The Cool Kids - JJ Maybank

Prologue - Season Two

Welcome to Pogues 4 Life:
Season Two of Outer Banks
Meet The Cast

Hailee Steinfeld as Gwen Turner
Ghost

Rudy Pankow as JJ Maybank
Blonde

Madelyn Cline as Sarah Cameron
Rapunzel

Madison Bailey as Kiara Carrera
Keys

Emma Stone as Taylor Maybank
Taylor Swift

Chase Stokes as John B Routledge
Bird

Johnathan Daviss as Pope Heyward
Tannyhill

Freddy Carter as Jake Turner
Lover Boy

Ben Barnes as Dean Vallejo
Winchester Wishes

The only characters who belong to me (as well as their stories) are Gwen, Jake, Taylor, and Dean. I have also made some changes to fit those characters into the plot but it's not drastic and although there is a love story between JJ and Gwen, they are not the focus of this book. I prefer stories that build characters but don't focus on relationships; everything just kind of happens.

2.01

I do the finishing touches on Sarah's name, right below John B's created by JJ's wavering hands. The emotions are running high as we step back to admire the homemade grave for our lost friends. Lost-at-sea like Big John is.

John B. Routledge 2003 2020

P4L

Sarah Cameron 2003 2020

"To John B," JJ mumbles, holding up his flask.

"And to Sarah," I add weakly.

Together, we take a drink from the alcohol in our hands. I notice that Kiara's playing with Sarah's bracelet - the one in the box - and put my hand over hers, offering her a small smile that she tries to offer back before we close it and bury it in front of the tree.

You wanna know something?

Here you go.

Everyone you know... will die.

JJ's looking at me in a new light since John B's death. They all are. It seems that the toll Jake's death took on me makes a lot more sense to them now that they've dealt with their own brother-like death.

And by everyone, I mean everyone.

Your mother.

My mother greets me at the door with a hug that clearly is leaving space in case I lose it on her. I have to swallow hard at the fact that she's that afraid of me. I had wished for something like this since I was a kid. Now that I have it, I want to push it far away.

When I'm in my room, I find some of my brother's things. I'm too sad to be mad about the fact that she has the nerve to admit to stealing them to begin with and throw his sweatshirt on over JJ's dirty shirt.

Your brother,

A day or so later, I look at the photo of Tasha, Jake, Sarah, and myself sitting on the beach. Jake's taking it backward so the entire thing is blurry but the memory makes me smile as tears fill my eyes briefly. JJ glances at me and gets off the ground of his room to sit on the bed with me, pulling me into his arms.

sister,

More days pass and I'm rebraiding my brown hair, making sure the new red streaks are even throughout it. My mother hasn't said anything about it and I'm sure she won't. I'm not entirely sure how the school will react when that comes around but their approval means nothing compared to the symbolism I find in my hair color.

father.

People are apologizing for my dad's death as if I'm not his killer. My mother accepts their condolences and covers for me when I glare at the place where they're keeping his ashes. Mom said it was the best way to avoid me getting blamed for his murder - he died of natural causes. And all I can think about is Jake's burial.

All your friends.

JJ goes through a moment where he's constantly drinking and won't even listen to Taylor who tells him to slow down. She calls me over and I take the bottle from his hands without warning, pulling on his hand to put it around me. He instantly takes to the gesture, wrapping himself around my body as tears stream down his face. Kiara leans into Taylor while this goes on for a while so the four of us end up mourning together on John B's couch.

And all of your enemies.

I find myself looking at Peterkin's funeral, glaring at the back of Rafe and Ward's heads while they act like they're innocent. But can I really talk like I'm any better than they are? I did the same thing at my own father's funeral.

The difference is simple.

We both killed in defense of our families. I killed my father because he was the abuser. Rafe killed Peterkin because she was doing the right thing.