The Deep End » Outer Banks [JJ Maybank] BOOK ONE

XXI: Horizon

horizon
noun. the line at which the earth's surface and the sky appear to meet.

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Lee pulled up at the Chateau to find an unexpected scene: Kiara's parents' truck in the driveway, string lights of different colors hanging between trees, and a gigantic hot tub fully equipped with tropical inflatables and a disco ball. She was on a mission, however, and refused to be distracted by the new additions to John B's yard. Marching straight through the front door, Lee steeled herself for the job.

"What did you take from Barry?" she asked firmly as she walked into the living room.

"Lee," Kiara gasped from where she had been reclining on the couch next to JJ. "What happened?"

"What did you take from Barry?" Lee repeated icily, her stony glare fixating on the three Pogues in the room one-by-one. "And where the hell are John B and Sarah?"

Pope raised his arms as if Lee was a wild horse that he was trying to tame as he stood up and approached her. "It's a long story. Do you need ice for that? Did you crash your bike again?"

Lee clenched her jaw as she focused on JJ, whose eyes were red-rimmed and lips were swollen. "What is going on here?" she breathed, finally noticing all the strange details in the scene she'd just entered. Pope and Kiara were both fully clothed and soaked to the bone, JJ was wearing swim trunks and a lei but looked like he'd been crying, and the pink and green light from the string lights outside was filtering through the windows in an eerie glow.

"I went home," JJ said and, though to many the response might require further elaboration, Lee understood perfectly. Her icy demeanor melted and she dropped her backpack, mission forgotten at the doorway as she went to her best friend.

"JJ," Lee whispered, wrapping her arms around JJ's shoulders and pulling him into her chest as she dropped onto the couch next to him. He slumped into her, tears leaking across her collarbone as his shoulders shook under her touch. "It's okay," she soothed, repeating the words over and over. "You're okay."

After a moment, Kiara leaned forward to embrace JJ and Lee, followed by Pope, who knelt in front of the trio and draped his arms across the girls and leaned his head on JJ's spine. They sat quietly for what felt like hours, listening as Lee consoled JJ, her lips brushing against his forehead with every word. At some point long-past Lee's bedtime, JJ sat up, forcing the other three to break away from him.

"It's okay," he decided. "Fuck him. Fuck my dad."

Lee nodded in agreement as JJ glanced between the other three Pogues, looking for their response.

"Yeah, fuck him," Kiara encouraged.

"Fuck him straight to hell," Pope elaborated.

They were silent for a moment, exchanging stares and stolen glances as they waited for someone else to break the quietude.

"It was 25k," JJ finally blurted, his blue eyes boring into Lee's as she looked at him curiously. "That's what I stole from Barry."

Lee's mouth fell open in shock. "25k?" she repeated. "Tell me you still have it." JJ, Kiara, and Pope glanced between one another as though deciding what lie they should try to spin for Lee. "No," Lee said dangerously, standing up from the couch. "Tell me you still have the 25k. Please."

JJ refused to meet Lee's eyeline as he muttered, "No. It's all gone."

A laugh of disbelief escaped Lee's parted lips as she ran a hand over her face. Tears pricked at the backs of her eyes as the reality of the situation hit her like a loaded semi going 90 on a highway. She turned around, breathing deeply as she closed her eyes and straightened her shoulders. "Okay," she finally said, her voice sickly sweet as she turned around and nodded once at her friends. "Okay, it's gone. I can fix this. Just—" Lee raised a hand as she grabbed her backpack from the door and began to back towards the front porch. "Just don't follow me."