ISSUES 2 II OUTERBANKS S3/S4

the good life

„About fifteen kilograms of gold with 97 percent of purity."

„What does that mean?", JJ asks excitedly.

„That we're damn rich", I mumble watching the weighing process with wide eyes.

„You'll get around a million dollars."

Holy.. Holler, screams, yells. Every pogue in this room screams like we just won the lottery, hell we did. We got something in return for all of the pain we've been through, for all the tears we've cried.

Before we, meaning JJ, can spend all the money, Pope comes up with a great plan so we begin rebuilding poguelandia just better. I mean JJ shouldn't have bought the house for this price without talking to us, but now we're here and it's alright. We're pogues so we always find a way to get through with life just like now that we're building a home on our own. Some days we spend ten hours working and others we get distracted by a quick game session. This is the life we wanted.

I've officially decided to move to the cut and spend most of my time there so I'm about to inform dad. During the time that I'm working on our footbridge, I'm finding peace with my situation. I don't worry about being a kook or a pogue anymore. I used to be around kooks and have fun but after everything that Topper and Rafe did to us I feel like it's best to stay away from them. The less time I should have spent with them, the more time I should have been around Kim and Abigail who texted me a few times to ask me how I'm doing and if I wanted to stop by. So I give it a chance and knock the door.

„I'm not ready yet, Kim!", I hear Abigail yell downstairs. Oh, they probably have plans so I feel like I should leave. I'd like to hang out with the girls again but I don't mean to rush it. I could come back later so I turn around and get down the doorsteps.

„Isabella", I hear James behind me who pushed the door open.

I turn around to find him in front of me. He's only wearing shorts so I scratch the skin on my arm nervously. I didn't expect to see him like this. I had a tiny crush on him in high school but the same goes for all the other girls apart from Abi. My younger self would be happy but right now I'm just fine with life as it is.

„You're here for Abs?"

I nod shyly.

„But you're about to leave?"

„I don't mean to disturb them. It's been some time and I don't expect to-"

„They'll be happy to see you", James tells me and waves me in as he closes the door behind me, „So you're back."

„I'm back", I repeat slowly not knowing if he would like to have a conversation or if he's just being polite.

„Last time I saw you was at Rafe's party. You never told me what happened to your eye."

„Just an accident. It's been stupid to-"

„No way, it's you!", Abigail calls from upstairs, „I'm so glad you're here. Kim and I wanted to head to the beach but it's way better now that it's the three of us again."

„I didn't expect a beach day. I just wanted to stop by and-"

„You need one, girl. Don't be shy, we've been so close and to us, nothing has changed. Trust me", Abigail smiles widely as I begin to warm up again, „Here, you'll wear this bikini. I know you've been busy finding gold and stuff but it's time for really important things like talking to cute boys." I chuckle enjoying the fact that we're back to such small problems that used to seem so huge when we were younger. Kim joins us a few minutes later. I'm glad I came here to find my friends still supporting me. Neither all pogues nor all kooks are the same.

„So you jumped off a cargo ship in the middle of the ocean? Are you crazy?", Kim laughs and falls back into her towel. Our feet touch the sand and we've got cold drinks in our hands as we lay in the sand. Life is good here.

„I mean how could I not?", I chuckle, „Going to an island with Rafe and our weird family or being on a lonely island with my friends? It's obvious, huh?"

„They called you the kook princess once", Abigail jokes making me shrug. „Here I am disappointing them."

„So who are you dating now? I didn't see you around JJ anymore."

„JJ and I broke up after we came back."

„What about Rafe?"

„Hell no. Right when I came back we had another fight. One of the treasures that we've found was a golden cross and he stole it. It belonged to Pope's family. I've stayed with him for a long time but he's made so many mistakes and when I couldn't take it anymore, he replaced me with Sofia. I'd rather stay alone."

„Funny how he's the one to replace you when he couldn't let go off you for years", Kim scoffs rolling her eyes.

„I always knew he wasn't right for you", Abigail adds which gives me a good feeling. Most kooks would never agree just because it's Rafe Cameron.

„Speaking of boys.. who are you watching, Kim?"

Kim stares into the direction where Rafe and Topper are with their friends at the other side of the beach. Many kook groups hang out here today which also goes for James and his friends.

„That's Liam. Rafe brought him here and James knows him from college."

„Ah, I saw him the other day at Tanneyhill", I mutter remembering how he talked about me as if he knew a thing about me when in reality, we've never met.

„You're not a big fan of him?"

„The other way around."

„Hey, girls. Join us for a volleyball session?", Topper calls for us. I groan letting my head fall back. It's the first week that I'm back and I already see everyone including those I didn't mean to. I gave Topper many chances to maintain our friendship so after he burned down the chateau I'm not interested in hanging out with him and his friends anymore. I'm surprised that Kim and him get along after he's dumped her for Sarah.

„Isa, you're in?", Kim asks me as her and Abigail stand up from their towel but I shake my head. „My body needs a break from any activity after running through the wilderness", I claim chuckling although I just need a rest from the greatest kooks of all time. As the girls stand up, Rafe gives me a look from afar and lays his arm around Sofia. I roll my eyes and lay back again in the sand. For a few minutes, I watch the group playing the game but when I've had enough I turn back on my stomach and grab my book. How long has it been since I've last read a book?

„How long has it been since you grabbed a book?"

I raise my head to find James standing in front of me. He quickly sits down next to me on Abi's towel. „Can you read my mind?", I return wondering.

„Just assumed that you haven't had time for this between running for your life and finding treasures."

„Don't forget that I was trying to keep JJ from doing any stupid stuff like buying a house overpriced."

James laugh turns into a small smile. „I think it's great what you guys do out there."

„Do you?"

„You're building a home for the seven of you. Sarah, Kie and you found a new home on the cut. It's incredible how strong your friendships are especially now that JJ and you aren't dating anymore."

„It happened naturally", I shrug but once again feel the meaning behind what he said and my heart warms up as I remember some of our greatest moments, „I couldn't be happier despite everything."

„So you'll stay there and you won't be going back to school?"

„Not yet. The changes that we make on the house will take a lot more time than expected. Dad offered me to get me a private teacher so I'll probably finish school when we're done with construction", I tell him, „What about you? Why do you spend your break here?"

James gives me a look as if he wanted to talk to me about his reason. Instead, he remains quiet just sitting next to me for some time so I enjoy the silence.