OUTERBANKS SEASON4

Additional Part 16: Troubles

Sarah is about to open her mouth and redirect the topic, and ask Pope how he'd felt, when they all hear as JJ's feet wander in through the front doors, the mesh door clashing behind him. The sound of his heavy boots moving quickly into the dining room, and their heads all pop over to stare at him. Sarah's brows raise.

"What happened to you-" she questions instantly, putting down her apple. Her eyes flicker over him quickly, taking in the sight of JJ's cut cheek. "And what happened to your face?" she questions, eyes round and shocked. 

JJ's eyes fall on Pope, distracted by his bruised appearance, he brushes Sarah's question aside, wondering over to him instead- "Pope- what happened, man? You ok? Heard you got into a brawl or somethin'?- shit, I'm sorry I wasn't there for you, shit I shouldn't have asked you to stall Rafe…" he scrubs a hand over his hair, feeling a pang of guilt. "JB told me everything just as I got here…"

Pope's brows pinch together as he gathers up the look of JJ's own worn face, with the deep cut to his right cheek. "Seems like we both got into some sort of tiff, hey, man?"

JJ huffs out a light laugh, sensing Pope's humor in his words. 

"JJ, where were you last night?" Sarah draws back his attention. "Everyone's been wondering, did you just come back now?" She questions, eyes wandering over him again, genuinely intrigued by his scruffed up appearance and disheveled look, his clothes unchanged from the previous night and covered in dust, Sarah suspects he had quite a story to tell. 

JJ's eyes flit over to Sarah. He assesses her for a short moment, thinking about her question… reflecting on Maya and all that happened… He takes a step back, a small smile rolling lightly against his lips. His blue eyes begin to glint with a new emotion… a kind of growing, glowing happiness. His smile widens. "Well…" he lightly laughs again. "Guys, I got so much to tell y'all… you won't believe it." he states as he wrings his hands together, and considers how to tell them. He runs a hand through his messy blonde hair, playing with his cap, flipping it and then putting it on backwards. He contemplates how he will tell them, wondering where to start. "Some crazy shit happened last night… and I don't know where to start, but here's the thing…" he trails off, mouth opening, then closing, as his trying to figure out where to begin- everything all flooding at him at once. They all watch him, wide eyed, waiting. "Kinda ran into someone last night… a girl, and it might be kinda a long story, but-"

"A girl?" Sarah interrupts him eagerly, her lips twisting into an intrigued smile. "You mean, she did this to you- turn you all giddy?" she states slowly, starting to drop back into her chair, crossing her arms over her chest, tongue in cheek as she assesses him cheekily.

JohnB walks in, holding up two bags in the air, arriving back from the store with a few essentials, some bandages included as Cleo had specifically requested. His eyes instantly fall to JJ who everyone else is watching.

"Yes- surprise, surprise, JJ is back…" he says nonchalantly, and his expression changes to become more serious. "Yay- but, now someone help me out with the rest of the groceries from the car, I'm not here to mother you all-" he says, tilting his head to the side-

"Babe-" Sarah shushes him quickly. "JJ was just about to tell us about this girl… This is important… I want to know all the dets so hush, ok? He needs to spill out all about his new potential lover." she teases with a quirky smile, and leans forward curiously, her hand propping up her chin. JB rolls his eyes, and rests the bags on the floor. 

"Come on, Jjay, who's the lucky girl?" 

JJ mimics Sarah's expression, mocking her back. 

"Never said it like that-" he clarifies. He clears his throat again, sliding his hands into his pockets, and tries again. "Y'all know her. And she's not who you might think she is... infact, she's kinda… the opposite…" his brows wrinkle as he thinks on it and says this. "...she showed me some things last night, you guys will flip out- things you would never guess or believe-"