𝑺𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆 // 𝑱𝑱 𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒂𝒏𝒌 \\

Chapter One

We're the Pogues and our mission this summer is to have a good time all the time. John B was balancing on one foot from the top of the work in progress house the pogues were hanging out at. "That's what, a three-story fall to the deck?" Pope looked up at John B. "I give you about a one-in-three chance of survival." He continued. "Hm. Should I do it?" John B called from the top. "Yeah, jump. I'll shoot you on the way down." Pope held up the drill. "You'll shoot me?" John B finger gunned Pope. Pope nodded. "Pow!" John B pretended to shoot Pope.

"They're gonna have Japanese toilets with towel warmers." Kiara came out from inside the house. "Of course they are. Why wouldn't they?" JJ said from the forklift. "This used to be a turtle habitat, but who cares about the turtles, I guess?" Kiara looked up at John B. "I can't have cold towels." JJ said again. Valerie looked at him as she sat next to him. She rested her head on his shoulder and watched the interaction between Kiara and John B. "Can you please not kill yourself?" Kiara shouted up to him. "Don't spill that beer. I'm not giving you another one." JJ commented as he took a sip of his own. "Whoa! Oh, Shit." John B gasped. As if on cue, he dropped the beer having it splash all over the ground by the rest of the pogues.

"Of course you did, like right when I told him." JJ groaned. "Smooth." Valerie whispered as she looked up at John B who groaned. "A-plus." JJ commented. "Dumbass." Kiara sighed as she turned to Pope who was looking at the driveway. "Hey!" The pogues heard. "Hey, uh, security's here. Let's wrap it up." Pope turned to the rest of the pogues. "Boys are early today." John B said as he jumped down onto the lift. "Humpty Dumpty, let's roll." JJ exclaimed as he jumped down from the lift. "Let's go, boys and Val." Kiara looked at Valerie and smiled. "Gary, is that you? It's me." JJ shouted as he turned around to help Valerie down the ladder. "Get down." John B scolded JJ. "Gary, good to see you, man!" JJ shouted again. "JJ, shut up." Valerie laughed at him as she moved out of the way to let John B down. "Is it time?" John B asked once he hit the ground.

"You're asking for it, JJ." Valerie said as Kiara grabbed her arm. "JJ!" Gary shouted. "Whoo!" Kiara cheered as the five ran through the house trying to get to the twinkie. Everyone laughed as they ran through the unfinished house and down the stairs. JJ led the way with Valerie behind him. "Hey, stop!" Gary shouted from downstairs. JJ slipped and turned around starting to run the other way where all the other pogues had gone. "Get em! They're comin' your way!" Gary shouted to the other officer. "I got him!" He shouted, but JJ quickly got out of his grip. "Not much of a hugger!" JJ shouted as he grabbed Valerie's hand and the two ran the other way. JJ and Valerie laughed. "Go, Pope. Go, go, go, go!" JJ repeated. Pope slowed down as he tried to hop the fence. Valerie let go of JJ's hand and easily hopped the fence before running ahead to Kiara and John B who were at the twinkie already.

"Bus is leaving!" John B honked the horn at the two boys who were still running. "Come on, boys! Whoo!" Valerie laughed as JJ threw himself into the van. Pope did the same and grunted as he landed. Valerie and Kiara laughed as JJ stuck his head out of the window to look at Gary who was running after them. "Check out Gary, gunnin' for a raise." Pope laughed. "Come on, Gary. Wait. Slow down." JJ told John B. "Hey! You little pricks!" Gary was starting to fall behind. "Come on, guys." Kiara looked at John B. "You're gonna give him a heart attack." Valerie was sitting next to Pope as she laughed at JJ. "You're so close! You can do it. There you go." JJ threw a beer at Gary. "They don't pay you enough, bro." JJ laughed.

"JJ, stop. Stop." Kiara pulled him inside. John B and Pope had huge smiles on their faces. "Oh, come on. That sort of initiative is just begging to be punished." JJ laughed as they heard Gary groan loudly. The teens laughed as they closed the door and started up a conversation.

The Outer Banks, paradise on earth. Sort of place where you either have two jobs or two houses. Two tribes, one island. Figure Eight is the rich side of the island. Home of the kooks, so guess where we don't live. Then there's the South side or the cut. Home of the working class who make a living busing tables, washing yachts, running charters. The natural habitat of... drumroll, please... the Pogues. That's us. Pogues, pogies, the throwaway fish. Lowest member of the food chain. So, the downside of the Pogue life is we're ignored and neglected. But the upside of Pogue life? We're ignored and neglected which means we do whatever we want, whenever we want.

That's JJ. My best friend since the third grade. He's about as local as they come. Latest in a long line of fishing, drinking, smuggling, vendetta-holding salt-lifers who made their living off the water. Best surfer I know, just don't tell him I said that. Mild kleptomaniac and a future tax cheat. He's also obsessed over Valerie. Another one of us pogues. You'd be blind if you couldn't tell how in love with each other they are. Of course, they have no idea.

That's Kiara, or Kie, as we call her. When she's not saving turtles, or listening to Marley, or getting a dolphin tattoo, she hangs out with us. I'm not really sure why though. So, she's a rich kid actually. Foot in both worlds. Her family owns The Wreck, this Outer Banks institution. Total cash cow with the tourists. You know, I'm not really sure how her parents feel about us. We all kind of have a thing for her, Wouldn't surprise me if Valerie did too. Not JJ though. He used to, but he's set on Valerie.

That's Pope. The brains of the operation. Finalist for the Lucas T. Vanderhorst Merit Scholarship. And the smartest person I know. A little bit of a weirdo. His father's this legendary character, Heyward. Anything you wanted on the island, Heyward could get it for you. Now, I'm not sure Heyward knew what to make of his oddball son, but it didn't matter. He was a pogue just like the rest of us.

That's Valerie, or Val, as we call her. She was like the glue that held all of us together. She's a rich kid just like Kiara. I'm not so sure her parents like her hanging out with us pogues, but Valerie didn't seem to care. It was almost like nothing got in her way. Everyone liked her, including the kooks. She always seemed to be on everyone's good side. We all have also had a thing for her at some point. Some people still have a thing for her... So, that's my crew.

And that's me, John Booker Routledge and this is where I live. An old fish shack on the marsh. The Château as my dad used to call it. There's dad. He disappeared at sea nine months ago looking for a shipwreck. Who disappears at sea these days? I miss him. And then there's Mom. She split when I was three. Last I heard she was in Colorado. I think it was Colorado. That's Uncle T. Since Dad's vanished, he's supposedly my legal guardian. At the moment, he's in Mississippi, building houses...which means it's just me right now, on my own, hangin' out with my friends. Three months after my dad was missing, he was officially presumed dead. I refused to sign the papers. Until I see a body, I'm not giving up. That's where this story starts. My dad missing, my uncle MIA, and the Bride of Frankenstein threatening foster care.

Kiara and Valerie layed on the pull out couch together. Valerie sat up as Kiara moved her head onto Valerie's lap. "Dude! Come on, man. Get outta here." The girls heard JJ say to John B. John B pushed his lips together as he pulled the door closed. "Morning, Val and Kie." John B waved at them. "Morning." Kiara replied. Valerie replied in a wave as she leaned her head back resting. She heard John B grab a beer and walk past the two girls again going to the porch. Kiara and Valerie lay in silence, but it wasn't for long. They heard JJ groaning from the other room followed by a girl's voice. "Okay, seriously? It's, what, seven in the morning?" Valerie looked towards the door. "Go kick her out." Kiara tiredly said as she moved her head off of Valerie's lap. Valerie began to stand up. "Come back though. I need my pillow." Kiara whispered. Valerie chuckled as she walked to JJ's room. She pushed the door open and walked inside.

"Alright, Blondie, time to go." Valerie tossed the girl her bag that was on the ground. The girl looked around awkwardly as JJ backed up. The girl rolled her eyes before standing up and walking out of the room. JJ turned to her. "Seriously?" He asked her. "It's seven. I don't want to hear that shit this early and I know Kie doesn't want to either." Valerie crossed her arms. "Val! Pillow, now!" Kiara shouted from the other room. Valerie smiled at JJ before getting up and leaving the room. She sat back down next to Kiara. Kiara was quick to move her head back onto Valerie's lap. Valerie smiled as she leaned her head back and went to sleep again.