OBX - IT'S YOU AND ME, NO ONE AROUND (JJ MAYBANK) (ENGLISH)

CHAPTER 2

I run toward the noise, and JJ follows me. A crowd forms, and I push through, but nobody lets me pass. JJ puts a hand on my back and pushes people aside to let through in front of him. We discover Topper on top of John B, on the sand, fighting while screaming. The pogue doesn't move an inch. JJ grits his teeth before running towards them, and I follow him. We are in the middle of the chaos. JJ grabs something from his back and holds it to Topper's head. A gun.
"Let him go!" JJ screams.
"JJ, stop!" I reply.
"You've something to say, Princess?!" he yells, speaking to me in a tone completely different from earlier.
I grab Topper's shirt and pull him away from John B.
"What are you doing?" he asks, pushing me away.
"If you don't want me to ruin things between you and Sarah, you should let him go," I respond.
He gets up and stares at me; I don't look away and point Rafe, letting him know he has to join him.
"You piss me off," he mutters as he joins his friends.
"That's it! Get out of here, kooks!" JJ yells, firing two shots into the sky.
"We get it! Now stop playing at the smartest, or you'll be arrested!" I reply.
"You disappear for a year, and you come back to be the Kook Princess?" he screams.
I stare at him, unsure why I feel hurt; I've heard much worse. Everyone disperses now that the fight is over; there's nothing interesting for them anymore. My eyes linger on the blond, who looks so angry. I shake my head in disappointment and turn away, taking Sarah's hand as we leave the party while she stares back at John B and his friends.

We leave, but she stays silent for half the way.
"Your boyfriend's a jerk," I finally say as I stop my bicycle.
"I know," she replies.
I look at her for a few seconds, debating whether it's okay to ask my next question.
"Sarah, do you love him?"
She finally looks at me and her eyes tell me everything.
"Then why are you still with him?"
"It's- it's easy with Topper."
"Maybe, but you deserve someone who respects you. You worry so much about John B that maybe..."
"I don't have a crush on John B," she interrupts me.
"Huh-huh."
"I'm serious."
I know she's lying; I know her too well not to see it.
"Too bad; John B's better than Topper."
She glares at me.
"And you, with JJ?" she laughs.
I look down, tucking my braid behind my ear.
"There's nothing between me and JJ, especially after today," I reply.
"I know that he hurts you when he calls you Kook Princess."
"Everyone calls me that; I don't care anymore," I lie.
I sigh and head out to my garden, letting my bicycle fall and looking at my house. No lights. Just as I thought, my dad hasn't come back from work yet.
"Can you sleep at mine tonight? My dad's not here, and I don't want to be alone," I ask.
"Yeah, I'll just text my dad to let him know," she replies, taking out her phone.

Ward Cameron, Sarah's dad, is like a father figure to me. He was my mom's best friend before her death, and they were always together, so I was raised as his daughter. He doesn't make any distinctions between me and Sarah. After my mom died, he was the only adult there for me, while my dad drowning himself in work, probably to forget. Ward spent his days and nights with me; he is the best person I know. Sometimes he was distant; he didn't know how to talk or listen to me. His moments of distance felt strange, but after my mom's death, it was something else, like a regret. I never really talked to him about it. If my mom's death is hard for me, I know it's even more complicated for him.

"Is Wheezie okay?" I ask as Sarah sits on my couch.
"I think so; she's been kind of distant for a while."
"Let me guess. Since you started dating Topper?"
"Yeah, she doesn't really like him."
"She's not the only one," I reply, taking the pasta out of the fridge.
I put two bowls of pasta in the microwave and join Sarah on the couch with the warm bowls. I play a movie, and we start to eat.

An hour and a half later, Sarah falls asleep. I look at her and chuckle. Someone rings the bell. I get up as Sarah wakes; it must be my dad. I open the door and discover Pope, out of breath- he must have run from the Cut to Figure Eight.
"What are you doing here?!" I say, closing the door behind me.
"I really need your help!" he replies.
"For what?"
"I think we found a treasure."
"And? What's that got to do with me?"
"You're my best friend-"
"I was," I interrupt him.
"Stop it. Don't act like you don't care about me."
I stare at him for a while and see that tiny boy again, the one who gave me his hand to help me out of the hole we created in the sand.
"You know I can't..." I sigh.
"It'll be a secret. I just want to find my best friend back," he says.
"And Kiara? Is she okay with that?"
"I'm not talking about Kie; I'm talking about us."
"Maybe, but she's your friend, and she hates me."
"I really need you," he begs.
I look at him again, his eyes are full of hopelessness. He asks for my help, and I promised him I would always be there for him.
"Okay, I'm in. But there's the Midsummer party tomorrow night."
"I know; I'll be there with my dad for serving the food."
"So, what's the plan?"
"We'll meet there, I'll explain you some things.
"Fine, see you tomorrow, Pope."
He agrees and starts to run to the Cut.
I go back to my entryway and close the door. Sarah stands in front of me, hands on her hips. I look at her and then down.
"Who was it?" she asks.
"Just a kid, looking for the Cooper house," I lie with a smile.
"The Cooper house, huh? Why are you lying?" she responds.
"I'm not, Sarah."
"Yes, you are."
I sigh, and she stares at me.
"It was Pope," I admit.
"Why would Pope take the risk to come to Figure Eight?"
"Apparently, he needs me for a treasure thing; I didn't really understand."
Her eyes light up; she knows something. She knows exactly what I'm talking about.
"You know something?" I ask.
"Do you remember when you lied to my dad; when I asked you to say that I was sleeping at yours?"
"Yeah, you were at Topper's."
"No... I was at Chapel Hill with John B."
"What the fuck?"
"Listen, this treasure hunt is more important than you think. Denmark Tanny, the man who bought Tanny Hill, was the last survivor of the Royal Merchant," she explains.
"The Royal Merchant?"
"Yeah, it was boat with a lot of gold on it. Tanny was the last survivor, and with that gold, he bought his freedom and the freedom of all the slaves."
"What does that have to go with the gold? Survivor?"
"The boat sank, and everyone thought that the gold was lost, but no. The gold is still on the island; he hid it."
I stare at Sarah, not fully understanding this story, but I'm kind of interested in participating.
"Does Pope know that you know?" I ask.
"No. Nobody does. John B and I, ... like... got closer during the trip, and-"
"You kissed him," I interrupt her.
"Yeah, it was pretty nice."
I burst out laughing and realize something: Sarah's not in this hunt for the treasure; she's in it for John B.
"And John B doesn't know that I know?" I ask.
"No, I don't think so."
I nod and take a deep breath before laying back on the couch.

That night, I don't sleep. My dad comes back at 4:00 AM, and kisses my forehead before heading upstairs to his room. I spent a lot of nights alone, he was always at work.
Around ten, I wake up Sarah and pick out my dress for the Midsummer party before heading over the Cameron house. I wave at Rose, Wheezie runs into my arms, and Ward give me a kiss on the top of my head. When I see Rafe, he pretends not to see me and walks away. I follow him and I discover him smoking weed.
"What?' he says.
"I didn't say anything," I reply.
"I don't have time to talk, Tessa; I have to get ready."
"I'm not stopping you. I just needed some air."
He stares at me, staying silent before crushing his joint on the ground. I sigh, and run a hand over my face to wake myself up.
I never really understood what happened to Rafe. When we were younger, he was more present; he always worried about people's feelings. But once he turned ten, something changed. He became distant with everyone and went through phases, that we sometimes didn't even understand. Then he started using drugs- we all knew that- but nobody said anything, as if we are scared of how he would react. At least, I was scared. So, I distanced myself, and our platonic sibling relationship ended in silence between us. Sometimes I miss him, and sometimes I remember why I ended up distant.
I go into Sarah's room and put on my dress, do my makeup, and slip on my shoes before heading downstairs. Ward looks at me and smiles with admiration in his eyes, and I chuckle. He gives me a rub on my back before complimenting me. My dad arrives and does the same. The Midsummer party takes place at TannyHill, so we stay here and wait for the guests. I don't really like these type of parties, but I have to go to them, apparently.

Later in the night, I start to dance with Sarah and Wheezie when I felt someone sneak up behind me. I turn around and discover JJ.
"What are you doing here?" I say.
"Happy to see you, Kook Princess," he smiles.