restricted ~ JJ Maybank

1.14

It was late when we left the salvage yard. The sun was slowly starting to set causing my skin to turn slightly orange from the light of the sun. I just know that some kooks are right now standing in their backyard taking picture in the 'golden hour'. Whereas I was sitting in a car with Kie, the three boys on our heels. We still didn't know if they were able to steal the drone. Which caused me to get nervous, but all my attention was turned towards my throbbing hand, and the shirt that Kie had rapped around it that was slowly getting soaked in blood. The glass cut deeper than I thought, and wound won't stop bleeding on it's own like small cuts would do, I will need to get stitches. The shirt was getting more and more soaked in the red liquid, it was now staining the edges of my baby blue romper. Kie looked worried at the my hand, as she quickly had to come up with a plan so I won't bleed all over her parents' car. Kie decided the best idea was to go to the wreck, we could immediatly discuss the rest of the plan and hopefully get some free food. So that's what we did. The van following us as we made our way towards the wreck.

Kie stopped the car in front of the restaurant and immediatly stepped out but not before helping me open the door since both of my not injured was kind of busy with not letting any blood drip on the seats of the car. I stepped out and immediatly threw the door closed, glad I was out of the car and I didn't have to worry about any drops of blood slipping for the makeshift bandage. Since it was already getting darker and darker none of the boys noticed that anything was wrong. That was until Kie stood in front of me, unwrapping the t-shirt from the wound and examining the cut. "We should go inside, we have bandages there and my parents can help." She explained as the boys creeped closer to see what was going on. When all three saw what was happening they backed up again holding a fist in front of their mouth, except for JJ who immediatly stood by me side, taking my hand from Kie's to take a look himself. Blood was still seeping from the cut, now dropping onto the ground again. Every movement in my hand or fingers hurt.

Pope and John B eventually crept closer asking what happend. I told them what happend and we all rushed inside the restaurant. there was barrely anyone there what surprised me since this was normally the busiest place on the intire island.

"How'd we do?" Kie asked.

"Didn't turn it over once." He said with a sigh, shotting the pogues a knowing look, but his gaze turned confused once he saw me walking behind Kie.

"It's probably just bad luck because of the storm." She said as she pulled in to give her father a hug.

"Yeah, I'll be sure to text the banks that." He answered. The three boys walked further into the restaurant as I stood behind Kie, on a awkward way, like 'hey it's me the girl who stopped being friends with your daughter a few years ago and basically became her enemy'.

"Guess now is not the best time to ask for free food for me and my friends?" Kie asked her father giving her puppy eyes. Her father sighed shotting a dirty look towards the pogues, who I now figured out he doesn't like very much.

"Look at them," He said nodding as the three boys were standing in the middle of the restaurant. "They're greede pelicans. I told you to stop hanging around these guys." He said with me still standing behind them hoping I won't drip any blood on the floor of the restaurant.

"Well, everybody at the kook academy hates me, Dad. Except for Jesse here, but she isn't really in good terms with those stuck up brats at the moment." She said gesuring to me. I smiled at him, hoping he'll forgive me for leaving his daughter a few years ago.

"Right, Jessica it's good to see you." He said softly. "You never gave them a chance." Kie's father said turning his attention back to his daughter.

"I did give them a chance. They got all stuck up. They care more about shoes than surfing. What am I supposed to do with that?" Her father simply replied in respons. "These are my friends." She said looking at the boys, who all waved awkwardly with a smile except for JJ who held up a peace sign. Her father chuckled in respons turning his attention away from the three boys.

"Look.." He sighed stopping before he continued his sentence "Well, I- I got- I gotta throw it out, might as well take it." He said. A smile crept onto my face since I was absolutely starving. Kie hugged her father, and after she pulled away she turned to the boys, "Sit down." She said gesturing towards the chairs. She then turned to me and smiled, I smiled back put shot my eyes to my hand before quickly looking back at her. She immedialtly remembered another reason why we came here and turned back to her dad. "Uhm- Does mom still know how to stitch." She asked her dad who gave her a confused look, she pointed at my hand, and her fathers eyes widened and went to find his wife, who luckily still knew how to stitch.

_______

When Kie and were friends a few years back, me and her mom were close. And that luckily didn't change much when I arrived back at the wreck that night, with my old best friend by my side again. She immediatly pulled me into a hug before examining the cut. While she stitched the wound- and I was trying not to cry since it actually hurt a lot- we got to talking and caught up on whatever we'd been doing, I told her about my life and visa versa, it was like me and Kie never stopped being friends.

When she stitched my wound and wrapped a bandage around it. We walked back out towards the restaurants. Where the four pogues were now throwing fries at eachother. The whole table was full with fries, but one plate laid untouched, which I assumed was mine, so I sat on the seat and ate few fries as I laughed at the childish behavior of my new friends.

"Hey, you okay?" JJ asked from beside me. gesuring at my hand that was resting on my lap since moving it too much still hurts.

I smiled at him and nodding, I actually was fine. Yes my hand will be a pain in the ass for a little while, but at least I had four friends to help me now, my first summer in a few years that I didn't have to spend with books or sketchbooks. The first summer where the most exciting thing to do is look at the big blossom tree in the middle of the backyard. I now had four friends to share my summer stories with, and let me tell you somehing, it felt amazing.

After about 5 minutes of eating and laughing Kie stood up and pointed towards John B, wanting him to go dance with her. He accepted the offer and the two got up and danced. I continued eating until I noticed Pope, he had a jealous look on his face, that's when it hit me that he had a crush on Kie. I couldn't sit there and look at Pope pout over a girl who was dancing with another guy. So I decided to do what every other would do in this situation and walked up to Pope, since I was a terrible dancer myself, I decided to just talk and not embarres myself in front of my new found friends and possible scare them of with my awful attempt of a dance move.

I took a seat next to him and smiled at him, he smiled back at me as he ate his dessert.

"It's kind of obvious you know." I eventually said.

"What are you talking about." He asked nervously acting like he wasn't just staring at Kie.

"You like Kie." I stated, his eyes widened as he tried to act oblivious.

"I- I don- I don't know what your t- talking about." He said stuttering as he rubbed the back of his neck, avoiding any eye contact.

"Oh c'mon don't act like it isn't true." I said slightly laughing.

"Okay, what if I do, she clearly likes John B." He said, clearly upset.

"You know she rejected him right?" I said slightly laughing at his excuse.

"She just did that because of our rule, no pogue on pogue macking." He said as he played with his spoon.

"If she really liked him, it would be worth breaking a rule or two." I said as I fiddled with my necklace, the little surfboard charm, given to me by a certain pogue was held between my index finger and my thumb as I moved it from side to side on the chain. The few words were giving him a slight sense of hope, maybe Kie didn't like John B, maybe he still had a chance with her. I really hope those two end up together.

______

Hi nuggets.

So now that stuff is actually starting to get interesting and the whole getting to know eachother / becoming friends fase is over, I actually enjoy working on this book wayyyy more, so I might update more, I don't really know tbh, but we'll see.

please vote, comment and follow my account so you can see whenever I announce something about this or upcoming books.

bye for now
xx
me

stay safe
<3