smack on his arm. He looked next to him and saw Pope staring at him.

"Oh yeah uhm, Pope, that's Ava. Ava – Pope. One of my friends.", JJ introduced the both and watched how they shook each other's hands.

"It's nice to meet you. You must be one of the better surfers that I got stood up for.", Ava complained jokingly and referred to a text that JJ had sent her about him wanting to surf with someone who wouldn't fall off every minute.

"It's not my fault that you suck at surfing. I need competition.", JJ answered and Ava chuckled.

"Maybe you just suck at teaching.", Ava replied and Pope tried to suppress a smile at the girls comment. JJ raised his eyebrows at her and she instantly let out a giggle, like it was some insider between them. The mocking between them went back and forth and Pope couldn't believe his own luck to be the first one to meet JJs crush. He started to look around in the crowd again, desperately trying to find his friends to share the moment with them. And maybe to embarrass JJ. Just a little bit.

"Hey, that's a cool necklace. Are you into Nordic mythology?", Ava asked and suddenly pulled Pope out of his thoughts. He turned to look at her and saw her pointing at the key that he wore around his neck.

"No, I uhm – thanks. Nordic mythology?", he stuttered and kept looking back and forth between JJ and the blonde girl.

"Yeah, those are Nordic runes. That's why I thought you maybe were into it. It's still a nice necklace.", Ava explained with a smile and pointed at the key again, before she pulled away and carefully touched the shell of her own necklace.

"You can read the engraving?", Pope asked and out of the corner of his eye, he saw how JJs face fell.

"Well, they're not like... letters in a sentence. It's more like symbols, but yes, I do know the meanings of the Nordic runes." Pope looked back at JJ who already looked at him with pleading eyes. The blonde boy slowly shook his head and hoped, that Pope would accept his wish to not go any further with this conversation. Pressing his lips together, Pope breathed out through his nose and turned back to Ava. He knew, that JJ wouldn't like it, but he hoped, that JJ would understand it somehow.

"That's pretty cool. Would you tell me what they mean? I always wanted to know.", Pope asked and felt a wave of regret shot through his body, when he saw how JJ dropped his head and shoulders.

"Sure, can I have a look?", Ava replied happily and gave Pope a friendly smile. Pope returned it and pulled the necklace over his head to give it to her.

"I'll just go and get another drink.", JJ quietly excused himself and slowly walked away from his both friends. Pope looked after him and instantly felt bad. He would definitely apologize for it later, but right now, he needed to know what the key really meant. Pope and Ava went to sit down by the fire and while Ava ran her fingers over the engraving, Pope tried to keep some conversation going, that wouldn't be too suspicious.

"Alright, so this one, is the rune Fehu. It indicates prosperity and material wealth or maybe financial success. This is Uruz, it indicates strength, motivation and determination. This one right here is Thurisaz. Do you know Thor? It represents his hammer. It indicates a powerful direction of energy and force for either destruction or defence. Maybe also a conflict or to overcome and obstacle. Then this one is Isa, it means Ice. It indicates frustration and psychological blocks. You can imagine it like being a feeling of being stuck in ice and willpower to get out. Or maybe to accept, that sometimes, a break is what's needed to put things into another perspective. Then we have Ansuz right here. I don't know why it's circled though; the circle is not part of the rune. But anyway, it's the representation of Odins wisdom. It indicates truth and the trust in higher powers and well, magic. And this one is Sowilo. It means sun and is a cause for celebration. It indicates the success of your goals, optimal health and hope. If you ask me, the order of those runes is built like a path, don't you think? Saying that if you want wealth and success, you first have to proof determination and strength. And that you have to keep going and try to things from another perspective, even when things get difficult. And if you keep going and believe in yourself and trust the higher powers, you will reach your goal.", Ava softly explained and put her finger on every rune to show Pope what she was talking about. Pope listened closely and tried to note every single word in his memory. As she handed the key back to him, he thankfully smiled and put it back around his neck.

"That's kind of a nice message. Thank you.", he said and Ava nodded with a friendly smile.

"Oh, and you know what's kind of funny? You thought they're letters right? Because they look similar to the Latin letters we know. And if you read them like that, it says futias. Which translated means something like "you should be confused". So, it's not only a nice message behind the runes and their order, but also some kind of hidden riddle. Pretty cool."

Pope nodded again and pulled his dark t-shirt over the key to cover it. Even though he still didn't know what the key really meant, he decided it would be better to just leave the key be for a night. Just like they had promised JJ. No more key, no more questions and no more riddles. At least for this night.