✯ North Star ✯

Part 10

Kooks and Pogues. Two tribes. One island. I thought it was obvious. When I kissed John B I gave up my Kook card. The deal was done. It was Poguelandia forever. But when we got back to Kildare it was all reversed. Suddenly he had a father. He had a home. And me I had nothing left. No family. No place to stay. No money. Nothing. But I did still have my old friends. The Kooks. Waiting to take me back. Born a Kook.
Became a Pogue. So which am I really? Kook or Pogue? Honestly at this point I feel like I don't even know myself.

I knew what I had to do. Even if it killed me to do it. I walked to topper house wanting to talk to him
"Some derelict named John B. He hit him and hit him even after he was unconscious. Can you believe that? Thank God the CT scan and the BTI both came back negative." I hear his mom say on the phone
"Oh. Let me call you back." She says
"Dr. Thornton I am so so sorry" I tell her
"Yeah well unfortunately apologies won't heal my son will they?" Dr. Thornton says
"No. Can I please see him?" I ask her
"Go on" she tells me.
I walk down to find Topper working out
"Shouldn't you be taking it easy?" I ask him
"You know I could have beat his ass right? I mean I've done it what? Twice already? But you know took the high road. Didn't want to ruin Mike and Anna's party." Topper tells me
"And you did the right thing" I tell him
"I did do the right thing. But now I look like I couldn't even take the guy so..." Topper sighs.
"Unfortunately for John B I'm gonna have to get even." He tells me
"Topper I am sorry. I didn't think any of this would happen." I tell him
"All right if you're really truly sorry Stella... how about you go in and testify against him? Would you do that for me?" He asks me
"So you're really pressing charges?" I ask him
"Yeah I'm really pressing charges. I mean did you see what happened? The guy just sucker punched me then kept hitting me when I'm out cold on the floor." He tells me
"I know. Uh..." I start to say
"We're going in this afternoon. You saw the whole thing. Would you come with us and do right by my son?" Dr. Thornton asks me
"Uhh sure" I say
"Yeah?" Topper asks me
"I'll meet you there" I tell him

I didn't want to do this but I had to. I walk into a little shed on the edge of the marsh where I knew dad was staying. I take a deep breath then walk in
"Hey sweetie. I prayed you'd come around" dad smiles
"Do you remember you told me you would do anything to repair our relationship?"  I ask him
"Of course. I meant it." He tells me
"There's something you can do." I tell him
"Anything." He smiles

"We're looking at 15 minutes late" I hear Dr. Thornton say
"She'll be here. I trust her. She'll be here." I hear topper tell her
"It's too bad she's unreliable" Dr. Thornton mumbles
I walk out to where he can see me.
"Hey! See? See Mom? I'm not an idiot. There she is. How are you?" He asks me
"Good" I say
"Good to see you. So um I don't know if you heard but they got him. He's... he's in the station right now." Topper tells me
"He's in there?" I ask him
"Yeah John B's here. Shoupe tracked him down somehow on Route 12. Thank God. Right?" Topper said
"Can we talk?" I ask him
"Yeah yeah. What's... what's up?" He asks me
"Walk with me" I tell him walking off
"Mom just give us a sec" Topper tells his mom
"Topper we're late" Dr. Thornton says but topper keeps walking
"Oh of course." She mumbles

We both sit down at a bench
"All right. So come on Stella. It's not like I can't guess what you're gonna say right now. Are you on my side or his?" He asks me
"I'm gonna say something really crazy and I just need for you to hear me out please. John B's dad Big John is in South America right now. And he's in a lot of trouble and John B needs to go help him but he can't do that if he's arrested." I tell him
"If he's arrested. Oh so it is that." Topper says
"No Topper" I say
"You want me to not press charges" Topper says
"No that's not what I'm saying" I tell him
"Just tell me" Topper says
"I'm saying just wait a day. And then after a day you can do whatever you want because John B is gonna be off the island. Do you see what I'm saying? Like maybe forever." I tell him
"Forever. Okay so if I just wait a day John B will be gone. Yeah?" He asks me
"Yes." I nod
"And what? You'll go with him?" He asks me
I didn't want to lie. But topper was wrong for doing that to me, then acting like we are still friends.
"I'll stay here" I lie
"You promise me that?" Topper asks me
"Promise." I lie again
"All right. All right I trust you. I'll give you a day." He tells me
"Thank you." I smile
"I'll hit you up tonight" Topper said
"Yeah. Okay." I nod
"Hey uh... I love you" Topper tells me walking off but I don't answer.

Outer Banks. Paradise on Earth. One side for the Pogues. Another for the Kooks. From the moment you're born you're told what side you belong on. But I think it's not what people tell you, you are. It's which side you choose. It's which side your heart's on.

I wait outside for John B when the door finally opens.
"Was it you who got me out?" John B asks as he walks up to me
"Bought you a day. So you don't have a lot of time. Everybody's at the Chateau. And I can get you to South America." I tell him
"Everybody's waiting. Are you coming?" I ask him
"Yeah. Yeah." He nods as I get in the car.

"Hey thanks for waiting. Um... Look who decided to come home." I say as we walk up
"Hey" Kie says.
"Welcome back" Cleo says
"Good to see you man" Pope tells him
"You gotta be kidding me." Shakes his head
"You always find a way out" Sarah laughs
"I have something I want to share with you guys. I can get us down to the Orinoco" I tell them
"Are you serious?" Pope asks me
"Yeah." I nod
"Okay. And how's that gonna happen?" Cleo asks me
"My dad's gonna let us use his plane" I tell them
"Ward?" JJ asks me
"Your dad?" Pope asks
"Yeah" I nod
"Ah."JJ says looking really skeptical about it
"We lay low tonight then wheels up first thing in the morning" I tell them
"Okay that's a lot to process. Your dad actually helping us." Pope says
"I talked to him. He'll do it" I tell them
"So we trusting Ward now?" Cleo asks us
"Trust Stel" Kie says backing me up
"All right" Cleo says
"That's all I needed to hear" Pope says
"Okay" Kie smiles
"But wait I also just have one more thing to say. Um... Since we've gotten back from the island I've done some things that I regret." I tell them
"Yeah uh..I feel... I feel like we've all done a thing or two that we regret." John b says and JJ scoffs
"And I don't- Poguelandia guys. It's all I've been able to think about. We were all together on that island and it was a good thing and I don't want to ruin a good thing. And I... I just wanna know are we still all in? Are we still all together? Because I am." I tell them
"Yeah." Kie smiles pulling me into a side hug She
"Im always with you Stel" Sarah says joining kie's side
"We pon road!" Cleo says joining Sarah's side
"I love you" I smile
"Still can't believe you got the plane" Pope says
"I know!" I laugh
"That's actually insane" Pope says joining cleo's side
"Let's go get Big John all right? What do you say there bird?" JJ asks us as he joins popes side
"I think this deserves a woogity" Pope suggests
"How long you gonna pretend you're not coming over here?" Pope asks John b
"You in?" JJ asks him
"Come over here funny man" Cleo says to John B.
"We don't bite" Kie laughs
John B finally comes over and joining the group hug by JJ and I
"Now we woogity!" Pope says
"Oh we're really doing this aren't we?" John B asks
"We're doing it man!" Pope says
"Woogity! Woogity! Woogity!" We all cheer

We all kinda separate, sitting in John b's house.
"Thank you" John B says breaking the silence
"For what?" I ask him
"For getting me out of jail. For getting your dad's plane. For putting up with all my bullshit" he says grabbing my hand
"Im sorry too JB. For everything" I tell him
"Me too" he smiles
"Us against the world again?" I ask him
"Us against the world" he smiles as he pulls me in for a kiss
"I love you my beautiful Star" John B says
"And I love you JB." I smile before kissing him again
Sarah comes bursting through the door
"Yo! Guys! Guys! Guys! Sorry! There's a fire!" Sarah tells us
"What?" John B asks
"Fire? Wait what?" I ask her
"Sarah what are you talking about?" John B asks her as we get our stuff walking out of the room
"Come on! Get outta there!" JJ yells
"The house is on fire" Sarah tells us again
"Oh shit" I say
"Star get away from the door" John B tells me as the flames climb up the walls