𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐁𝐈𝐃𝐃𝐄𝐍 ᯓ outer banks

chapter sixty-six

"I thought this was about the key."

"Right. So what's the connection?"

"The path to the tomb begins in the island room," Pope says.

"But what is the island room?" Kiara asked.

"You know what helps me figure shit out?" JJ says, moving from his comfortable position on the sofa to stand up. "Smoking beers and drinking weed. The ideas just pour out of me. If we just sit here and try to figure this out, we're gonna get nowhere. But if we get creative and go to this bonfire tonight, maybe we could get somewhere."

"Well, I just got disowned by my parents, and I'm an official member of the I-have-nothing-to-lose-club," Kiara says, smiling away like it was no big deal.

"Brooklyn?" JJ held out his hand to his girlfriend.

She took it and pulled herself up. "Why not?"

"Pope?"

"We're so close," he says, lifting up the papers from Denmark's diary.

"Look, look, think about how much you could think if you just face your brain a rest," JJ told him, hoping to convince him.

"Okay. Fine."

"Okay, great!" the group cheered.

JJ spun Brooklyn around on the spot, pulling her into him. "Let's go, baby!"

The bonfire, an Outer Banks tradition. It was the same weekend every year. Everyone went. Like everyone. After finding a fortune and losing it and sort of being able to function properly, it felt good to be back. It must of felt good for John B seen as he was just a supposed fugitive, must feel good to be back to some sort of normality.

JJ walked in with his arm slung over Brooklyn's shoulders. John B joined them, slipping his arm also over the girl's shoulders.

"Oh my God, I missed you so much," John B says while grabbing a solo red cup from someone.

John B began to drink it while Brooklyn snatched one for herself. John B started to complain about Sarah and what happened between them. He didn't understand why Sarah ended it and how she ended it so drastically.

"Dude, her father blew up right in front of her," JJ told him and that was the sanest thing he had said. "Just give her a minute, all right?"

"In the meantime, boys, let's shotgun like old times," Brooklyn grabbed two beer cans and passed one over to John B just as a cup was thrown in their direction.

"Hey, derelicts," the girl yelled.

"Whoa! That's you. We are out of here," JJ snatched the beer can back off him and dragged his girlfriend away from them.

"Who the hell is that skank?" Brooklyn asked, peering over her shoulder at the girl who was trying to hit on her brother. "She better not make a move on him, I'll knock her teeth out."

"Oh, I believe you, baby," JJ slipped a hand in hers and brought her away from the group so they were isolated.

"JJ, what are you—"