𝐇𝐈𝐃𝐃𝐄𝐍 ── JJ MAYBANK

𝟬𝟬𝟯 give me that john d already!

JJ was the first to jump out of the boat, letting out a hoot as he landed with John B shortly following him. John B had turned off the boat's engine, leaving the group to part ways in silence. "Hey!" Pope calls out as John B begins to step out of the boat. John B turns and stares at the boy as Dani stands by his side, with her arms crossed. "Don't let him do anything stupid." He spoke, pointing his index finger at JJ who was standing opposite him.

Dani scoffs. Of course, JJ was going to do something stupid.

He's JJ.

"Oh, we will." JJ retaliates.

"I'm not making promises." John B replies.

Pope gives up and slumps in the driver's seat behind Dani who continues staring at her boyfriend whilst he was returning the stare. John B and Kiara were busy in their own bubble while Dani took a few steps toward the blond boy, taking his hands. "Be safe." She says softly.

He smiles. "Why don't you come with us?" He suggested immediately making Dani's heart race.

Her eyes widen. "No."

"Why not?"

" — Because I don't want to die!" She releases her grip on her boyfriends' hands and takes steps back towards Kiara who had finished her conversation with John B. Dani was not the stealthy type, having failed every single gym class she had taken.

"C'mon Dani! We need someone sensible to come with us because we all know John B and I are not in the slightest and Pope needs to be protected by Kie in case someone attacks them or something, so that leaves you!"

Kiara raises an eyebrow at the couple before interrupting. "What's he saying?"

John B answers for JJ. "He wants Dani to come check out this motel room with us." John must have known about this plan already which hit Dani with a twinge of annoyance.

Why does no one tell her before so she can prepare herself?

"No!"

The rest of the group flinch at Kiara's sudden outburst of rage. "No way is she going with you guys!" She clenches one of her fists and points a finger at JJ who was equally as surprised as everyone else. "No goddamn way!"

JJ folds his arms all the while having a cocky look on his face. "Well, why not, Mrs Thornton?" JJ teases, indicating that Kiara was acting like Dani's mom in this situation.

"Because she is always used as a goddamn pawn in your stupid games JJ!"

Dani was shocked to see Kiara this angry. Kiara had never been this angry apart from one time when she found out that the Mcdonald's in Charleston still gave out plastic straws.

"A pawn?" John B intercepts, standing beside JJ on the grass in front of the HMS Pogue.

"How are you going to explain that Dani Thornton, daughter of the chief of police in all of Outer Banks and Charleston, sister of Topper Thornton is doing with two Pogues from the Cut in a sketchy motel?"

"School project?" JJ suggests which earns a facepalm from John B.

"Bullshit!"

"Calm down Kie," John B commanded, rolling his eyes at her reaction. "If the cops do come, Dani will be the first person they see!" Kiara narrows her eyes at what John B had just said but lets him continue. "They will let Dani off easy if she's caught with us and Dani can distract them long enough to make JJ and I escape," He turns to face JJ who was nodding along. "We've got it all planned out."

"That's true, the cops won't even care that Dani's here," Pope chided, relaxing Kie the slightest bit. "Her dad basically owns the whole police force, they can't do anything to Dani or her Dad will flip his shit."