Daydreams| Outer Banks ¹

{Chapter Seven} A Near Miss

"Well don't you both look a sight for sore eyes," Pope chuckled when Indi and John B finally showed up after calling the SOS. 

"Funnily enough, Pope, you're not the first one to say that to us today," Indi remarked before sinking down into her claimed chair in the outdoor den. 

It was an old, shabby thing that was constructed with a few wooden poles and outdoor blankets and tarp. Big John had built it for the kids when they were young, but it had still held up after all these years. 

Indi purposely avoided any and all attempts JJ made at trying to get her attention. She could see why he did it but at the end of the day they had no room for any mistakes and Peterkin's visit this morning made that all the more clear. 

"Look, we're calling it off, alright?" John B announced to the group although it was a rhetorical question. "Peterkin said if we stay out of the marsh, she'll help us with DCS."

"And you believed her?" JJ blurted out. 

"Yes, I believe her, JJ," John B told him as though it were obvious. 

"An actual cop, John B. You believed a cop?"

Indi rolled her eyes at JJ's response, but said nothing and continued to pull at the loose threads on the bottom of her shorts. She didn't feel it was useful to get involved in another argument with JJ. 

"All we gotta do is stay out of the marsh for a couple days, and she'll help us out," John B continued, getting frustrated with his best friend's lack of concern for his and Indi's possible exile. "It doesn't help that your ass was shooting a gun."

"Not you too," JJ muttered under his breath. "You know what I should've done, man? Just let Topper drown your ass."

"Cause Topper was gonna drown me?" John B retorted, his pride was getting in the way. 

"Sure looked like it. Have you looked in the mirror?"

"Go on, tell me some more," John B encouraged, using his hand to beckon JJ over to him. 

Kiara, Pope and Indi all buried their heads in their hands knowing that nothing good evers comes from the two boys when they're angry at each other. 

"They always win, man!" JJ angrily exclaimed. "Kooks versus Pogues. They always, always win."

Nobody could argue with him on that because it was true. They had rich parents who could pay their way out of any situation and guarantee them a good, rich future no matter how many times they fucked up.   

So, yeah, they always won. 

"It's okay, JJ." Indi spoke up, taking him by surprise. 

"No, it's not okay, Ind'. They don't want us to go down into the marsh. That means there's something valuable down there. And you know it. I know you do, " JJ said, pointing to John B. 

"And I understand why you don't wanna go, Pope. You're the golden boy. You've got too much to risk. And you, I mean you're already rich as fuck anyway, Kie. Why would you bother?"

"But us three, man. We got nothing to lose! We really don't." There was desperation in voice and it was very apparent to Indi. 

He was right they really didn't have anything to lose, not anymore. 

"JJ," John B said in an attempt to stop him from talking because he knew JJ would convince him to carry on with the wreck. 

"And I know it didn't used to be that way for you."

John B shook his head before walking away from the den. "I don't want to talk about this."

"So that's it?" JJ scoffed at how easily his best friend had given up.