ISSUES II outer banks

back home

"Going back home to the place where my heart feels light."

❥

"JJ won't end up in prison", Kie states next to me as we're sitting on the porch while the boys work on their surfboards. She must have seen the worried look on my face. "Do you know why?" "I've got no idea. Enlighten me. He's smarter than his dad at least." "He's got you, Iz. You're keeping him grounded." I look at her surprised. 

"Since when are you talking about our relationship like that?", I wonder. "Maybe I've realized that you two actually fit together, you just need to stop being two hotheads", Kie giggles and I think about it for a moment. She's right. He's made me enjoy things I never thought I'd like and I'm grounding him in moments when he's too hotheaded. And he's my anchor whenever I'm hotheaded, just like the time when my parents abandoned me. 

JJ Maybank

it's midnight

come out

Izzy

exactly, it's midnight

time to sleep

we said we'd hang out

actually, you said you'd pick me up

I never agreed to anything

come on, Iz

don't be a spoilsport

I'm not being a spoilsport

I'm just tired

I know that the Camerons are boring Kooks

making you tired

but I'm here to be fun

so get out now

Before I can answer, I hear something on my window and sigh. "JJ fucking Maybank", I mumble to myself and cannot believe that he actually made me stand up from bed to look out. He's really standing there with little stones in his hands to throw them against my window. So now I open the balcony door and go out. "Stop that, JJ. My parents could hear you!" "Oh, please. They're busy doing stupid kook-stuff. Get down." 

"Okay, even if I wanted to, what if they catch me?" "You might be grounded for a day or two but what if you don't? You could miss out on the best night ever." Discussing with JJ is useless. He would turn every argument I list around to make it his argument. "I hate you for making me do this. Remember my words, JJ Maybank", I grown and get down as quiet as possible.

"And what the hell are we doing now? You owe me the best night ever, you know?" "I've got a plan, okay? Just don't stress me out already", JJ defends himself and give me a quick look, "Spoilsport." "JJ! I am not a spoilsport." "Yes, you are." "I came down so shut up." "Oh, are we getting feisty tonight?", JJ mocks me and I roll my eyes. "You know what I'm risking, right? My parents weren't amused to see me, even less when they saw you." 

"You know, we could make out and scare them", JJ shrugs and I hit his shoulder. "J, no stupid jokes from pogue to pogue." "Technically, you're not even a po-" "I'm about to turn around and get back home, you know", I warn him but he stops walking and I furl my eyebrows. "But then you'd miss this", JJ smiles enthusiastically and opens his arms to show me the ocean. I have to admit, the view itself is great. It's quiet without all the people and it's where I can calm down. 

"Let's walk down the beach?", JJ suggests and I smile nodding. It really is one of the best nights ever. We've been walking for what feel like hours and just talk about everything. We open up even more about our feelings and I appreciate JJ being vulnerable around me. He trusts me. "You know what would help me?", he asks with a feisty grin on his face so I know that this must be a stupid idea. "J, no. Don't do anything stupid." "I won't", he nods so I sigh relieved, "But we will. Let's go swimming." 

"J, it's probably three o'clock, we can't go swim in the ocean now. I don't even have a bikini with me." "Come on, Iz. All stupid ideas have great outcomes." "I hate your speech, have I ever told you that?", I roll my eyes knowing he would persuade me anyways. "You don't need any clothes. Just wear your bra. I've seen you like that before." "Oh shut up, you little flirt", I roll my eyes jokingly and let him persuade me. We're swimming in the ocean until the sky gets brighter again and he walks me home.

"Do you hear that?", I turn over hearing a horn. Not just a random horn. It's the van. "Wait, is that-", Kie begins and we see JJ and Pope looking at us confused, too, so we stand up and go to the driveway. "No way", I gasp seeing John B jumping over. "I'm back on at large", he yells happily. "I can't believe it", Pope adds delighted and we all run over to hug him as a group. "Welcome home." "We've missed you so much." "I've missed you, too, guys." "Are you okay?" "How'd you make it?", JJ asks, "Have you ran away?" "The accusations have been dropped."

"Dropped?" "That's fantastic-" "Does that mean all my and Izzy's work has been useless?", JJ asks and I chuckle. I don't care as long as John B's out. "You mean the most complex escape plan ever?", Pope snaps ironically. "Impeccable", Kie repeats JJ's words about it. "It was!" "I told you not to drag Iz into it", John B reminds him and looks around sadly and turns to me then, "Where's Sarah?" I look at the others sighing. "She wanted to meet up with Wheezie yesterday. She hasn't come back since then."

"So Sarah leaves and doesn't call anymore?", John B wonders as we sit at the dock trying to figure out where Sarah could be. "Yeah, she just went off." "I've got a message from Topper yesterday", I sigh realizing that they are more worried than I thought they would be. Regarding their relationship to Topper, I hoped that I wouldn't have to mention him. 

"Here we go again", JJ sighs and I roll my eyes. "She's with him. I don't know what exactly happened, but it seems like he had to safe her from something or someone." "Ward must have tried to catch her", John B thinks about it in a mature way luckily, "He's tried to have me killed in prison." 

"What?!" "Yeah, he's paid a man who almost managed to strangle me." "Are you being serious?", Kie gasps. "Yeah." "Do they know who it was?" "No, no idea. I swear, one day, I'll kill that bastard." "It's okay." "No, it's not okay. We have to get Sarah back here." "No, I mean it's okay because she's coming there", Kie repeats pointing to the sea behind us where Sarah and Topper appear in his boat.