Pandora and The Pogues [The Outer Banks/John B]

five

The group reached the Pogue hub quick enough and sat around with some of the other younger Pogues. A dead body had been found out on the marsh: it was Scooter Grubbs, and eventually it was unveiled that he had been the one on the Grady-White the gang had discovered. The group looked at one another, Pandy could see the anxiety present in each of their faces.

***

They circled back to the Chateau. John B was throwing an empty bottle up and down, JJ flicking his lighter open,  Kie sat chilling on the sofa and Pandy sat in the chair next to JJ resting her feet in the blonde boy's lap. Every now and again, she felt someone looking at her - probably John B after her outburst earlier on the boat - but the young Brit kept her eyes closed, enjoying the light breeze. The four were waiting on Pope's arrival, not much had been said since the group had found out about the dead body.

Pope burst in, "Okay. So, we didn't see anything. We don't know anything. We need to have total and complete amnesia." Pandy sat up, taking her legs off of JJ's lap and listening to the discussion.

"Actually Pope's right for once." JJ said, standing up and wandering around the furniture. "See, I agree with you sometimes. Deny, deny, deny."

But Kie wasn't of the same opinion: "Guys, we can't keep that money."

"Okay. Not all of us can afford unlimited data plans, Kiara." JJ said, annoyance apparent in his tone.

"We have to pass that off to Lana Grubbs." Kie insisted, "Otherwise, it's bad karma."

"Bad karma to be implicated in a felony, too. We gotta go dark." Pope argued.

"If that means we get to keep the money, then I agree." Pandy shook her head at JJ's response.

"I don't agree." John B stated, Pandy turned her head curious to his view, "Just think about it. This is Scooter Grubbs we're talking about. Same dude that's buying individual cigarettes at the Porthole. We're talking about a dirtbag marina rat that has never had more than forty bucks in his pocket and all of a sudden he's got a Grady-White? Just saying."

"I'm with John B." Pandy agreed nodding her head, "But I don't know quite what that means as to what we do next."

"All we need to do," said JJ "is figure out a way to get into the cargo hold of that wreck. Until then, we just lay low. Just act normal."

"Right. And how exactly do we do that?" Pope asked.

"Kegger?" Kie offered.

"A motive!" Pandy exclaimed, shooting finger guns at Kie, "I need a drink after all this." The girl collapsed on the bed, giggling. She didn't see it but John B's eyes sparkled at the sound of her laugh as he smiled softly at her.

***

The group brought the keg down to the boneyard in order to set up for that night's motive. Spirits had lifted amongst the group as they had all relaxed about the situation. Quickly, the beach was full of Pogues, Kooks and the Tourons. Almost just as quickly, the boys were making moves on the tourons they thought were cute.

Pandy sat back and watched, sipping on her beer and humming and nodding in all the right places when a boy sat down next to her, whilst it was light she just liked to understand who everyone was through watching. She watched as Sarah Cameron - Kook Princess - attempted to regain attention through climbing various objects. Pandy sniggered as her horrible boyfriend tried to get her down, giving her some of the attention she desired. Her smile fell a little when she saw John B gazing out at Sarah, the boy seemed to attracted to every living female that wasn't herself. But she was quickly drawn out of her thoughts by JJ.

"Doing some good old investigating, Dora? What you found out tonight?" He asked.

Pandy shook her head at the nickname, dismissing what he had said, "We dancing tonight then J or not?"

"Of course, m'lady." He bowed before her graciously taking her hand before boogying on down to the centre of the boneyard. The two sang along obnoxiously to the songs that were playing, dancing as if no-one was watching until John B joined them. At this point JJ turned to a cute blonde who would likely keep him entertained for the rest of the night.

Pandy, now relaxed from the slight buzz of her many beers, grabbed John B's hand and spun him around as if they were two ballroom dancers. She giggled at his lack of grace and at the sight of such a smile, John B pulled the girl into his chest. They swayed to the upbeat tempo of the song not caring about what others were thinking. They were happy and care-free. In that moment, Pandy didn't care about whose attention she did or didn't have as long as John B saw her.

It was dark before JJ rejoined the two dancers and he came with three beers. He passed one to Pandy and was about to give the other to John until Sarah Cameron and her idiot boyfriend, Topper, walked by.

"Oh, wait. Hey, hey. Hey, Sarah! Sarah, can I interest you in a tasty Milwaukee beverage?" He offered, obviously looking to stir up some trouble.

"No, thanks." She replied.

"Is it not fancy enough for you?"

"No. We were just leaving."

"Hey, you know what? I'll take it." Topper butted in, "Thank you man. I appreciate it." He attempted to wind JJ up.

"That's nice, but I didn't ask you. If you said pretty please, maybe, but you didn't."

Topper splashed the cup of beer in JJ's face causing JJ to fight back. Topper stumbled back. John B quickly grabbed a hold of JJ, "No, no, no, no. We're supposed to be incognito, remember?"

But John B lost his cool as soon a Topper called them 'Dirty Pogues', pushing back at Topper. But Topper came back with quite the punch. John B went crashing to the sand, where the waves were crashing.

"Hey, John B, don't make me drown you like your old man, all right?" Topper shouted. John B was fired up to fight him back. The crowd was chanting fight, but JJ held Pandy as tears came to her eyes, terrified at the scene before her. She'd never seen John B in this state before. What Topper had said must have really gotten into his head.

Topper tossed John B into the water, keeping him there, drowning him. John B only just gasping for air. Pandy couldn't stand there helpless anymore. She rushed forward, desperate to get Topper off her friend. She pushed him, giving John B a chance to breathe, only to be tossed away by Topper as if she were nothing. JJ was just as concerned.

"Yeah, you know what that is." JJ threatened Topper, placing the gun against his head, the safety clicked off. "Your move, broski."

Pandy wasn't watching the scene unravel, she had had the wind knocked out of her when she was tossed aside but she could hear the shouts of a gun and Pope and Kie trying to calm JJ down.

"We're good. We're good. All right? Come on, man!" Topper shouted desperate for JJ to put the gun down.

"Kie! Can you check your psycho friend, please?" Sarah exclaimed.

"Okay everyone, listen up!" JJ roared. "Get the hell off our side of the island!" He pointed the gun to the air letting off two shots. People gasped and shrieked.

Amongst the chaos, tears rolled down Pandy's face. JJ had scared her, using the gun like that. As if Topper's attempt to drown John B wasn't enough. As Pope and Kie, continued to try and calm JJ, Pandy crawled over to John B. He put his head on her lap and held on to her arm as she sobbed quietly wishing the last hour had never happened.

***