WASTE - OUTER BANKS

two - ben

"Like my ex Ben?"

"Mari, I don't know about you, but I don't know any other Ben," said JJ.

"Do you think he can see me?" Marina asked, burying herself further into the blankets on the pull out.

"No, he's just getting out of his car now," JJ said. Marina heard the car door slam shut, "I'm just gonna go out there and tell him to beat it."

"JJ," Marina said, grabbing his wrist and holding him back, "I don't want him to know I'm here and if you go out there throwing punches - "

"Who said I would be throwing punches?"

Marina gave JJ a knowing look as he sighed.

"Fine," he said, "I'll stay in the doorway and kindly ask him to leave."

Marina was still worried and it must have been evident on her face because JJ quickly added, "Just try to get some sleep, seriously I will take care of it."

Marina nodded as JJ opened the door.

"I know who you're looking for and she's not here dude."

Marina heard Ben scoff.

"Her bedroom light was off. I assumed - "

"Maybe she's sleeping, it is like one a.m. to be fair," JJ said.

"If you see her, can you just let her know I wanna talk to her."

"Yeah, fat chance of that," said JJ sarcastically.

"JJ, grow up. Welcome to the adult world where people have adult relationships where they communicate like adults."

"And is cheating part of that adult relationship because I don't think -"

Cheating?

Marina heard Ben run towards JJ as John B pulled up in the Twinkie.

"Ben?" John B said as he got out of the van, "what the hell are you doing here."

"He was looking for Mari," JJ said, "piece of shit wants to talk to her."

Ben laughed. "I broke up with her!" he said, "I did what you asked me to do and now I regret it."

'I did what you asked me to?'

"Just leave before this gets ugly man," said John B.

Marina heard a car start and the front door open and shut. She pretended to be asleep as JJ and John B walked past.

Marina couldn't sleep. Was she stupid? Was she missing something? JJ mentioned cheating and Ben said that he did what JJ asked him to do. Clearly, they had this conversation before. She must have spent hours awake, listening to JJ's heavy breathing as she tried to piece together the conversation.

When she woke up, John B and JJ were already awake and sitting on the patio. She watched them from inside as she weighed her options.

One - she could confront JJ about his conversation with Ben. Two - she could ignore the conversation from last night.

She decided on option two for a few reasons. To start, she had just reconciled with JJ last night and did not need to have it out with him over something he has no idea she overheard. She finally felt like a pogue again, why risk it? Next, Marina was not sure she wanted to know if Ben cheated on her. Honestly, she wouldn't be surprised if he had. But, she knew it would absolutely destroy her if she had to hear the words come from JJ's mouth. And lastly, Marina was smart. If she kept her ears open, she could totally piece this together on her own. She just had to be more alert and wait for one of the boys to say something that filled in the missing pieces.

"Hello," Marina said innocently as she walked onto the patio.

"Good morning sunshine," John B said, "you slept late."

"First day of summer I guess," Marina shrugged, "did anything ever happen with Ben?"

JJ shook his head, "No, I was a good boy there was no fight. John B pulled up right as Ben was asking where you were and just told him to leave."

John B nodded in agreement, "It was all very pacifist of JJ."

"Aren't those like, Nazi's?" JJ asked.

"No, dude, those are fascists - "

"Anyway," Marina said, "I think I'm gonna head home."

"Are you sure?" JJ asked, "We were gonna go out on the boat."

"Thank you for the invite but I told my mom I'd visit the boutique today."

"Come on, Mari," John B said, "you said it yourself - first day of summer."

"I know, I know. Are you guys doing anything tonight?"

The boys shrugged.

"Well, let me know if you come up with anything because I will be there," she said.

"I'll walk you out," JJ offered.

"You really don't have to," Marina said as she opened the door.

"I want to," JJ said with a smile that made Marina blush a lot more than she would like to admit.

This was her last chance to ask about Ben.

"So, things seriously were okay with Ben?"

"Oh my god, Marina Carol, for the last time - yes, it was fine. I don't know why you have so little faith in me!"

"Hm, I wonder," Marina said sarcastically as JJ laughed.

"Seriously though," he said, "don't think about it too much. He was just a loser who realized he probably just lost the best thing he will ever have going for him."

Now Marina was really blushing.

"I'm serious about tonight," she said as she walked away, "you two better come up with some big plans for adventure!"

Marina walked into the boutique grinning ear to ear. Even her mom noticed it from behind her cash register.

"Are you ill?" Her mom asked, "You never look happy to be in here."

"It is the first day of summer, mom," Marina said, playing with one of the scrunchies for sale at the cash register counter, "can't a girl just be happy that it's the first day of summer?"

Her mom sighed and opened the cash register. "What did JJ say to make you smile like that?"

"Mom!"

"What? That is your boy smile and I know its not from Ben,"

"I don't have a boy smile," Marina said.

Her mom rolled her eyes and started counting the cash in the register.

"Are you here to talk about boy smiles or are you here to work?"

"Work? I thought you just wanted me to stop in and say hi," Marina whined.

"Steph called in sick, I just need you until lunch."

"Okay, but only because I do not have plans. If I had plans, I would be storming out of here doing rebellious teen things."

"Whatever you say," her mom called as she walked toward the front door to turn the "closed" sign around to say "open."