ISSUES II outer banks

outburst

"Deep to where your secrets hide, where we've been a thousand times."

❥

"Guys, psst, stop arguing and come over. This is the only place we haven't looked at", John whispers. "Sure, as soon as he calls, you're there", JJ mutters behind me when I follow John's voice.

I ignore that but when John tells him that we're not flirting and JJ just scoffs, I turn around. "You and I are not dating so even if we were flirting we could do so. Get over it." I didn't mean to be harsh but that's what the others thought, that we're not dating and JJ being jealous of his best friend is ridiculous just because I was trying to help John. But JJ didn't take it in so well.

"Let's go." "Ms. Crain came downstairs and massacred us. Then the sun rose and dried the blood", JJ sings behind me so I tell him to stop. JJ's word would scare Pope, too.

"Why do you care? We're not dating. I can do whatever I want to do." "Oh my god, JJ. We're in the basement of someone's house hunting for gold. This is not a place to pick up a fight."

"Does anyone of you see something?" "Another blind lane?", I wonder since none of us has seen anything. "Not even the pipes are filled with water." "Here's no water", Pope adds.

❥

"Do you know why we don't find anything?", Kie shrugs, "Bad karma." "This topic again", John B sighs.

"Kie, don't start please. John B got the map, that's not karma", I try to de-escalate the situation before it could get worse but me defending someone else is something that Kiara doesn't like.

"Everything was fine for us but you had to get barbie on board and now we loose the trace. Coincidence? Probably not." Of course she doesn't listen to me. She never listens to anyone, much like JJ actually.

"And because of this, I didn't want to tell you about Sarah." "Yeah?" "Yeah. What's your problem with Sarah?" "None."

"Good, then leave John alone with that bullshit and let's move on", I shrug. "Can you like stop defending him for one second? We're on a treasure hunt, remember?", JJ mocks me from the side.

"Why are you even mad at Iz, man?", John turns to JJ and back to Kie, "None? Is it because I kissed you?" John grins a little too provocatively for Kie to stay calm. She literally slaps him. What the hell? I mean he went a little too far but we never slapped each other.

"Kie! What the hell? He's hurt already!", I hiss at her, "Fuck, John, are you okay?" "Shit, that was-" "Stop treating me as if I was some bimbo who is obsessed with you and not your best friend who tries to take care of you."

"Did you slap me?" "There's been a skeeter." "A skeeter?" "Yeah. Do you see it?" "Yeah", John B replies easily as he slaps Kie back.

"Guys, stop it, that's going too far", JJ tells them and I nod. "Seriously even JJ gets it." "What's that supposed to mean now?", JJ asks me coming closer. "Let me see, maybe that you talk bullshit like all the time? You're not a constant variable, remember?"

"Oh, you want a smart guy? Then why don't you date Pope? Or is John B smart enough for you?" Somehow the situation turns around and Kie and John are arguing while JJ and I are doing to same next to them. Why does this feel like JJ and I are really fighting now? I thought we were just pretending to be annoyed of each other earlier.

"See, that's bullshit. I never said that." "Right, you just act stuck-up like a fucking kook." "What did you just say? You're fucking reckless!"

"Hey, baby, that's me. You fell in love with me, remember? But we're not dating, right? So I can do whatever the fuck I want to do." He's been repeating my words for the second time now. Did he-? No, JJ wouldn't take them seriously, right? He should know I was just trying to hide our secret.

"How does it happen that so many skeeters are in a basement?", Pope wonders loudly so I turn my attention to him. He's got a point. "Yeah, leave me alone, you bloodsuckers. Can we leave? It's itching me to just go. Haha, how funny."

"Wait, Pope, I'll take the lamp", I tell him and hold the lamp so he can use both his hands. "I've found Ms. Crain's voodoo doll."

"Pope, you're a fucking genius", I whisper as soon as we hear a small rock fall into water and help him place the wood to the side until we look right into a well. "Look what it is." "I can't believe it." "They built the house right on top of it."

"This is where she threw the corpse in." "That topic again." "I'm serious, it wasn't even the outhouse." "Guys, we've found the water." "We're going to need a really long rope."

❥

JJ, Kie and I wouldn't stop arguing so Pope suggested that we stop while we're waiting for John B to arrive at the chateau. We would talk about it later but now we're laughing about the imagination of us going full kook. Kie leans against the hand rail in front of us. I sit partly between Pope and JJ but more on JJ's lap. As Pope knows, only Kie gives me a warning look but I ignore it for once. I know she only cares about me but there's nothing she has to worry about.

"No freaking way", Kie suddenly exclaims, "You think you can bring her here and she's one of us?" Well, I haven't expected John B to bring Sarah either, especially after what happened earlier. But it's his decision. I could need one more female friend here.

"Look, all i care about is her cut comes out of your share", JJ states before Kie yells again. "I don't remember a ballot. This is our thing, a pogue thing."

"I would like to note that I feel uncomfortable right now", Pope says slowly next to us. "Thank you." "When do you not feel uncomfortable?", John retorts. "Well, I felt pretty comfortable on JJ's motorbike." "That's true, I've never seen him that relaxed", JJ approves.

"Wonderful." "We all felt pretty comfortable until you brought her here", Kie snaps again. "Stop talking as if I wasn't here." "Then leave."

"I've told you", Sarah scoffs about Kiara's comment turning to John B. "What exactly did you say? That you can only lie?" "No, that you're a brainless bitch!"

❥

"Guys, don't bet on them", I whisper when Pope and JJ give each other money but they give me a look so I sigh handing them twenty bucks, "On Sarah." "You bet against Kie?", Pope wonders. "John is clearly in love with Sarah. Kie got no chance."

Their discussion goes on until John finally demands them to shut up. "Kie, you and Iz are my best friends, right? And Sarah you.. you're my-" "Say it." "I'm with you."

"That's new", Pope comments and has a point there. "Oh, so you're dating, yeah? What about that you're only using her for information?"

"Kie, don't be so mean!", I chip in. "Get a card, get rid of her." "You said that you used me?" "No-" "Yes, you did", Kie, Pope and JJ all agree.

"Love just catched me!" "I think I'm going to vomit." "I didn't expect it. It just kind of happened. And I'm not gonna deny it, okay?"

"I like that you stand up for her, John. At least you don't act as if you're so emotionless", I shrug. Within a second, JJ stands up without telling me so I fall to the ground.

„Oh, so you want someone who shows all his emotions? Fine. Hey, guys, Iz and I are dating. We've been a couple for months. Am I good enough for you now, Iz?"

"You what?!", Kie immediately shouts but is drowned out by John B. "So you dump me but date JJ?!"