Hurricane- JJ Maybank (Outer Banks)

16.

A few days had gone by. I hadn't seen John B all day, I was starting to worry. I hadn't left JJ's side since the boat. I don't think he would've let me anyways. He sat in John B's backyard, wearing headphones. I decided to put mine in too once I saw what he was doing. He was doing target practice with his gun. His cap was backwards and he was wearing the same clothes he had been wearing for the past few days. I could tell he needed a shower. He used an old teddy bear, and started shooting which surprised me at first. He shot it once, then again, and again.

I lifted off my headphones when I saw Pope out of the corner of my eye.

"They know."

"Who knows?"

"The kooks. They know I sunk their boat. I'm so dead." He was pacing.

JJ muttered to himself but lifted his headphones when he saw Pope.

"Dude, what's wrong?"

"They know. Topper knows I sunk his boat."

"No he doesn't. You're just psyching yourself out, bro. Just relax."

"Topper and Rafe were outside of my dads, staring at me like I was a piece of meat. They know. They're gonna kill me."

"Dude, what did I say? Deny deny deny. But for now, you gotta use protection." He points down to the gun.

"J. No." I stood up, walking over to the gun.

"Rachel. Don't."

"Not everything needs to end in violence."

"You're starting to sound like Kie again."

"Just please stop."

"Okay, okay fine. Don't come crawling back to me when Rafe attacks you again."

I felt a little sting in my heart when he said that. I just dropped my headphones on the ground and walked away, without a word. He didn't try chasing after me, and he didn't even fight. He was dead silent. Maybe he could take a hint and think about what he said. It really bothered me, why would he say that? After everything?

-

Kie had invited the four of us to a movie on the Figure Eight side. I was hesitant after Topper told us to stay off the side of his island but I was tired of living in fear. She stood in line with me to get snacks.

"Hey, how are things going?"

"I'm okay. A little shaken up after the situation from yesterday."

"What happened?"

"No one told you?"

"No?"

Oh shit. Maybe it was supposed to stay between us three. Well, it was too late.

"Pope and JJ and I went to deliver for Heyward and we were attacked by Rafe and Topper. He got us pretty good." I lifted my shirt to show my bruised ribs.

"Oh my god. Are you kidding? I'm this close to-"

"This close to what?" Rafe pops up beside us.

He looked to me as I backed away.

"What are you doing?" I said.

"I just came to tell you to pass on something to your boy for me. We know what he did."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Kie said to him.

"I think Rachel knows exactly what I'm talking about."

"What boy are you talking about?" Kie asked again, not sure what was happening.

"He'll know." Rafe looked to me again as I walked away, Kie following behind me.