Celestial ~ JJ Maybank

We're the Pogues

'We're the Pogues. And our mission this summer is to have a good time, all the time.'

'The Outer Banks, Paradise on Earth. It's the sort of place where you either have two jobs or two houses. Two tribes, one island.

All right. This is Figure Eight, the rich side of the island. Home of the Kooks. So, guess where we don't live.

And then, this is 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 foodchain. Okay, so the downside of Pogue life is we're ignored and neglected. But the upside of Pogue life? We 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. As much as he flirts with girls at parties, we all know the one girl he has it crazy for. But I'll get to her later.

And 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 have a thing for her. Well, except JJ.

And that's Pope, the brains of the operation. Finalist for the Lucas T. Vanderhorst Merit Scholarship. And the smartest person I know. 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.

And last but definitely not least, we have Celeste better known as Cel to us and Cece to JJ. She's the voice of reason in the Pogues, always in the middle. She was Switzerland almost every time. But Cel is a Pogue through and through. She may have money through her family, but her family used to be Pogues before they worked hard enough and went up in the ranks and became Kooks. Money or not, she's a Pogue and everyone on the island knows that. To most of the island, she is a good girl, the girl next door if you will. But if only they knew their girl next door has a reckless and mischievous side that only we know. That's why we love her – some more than most. For us Pogues, she tries to give her attention to us all equally, but we all know she is closer to Kiara and JJ. Both Kiara and her families do almost everything together so it's no surprise that they're closer. But JJ? That's a whole other thing. Don't tell them but we all know they love each other. They're practically soulmates. But these idiots won't admit it. Why? I have no idea. But we're betting by the end of the summer, they'll be together.

So, that's my crew.'