Chasing Sunshine | JJ Maybank

19 // Spy Games

Man, the Kooks really lived under a rock.

The central lawn in the middle of a semi-circle of expensive condominum complexes was already set up with a large canvas screen strung up at the front, complete with speakers bookending each side. Families milled around in the grass, setting up blankets and lawn chairs, buying concessions, and conversing while waiting for the sun to go down. All they had to do to frame the pretty picture was stake a neatly-printed sign that read "OBX Summer Movie Series" by the entrance.

But I suppose they could afford to ignore that an entire one half of the island was without electricity. But considering I was from the half in question, I figured why not take advantage of the niceties while I was here?

"So no John B I take it?" I observed once Kie had parked the car alongside the curb and we had filed out onto the sidewalk.

"Haven't heard from him since this morning," Pope answered, shouldering two lawn chairs from the trunk, "We went by to pick him up before you but he wasn't home."

It was a little odd, but I suppose he couldn't spend all of his free time in the four of ours' company. And it wasn't completely unusual for John B or even JJ for that matter to disappear for a day or two. Between the fairly absent parental figures and a general lack of responsibility, the pair of them pretty much came and went as they pleased.

"Lucky bastard," JJ muttered, smacking a mosquito from his bicep before taking the remaining two chairs, "Doesn't have to get eaten alive."

"I told you to bring bug spray," Kie scolded, "But did you listen? No."

"And it's hotter than Hades' armpit out here," he continued to whine as we made our way through the entranceway.

"Would you stop complaining?" I reprimanded, then pointed to the slogan underneath the sign as we passsed, "See? It's wholesome family fun. Get with the program."

"I'm so glad they're still doing this. Keep calm, carry on. Back to the OBX life," Kie sighed, elbowing me in the side, "Aren't you guys glad I made you come?"

"Ecstatic," Pope deadpanned, flipping his chair open after she found us a suitable patch of lawn.

"My couch was pretty comfy, I'll be honest," JJ grumbled. I staked my chair next to his while Kie set up her things on the opposite side of Pope.

"You know, if I knew you two would be such buzzkills about this, I wouldn't have agreed to come," I said, but they were too engrossed in their one-on-one conversation to really notice what I was saying.

"We're out of the green zone man," Pope whispered to his right, casting a few nervous glances behind him, as if expecting something predatory to get the jump on him.

JJ set the cooler down and muttered from the corner of his mouth, "Dude, tranquilo okay?"

But the mouse-caught-in-a-trap look never left his eyes as he continued to whisper frantically, "We're in the middle of Kook-landia. This is the last place I wanted to be-"

"Shut up, Pope."

I didn't have much desire to stick around and continue listening about whatever had Pope so uptight, because frankly, I couldn't quite bring myself to care right now. So when Kiara announced that she was going to get us some sodas, I volunteered to accompany her.

"Do you think they're all right?" Kie asked, gesturing over her shoulder to the two boys once we were out of earshot.

"Yeah, why wouldn't they be?" I answered casually, stepping forward when the snack line moved ahead.