Carolina- OUTER BANKS

Ch. 21

The door rattled and I ran my hands through my hair "Kelce? Hey, man. Hey, hey, hey." "You're in the house of pain now, bro." Kelce said and I heard a police siren. "You hear that? I got you. I got you, man." Kelce yelled and I heard his footsteps disappear. "fuck." John B muttered and I sighed "I'm sorry, Liv. This is all my fault." "No, John B this is not your fault. This is Ward's fault, he murdered your father, my father, my grandfather, threatened our family. This is all because of Ward." I told him and he nodded. "Now, let's find a way out so we can run for our lives." I said and suddenly I heard footsteps.

"Knock, knock!" "Hey! Hey, Kelce. Hey, buddy." John B said and rattled the door handle. "Please just... just let us out." I told him and tapped on the door "I don't think so. Word on the street is that you got a bounty on your head, bro." "It's not... No. It's not what it seems." John B said and I sighed "Kelce, please you gotta believe me. John B didn't do the things Ward said." I told him and looked at John B.

"25K cash money, dead or alive. Isn't that right, John B?" Kelce said and I rolled my eyes "He's not gonna believe us, so what do we do?" "I don't- I don't know." John B told me then went through the shelves to find something to open the door, I fell to my knees then sat on the ground with my head in my hands.

"Look, Kelce, just... just... just let me out, man... or at least let Liv go." "Yeah, Kelce isn't here, bro. It's Topper." Topper said and i frowned looking up at the door. "Top?" "Oh, boy." John B said and I looked at him as he sighed "Yeah. Yeah. Surprise." Topper chuckled and John B nodded to himself. "Okay. Um... Hey, Top. It's John B." "Hey, man. Hey, man. So...Gonna try to talk your way out? Look... Just cut the bullshit, all right? Like, the... the chickens are roostin', brother. Like, it... it is over. You're in some deep shit now, man... And I told you and Sarah, Liv. I told you guys he'd bring you guys down with him." Topper said and I rolled my eyes "Listen to me! I didn't kill the sheriff." John B said and I closed my eyes for a second trying not to think of Peterkin.

"You didn't shoot the sheriff?" "No, I didn't. It was Rafe! All right? Sarah was there. She saw the whole thing. And so was Liv." John B told him and I looked up from my lap.

"Oh, it was Rafe. Okay. My bad." "Top, he's telling the truth." I told him and John B sighed "I get it, man. You don't believe me, and honestly, I probably wouldn't believe myself either, but... I... I get it, all right? You hate me because of Sarah." "You knew we were boyfriend and girlfriend, right?" Topper said and I looked to John B and he sighed "Yeah. Yeah, my bad." "John B." I muttered and he shrugged.

"Piece of shit.... And, um, I... I got another question." Topper asked and John B nodded "Go for it, buddy." Topper scoffed and i frowned "Did you fuck her?" He questioned and I rolled my eyes. "Hm?" John B frowned looking confused and I sighed "No." "No? You sure?" "Oh my god." I brought my knees closer to my chest and just laid my head on them as I listened to Topper and John B talk.

"Okay, look, man. Yes! We... we did it... we did it... once. Okay? But maybe don't use the f-word. That's kinda gross. Grotesque ...way to describe it." John B said and I hit my head on my knee, my parents and grandfather are dead, my uncle is dead, John B is wanted for murder and there here talking about their relationship with Sarah.

"My bad, man. I'm so sorry. What word... what word would you like me to use?" "I don't know. Any other word." John B said and I rolled my eyes. "Okay, the... the l-word?" Topper said and John B frowned "What l-word?" "Love?" Topper said and John B sighed "Look, I don't know..." "Huh? You either love her, or you don't. Do you love her?" Topper yelled at him and I looked up at John B and he looked at me then back at the door. "I don't know, Top. It's too new, okay?" John B said and I thought about JJ, I don't know if we could ever be more than friends.