No Need 4 Gold | Outer Banks

Chapter Three

Cece is sitting in front of the TV, scrolling through TikTok rather than watching the movie she put on. Her phone gets a text from Topper:
I'm outside.
Cece walks to the front door and looks out the window. She sees Topper's car and Sarah in the passenger seat. Cece slips on her sandals and walks outside, "What are you guys doing here?"

Sarah puts her hand out of the window, "There's a party at the beach, you can't miss it!"

Cece sighs and gets in the back, as she buckles herself in she looks at Topper through the rear view mirror, "Which beach?"

"The cut," Topper mumbles and reverses out of the driveway. The drive is short and silent, no one talks, the only noise is the radio that quietly plays pop music.

~

"The sunset was really pretty tonight," Cece drags her feet in the sand, essentially talking to no one while Topper tries to get Sarah to stop climbing on something. Cece looks at the couple and walks off. She walks towards the party hoping there's a distraction waiting for her whether it's a person or drink.

"Hello Sugar Momma! I have this beautiful drink waiting for you," JJ walks up to her holding two red solo cups.

Cece laughs and takes one of the cups, "Thank you. You do not know how much I need this." She takes a sip and nods her head towards her cousin and best friend. JJ takes a sip from his cup, staring Cece down. She looks at him and slowly smiles, "What?"

He looks at her then behind him as if searching for someone and then at her once more, "The party's kinda loud."

"It's a party, they tend to be loud."

"Do you want to go somewhere more quiet?"

Cece knew what that question meant and even though there was someone else on her mind, she knew she wasn't exactly on JJ's. She took one quick look at Sarah, who was laughing at some dumb joke Topper probably made, "Why not." JJ's hand was out for her to take, she took a deep breath then put her hand in his.

Cece follows JJ to a spot closed off from the party, by a couple of trees and big rocks. Both were experienced in meaningless hook ups, so by the time they realized no one they knew could see them, their tongues were down each other's throats. The make out session had gotten closer to pogue-kook scandal when Cece's back was touching the sand and JJ's hand was creeping up her sweatshirt, getting dangerously close to her bra. Cece's sweatshirt was almost off when the two heard a loud whisper, "Cece! Cece! I saw you walk this way." The two recognized the voice right away as the kook princess. "I found a really cool rock toward the shore!" JJ got off of Cece, as she stood grabbing her red solo cup. She mouthed 'I'm sorry' toward JJ and he just shook his head and mouthed back 'You're fine'.

Cece walked out of the spot before Sarah could reach them, "Sorry I had a couple of drinks, just don't go in the corner." She mimed throwing up and Sarah laughed putting her arm around Cece's shoulder. Topper walks toward them, "Where were you?"

Topper holds Sarah's hand, "She ran right to you when she found the rock." Sarah takes her arm away from Cece and walks closer to the water with Topper.

All three of them reach the party again, but get interrupted by JJ, "Hello, welcome to our side of the island. I made a little drink for you." He holds out a cup toward Sarah.

Sarah holds her hand out, "I'm good, I don't want a drink JJ."

JJ persists shoving the cup toward her when Topper steps in, "Dude, she doesn't want the drink. I can take it. I want to drink it. Let me have the drink." JJ steps to the side of Topper reaching toward Sarah again. Topper steps in between them and pushes JJ, "Hey! She said she didn't want the drink!" As JJ stumbles back the drink falls out of his hand.

John B walks up to Topper and JJ, Sarah and Cece step back from the boys, "What's the problem Top?"

"Your friend is bothering my cousin and girlfriend."

Cece shakes her head, "Topper just stop, it's fine."

John B and Topper were standing face to face with Sarah and Cece standing a couple feet away from them. Sarah steps closer to Topper, "We were just leaving."

Topper dismisses Sarah, "No, no, JJ was bothering you and Cece."

JJ, who was now standing next to John B, laughed, "Actually Topper, your girlfriend bothered me and Cece first." Cece rolled her eyes as Topper got more pissed.

"Keep your hands off of my cousin and stay away from my girlfriend." Before Topper could push JJ again John B punch Topper. "I see how it is, pogue!" The two start fighting getting the attention of everyone at the beach. Kie and Pope walk up to JJ asking what happened.

The two keep fighting getting closer and closer to the water. "Topper just stop!" Sarah tried getting them to stop but didn't want to get too close.

"Cierra get him to stop!" Pope yelled pointing at the guys.

Topper finally pushed John B into the water. John B stood up egging him on. Topper punched John B and held his face under the water, "Now you can drown like your old man!"

"Topper! Stop!" Cece's eyes widened, she had never seen her cousin act that violent. Everyone was screaming at Topper, Sarah was close to tears, Kiara was good on to Pope's arm, Pope screams in anger. JJ rushes to Topper and presses a gun to his head.

The beach went quiet, Topper stopped immediately, "That's right, listen to the person with the gun."

"JJ put it away!" Kiara cried out in anger.

Topper slowly put his hands up and stood up, Sarah was completely in tears, Cece was frozen in fear. JJ stepped away, Topper rushing back to Sarah hugging her. JJ raised the gun, "That right! stay off our side of the island!" He fired to two shots in the air sending everyone running and screaming. Topper and Sarah ran off, leaving Cece on the beach.

Kiara grabbed the gun, "Stop it JJ!" Sirens started going off alerting the pogues and Cece. Kiara saw her standing on the beach, "Cierra, go home!" Kiara pushed her away from them.