Teenage Dream || JJ Maybank

The Pogues

We're the Pogues, and our mission this summer is to have a good time, all the time. 

The Outer Banks, Paradise on Earth. It's the sort of place where you either have two jobs or two houses. Two tribes, one island. All right. This is Figure Eight, the rich side of the island. Home of the Kooks. So, guess where we don't live. 

And then, this is the south side or the cut. Home of the working class who make a living busing tables, washing yachts, running charters. The natural habitat of drum roll, please...the Pogues.

That's us.

Pogues, pogies, the throwaway fish. Lowest member of the food chain. Okay, so the downside of Pogue life is we're ignored and neglected. But the upside of Pogue life? We're ignored and neglected, which means we do whatever we want, whenever we want.

That's JJ Maybank, my best friend since the third grade. He's about as local as they come. Latest in a long line of fishing, drinking, smuggling, vendetta-holding salt-lifers who made their living off the water. Best surfer I know. Just don't tell him I said that. Mild kleptomaniac and a future tax cheat. 

That's Katherine Hoffman, or Kit, as we call her. JJ and I became friends with her in the sixth grade. We didn't really have a choice as she was what you would call a 'social butterfly' and was friends with basically everyone in the grade...even with the teachers. Which turned out to be a good thing as she always bailed one of us out of trouble in school. She's actually a great friend now that I think about it. She never talks us out of our plans, in fact...she actually encourages us to stupid stuff. Which is why we all sort of have a thing for her, especially JJ as he flirts with her every chance he gets.

And that's Kiara Carrera, or Kie, as we call her. When not saving turtles or listening to Marley, or getting a dolphin tattoo, she hangs out with us. I'm not really sure why, though. So, she's a rich kid, actually. Foot in both worlds. Her family owns The Wreck, this Outer Banks institution. Total cash cow with the tourists. You know, I'm not really sure how her parents feel about us. Just like Kit, I guess we all sort of have a thing for her.

And that's Pope Heyward, the brains of the operation...finalist for the Lucas T. Vanderhorst Merit Scholarship. And the smartest person I know. Little bit of a weirdo. His father's this legendary character, Heyward. Anything you wanted on the island, Heyward could get it for you. Now, I'm not sure Heyward knew what to make of his oddball son, but it didn't matter. He was a Pogue, just like the rest of us.

So, that's my crew. 

And that's me, John Booker Routledge.