𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭 || 𝐣𝐣 𝐦𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐬

two

I opened the sliding door located on the side of the van and loaded in my many bags that I brought with me, then hopped into the passenger seat.

"I didn't get your name." I said looking at the boy who was turning the key in the ignition.

"John Booker Routledge, but you can call me John B." He replied, I smiled slightly. "I like it, I'm Anna Louise, you can call me Anna." He gave me a nod and started to drive.

I looked out the window listening to the music bopping my head slowly to the beat, the sound of the engine and the breathing of john b just kind of drowned out until john b spoke again.

"So uh, where do you actually want to be dropped off? Your new house?" He asked, still keeping his eyes on the road.

A hint of red grew over my cheeks, I wasn't too sure why but the fact that i was practically homeless right now made me super embarrassed. "I uh, I'll tell you where to stop." I told him, hiding the fact that i had no money and no where to stay.

"You sure?" he asked, seeming skeptical. I look out the window again, avoiding showing my face so he couldn't tell whether i was lying or not.

"Yes im sure." I replied. "I need to know about this place though, what's it like?" I asked him. this time looking at him as my face had stopped being so red.

He looked me in the eyes. "sit back and relax sweetheart you've got a lot coming your way" he joked.

"the outer banks, paradise on earth." he started. "it's the sort of place where you either have two jobs or two houses. two tribes, one island. he continued. we passed a large mansion, my mouth dropped. "all right so, this is figure eight. the rich side of the island. home of the kooks. so guess where do don't live." i sighed of relief. there was no way i could've afforded to live there. he took a sharp left causing me to fall into him. i went a bright shade of red before looking at him and pausing for a moment, then laughing. i could already tell me and him were going to get along greatly. we passed a bridge and carried on south. looking out the window, i saw beaten down woodern homes with broken windows and holes in the walls. even still, they looked much more homely than the figure eight houses. "and then, this is the south side or the cut. home of the working class who make a living bussing tables, washing yachts, running charters. the natural habitat of... drumroll please..." i did an enthusiastic drumroll on my lap "the pogues." 

"the pogues?" i repeated, wondering who they were. he looked at me and smiled.

"yep, pogues, pogies, the throwaway fish, lowest member of the food chain. okay. so, the downside of the 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." we pulled up to a shack by the dock.

"I know you wanted to be dropped off someplace else but since you're new here i thought you could meet the group." He looked at me with a hopeful look clearly not wanting me to be mad, which i wasn't in the slightest. "I'd be honoured." I told him whilst opening the door of the van and leaning against the bonnet. I looked across the grass to see three other people. One of them looked surprisingly hot, he was taking a hit of a blunt when we locked eyes for what felt like minutes when in reality it was about 3 seconds. "thats jj." john b told me, pointing at the same boy that i was just checking out. "my bestfriend since the third grade, he's about as local as they come. lastest in a long line of fishing, drinking, smuggling, vendetta-holding salt-lifers who made their living off the water. best surfer i know. just dont tell him i said that." i nodded. " mild kleptomaniac and a future tax cheat." he sound fun. scandalous even. just here for a good time, careless in a way. i liked it. "and that's kiara, or kie, as we call her." he said, pointing at the only girl in the area other than me. she had tanned skin, with no makeup, all natural. she had frizzy dark hair with complimented her hazel eyes, and a style similar to mine. "when not saving the 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 which is this outer banks institution. total cash cows with the tourists. you know, im not really sure how her parents feel about us. us boys all have a thing for her." yet again, someone i feel like i would get along with like a sister, similar to me. saving animals we have in common, back in atlanta me and justin would feed the squirrels and build them little huts to keep them safe from the black bears. "and that's pope the brains of the operation" he carried on, pointing at the last boy on the grass who was reading some kind of book. "finalist for the lucas T. vanderhorst merit scholarship." i was taken aback "wow." i let out. john b chuckled. "he's the smartest person i know. little bit of a weirdo, his fathers this legendary character, heyward. anything you want on the island, heyward can get it for you. now im not sure heyward knew what to make of his oddball son, but it didnt matter. he was a pogue, just like the rest of us, so.." he jumped off the bonnet of the van and turned to me. "thats my crew."
not sure what to say i replied with "woah.".

he looked at me a little confused. "i know its a lot to take in, but im guessing you don't have a house considering the small amount you brought with you, so if you want you can crash at my place we have a pull out couch but im sure jj will let you have the guest bedroom."

i smiled, thankfully. "i'll take the pull out couch, i don't wanna kick him out of his room, but seriously thankyou so much you're saving me from sleeping on the streets." he looked at me again confused. oh god. "my original plan was to sleep in my van, it has a bed in and stuff, but seen as that is completely broke i am kinda homeless." i explained. his face went back to normal clearly understanding what i meant. "oh, well i would never let anyone stay on the streets you're welcome to stay for as long as you like." he told me. my face lit up. "you're a pogue from this moment forward." being the dramatic person i am, a tear fell down my cheek. "im sorry, i've never felt welcome anywhere before." i explained trying not to seem like a weirdo. "it's completely fine, we're you're family now." he pulled me in for a hug and i hugged back tighter.