Gold Digger// JJ Maybank- OBX

forty five

"Pope?" JJ asked.

There was a moment of silence before the boy spoke. "We're so close."

"Look, look," JJ started, putting down the tapped together tower of beer cans he had picked up and kneeling down in front of the boy. "Think about how much you could think if you just gave your brain a rest."

"Okay, fine." Pope gave in. The Pogues let out a massive cheer as they jumped up from their seats. Kiara and Scarlett raced off to get changed while the boys slowly made their way towards the Twinkie. "Why do you wanna go to the bonfire so badly, anyway?" Pope asked JJ.

The boy shrugged as he hopped down the porch steps, sparing a glance at the disappearing frame of his girlfriend. "I made a promise to take Red this year. And I actually plan on sticking to it. She needs a night to just relax and take her mind off everything." He looked between his two friends. "We all do. Anyway, we have a better chance of finding this cross if we get a bit creative." He grinned.

⭐⭐⭐

The bonfire, an Outer Banks tradition. It took place on the same weekend every year. Everyone went, Kooks and Pogues. It was probably the only time that both sides of the island tolerated each other. Scarlett jumped out the van as soon as John B stopped the engine. She locked hands with JJ as the two and John B made their way through the crowd. Someone handed John B a red cup filled with alcohol and the boy didn't hesitate to take it. Scarlett wasn't paying attention to the boys' conversation as they chatted about the situation between John B and Sarah, only tuning in as JJ picked up beers for the three of them.

"In the meantime, shotgun right now. Like old days-" JJ was cut off as beer can was thrown at them.

"Hey, derelicts!" The girl yelled, and Scarlett glared at her. She wasn't too familiar with the girl, having only seen her in a few of her classes. But she already knew she didn't like her.

"Hey, there she is." JJ commented. Scarlett folded her arms over her chest as she began to drink her can of beer. It's not that she was jealous, she was just a tad uncomfortable with how the girl was acting towards her boyfriend and her friend. "That's you." He pointed to John B. "We're out of here." JJ wrapped his arm around Scarlett's shoulder and led them away from the pair.

"Oh." Scarlett frowned. "That's the girl who asked JB to the bonfire."

JJ nodded. "That's the one. Wait, you weren't jealous were you?" He looked down at her, taking note of how tense she seemed to have become.

"No. I just- shouldn't John B and Sarah try to work things out before he moves onto someone else?" Scarlett suggested, looking over her shoulder in the direction of John B.

JJ simply shrugged. "You just gotta let him do his own thing. Stop worrying, Scar." He grabbed her hand, spinning her around and causing her to laugh. "Just relax tonight. It'll do you good."

Scarlett hummed as she downed the rest of her beer. "Fine. I'll try to relax." She followed him to a corner of the bonfire, picking up another drink as they went. They joined back up with Pope, talking about nothing in particular. Somewhere, a speaker was blasting out music and Scarlett pulled JJ a little further into the crowd. "C'mon, Blondie. Let's dance."

JJ laughed as he spun her around, the two of them dancing to the beat of the music. "You know, you're blonde too now. So, I don't think you can call me Blondie anymore." He joked.

Scarlett frowned. "But it's the only cute name I have for you."

JJ pulled her into his chest, leaning down and placing a kiss on her cheek.  "Fine, I'll let you call me Blondie." He smiled. Scarlett grinned, leaning up on her tiptoes and locking her lips with his. They danced for a while longer before JJ led them over to a quieter part of the party. The couple sat down on a low wall, Scarlett leaning her head on JJ's shoulder as she watched the teenagers of the island dancing and drinking. There was something about being at the bonfire, something they did every year, that calmed Scarlett. They weren't being chased, shot at or planning how to break their friend out of prison. For once they were able to be teenagers again, and it was this thought that made Scarlett smile. JJ wrapped his arm around her shoulder, noticing the smile on her face. "What's made you so happy, then?" He asked, his voice loud enough for just Scarlett to hear.