Outer Banks, open air cinema
July 8th, 2020
9:18pm
"Aren't you guys glad Tess and I made you come?" Kiara hummed as the four of us made our way into the area.
JJ wrapped an arm around my shoulder as we walked alongside the small field, a smile spread on his lips. "We're used to it aren't we?" he quipped.
I pushed him off me, not willing to admit his joke was pretty funny. "JJ!" I groaned.
Pope threw us a glance full of reproaches as we noticed a few people looking at us and realised our loud voices and laughs bothered them, even though the movie had not started yet. Our chuckled subsided and I took a seat next to Kiara, enjoying to finally be with my friends, with no worry in mind. I loved how Kooks and Pogues gathered at those events and how things looked easier, even just for a few hours and so as my eyes laid on the large screen, my body filled with satisfaction.
"We're in the green zone man," Pope whispered at JJ as he was sat. "We're in the middle of Kook-landia, this is the last place I want to b-"
"Dude tranquilo, okay?" JJ tempered.
"What's wrong?" I asked, lighting up a blunt I had saved earlier and as JJ rolled eyes, Kiara got up.
"I'm gonna get us drinks," she stated.
I watched her leaving, as she approached the small stand and Pope kept whispering weird things at JJ, as if they were hiding something from Kiara and I. I sighed and tapped on the dark-skinned boy's lap to get his attention, and JJ's. "What's going on?" I broke in.
"Nothing's going on, Tess," JJ reassured but the fake tone he used made it sound like it was the biggest lie. "Why?"
"You two are acting weird," I stated, as Pope scratched the back of his head awkwardly, letting me know I was right.
JJ laughed ironically. "You are! First you're disappearing and then, you come back with bruises all over you," I felt like he just wanted to avoid the subject so his words didn't echo inside my head and I simply shrugged.
"Whatever, what's your little secret? are you two dating?" I demanded. "How cute"
"What? no!" Pope laughed, seeming still as embarrassed as seconds beforehand.
I threw a rapid glance at Kiara who was still far from us and as I noticed the Kook prince peering down at her, his eyes trailing up and down her body, my head and heart started to pound simultaneously but not in a good way. I felt a inch of envy and jealousy, as if I wanted to be her in this exact moment, and when I caught myself thinking that way, I felt guilty for it. I wanted to ask Pope and JJ what was going on between Rafe and Kiara, so that my heart would feel better, but no words escaped my mouth and Pope was actually the one breaking the silence.
"We should tell her bro, it's kind of her deal," the smart boy announced. "Even totally her deal"
"Then you tell her cause if I do," JJ marked a pause to laugh like he could imagine my reaction to whatever they were hiding. "I'm screwed for life"
I sighed. "Tell me what?"
Pope didn't think of it twice, I had almost not ended my three word-long sentence that his mouth opened as if he had spent his entire life waiting to tell me whatever he was about to say. "JJ and I sunk your boat after your brother and Rafe beat us up," he spat out.
It took a few seconds for my brain to proceed those informations and as they finally did, I felt a tiny bit of relief, to be really honest. The boys looked at each other as if they wanted to make sure they were in the same boat and a small shrug agitated my shoulders.
"It's okay, I don't care," I explained. "But if they learn it's you they'll knock you down"
Kiara came back at this very exact moment so the boys didn't answer, they acted like nothing had happened a few seconds ago between us three. She looked a bit confused, and as she gave us all our Pepsi cans, she rolled her eyes.
"I just saw Rafe, he said and I quote «tell your boy that we know what he did»" she breathed.
I threw a rapid glance at JJ who seemed a little bit less terrified than I was, since I now knew what my brother was capable of for this stupid boat. If he had beat the shit out of his own sister for something she didn't even do, then he'd probably kill the true culpable. But then again, how did he find out it wasn't me?
"Where is he?" JJ asked and she pointed at him with a head tilt.
As we looked behind us, we saw the three Kookest Kooks on the island, aka Rafe, Kelce and my brother. Topper had a smirk spread over his lips as Rafe waved at someone, not sure who. "Great, the whole death squad," Pope stated before JJ rotated his head for him not to look. "Don't stare bro"
I took my face in my hands, knowing this whole movie night wouldn't be like the usual ones, but I simply didn't know when it would all go down. JJ didn't seem so scared when I looked up at him and noticed his determined glance focused on Pope. "If it doesn't work, I got this right here," the blonde boy reassured touching his pocket.
"Please tell me that you did not bring the gun here JJ there are kids!" Kiara spoke her teeth clenched.
"No, I didn't bring the gun alright Kie everything is fine," he reassured but it sounded so fake I laughed.
"That's really convincing," I chuckled. "I give your lie a 2/10"
If JJ was like my brother, in this moment he would have raised his hand on me, because of all the pressure and annoyance, but he only looked away and clenched his fist to run out of steam alone. Him, Pope and Kiara kept arguing a little, as JJ ordered Pope to deny, deny, deny, and we all focused on the movie, as it began. Or at least we made our best to think of other things than dying under the Kooks punches.
The movie wasn't really interesting though, it was just another action movie filled with explosions and fighting scenes that only JJ enjoyed, but I was sure in this moment he didn't enjoy at all. I kept throwing rapid glances at Rafe who winked at me and blew me flying kisses which annoyed me even more, since it fastened my heartbeat.
After about an hour, JJ and Pope got up, but before they got the chance to just walk away, I grabbed Pope's hand. "Where are you going?" I asked them.
"We gotta wring it out," JJ whispered.
Kiara frowned. "You're gonna hold it for each other?" she asked.
The two boys left anyways, without really answering, and Kiara sighed next to me. I looked at her and held her hand in mine to comfort her, but I felt how tense she was and maybe just holding hands wouldn't be enough. I tried to focus on the movie but as I noticed my kiss-blower was gone, I understood what was probably going on. I noticed the three Kooks making their way behind the screen so I pulled on Kiara's hand and got up.
"This is not gonna end well," I just said as she saw what was about to happen.
Five on three could work, of course, but with all this people around us, another fight couldn't happen without one of us ending our night in a cell. Families would call the police, tell them eight teenagers are fighting, until Shoupe would show up and take JJ, since he hated him more than anyone else involved tonight. So as I made my way to the Kooks, I grabbed Rafe's hand and pulled on it. He was about to throw a punch when his eyes laid on me and he just pulled up with me leading him on the opposite direction.
"Hey, Rafe," I greeted slowly to get all his attention, as my back hit against a tree.
His hands found their way around my waist and he locked his pretty eyes in mine. "Hi Tessa," he replied.
"I didn't know you came to those events," I smiled. "Thought maybe you'd be dealing drugs instead"
"Well I'm h-" as he was about to respond, we heard loud groans behind the screen a few meters away from us. "What was that?"
Even though we couldn't see what was going on and weren't even sure those noises came from where our friends were, I had to change my plans. I placed my right hand on his cheek and raised on my tiptoes not to be too small compared to him.
"Probably nothing," I lied as I brought our faces closer.
He nodded and slammed his lips on mine, not resisting to the temptation. Our tongues soon connected, adding more ardour in our kiss, and his arms cornered me. I wanted this moment never to end, for many reasons, including while he was kissing me, he wasn't hurting my friends. I couldn't believe I had him right where I wanted him, and my plan kept functioning as he held me tighter and smiled against my lips.
We heard louder screams from behind the screen, I assumed were Kiara's and so we pulled away. His arms held me tight and he looked above my head, to where my three friends were fighting his. I felt like he was about to leave and join them, since the grip he had on me released a little, so I wrapped my arms around his neck and devoured his lips but he pulled away.
"I need to go," he said, rubbing my back.
"No you don't," I faked innocence. "I think you should focus on my lips and forget about the rest"
"I soon will," he pecked my lips a last time and ran to the others, which caused me to sigh.
We both ran to where our friends were fighting, and I noticed JJ struggling with Kelce, the blonde boy receiving more and more punches. I screamed in fear and jumped on Kelce's back, punching him with so much strength it tired me more than hurt him, probably. "Tessa get off him!" Rafe yelled.
I kept punching for many seconds, breathing heavily, so that he would let go of my best friend. JJ made sure not to punch me as I kept hurting Kelce from behind. I thought my plan would work but Kelce nudged me harshly and I fell on the ground, hitting my head as I landed. I screamed in pain, but the scream soon subsided as my eyes didn't manage to get a glimpse of anything besides darkness, and I felt myself getting slowly dragged into unconsciousness.
(...)
Outer Banks, Thornton's house
July 9th, 2020
10:41 am
I woke up to the feeling of a throbbing headache, which caused me to leave out a few groans, and as I sat up on my bed, I realised I didn't remember anything from the previous night, right after I had bumped my head. I heard loud voices downstairs, so after throwing a new t-shirt over my shoulders and brushing my hair quickly with my fingers, I hurried to the staircase. I soon discerned Shoupe's voice so I stayed hidden and looked at them in between the railings.
"You can decide to press charges against the kid or not to, and this case can make it to Court if you need it," Shoupe reassured my parents.
"Heyward's kid you say?" My mother asked. "I think it's one of Tessa's friends"
"Exactly," Topper assured. "Press all the charges you can, make him pay"
My father sighed at Topper's words, and part of me knew he'd take my side, because he always defended me. If my father was my last hope, when I saw him grab the pen and sign those papers, I lost all kind of hope. "Press those charges," my father said.
"alright, maybe you should try and talk to your daughter," Shoupe offered, walking out of my house with the file. "I'm going to take care of the kid, you don't have to worry"
"Holy shit, Pope," I mumbled as Officer Shoupe left my house and my parents hugged Topper, sorry they had blamed him for something he didn't do.