Mind Games | JJ Maybank

Part One

You watched as your father placed the last box into the trunk of the car, your mother smiling at him as he clapped his hands. Today was moving day, you were leaving your old life behind and getting ready to start a new one in the Outer Banks. Your father had gotten offered a new job, one that paid even more than the last, so of course he took it with no hesitation or questions asked.

You glanced out the car window, watching as your parents said one final goodbye to your neighbors, before feeling a stinging sensation on your arm. Your hand instantly went to rub the sore spot as you looked at the culprit for your pain.

"Brody what the hell? Seriously what is wrong with you?" You hissed at your brother as he rolled his eyes, adjusting himself in his spot. "God Y/N can you not be a baby for once? I barely touched you." Brody spoke, annoyance in his voice as you let out a huff.

"Barely touched me? My arm is stinging!" You raised your voice at him as he rubbed his face, a groan leaving his lips. "It's not my fault you take up all the damn space in the car, I had to move and your arm just happened to be in the way, if anything it's your fault you got hit." Brody shrugged his shoulders, going back onto his phone as you stared at him in disbelief.

You were about to make another snarky reply when your parents entered the car, smiles on their faces as they waved goodbye once more to the neighbors. Deciding it wasn't worth ruining their mood, you kept quiet to yourself, pulling out one of your new books to read while you started your new journey to your new home.

Half way through your book you had fallen asleep, while Brody continued to listen to music on his phone. You weren't sure how long you had slept for, but it was long enough that Brody was shaking you awake, an excited glint in his eyes. "Hey pipsqueak, we're here, wake your ass up." Brody continued to shake you awake as you let out a groan, slapping his hands away as he grinned, getting out of the car leaving you alone.

You rubbed your eyes tiredly as you sat up against the seat, looking around at your new surroundings. It was evening, the sky was full of beautiful yellow-orangish-pink colors, a couple seagulls flying by making a small smile appear on your face.

Getting out of the car you immediately stretched, having been trapped in the back seat for hours your body was aching to move around. As you glanced around to find your parents you couldn't

help but take a deep breath, the salty air filling your nose, the smell being so different compared to what you were used to, pine, pollen, dirt.

You shut the door to the car, heading over to the grassy patch of your new front yard, seeing Brody talking to a couple of guys, a girl standing beside the group, perking your interest. You made your way over, catching the boys attention, along with the girl.

"So who do we have here?" One of them spoke up when you got close to the group, his hair was slicked back with some sort of gel, a smirk on his lips as the other two guys chuckled. Brody wrapped his arm around your shoulder, pulling you into his side slightly as you rolled your eyes, trying to shove him off.

"This is my little sister Y/N, she's a pain in the ass, but don't let her fool you, she can knock you on your ass if you aren't paying attention. I swear she's secretly the devil sometimes." Brody squeezed your shoulder as he said the last part, making you scoff and finally shove him off, earning a chuckle from him in response.

"Don't let him fool you either, he acts like he's all tough and strong, but he's actually the biggest softie I know," You smirked over at him, earning a glare in response, "He can't watch horror movies without the lights being on and his hands in front of his face." You mused as the group let out a rupture of laughs, Brody's cheeks reddening in embarrassment.