Dreamer | Outer Banks

01 - Pogue Life

I closed my eyes, relaxed at the feeling of soft winds hitting me as I sat on the deck of an unfinished house next to JJ. I always felt a sense of comfort when I was with my friends, or as we like to call ourselves, the Pogues. I leaned my head against JJ's shoulder, watching my brother, John B, balance himself on one foot, dangerously close to the edge of the roof with a beer in his hand. According to my brother, our mission this summer is to have a good time, all the time.

"That's what, a three-story fall to the deck? I give you about a one-in-three chance of survival." Pope commented as I grabbed JJ's beer from beside him and took a sip, ignoring the get your own glare he gave me.

To be honest, I've liked JJ for a long time. But he was my brother's best friend since third grade which is why I've never told him nor my brother about my feelings. Plus John B made up a rule that no Pogues are allowed to mack another.

"Hm." John B muttered as he licked his finger and held it up, as if to test what direction the wind was blowing. "Should I do it?"

"Yeah, you should jump. I'll shoot you on the way down." Pope said, pointing a drill in John B's direction and pretending to shoot him.

"You're going to shoot me?" John B asked, making a fake gun with his hand and pointing it at Pope. "Pow."

"They're going to have Japanese toilets with towel warmers." Kiara, my best friend and the only other female Pogue, said walking out of the house and onto the deck.

JJ rolled his eyes and continued to play with my crescent shaped ring on my finger that my father had given me before he went missing. "Of course they are, why wouldn't they."

"This used to be a turtle habitat, but who cares about the turtles I guess." Kiara continued, she's all about saving the Earth if you haven't caught on yet.

"I can't have cold towels." John B joked, still standing at the edge of the roof and sipping his beer.

Kiara sighed looking up at John B from the deck. "Can you please not kill yourself.""

"Don't spill that beer. I'm not giving you another one." JJ warned, finishing up the last drops of his.

I rolled my eyes and leaned towards JJ, whispering into his ear. "Ten bucks he drops it before it's time to go."

JJ gave me a look that I didn't quite understand before tucking a strand of hair behind my ears and leaned back in. "Deal."

"Woah! Oh shit!" I turned my attention to my brother, who lost his balance and had managed to drop his beer onto the deck in the process.

"Of course you did, like right when I said not to." JJ complained as he reached into his pocket and handed me a ten dollar bill.

"Pleasure doing business with ya." I laughed, flaunting the money in his face before kissing him softly on the check.

"Hey, uh, security's here, let's wrap it up." Pope announced, leaning over the railing to see a security car has pulled up into the driveway.

"Boys are here early today." JJ pointed out as he picked up his legs that were once hanging off of the deck and stood up. "Let's roll, Humpty Dumpty."

I shook my head trying not to laugh while JJ helped me up onto my feet. "Let's go, everyone."

Gary, is that you?" JJ questioned, leaning over the decks railing to catch a glimpse of the two security guards making their way into the house.

"You know it's me!"

"Gary! Good to see you man!" John B added as he climbed down from the roof and onto the deck.

"Is it time to go already?" JJ whined when he made it down from the deck.

"You're just asking for it." I laughed, lightly pushing JJ's shoulder and followed the rest of the group into the house.

We all make our way through the house, with JJ as the leader and me following him closely. I followed JJ down the staircase shouting and laughing along with the rest of the group.

"Hey stop!" Gary shouted when JJ rounded the corner and nearly bumped right into him as he slid across the floor.

We all took the next turn and made our way throughout the downstairs of the house, dodging walls and jumping over tools. "Get em. They're coming your way!"

The other security guard ran after us and almost managed to grab a hold of JJ but was able to slip out of his grasp. "Sorry man, not much of a hugger."

"Go, Pope! Go, go, go, go, go!" JJ rushed as Pope made his way over the wooden fence and jumped down on the other side.

"You expect me to jump that? I'm barely five foot!" I shouted at JJ and stopped running when I made it to the fence while JJ was already halfway over.

JJ creased his eyebrows together before holding out his hand. "Here, take my hand. I'll pull you over."

I grabbed JJ's hand as he pulled me up to the top of the fence before swinging his legs over to the other side and jumping down. I followed JJ and we took off running just as Kiara and John B pulled up with his van and continually honked the horn.

"Bus is leaving!" John B yelled from inside of the van as they came to a stop and opened up the back door to let us in.

"Come on, guys! Whoo!" Kiara shouted, honking the horn as Pope made it into the van first followed by me and then JJ.

"Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!" Gary called out as he chased the van down the road while we laughed uncontrollably.

"Check out Gary, gunnin' for a raise." Pope laughed while he watched out the back window of the van.

"Come on, Gary!" JJ teased as he leaned out of the side of the van, watching Gary attempt to try to catch up to the van. "Wait, slow down!"

"Hey! You little pricks!" Gary yelled from behind the van, clearly out of breath from running.

I shook my head and smiled at my brother through the rearview mirror. "That's not very nice Gary!"

"You're going to give him a heart attack!" Kiara scolded us from the passenger seat.

"You're so close!" JJ taunted, holding a beer out for Gary as he hung out from the side of the van. "You can do it, there you go!"

JJ tossed the can into the air in Gary's direction as if he would catch it but ended up hitting him straight in the face, causing us to burst out in laughter. "They don't pay you enough, bro."

"JJ, stop, stop." I pleaded, pulling him back into the van as we began to speed up.

"Oh, come on. That sort of initiative is just begging to be punished." JJ laughed as he pulled the van's door shut and wrapped his arm around my shoulder.