Dreamer | Outer Banks

16 - Scrap Yard

"Pope, we're not stealing the drone. We're borrowing it." John B assured Pope while he drove us in the van to the junkyard.

"Humans are the only animal that can't tell fantasy from reality." Pope quoted from the back of the van and staring out the window.

"Did you come up with that?" I questioned next to JJ as I leaned my head on his shoulder, watching him play with a blunt in his hand.

"Albert Bernstein came up with it, but it applies to this whole treasure-hunting thing." Pope explained, giving me one of his looks as if he knows everything.

I scoffed and playfully stuck my tongue out at Pope who only rolled his eyes and looked around the van at all of us. "So, which is it? Fantasy or reality?"

"Why are you so weird, Pope?" JJ questioned, taking his eyes off his blunt for a second to see me smile but quickly turn his attention back to the blunt.

"It's fantasy, but possible reality." Kie turned around to face Pope but turned back around after she finished speaking and glanced at John B. "Reality."

"Virtual reality." JJ said while going to light his blunt but I grabbed his lighter out of his hand and tossed it to Pope. "What was that for?"

"No smoking in the van JJ, we've been over this." I explained, taking JJ's hat off his head and placing it onto mine. "Keep the signal clear." Pope added.

"You know what your problem is?" JJ questioned as the van came to a stop.

"You?" Pope snapped back as I hopped out of the van and way from the two bickering.

"No! It's that you need to relax, man. You're always so tense." JJ replied leaning on the side of the van. "I'm not too tense." Pope argued.

"Oh my god if you two don't stop I'm going to kill both of you." I shouted, butting into their conversation before they went at each other's throats.

~~~

How's it going with Kiara?" JJ questioned as we watched Kie talk to the secretary guard while we hid off in the distance by some workbenches.

"It's not awkward, weird, or anything." John B shrugged and I shook my head, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Honestly, I did not think you were gonna actually listen to me."

"What?" John B whispered, glaring at me. "I was a hundred percent sure she was into you, these two would agree." I said pointing to Pope and JJ.

"Ehh." Pope said shrugging. JJ on the other hand nodded along with me. "So, like, Kie, she, like, definitely gave you the Heisman?"

"Oh, no question, yup." My brother nodded. "Gotcha." JJ laughed, a small smirk forming on his face. That irresistible smirk.

"Maybe she's just into somebody else." Pope admitted. I playfully shoved Pope's shoulder and scoffed. "If Kie liked one of you I think she would've told me."

John B looked over to me and gave me a hopeful glance. "So you're saying I have a chance?" I sighed and patted his back. "Better luck next time big bro."

"Go! Go, go, go, go!" JJ whispered, grabbing my hand just as the security guard turned away from us and headed towards the car.

JJ pulled me to the scrap yard and just managed to fit in between the gate before it closed behind us. We followed him to the back and made our way towards the locker.

JJ pulled out the code written on a piece of paper from the back of his pocket and began putting in the numbers. He tried tugging it open but it wouldn't unlock.

"Do you have the right numbers?" Pope questioned as John B and I kept a lookout. "All right, so I might have the wrong numbers." JJ admitted.

"Ah, damn it!" Pope yelled frustrated and began pacing around. Loud barking caught our attention and I turned around to see a German Shepherd running our way.

"That's a cougar. Never mind." John B said and booked it around the locker, leaving the rest of us to fend for ourselves.

"Hi! No, stay there! Good boy!" JJ tried to calm the dog down but it continued to bark at us with no mercy. "No, you're okay!

JJ ran in the opposite direction as Pope ran to a workbench and held up an old pipe.

"Pope what are you gonna do with that!" I yelled and grabbed the pipe out of his hand.

"Kenz! Pope! Run!" JJ shouted at us. "Back off! Back off! Back off!" Pope said, pulling me behind him and away from the dog.

"I got a toy, boy!" JJ called out, holding up a red piece of cloth which the dog caught sight of and ran towards him. "Wait, no. I was just kidding. Shit! Okay, sit!"

I watched as the dog chased JJ around the scrap yard and I turned back to Pope. "Make sure JJ doesn't get himself killed, I'll go find John B and we'll get the drone."

"How-" Pope started but I cut him off by shoving him in JJ's direction. "Go! Before JJ gets eaten and I blame it on you!"

I watched him as he ran off before I heard footsteps behind me and I practically jumped out of my shoes. I turned around to see John B picking up a pipe and sighed in relief.

"Hey next time do you mind not leaving us to die?" I snapped as we made our way back to the locker and he smashed the lock a few times before it broke off.

"I thought you were behind me!" John B argued as he opened up the door and we walked into the locker. "Well remember that next time you need my help."

We made our way to the center of the locker and walked inside a sectioned off place which held a suitcase with the drone inside. "Is that it?"

"Let's hope so." John B grabbed the suitcase off the shelf and we hurried out of the locker and into the trees surrounding the yard.

"Wait! What about JJ?" I said coming to a harsh stop, seeing JJ talking to the security guard back in the scrap yard.

John B sighed and walked back over to me to see JJ making his way towards the open gate that we took to get into the woods. "I'll meet you at the van, I'll wait for JJ."

My brother started at me for a moment before nodding. "Be careful." I waved goodbye as he ran out of sight and I walked over to the gate to meet JJ.

"Hey you're not dead." I laughed, running up to JJ and meeting him in the middle for a hug which he returned, spinning me around before letting go.

JJ fake gasped and wrapped an arm around my shoulder as we began walking back to meet the others. "Like I would leave you Mini, you wouldn't survive around me."