underwater || outer banks- jj maybank

sixteen - flip flops

sixteen - flip flops

 The kegger was in full swing, containing the Pogues, Kooks, and toursits alike. JJ and John B were off hanging out with some tourists, Pope was making terrible conversation with some girl, and Kiara and Layla were sitting together talking to a small group from out-of-town.

 The party was rudely interrupted by a firey exchange between JJ, and Sarah and Topper. Layla didn't witness the beginning of the exchange, but the loomings of a fight became so painstakingly apparent when John B stepped in, shoving Topper. 

 At the stir, Layla was on her feet heading towards the commotion. It was just in time for Topper to throw a punch at John B, Sarah attempting to control the stuck-up brat. John B was thrown to the ground and thrashed into the saltwater.

 Layla's first thought was that John B would be able to beat the shit out of Topper, but she kept that to herself as she joined the spot next to JJ. "What the fuck." Topper loomed over John B. Layla was unable to hear the taunt she was sure Topper fired. "I'm gonna kill him, I swear to god-" Layla threatened, JJ grabbing her arm tightly and holding her from the fight she looked ready to throw herself into.

 She didn't care how boys operated, she was not about to watch John B get drowned at the hands of the boy that she could smell the privilege off of.

 The crowd was doing much for easing the situation, as John B rose to his feet and tackled Topper into the water he was soaked in.

 Sarah and Kelce, Topper's support team, were in the sand yelling both encouragement and calls for de-escalation.

 Pope and Kiara were also begging to relax the situation, JJ and Layla standing silent. Layla pulled her hand from JJ's, her hands going up to her head to help mitigate the stress. Her thumb than found its way inside the palm of her hand.

 JJ then began to call chants of encouragement as John B would get a hit in. Nausea was beginning to settle over Layla as Topper knocked John B into the water. Topper grabbed him by his shoulders, holding the boy under.

 "JJ, fucking do something!" Layla called, her eyes holding back tears she could feel coming.

 JJ glanced over at her, scanning her face. He then gave her a nod. He turned away for a moment, and then he walked pass Layla and wadded ankle-deep into the water.

 He then pressed his gun to Topper's head, earning a shock from Layla; that wasn't what she expected him to do.

 Layla stood in surprise on the beach, Sarah attempting to talk JJ off of the edge while everyone else began to scatter.

 Sarah turned to Kie. "Kie, can you check your psycho friend please?"

 Layla turned to the girl, biting her tongue for a moment before electing to give it back to the girl. "Topper would've fucking deserved it, Sarah, next time make sure he's on his fucking meds." Her words were so harsh, the anger bubbling in her chest.

 Sarah didn't say another word, as JJ yelled something out. Layla just couldn't hear it, as there was a sudden ringing in her ears. She was snapped out of it by the three gunshots fired into the air by JJ.

 While Kiara and Pope were yelling at JJ, Layla watched John B fall to his side in the water. She rushed out, spotting the boy laying in the shallow waves. With the help of the current, she pulled him ashore. This pulled the attention of the others.

  After coughing sporadically, John B was conscious again and feeling okay.

 Layla then elected it was her turn to get a piece of JJ. "JJ, that was reckless!" Layla fired, her hands finding the back of her neck. "You do such stupid things sometimes!"

 The stupid one hurt; he was so tired of being told that he was stupid. Even Layla was telling him now, the girl he shared a relationship with that was so close it was indescribable. He failed to realize that the real reason the girl was so upset and concerned about the weapon was that she was worried about him getting arrested or in trouble with the law; it was an illegal weapon, and Scooter Grubbs was dead now. The last thing she needed was for JJ to be ripped away from her. 

Just like her mother.

 The problem was, both of them had trouble expressing their emotions.

 He shook his head, looking down. He bit his lip for a moment, looking back up at her. "What do you want me to do, Layla? Let you call all the shots? Will that fix your fucking complex?" His frustration was present in the words; he had reached a breaking point, and Layla was the one who was going to be on the unfortunate receiving end.

 "What 'fucking complex'?" she fired back, her arms falling over her chest. Her words were loud, the pair being the only audible thing on the beach, besides the crashing waves.

 "You think you're a...a superhuman! You have to control everything all the time," he explained, his words still pointed. "God forbid you relax for five minutes." He didn't realize how much worse he was making it. 

 A hard look settled on her face; she knew deep down that JJ's words held some truth, but she would never admit that to him. "Fuck you, JJ." She couldn't think of another insult that would be meaningful enough to hurt him.

 "Fuck you, Layla," he threw back, as Layla turned and walked away from the boy. 

 Kiara came up beside Layla. "Come on, I'll take you home," Kie suggested, the keys jangling in her hand to Layla's vehicle; they had done this intentionally, in case one party was ready to leave early.

 Layla didn't give JJ another glance, turning to Kiara. She gave her a nod, her arms pulled around her body in the over-sized gray sweatshirt. She held her pink sandals in her fingers as the girls walked through the sand, their shoulders almost touching. "I, uh, I can't go home right now," Layla explained, "I drank way too much."

 Kie nodded, unlocking the vehicle and heading towards the driver's side. "I'll just take you to John B's."

 Kiara did as promised, the two girls arriving to the Chateau after a short drive. Layla and Kiara headed inside, Layla dropping her shoes by the door. Kiara did so similarly, the two girls heading inside. 

 Layla was more than prepared for bed, as she was emotionally and physically exhausted. Furthermore, she was still sort of annoyed at JJ. She elected to leave it for the morning, as she and Kiara fell asleep next to each other in the bed.

 Back at the Boneyard, JJ was becoming much too comfortable with a girl of similar age; her hair was blonde, her eyes a shade of blue that was just too inviting. JJ had had a considerable amount to drink, the boy being stoned like you wouldn't believe. This didn't faze the girl who was practically seated on his lap around the bonfire.

 She wasn't criticizing his every move. Funny.

 JJ, being so careless as he was, took their argument as an invitation. He decided that if Layla was able to get upset with him over practically saving John B's life, he was upset with her complete overreaction to everything and elected that their relationship was on a temporary pause. Besides, he craved distraction from the severe argument that may have ended their relationship.

 Pope had left an hour earlier, so John B and JJ left in the Volkswagon with the female in tow. In his drunken haze, JJ pulled the girl whose name he didn't even bother to learn into the Chateau.

 JJ didn't think twice about the pair of pink flip flops by the front door.

 ─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───