can't kill a pogue 🫧 • jj maybank

𝟮 - 𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂

me, kie and rori made our way into the dining room to find mike, anna and rome setting up the table for dinner. i put rori down and i went into the kitchen with kie to bring in the salad and water pitcher for the table, "how are you liking obx so far?" she asked me, "oh its so beautiful, we only got here this morning but i already feel so at home, it's just like my mum described" i replied. "oh, i'm so glad, listen, i'm gonna go meet up with my friends after dinner, you should come meet them with me" she said, "that would be fun, i'd need to check with rome that she doesn't need my help with rori tonight but i'd love that!" i replied, excited that i might make some new friends, "there's three boys and two girls, including me, so maybe you could even it out a bit" she joked, sticking her tongue out and laughing at me. i smiled back at her and sighed contently, i've made my first friend.

we all sat down and began to eat, the smile on my face was huge, everyone was laughing and smiling. once everything had calmed down, there was a comfortable silence that filled the air around us. "so, girls, please stop us if you don't want to talk about it but what happened with your dad?" mike asked, "no thats fine, umm our dad died in a car crash when i was 7 and rome was 11 but rori's dad left us when she found out that mum had cancer." i told them, "what a dick" kie said and i nodded my head, agreeing with her statement. "KIARA." mike said sternly, "sorry, its true though." she said, "just because it's true, doesn't mean its right" anna said, "although he is a dick" she finished and we all started laughing.

after dinner, i helped clear up with kie whilst rome went home to put rori to bed. before she left, i asked if i could go out with kie and she told me that shes got rori covered tonight and i should enjoy myself whilch i was grateful for. thats one good thing about having your sister as your mother figure, shes really chill and i apprieciate it. we cleared the table and loaded the plates into the dishwasher, before saying goodbye to mike and anna. we took a walk over to her friends house whilst kie told me everything i needed to know about the island, about kooks and pogues, about the wreck which was her family's resturant and the one my mum worked at when she was a kid, even about ward cameron who was apparently one of her friends dads.

we got to kie's mates house and it looked quite run down. my nerves were through the roof, i didn't want to mess up my one chance of having a friend group, especially when im  going to live here for the forseable future. i took a deep breath and followed kiara in. "guys, i'm here, and i brought a friend, i quite like her so be nice, i'm looking at you jj" she warned, "hi, i'm remi" i said "oh my god, i love your accent! i'm sarah" a girl with blonde hair said as she walked over and hugged me, "this is my boyfriend, john b" she said as a boy with shaggy brown hair walked over "welcome to my humble abode" he said, giving me a high five, "ahh i see, well thank you for having me" i say, "hey, i'm pope" a boy said as he came up to me, "and that over there, is jj" pope told me, he stood up, walked over to me, shook my hands, and said "pleasure to meet you" while looking straight in my eyes.

he had blonde hair, a lovely smile and the bluest eyes i'd ever seen. just looking at him made me smile. i was blushing from the eye contact but tried to keep my composure, "pleasure to meet you too blondie" i replied and i saw a hint of redness on her cheeks, "do you want a beer rem?" i heard kie ask me from what i presume was the kitchen, "nah, i shouldn't incase rome needs me to look after rori tomorrow" i replied, "okay" she shouted back, "you got a kid?" jj asked, i burst into laughter, "why you laughing?" kie asked "he, he thinks rori is my daughter" i tell her and she starts laughing with me, "im confused?" he says and i take a deep breath, "i'm sorry, no, she's my little sister" i tell him "ahhh" he replies and everybody starts laughing.

after spending the night becoming friends with everybody and getting to know them all. kie and sarah invited me to go shopping with them tomorrow, i obviously accepted and invited them over for some food before we go out which they agreed to happily which made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. i said goodbye to my new found friends and made my way home, it was about half nine at the start of summer so it wasn't dark yet but the sun had already set. i walked along the beach and took a deep breath, i missed my mum so much, i wanted nothing more than one last hug or to hear her say 'i love you' one more time.

i got home and saw rome in the garden looking up at the sky whilst drinking a beer. i grabbed a can or fanta out of the fridge and went out to join her. "hey romie, you okay?" i asked her, "been better, but i know that this is what we need. how was meeting kiaras friends?" she said "yea, it was good, i invited kie and our friend sarah over for some food tomorow before we go out, i hope thats okay." i said, "yea, thats cool, it's your house too, if you wanna have people over thats fine, but you are gonna have to take rori with you because.. i've got my first shift at the wreck tomorrow" she told me excitedly, "WHAT?!" i said, "before i left, anna and mike offered me a job to help get us on our feet" she told me. "i have a really good feeling about this place" i said, "me too" she replied and we spent the rest of the night watching the stars and talking.