The bonfire, an Outer Banks tradition. It was the same weekend every year. Everyone went. And I mean everyone. After finding a fortune and losing it and thinking that John B and Sarah were dead, and now my dad actually being dead it feels good to return to some normalcy.
Within a minute of getting to the bonfire I've got a beer in hand. Kie and Pope have wandered off leaving me with Topper, JJ, and John B. John B is talking about his break up with Sarah.
"She's like, 'That's it.'" John B says.
"I know. But, dude, her father blew up right in front of her. Just give her a minute, all right?" JJ tells him. "In the meantime, shotgun right now." JJ grabs a can of beer. "Like old days..."
"Hey, derelicts!" Yvonne shouts as she tosses a beer can at us.
"Hey, there she is. That's you." JJ wraps his arms around Topper and I. "We're out of here. Goodnight."
I shrug his arm off me. "Nah. You're on your own."
"Where you two going?" JJ asks.
I grab Topper's hand. "To take my mind off of things."
Topper and I start to drink, maybe a little too much. But I really don't want to keep my mind clear right now. I smile as I wrap my arms around Tops neck. He places his hand on my hips.
"Thank you for coming with me," I tell him.
Topper smiles. "I should be the one thanking you."
I shake my head. "No. You're taking my mind off of everything and I'm grateful."
"I told you I would take care of you," Topper reminds me.
"And I'm grateful for that," I tell him. I pull him towards me into a kiss. After a moment I pull away. "I'm going to find Kie."
Topper makes a face. "You really just gonna walk off on me?"
I smile as I start to walk away. "I'll find you later."
I find Kie and she hands me a blunt.
"Where have you been?" Kie asks.
"With Topper," I tell her.
"Did you see Sarah is here?" Kie asks. I notice her across the way. "With Kelce."
The next thing I know John B, Sarah, Kelce, and Yvonne are fighting.
"Good idea. You should go, Sarah," Yvonne tells her.
"Did I ask you?" Sarah questions.
"You don't own everything, princess. You guys aren't even together," Yvonne tells her.
"Why are you still talking?" Sarah asks.
"Relax!" Kelce tells Yvonne. "Have a little respect! Her dad just died!"
"Shut up, Kook! Back off!" Yvonne shoves Kelce.
"What's your problem?" Kelce asks.
"Respect?" Yvonne questions.
Kelce and Yvonne continue to argue.
"Did... did I mean anything to you? Did you... did you tell her?" Sarah asks John B.
"You wanna start shit right now?" Kelce asks John B.
"Do I wanna start some shit?" John B asks.
Everyone circles around them knowing shit is going to pop off.
"Come on, John B. Kick his ass!"
Sarah shoves John B. "Just get out! Just go!"
"I'll beat your ass," Kelce threatens.
"Get out of here, Kelce," John B tells him. "He started it, Sarah."
"Don't even think about it," Sarah tells Kelce.
Kelce steps in between Sarah and John B. "Hey, she don't want you anymore, bro."
"Shut the hell up!" John B tells him. He turns to walk away.
"What you gonna do, John B, kill me like you killed Sheriff Peterkin? Do something!" Kelce taunts.
The crowd cheers as John B punches Kelce in the face. Kelce grabs a hold of John B and throws John B to the ground.
"Get him!"
"Stop! Stop!" Sarah shouts.
"Do they ever not cause problems?"
Another Kook tries to push past a guy and when he spills the guys drink they start to go at it.
"Suck on this! Piece of shit!"
Kie and I try to push our way through the crowd. "Move! Move!"
Sarah screams as Yvonne shoves her and she falls to the ground.
"Sarah!" John B shouts.
I shove Yvonne out of the way. "Move, bitch! What's your problem?"
"Hey, what the hell?" Yvonne shouts.
"You all right?" Kie asks Sarah.
"Whose side are you on?" Yvonne asks.
"She's my friend," Kie tells her.
"And my sister," I remind her.
"You belong with us!" Yvonne shouts.
"Hey!" Pope shouts as he finally gets to John B. "JJ!"
Topper and JJ try to get the two apart.
"Stop doing this!" I shout.
"It's not worth it," Kie states. Pope punches Kelce in the face. "We gotta get out of here! Come on!"
Finally Kelce, Topper, JJ, Pope, and John B stop fighting.
"You good? You good? All right," JJ says.
"I'm good," John B tells him.
"Get out of here, Pogue!"
Topper grabs my hand. "Let's go!"
"Kie, let's go!" Pope shouts.
"Go back to the Cut."
We head back to the van.
"Well, that was a little unexpected," JJ states.
"Was it?" Kie counters.
"We couldn't just have one night without some shit going on," I state.
"Hey, maybe she'll come around," JJ tells John B.
"It's like everything that happened to us didn't matter," John B says.
We pull ourselves together and head back to John B's. The boys get a fire going and we start making s'mores.
"I've had more black eyes in the last month than I've ever had," Pope states.
"That was building up for years. Rumble in the jungle," JJ says.
"Hey, did you two really stick up for Sarah?" John B asks Kie and I.
"Of course we did," Kie tells him.
"She's not a real Kook, she is my sister after all" I add.
"Right," John B says.
"Yeah, tell that to Kelce," Pope remarks.
"I just want one bite. That... Mmm," John B says as he grabs Kie's s'more.
"What are you doing? No, stop!" Kie shouts.
"You're not having any of mine," JJ insists.
"I thought you were gonna share," John B says.
"I spent the last of my money on that," Kie reminds him.
"Sixteen years in most federal prisons," John B says.
"I'm stealing your marshmallow," Kie tells him.
"I believe that's a... not even a fair trade," Pope says.
"It's not at all. Not even close," Kie insists.
"Hey. Hey." John B shushes us. "Somebody's here."
"You don't think that Kelce would..." I trail off.
"I wouldn't put it past him," JJ insists.
"Do you have your gun?" I ask him.
"Oh, now she wants the gun," JJ remarks.
"Oh, now you don't have the gun?" I ask.
"No," JJ tells me.
"Isn't that your 'secret' weapon?" I taunt.
"Shut up," John B tells us.
"Goddamn, now she wants the gun," JJ says.
We start to creep away from the fire.
"Hey, who's out there?" John B asks.
"You Kooks better not try anything," Kie says.
"Who's there?" JJ asks.
Renfield walks out from the dark, his hands in the air. "How y'all doing?"
"It's this piece of shit," Pope remarks.
"You gotta be kidding me," JJ says.
"Lovely evening we're having," Renfield says. "Look, I, uh... I don't hold a grudge with any of y'all, all right?" He puts his hands down. "But this can go hard, or this can go easy." He opens his jacket and spins showing us he doesn't have any weapons. "You know what I'm here for. Let me give you a little demonstration. You see that swing? I got the best bow hunters in the Army Rangers with me. Hidden." He whistles and an arrow goes whizzing by us and imbedded itself into the tree. "Now, they're out there. They'll stick you just as soon as I say so." JJ goes to hit Renfield with a metal bar and Renfield whistles again. An arrow lands centimeters from JJ's foot. "Uh, uh, uh. We clear? Now, I'm not gonna give you a countdown or any bullshit like that. I'm just gonna whistle."
Pope reaches into his pocket and pulls out the key. He goes to hand it to Renfield but pulls it away. "No."
"Oh." Renfield looks pissed.
"This key belongs to my family," Pope tells him.
Renfield laughs. "I'm losing my patience with you, Pope." Pope thinks for a moment before handing the key over. "Did the right thing, kid. Knowing when you don't have a choice is an underappreciated talent. You be safe." He turns to leave. "Easy there. Y'all have a good night." He whistles again before leaving.
"I'm so sick of this shit," Pope says before walking off.
Topper and I sit on the couch on the porch. I shake my head.
"I thought tonight was going to be stress free," I confess.
Topper laughs lightly. "You should have known nothing is stress free when Kooks and Pogues are involved." I sigh. "I gotta ask. What's going on with Kelce and Sarah?"
I shrug my shoulders. "I don't know. All I know is she spent the night at his place. She's probably there now."
"So her and John B are really done?" Topper asks.
"I think she'll come around," I confess.
"Really?" Topper asks.
I nod my head. "They're John B and Sarah, they'll work it out no matter how complicated it is."