Tidal Wave. | obx szn 1

Barry.

Aurora doesn't talk at all on the way to Barry's trailer. Quite honestly, she's hurt by the fact that JJ knows exactly how Aurora feels about Barry, but it doesn't seem like he cares. JJ is passionate about getting revenge or something. Barry didn't even get away with what he was trying to do. The pogues ended up with the gold, so why does it matter anyway?

Without missing a beat, JJ jumps out of the Twinkie and breaks into Barry's trailer.

"Are we just gonna sit out here, or-"

John B and Aurora stand up at the same time. They both make a silent agreement that they're the only people that JJ might listen to right now.

Aurora gets an uncomfortable sense of deja vu. She hasn't been in this trailer since she's tried to sober up, which was almost 4 months ago.

The smell of cannabis and rum is overpowering. John B flinches when he walks into the trailer. He's never smelled anything like this.

"God, that's horrible." John B mumbles.

Aurora isn't bothered by the smell. She didn't even notice until John B said something.

"JJ?" Aurora's voice fills the tiny trailer.

Shuffling erupts from Barry's bedroom. Aurora goes down the very short hallway and finds JJ searching Barry's room.

"J, please don't do this." Aurora says.

"Yeah, come on, man." John B agrees. "It's not worth it."

JJ pushes past them. He carries a duffel bag full of cash.

"JJ." Aurora says firmly, making JJ stop and turn around.

"What, Rory?" JJ asks.

"Why are you doing this?" Aurora tries to get a confession out of him. None of this is making sense. "Come on, JJ. Yeah, Barry tried to steal the gold from us, but he didn't get it. He might not have earned that cash in the best way possible, but he did earn it. I know Barry. He's a decent guy."

"Rory, I don't want to hear it."

Aurora starts moving towards JJ. She reaches for his arm, but he shoves her away. Aurora steps back into John B's chest.

"Jesus, JJ." John B says. "What's wrong with you, dude?"

May - Outer Banks

Aurora finds herself at Barry's again. This time, Rafe is in the living room.

"Hey, Rafe." Aurora says as she walks in. "Barry here?"

"He just left like 5 minutes ago." Rafe tells her. "Had to make a drug run."

Aurora nods. She puts her hands in her pockets and awkwardly stands by the door.

Rafe is clearly high out of his mind. His eyes are pinkish-red, and he seems really out of it.

"How are you, Rory?" Rafe asks. "Any good colleges?"

"God, you sound like a relative that I haven't seen in forever."

Rafe laughs. "Ouch. No, but seriously. I'm sure you've got a ton of D1 college offers coming your way, right?"

"Uh, yeah, a few." Aurora smiles. "Still waiting for South Carolina though. That's the dream."

"I'm sure you'll get in." Rafe tries to convince her.

"Thanks, Rafe."

"Gonna be hard to get in if they find out you're an addict."

Aurora rolls her eyes. They were getting along and, of course, Rafe had to ruin it. "Why do you care? We're in the same boat."

"I don't have offers from D1 colleges."

"Are you even going to college?"

"Couldn't get in." Rafe answers. "I was too focused on cocaine that I didn't apply to any."

"Actually?"

"Yeah, actually."

Lucca storms through the door.

"What the hell?" Aurora mumbles.

"Aurora, you gotta quit this stuff." Lucca begs. He yells in her face as if that'll help.

"Okay, man, lay off." Rafe says. He stands up off the couch and reaches for Lucca, but he shoves him away. Rafe falls to the ground. He doesn't have much control over his body.

"Lucca!" Aurora gasps.

"I'm not gonna let this go, Rory." Lucca says. "This shit kills your lungs."

"You have no idea what's going on in my mind, Lucca." Aurora argues. "You have no idea what it's like to be addicted. I can't control it."

"Yes you can!" Lucca yells back. "Stop walking over here. It'll save you a lot of time and energy!"

"It's not that simple."

"It is." Lucca says. "Look, I know that Mom has been giving you an especially hard time recently, but this is when Auggie and I need you most."

"You and Auggie need me?" Aurora laughs. "She loves you guys! She has never yelled at you like she yells at me. You don't have to worry about her."

"No, but I do have to worry about you." Lucca adds extra emphasis on the word 'you'. "We're worried about you, Aurora. If you keep going down this road, you'll never go D1. You'll be stuck on this shitty island forever like Rafe." Lucca points down to Rafe as he talks.

"Whatever, Lucca. Just go."

—

"JJ, at this rate, you're gonna end up like your dad." John B says.

JJ shakes his head and leaves. He's done with their shit. He doesn't talk to Pope, Kiara, or Sarah when he runs away from his problems.

"What the hell happened?" Pope asks when John B and Aurora come out of the trailer. "Y'all were supposed to calm him down."

"We tried." John B places his hand on Aurora's upper back as they walk to the Twinkie.

Pope notices that something is up with Aurora, but he doesn't want to ask. If it has anything to do with Barry, or drugs, or addiction, Pope can't help her in that category. He remembers seeing her at Barry's trailer that day Sophomore year. He didn't want her to be right, but she was. Pope has no idea what it's like to have an addiction, and he won't pretend like he does.