The Gold • OBX

1.0 | Carter Cameron

When I was three, I was at the beach. I wasn't alone, but I'd walked up quite far, so I was pretty much on my own. As I started collecting seashells in my little, green bucket, I watched this kid run out of the sea all in a strop. He was crying and ran off to his family a little bit away. But he left his body board in the water and I went to grab it before it floated off into the ocean forever.

However, when I went to give it back, he shouted at me and told me he didn't want the board. His parents took it from me and thanked me and I ran back off to my bucket, only for the kid to run back at me and throw the board at my feet.

Ever since then, I've basically lived in the water, at least, that's what my dad would say. He thinks it's funny, but it wasn't the first time.

Anyway. Ever since that moment, I've been determined to be a good surfer. I don't think I can ever be the best because there's a long list of people who are already the best.

JJ is one hundred percent near the top, probably number one, but I don't ever want to tell him that and make him even cockier than he already is. John B is good as well, he's not as good as JJ, but he's definitely in the top three.

I'm not supposed to be hanging out with the Pogues, and usually I don't, but sometimes I'll surf with them or fish with them on their boat.

Whenever I'm not with them, I'm with Maxi. I think Maxi has a proper name, like one that's fancier or whatever. Like, I know people have names everyone calls them that's not their proper names; my sister isn't really called Wheezie, but that's what we all call her.

I don't actually know why we call her Wheezie, I think that happened before I was born.

Anyway.

Maxi is my best friend, he's been my best friend all throughout kindergarten and first grade. Maxi is only in the same schools because of some thing with the state or whatever. I don't really understand because he never really talked about it much. I don't think Maxi really knew what was going on.

I know when Maxi was super little, he lived with another family on the mainland. I think it has something to do with DCS, and I know stuff about that because DCS might take John B because his Dad went missing nine months ago and his uncle isn't even on the island when he's supposed to be looking after him.

Maxi only came back to Kildare when he was five because they decided that he's allowed back with his family. But they had to keep him in school even if it cost them a whole bunch of money.

Maxi lives on the cut, so his family doesn't really have all that much. His mom sells stuff, but I don't really know what 'cause I've never seen it, and his Dad just sorta sits at home all day. Sometimes he's out and doing stuff, but I'm pretty sure he's at home most of the time.

He has a big brother, too. I don't see him much, he's always working. Whenever he is at home, he always makes me and Maxi food and lets us watch DVDs in the little TV he keeps secret in his room. I think his name is Jamie, or James. Maxi calls him Jamie, though.

Right now, I'm at the beach, waiting for Maxi to come so we can surf together. My board is stuck into the ground because I wanted to see if it would stay in when the wind starts.

I know that there's a hurricane coming, that's why I had to sneak out. Dad wouldn't let me go out when a hurricane is approaching. I mean, it's probably the right thing to do, but I wanted to go, so I did.

I just should probably get back before the rain starts.

I have it all planned out.

1. Wait for Maxi to show up and we go out on the water before the hurricane gets here.