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(gabriela's pov)
THE SEA BIRDS called in the distance, and the salty aroma of the ocean was all I could smell, well, besides the strong scent of alcohol. I took a drink of my beer, my leg kicking back against the scaffolding I sat on. I looked up to see John B standing on the roof of the empty development property we hung around at. He hovered his dirty white converse over the edge, his arms spread out for balance, and a beer can in his hand. Classic John B.
"JB, get down before you fall!" I shouted.
"That's what, a three-story fall to the deck? I give you about a one-in-three chance of survival." Pope added while he held a nail gun.
"Hm," John B paused, "should I do it?"
"Yeah, you should jump. I'll shoot you on the way down." Pope threatened.
"You're gonna shoot me?" JB teased, imitating a gun with his fingers.
Kiara then walked onto the deck, "They're gonna have Japanese toilets with towel warmers." She said, speaking about the house being built for rich assholes.
"Of course. Why wouldn't they?" JJ said sitting next to me.
"This used to be a turtle habitat, but who cares about the turtles, I guess?"
"Poor turtles." I mumbled with a frown.
"I can't have cold towels." JJ voiced.
I sighed, "I want a Japanese toilet."
"Can you please not kill yourself?" Kiara changed the subject as she looked up at John B, who was still messing around on the rooftop.
"Let him, maybe he'll learn his lesson to listen to me for once." I remarked with a snicker.
JB frowned, "That's not very nice, Gabbie."
"Don't spill that beer. I'm not giving you another one." JJ yelled and took a sip out of his own can.
I looked up at John B as he hovered his foot over the edge. He lost his balance for a second, the beer can flinging out of his hand and crashing onto the deck. "Whoa! Oh, shit."
"Smooth." I heard Kiara mumble as JJ rambled on about the dropped beer.
"Dumbass." I laughed, rattling my now empty can.
Pope leaned over the edge of the unfinished deck as he warned us, "Hey, uh, security's here. Let's wrap it up."
I started to climb down from the scaffolding, JJ following shortly after me, "Okay, lets roll boys! JB get your ass down here."
He jumped down as JJ yelled insults at Gary, the security guard. Then we sprinted off into the house, I ran behind Kiara and JJ, John B and Pope running right at our heels. We laughed and whooped as we stumbled down the stairs. I watched JJ go the opposite way, almost being caught by the security guards. I sprinted out of the house and hauled myself over the tan fence, swinging my legs around and landing on my feet. I ran into the passenger seat, the Volkswagen bus now honking for JJ and Pope to get in. I looked at the side mirror to see Gary running after us, JJ yelling jokes at him.
"Guys, you're gonna give him a heart attack." Kiara said from the backseat.
"You're so close! You can do it. There you go. They don't pay you enough, bro." JJ teased, half of his body out the door.
"JJ get your ass back in the bus!" I instructed.
"Oh come on, that sort of initiative is just begging to be punished." He said as he got back into the car. We laughed it off, and I quietly sung along to the radio as we passed the Outer Banks welcoming sign, the ocean surrounding us on the bridge.
The Outer Banks, Paradise on Earth. It's the sort of place where you either have two jobs or two houses. Two tribes, one island. John B drives next to me and looks out the window at the wealthy houses. This is Figure Eight, the rich side of the island. Home of the Kooks. Yeah... we don't live here.
We go on another bridge, and the scene outside changes to a more dirty setting, and run-down houses. Where we live. This is the Southside or; The Cut. Home of the working class who make a living busting tables, washing yachts, running charters. The natural habitat of... the Pogues.
That's us. Pogues, pogies, the throwaway fish. Lowest member of the food chain. Okay, so, the downside of Pogue life is we're ignored and neglected. But the upside of Pogue life? We're ignored and neglected, which means we do whatever we want, whenever we want. I prefer it that way.
I sit against the side of our boat, the HMS Pogue, scrolling through some messages on my phone. I look up at JJ, who is smoking a joint. Of course. John B is standing next to me, pulling a fish net up, and dumping its catch onto the deck. "Nice haul, dude! Look at that." JJ says in excitement.
"Ugh, John B." Kiara complains, making me laugh.
JJ ignores Kie's comment, continuing to talk about the fish, "It's been all bait for, like, three weeks." John B smiles... and throws a fish at me. It knocks my phone out of my hands and it clatters onto the boat floor. All him and JJ do is laugh at me and crack jokes about it.
But that's JJ for you. John B's best friend since the third grade. They were both my first real friends. I met both of them in middle school. JJ's about as local as they come. Latest in a long line of fishing, drinking, smuggling, vendetta-holding salt-lifers who made their living off the water. Best surfer I know. Sadly, better than me. But I'll never admit that out loud. Also, a mild kleptomaniac and a future tax cheat. I caught him trying to steal my bra one time too.
"God, they're so rude aren't they, Gabriela." Kie remarks, looking up from her phone.
And that's Kiara, or Kie, as we call her. When not saving turtles or listening to Bob Marley, or getting a dolphin tattoo, she hangs out with us. I'm not really sure why she hangs with the guys, though. We're all bestfriends, but as the only girls we have a special relationship. She's a rich kid, actually. Foot in both worlds. Her family owns The Wreck, this Outer Banks institution. Total cash cow with the tourists. You know, I'm not really sure how her parents feel about all of us. They seem to like me pretty well. She's super pretty too, so I'm guessing the guys all maybe have a thing for her.
"What you thinkin about, Gabbie? You look like your spacing off." Pope asks as we walk up to JB's house.
So that's Pope, the brains of the operation. Finalist for the Lucas T. Vanderhorst Merit Scholarship; and the smartest person I know. Little bit of a weirdo, but I like it. His father is this legendary character, Heyward. Apparently his dad and my mom used to date, little weird. But anyways, anything you wanted on the island, his dad could get it for you. I'm not sure Heyward knew what to make of his oddball son, but it didn't matter. He was a Pogue, just like the rest of us.
It's morning now, we all crashed at John B's place. Well, JJ crashed with a girl, of course. I'm laying on the hammock outside, sipping my glass of water when JB walks out.
That's my very best friend, John Booker Routledge. Like I said before, we met in middle school, but we instantly got along. My mom had always been friends with his father too. He lives in an old fish shack on the marsh, named The Château—or, that's what his dad used to call it—his dad disappeared at sea nine months ago, looking for a shipwreck. I mean, I don't really know who disappears at sea these days. But, I know how much John B misses him. He was presumed dead, he doesn't really talk about it, but John B refuses to believe that. Honestly, I'm not sure what happened to his dad, but I don't think we'll ever find out. And then there's his mom, who split when he was three. That's one thing we have in common, parents leaving us. Though, it was my dad who split, and I was 10. But, back to John B, his legal guardian is his uncle. He's in Mississippi, so really, John B is on his own. Oh and also; I sort of, kinda, have always had a thing for him.
"Hey, wipeout. Why aren't you still sleeping?" And there's my special nickname, wipeout. Don't let it fool you, I'm a great surfer, just a little clumsy. And according to John B, I have a funny way of wiping out whenever we surf. I pull my knees up to my chest as JB spreads out on the hammock.
"I couldn't sleep. What about you?"
"Woke up early to the noises coming from the room JJ's in." He explained with a laugh.
"Oh, ew. I don't even wanna hear it." I said with a disgusted look, unwanted images of JJ and his random hookup entering my mind.
"You jealous, G?" He teased. Another nickname.
"Oh sure, I'm very jealous." I smiled as he laughed. We talk for awhile before I check the time, realizing it's time to go.
"I should be getting home before my mom flips. Bye JB!" I swing my legs over his body and hand him the now empty glass as he waves goodbye. I begin my walk home, begging my mother wouldn't be angry about not sleeping at home. She usually doesn't care, but it depends on the mood she's in.
"Morning, mom." I yell as I turn the key in our door, opening it to the dogs greeting me, as usual.
"Hey guys," I say happily as I pet the Labradors. They're named Biscuit and Brownie, I'm sure you can guess what color they each are. I set my keys and phone down, and look up to my mom in the kitchen. It's just me and my mom, living in this small house of ours. My dad wanted a divorce, and got one. Packed his things and left, taking my brother with him. For what reason, I'm not sure. But actually, I was born and raised a kook. Yeah, we were rich until my dad took everything with him. We even used to live in Figure Eight, in a nice house. Now we live here. It's fine though, the life of a Pogue is the only life I want.
"Good morning, I'll let it slip by that you slept at John B's house last night." She said as she cooked.
"Mom, everyone else was there. At least I called you and let you know."
"It's fine, honey. But you aren't tonight. There's a storm coming." My mom explained, gesturing towards the TV displaying the news. Hurricane Agatha it read.
"Really, a hurricane? Just what I needed."
• • •
MY BLUE AND WHITE surfboard is tucked under my arm as I run after Pope and John B, the storm sirens blaring in the distance. My hair is wet, annoyingly sticking to my face, and my black swimsuit is drenched from the rain.
"It's a double overhead out there, bro." Pope says to John B as we look out at the roaring waves.
"Yeah, dude that looks dangerous." I add as thunder rumbles in the distance.
"Those aren't surfable waves, bro."
John B just laughs and pats Pope on the shoulder, "Says who?" He runs through the sand and into the surge.
"I'm going in too." I exclaim as I take off after him.
"No!" Pope yells, but I'm already gone, "Don't get hurt, Gabbie!"
"I can handle myself!"
I set my surfboard into the water, laying my body onto it as I start to paddle after John B. I've never surfed in a storm before, but there's a first time for everything. I'm feeling brave. I also snuck out of bedroom window for this, so it better be worth it. The ocean roars around me, and water droplets cover my face.
I catch up to John B as he notices me, "What are you doing in here?"
"Surfing the surge." I smirk and he smiles, getting ready to catch a wave. I sit back on my board, letting the wave pass me as John B gets up, shortly after falling into the water.
"Oh, shit!" I hear him yell before falling. He comes up later, his arm holding onto his board.
"Who's wiping out now?" I tease before laying back down onto my board.
I paddle towards shore as I see a wave approaching us, ready to get up and surf it. I see the wave coming right behind me and push myself up to a standing position. I successfully ride it for a few seconds, the wind and water whipping around me. I let out a yell as I suddenly fall sideways into the water. My arms flail as I swim back up, and John B is there, pushing my board towards me.
"You okay, Gabbie?"
"Yeah, I'm fine." I say as I breathe heavily and and pull myself back onto the board. We catch a few more waves together, until I get too tired, and I watch him surf a couple more times.
"What the hell?" John B mumbles, "Gabbie, look over there!"
"What? What is it?" I peer off into the distance, straining to see against the rain. I follow where John B is pointing, and see a white boat, struggling against the waves, "Why would a boat be out here in the storm?"
"I have no clue..." He says quietly, still looking out into the Atlantic.
"Come on JB, lets paddle back."
We go back to shore, the hurricane getting worse by the minute. Pope is there waiting for us, a relieved look on his face when he notices we're not hurt. I look back at John B as he's getting out of the water, he wears a distracted look on his face. I didn't think much of it at the time, but little did I know that boat would be what started it all. The start of the end of our lives.
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I hope you enjoyed chapter one! I am SO excited for this book, and now with quarantine I have time to watch the show and write this. I probably should be working on my other books, but idk I just love this one too much haha. Comment and vote !