Dreamer | Outer Banks

07 - We Got Nothing To Lose

My eyes fluttered open and my head pounded while sunlight shone into my eyes through the window. I realized I wasn't in my room and tried sitting up but I felt arms tighten around me. I moved my head slightly to see JJ sleeping peacefully next to me.

I smiled at the sight and quietly brushed JJ's hair from out of his face. It wasn't everyday you saw JJ this peaceful so I decided to take it in before he woke up. I heard JJ groan and I softly laughed before he slowly started to open his eyes.

"Hey." I whispered, brushing the last few stands of JJ's hair out of his face.

"Hey." JJ yawned before resting his head on my shoulder and looking back up at me with a small smile. "How are you feeling?"

"My head feels like someone smashed it with a hammer but besides that not too bad." I admitted, playing with his hair. "What time is it anyway?"

JJ sat up and grabbed his phone from his side table. "Umm, about noon? We didn't make it back home until almost three."

"Last night." I mumbled, trying to piece together everything that had happened.

"You don't remember?" JJ questioned, giving me an unreadable face.

"Remember what?" I asked as I sat up from the bed and gave JJ a confused look. "JJ, what happened last night?"

"Before or after John B and Topper's fight?" JJ casually said before everything suddenly came flooding back.

"Oh my god! John B! I need to see him!" I stood up and tried leaving but JJ stopped me.

JJ grabbed both of my hands and pulled me into a long hug. "Hey, hey, hey. John B's fine, Pope's taking care of him."

I sighed before pulling away from him. "I'm guessing he doesn't know I'm here?"

"That's besides the point." JJ rolled his eyes and I raised my eyebrows at him. "Fine. I wanted to make sure you were okay and I needed to talk to you."

"Talk to me about what?" JJ was silent for a second and refused to break eye contact. "Do you remember our conversation from last night?"

"What about it?" I noticed JJ open his mouth but immediately closed it.

"Never mind, we should get going anyways. John B should be awake by now."

I couldn't help but feel disappointed, what was he going to say, was he going to mention the kiss? "Yeah, ready when you are."

~~~

JJ POV
Never mind? Was that the best I could do? I wanted to bring up the kiss but something in my head told me not to. Whether it was my fear of rejection or not I couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed in myself, I was JJ after all, I don't get nervous around a girl.

Kennedy and I walked in silence with an occasional comment before we made it to the Château where we were greeted by a not so happy John B. "Where the hell were you? I was looking all over for you."

John B wrapped Kennedy in a tight hug and gave me a pissed look over Kennedy's shoulder. "Well I would've had told you but in order for me to do that you need to be conscious, which you weren't." I scoffed and sarcastically commented.

When John B let go of Kennedy I could see her face go from calm to worry in a matter of seconds at the sight of John B's black eye. "What the hell John! How hard did Topper hit you?'

"I'm fine Kenn, I promise." John B reassured her as I leaned against a table on the grass and began throwing rocks across the lawn. "Look, I'm calling it off. All right? Peterkin said, if we stay out of the marsh, she'll help me and Kenn with DCS."

"And you believed her?" I questioned, not knowing why John B would ever trust a cop like her, or any cop for that matter.

"Yes, I believe her, JJ." John B replied and I rolled my eyes.

"An actual cop, John B. You believed a cop." I repeated, making sure I wasn't just hearing things and that John B was actually serious.

"Yes I believe her! All we gotta do is stay out of the marsh for a couple of days, and she'll help Kenn and I out!" John explained as he stood up from his chair and threw the stick that he was holding in his hand. "And it doesn't help that your ass was the one shooting a gun."

"You know what I should have done?" I said while I threw another rock. "I should have just let Topper drown your ass."

"Cause Topper was gonna drown me?" John B questioned as I stood up from the table and began walking towards him. "Sure looked like it. I mean have you looked in a mirror?"

"Keep going, tell me some more. Come on." John B challenged as I leaned against the railing of the porch.

"They always win, don't they, man." I shook my head and continued. "Kooks versus Pogies. They always, always win!"

"It's okay!" Kennedy tried to comfort me but I couldn't control my anger.

"No, it's not okay! It is not! They don't want us to go down into the marsh. That means there's something valuable down there, and you know it. I know you do."

"And I understand why you don't wanna go." I motioned to Pope. "You're the golden boy. You get way too much to risk. And you."

I turned my attention over to Kie. "I mean, you're already rich as fuck anyways. Why would you bother?"

"But you and me, man, we got nothing to lose!" We really don't, all right?" I ranted to John B, we really don't.

"What about me?" I turned my head to Kennedy who gave me a small wave from the chair she sat in across from me.

"Please, the second you graduate we all know you're going to run off to some Ivy League school and never look back." I wasn't lying, it was Kennedy's dream to make it big and actually do something with her life.

"JJ." John B started but I cut him off before he could say anything else. "And I know it didn't use to be that way for you JB."

"I don't want to talk about this, I don't want to talk about it." John B mumbled before he got up and walked in my direction.

"So that's it?" I questioned, trying to stop him but he pushed past me.

"Just get out of my way, bro." John B stumbled onto the grass and I looked at Kennedy for any help but she only shrugged her shoulders.

I gave her a thanks look before I walked up behind John B. "John B, listen to me. I have a plan. You got the key to Cameron's big boat, right?"

"No JJ." John B sighed but I continued on. "There's scuba gear inside, man. We borrow that, and then we go down to the wreck this afternoon, and that is what's gonna save you two, man. You don't see rich kids going to foster care, do you?"

I put my arm around John B and whispered so the others couldn't hear. "Do it for Kenz, she's counting on you."

~~~

I hope you all liked that little JJ POV and I'll try to do more in the future if you want.

Also, while it may not seem like a lot, I just want to thank all the people who chose to read this story and it means a lot to me.

This is the first time I decided to share my work and the fact that people are actually reading it is all I could've asked for.