SHARKBAIT // JJ MAYBANK

prologue

In and out.

Scarlett let out a shallow breath as she pushed open the door to Heyward's and casually made her way over to the minimalist candy section in the back of the store. Her eyes darted around, checking to see if anyone was watching her, before quickly swiping a bag of peanut M&Ms and shoving them deep into her pocket. Spinning on her heel, Scarlett began her retreat when she heard a voice call after her.

"Hey, stop! You didn't pay for that!" A boy about her age hollered.

"Fuck," she swore under her breath before taking off into a sprint. Her converse clad feet pounded against the ground, pushing her to run faster. A muffled string of curses slipped from her lips as she felt her body beginning to give up--the malnourishment and lack of sleep rendering her helpless.

In one swift movement, the boy had grabbed her wrist and pinned her to the grassy earth.

"Let me go!" She shrieked, squirming weakly in his grip.

"If you don't stop moving, I'm calling the police!"

This caused Scarlett to freeze. The mere thought of having to interact with cops sending a jolt of fear through her veins.

"Good," the boy nodded in approval before continuing. "Now, who are you?"

Despite her current predicament, Scarlett managed to smirk. "Wow, Pope, I'm hurt you don't recognize me."

Pope's brows furrowed in confusion. "How do you know my name?"

"You know, for someone so smart, you can be pretty fucking stupid," she teased, her tone half-serious, half-playful. "We've gone to the same school for years, and you don't even know my name."

He paused, taking in her tangled brown hair and soulful grey eyes. Her skin was deeply tanned from constant exposure to the hot North Carolina sun, and there was a splatter of freckles across the bridge of her nose and the hills of her cheekbones. Suddenly, it dawned on him. "Scarlett Annabel Rivers," he whistled, "I feel like I haven't seen you in months."

"Maybe you just haven't been looking in the right places," she joked as Pope helped her to her feet.

Pope chuckled at the girl's words. "So I guess I'm supposed to be looking in my Dad's store?"

Scarlett blushed bashfully. "Yeah, sorry about that."

"Why'd you do it?"

She scoffed, gesturing to herself. "Look at me."

Pope let his eyes sweep over her appearance once more, this time taking note of her worn sneakers, the once white color now tainted with mud and dirt. The clothes she wore were tattered with multiple stains decorated the thin fabric.

"Do I look like I can afford luxuries like peanut M&Ms?"

A sympathetic look swept over his features. "Here, come with me," he said, beckoning for her to follow him.

Scarlett shook her head. "I don't need your pity."

"You tried to steal from my Dad's store," Pope shot her a cheeky grin, "you owe me."

She sighed, weighing her options before letting her shoulders slump in defeat. "Fine."

...

"You brought her here?" JJ yelled at Pope.

Scarlett was standing awkwardly in the middle of the Chateau as JJ and Pope bickered about her presence.

"Yes, JJ," Pope groaned, "I brought her here. What's wrong with that?"

"We don't even know her!" JJ screamed. "She's not a Pogue, man! She doesn't belong here!"