what now? | outerbanks

• eleven •

Sarah

    When I get back into the main cabin, I find all three boys, Pope, JJ, and John B., in a huddle. They're whispering about something, and from the tone of their voices, it sounds serious. I clear my voice, and the boys suddenly look up at me. They're hiding something.
    "What's going on?" I ask.
    "Nothing." All three boys say in unison. Kie even chimes in with her own "nothing" as she pulls her lips into an awkward, closed-mouth smile.
    "So convincing. Really, tell me. What's going on?" I ask again, this time more serious.
     "Oh, wait, Sarah I forgot to tell you something, come see!" Cleo pulls me to the side to where she's sitting. Something is going on, and they're all a part of it.
    "What?" I ask the girl.
    "Um, I just wanted to say that, um," Cleo's eyes search the space around us, almost like she's looking for something to say. Luckily for her, Pope steps in right before the silence gets too long.
    "Hey, my pops said we're getting close to landing. It'll just be a couple of minutes, so you guys should probably all sit and buckle up. Cleo, you good?"
    "You know it, grey pipe." She winks at him.
    "Oh, get a room." JJ yells from opposite us.
    "Yeah, you don't want me to barf again, do you?"
    "Oh, fuck off." We all laugh at the interaction, but then she actually does. She hides her face in the barf bag, and looking away, JJ places a hand on her back.
    I get up and take my seat next to John B., and he rubs his thumb on my thigh. I rest my head on his shoulder, taking in everything that has happened in the past week.
    "You know, I wish I could say I'm happy to be home." I tell him. I look at him from his shoulder, and he looks at me.
    "What, you mean you're sick of the bubble wrap?"
    "There's no bubble wrap left." And it's true- there isn't. "All I have left is Wheezie, I need to get to her."
    "Sure, yeah, babe. We'll get her from Rose; let's just lay low for a little while. We can't risk anything." I know he means well, but I can't help but be hurt. He thinks I can wait a little while before saving my baby sister? I go to argue back, but the plane tilts further forward and my stomach flips. I've always hated plane landings, and JB knows that, so he wraps his arms around me and grabs my hands. I don't open my eyes until we land, and he doesn't let go of me until I do so.
    We make it onto the tarmac, and I can't help but stare into the distance. All of this, and now we're finally back home.

Kie

    I get outside and the sun instantly heats my skin. It feels nice at first, and then it makes me feel sick and wobbly again. I wrap an arm around JJ, and then another around Pope.
    "Where to now?" All I need is a bed and a shower, but we don't have the Chateau anymore; we have nothing.
    "I mean, we can see if anyone's at my place? I doubt Rafe is there now, and Rose probably took Wheezie somewhere else." Sarah suggests, and I can tell the boys want to agree, but something is holding them back.
    "I don't think we can risk it. Even if no one is home, it feels way too dangerous." Pope says.
    "Well, you ain't all staying at my place," says Heyward. I almost forgot he was here. "I'm sorry, but I need some more time. Come see me tomorrow, Pope, but you're gonna have to figure this one out on your own." I don't blame him, honestly. As much as we've put him through, he has done more than enough to help us. He hugs Pope, and then JJ, and then hops in his car and drives off.
    "Well, there goes that option."
    "I would love to go home, but I think we all know how my parents feel about all of this."
    "Yeah, Kittyhawk bitches." I slap JJ on the arm, but he's right. I obviously still love them- they're my parents- but I have never felt more betrayed in my life. I don't think I'll ever truly get over it.
    "Why don't we just go to the Chateau, pick up what we can, and think of something there? It'll come to us." John B. says, and we all agree. John B. has been my closest friend for the past couple of years, and I wish I would have met him sooner. He has this sense of authority about him. He may not be the smartest by any means, but, in a way, he's the leader.