Outer Banks ~ JJ Maybank

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I could hear my heart beat in my ears and it drowned out the sound of JJ's voice. I couldn't hear anything he was saying, all I saw were his lips moving and the deputy looking between Pope and JJ. "Gabbie was there she can tell you everything. I promise you sir, she had nothing to do with it in anyway. She tried to talk me out of it." The deputy looked over at me, "Is this true Miss Routledge?" I looked over to JJ and he nodded. "Yes."  said, feeling my legs start to go weak and my eyes fill with water. The deputy uncuffed Pope and walked over and cuffed JJ. I began to feel tears fall down the sides of my face as the deputy ushered JJ to the car. I ran to him and threw my arms around him. "I'm so sorry." "I'll be okay." I held his face in my hands as the deputy helped him in the car. I stepped away as he closed the door. They began to drive away and I bolted after the car, trying to catch them but it was too late. Kie and Pope ran out into the street and hugged me as I collapsed onto the ground and started to sob.

Later that day, I heard a knock on the door of Kie's family's guest room door. "Hmm." I said. "How are you holding up?" She said walking in and closing the door. "Just about as good as you would think." "I'm sorry." She said, climbing onto the bed. "Wanna talk about it?" "Shit, it just, it fucking sucks Kie." I said, starting to cry again. "Yeah."She said. "I mean, loosing John B one day and then loosing JJ the next. And I'm the one the was the deciding factor with JJ. It's because I said I was there and that it was all JJ's fault that he's now sitting in a jail cell." "Don't fell bad." "But I do Kie. I really do. I fell like shit. I haven't spoken to or heard form my brother in like 48 hours, that's enough time to declare him missing. I should know. And then I just sent the one person I love more than anything else in the world to jail." "Love?" "Kie can we please not go there right now. Normally, I would call JJ and ask him to come over with weed and beer and I would get high and drink my problems away. I don't appreciate that criticizing look." "I'm not criticizing you. I feel so bad for you. I can't imagine how rough all of this has been for you an you have really been a champ though all of it." "Thanks Kie." "And I can tell you with 99% certainty that JJ and John B will be okay. John B is John B. And JJ has been through much worse." "I'm just scared fro them." "I am too. But the best thing we can do is hope they are okay." "Yeah." I said, smiling up at her. "I love that you are like a therapist for me know." "Anything for my girl! Now, there are some killer waves with our names on them." "I would kill for some good waves, let's go!"

The next day was the day of Midsummer. Kie and I were as excited as you can imagine. "How did I let you drag me into this." "I don't know. But I hate this as much as you do." "Oh, girls, you look so beautiful!" Kie's mom said as she walked into Kie's room. We rolled our eyes and Kie's mom did a final inspection of our looks. "OH Gabbie sweetie, you have such incredible taste." She said admiring my dress. I had picked out a flowy, strapless, floor length dress and it ombred from peach to lavender and I had chosen some peach gladiator shoes to go with it. It was very boho chic.I had Kie straighten my hair and braid two small pieces and pull them together in the back. "Thank you." I said, looking down at the floor. Her mom left to go start the car. "If you want her, you can take her." "What?" "She clearly loves you more than she loves me." "No way." "She complimented you more in 2 minutes than she has complimented me in the last month." "Well, I wasn't bugging her about socioeconomic justice and stuff like that." "It's a real problem." "My own;y problem is we aren't at the party yet. Come on, Pope will be there." "And why do you think I will be persuaded by Pope?" "No reason." I said walking out of the room and down the stairs. "No, tell me why." She said, following me until we were in the car. "Tat's why." I said as her dad drove away. "You suck." "Thanks Kie." I said with a smile.

We got there and both immediately walked over to Pope. I tapped him on the shoulder and he spun around, almost knocking me onto the ground. "Oh shit, sorry Gabbie." "It's fine." I said with a laugh, fixing my necklace. "Wow, you guys look amazing." " Thanks." We both said at the same time. "Have you ever been around this many Kooks before?" "No way. It just sucks we don't have our gun carrying friend around to stop any Kook attacks." "Have either of you heard from him or John B?" "No." Kie said. They both looked at me. "What? Sorry, I spaced out. No, I haven't." I said, looking back down at my feet. "Well, you guys go have fun. Talk to me later?" "Yes." We both said running off to the party.

A few hours later, Kie and I were dancing around to the music from the band. "How many people think we are dating?" I said as we spun around. "Um, most of if not all of them." "We would make a good couple." "Oh no doubt." She said as I spun out and back in. "It's a lot easier to forget about being in the middle of Kooklandia when you have had a glass o white wine or two." "Yes." She said. I spun out and felt someone take me by the hand, spin my in, and dip me. I looked up and I felt my breath stop for a second. "Hi." "Hi." I said looking up at JJ, his face all cut up and slightly bruised.