After the Storm- JJ Maybank (Outer Banks)

14.

I had been on boats many times before but riding the ferry in the bed of Pope's dads truck was different. I felt nauseous the entire time. The boat rocked back and forth. I laid my head over the side of the truck, looking down into the bed. I was trying my best not to throw up.

"Oh come on! You seriously are nauseous? You've been on a boat that Pope was in control of and you were fine." I heard Kie laugh, laying her hands on my back.

"Hey. Hurtful." Pope exclaimed. I could tell he was sitting close to me based on how loud his voice was.

"Leave her be. She's gonna be fine." JJ added, a sound of a lighter flicking behind me.

"Ok, now I'm gonna be sick."

I leaned over the side of the boat, letting the contents of my stomach empty into the ocean. I sat up, keeping my eyes closed. I wiped my face with my sleeve and finally opened my eyes to JJ and Kie sharing a j.

Pope had a hand out for me and I took it, moving over to lean against the truck like they all were.

"Feel better?" Kie smiled, smoke coming from her mouth as she spoke.

"Yeah, much better."

"See, told ya she'd be fine." JJ reached out, placing his hand on my leg.

"I hate throwing up. Ugh." I coughed.

"Hey now, don't throw up all over me." He moved back, taking a hit of the j and holding it out to me.

"You want me to hit that? After I just-"

"It'll help you feel better. It always does."

"Fuck it." I take it from his fingers and lightly inhale.

I let the smoke escape from my mouth slowly and I turned around, facing Pope.

"Live a little." I held it out for him.

"I'm going to keep it clear."

"Keep it clear." Kie mocked him a bit.

He just gave her a look as I turned back around to face JJ. He held up his hands, fluttering his fingers.

"I'll take that." He said in a little accent.

I just chuckled and handed it back to him. Once we finished passing it around, we threw it overboard. I laid back into JJ, staring up at the sky.

"I miss JB."

"Don't we all." He mumbled, his chest rumbling under me.

"I miss him like more than anything."

"I know. We're gonna get him home. For good."

-

Pope was frustrated. Why was he frustrated? The truck died on the side of the road, almost a hundred miles away from Charleston.

"We better get walking." I threw my bag over my shoulder.

"No, no. We're just gonna have to find somewhere to fix it up."

Hours went by as we waited. JJ, Kie and I watched as Pope talked to the mechanic. JJ pulled out a flask, hitting me against the shoulder with it.

"No thanks, J."

He held it out to Kie and she shook her head.

"Hey, what's wrong?" JJ smacked Kie's hand.

"It's just- I can't believe my parents want to send me to boarding school. It's bullshit."

"Well, that's what you get for hanging around with the wrong crowd." JJ muttered, taking a swig.

I hit him in the shoulder, giving him a look. He groaned at me.

"I'm just kidding, you're not that bad. They're just mad that you have great people beside you. I mean look at that guy, he would do anything for us. That's a freaking pogue if I've ever seen one." JJ pointed to Pope. He looked back to Kie with a smile on his face before he went back to complaining with the mechanic about the truck.

"Yeah, you're right. I'm so glad I have you guys." Her frown turned to a smile.

"Me too. I don't know where I would be without you guys. You practically saved me." I smiled, reaching down for JJ's hand.

He squeezed tightly three times, one of our ways of saying I love you. Kie smiled as Pope came back out to us.

"He's got it under control. We're gonna have to sleep in the bed of it tonight, head there in the morning."

"A sleepover! Yay!"

Everyone just laughed at me as I walked to the truck. Pope pulled the truck behind the building where there was plenty of trees to cover us. I pulled a blanket from my bag and moved towards the back. I watched as JJ turned his body away from me. I was slightly confused- but I watched as he looked over to Kie and Pope.

"J?"

"Yeah?"

"What are you doing?"

"Sleeping."

"You're either teasing or you're being a jerk."

"What?"

"Get over here."

"I-"

I felt my stomach drop. What was happening? Why was he acting like this?

"JJ, what's wrong?"

He turned to face me and he lifted his cap from his face. There was sadness in his eyes. He was trying to hide it.

I pulled the blanket from myself and moved closer to him. I held out my arms and pulled him into me. His head rested on my chest. He was trying to cover his emotions from Kie and Pope, who definitely could hear us if they weren't asleep.

"I- I'm sorry." He mumbled, it was barely audible.

"Sorry about what?"

"Not being able to protect you." His head lifted and I saw tears forming in his eyes.

"JJ, it's okay. You're here now. I told you- you can't blame yourself."

"I should've been there."

"You couldn't have been. No one knew. It's okay. I'm okay. Look, I'm here with you. I'll be here with you, forever."

"I just wish I could take it all away."

"Take what away?"

"Your pain."

"It's okay. Life is painful. You just gotta get through it. I'm still here. I'm pushing through, I'm pushing through for you. For Kie, Pope, JB, Sarah. You're all the reason I'm still fighting."

"I'm so proud of you."

I hadn't heard those words in such a long time.

"I'm proud of you. Look at us. We've made it."

"We really have."

We both lay back and stare at the stars. I feel myself slowly falling asleep, but I feel the blanket wrap around me as well as a pair of arms. His face lays against mine, his nose leaning into my cheek. I smile into him.

"Goodnight, princess."

"Goodnight, loverboy."

His lips slowly press against my temple as I fall asleep.