blondie | outerbanks -ON HOLD-

chapter 7- the criminal record

"Shit, JJ." Pope whispers trying to break JJ's trance with the water where John B had just gone.

JJ was still focused on the water, so I reached out and rested my hand on his bicep to get his attention. This seemed to grab him and pull him back to reality because he flinched, and he flinched hard. I shot him a questioning glance which he ignored, turning around to face where the sirens were blaring behind us.

Only then realizing that i was just in my bikini I looked around trying to find my discarded shirt from before I jumped in with Kie. Coming up empty handed I turn around and see JJ holding out his shirt that he had just taken off to me. I accept it and send him a grateful smile while quickly pulling it on.

"You know babe," JJ says while leaning down to my ear. "you look great in my clothes." He pulls away smirking as he sees my flushed face. I kick myself a couple times or letting him best me before reminding myself that this is what he's like with all girl.

"Evening officers." Pope says politely as the police boat pulled up next to our. one of the officers threw out a rope that Pope then passed to JJ and told him to tie off. I settled into the space next to Kie at the front of the boat as we both attempted to looks normal.

"How you kids doing? You know the marsh is closed?" he asks us all

"No wow, really?"

"No sorry, i didn't know."

"Nope."  We all said at the same time with fake confusion.

"Why is it closed?" Pope asks.

"Well, we're conducting a search out here. Boat went down." the deputy said.

"Oh." we all said at the same time.

"Seen anything?" the deputy asks, pressing on.

"Nope haven't seen anything." I lie smoothly and with a smile.

He turns all his attention onto me. Staring at me for a little longer, he turns his attention back to the others.

"where's your friend that you always hang with, he here?" he asks us.

"He's working." Kie says shortly, smiling at both the officers.

"Mind if i check out this little boat of yours?" he asks, but he was already stepping in before we could speak.

"yeah no sure." JJ replies, smoothly getting out of his way.

At this point were all taking small glances at the water, knowing that John Bs air is going to run out at any time, if it hasn't run out already.

The deputy looks around the boy for a little longer before turning back to me.

"You know, I must say Dylan, you look much different in your mugshot." The deputy says with a smirk.

My smile fumbles for a minute but i quickly put it back in place. I take a small glance at all my friends but upon seeing all their shocked faces I know that they hadn't expected me to have a record.

"Should I be concerned that i'm new in town and you already have seen my mugshot?" I ask, faking innocence.

"Well, you see, we got a very interesting call about a week ago saying that a girl named Dylan Marina was moving to town and that we should keep an eye out. I will admit though I was only expecting maybe one mugshot from maybe one arrest. but wow you really outdid yourself with over 20 arrests and a file about an inch thick. I think you beat JJ with your record." The deputy finishes his little speech with the smirk still remaining on his mouth as he exposed all my secrets to my friends.

"well what can I say, you might as well live if your going to die." i exclaim, throwing my hands in the air exasperated. "well i do assume sheriff williams or deputy miller filled you in on that part to huh?" i ask him again with more fake innocence.

this shut him up though because he probably just connected the dots as to why i was acting the way I was back home.

"well then," he stutters out, clearing his throat before continuing on. "let us know if you see anything on your way out." he said while stepping out onto his boat with the other officer.

"will do. will do." pope says, finally regaining his thoughts.

"We'll be gone soon." JJ adds.

"Yes, yes you will." the deputy replies while driving his boat away.

The other three rush over to the edge of the boat and start talking about John B and how he must be out of air now but for some reason I can't bring myself to move. The full force of how my life is going hit my hard as i thought about what my friends think they might know now.

Soon everything starts coming back into focus. I see JJ talking to John B at the back of the boat and grabbing a black bag out of his hand. Kie asks him if he's ok and he just replies with yeah and some comment about how he ran out of air.

JJ finally notices me standing there and walks over while Pope and Kie help John B out of the water.

"Hey you ok there?" He asks cautiously. "Hell of a thing to beat my criminal record." he says while laughing and giving me an impressed look.

I let out a breath that I didn't even know I was holding, as I realized that JJ didn't know or suspect a thing.

"First surfing and now crimes? it looks like a beating you at everything Blondie!" I say nudging him with my shoulder.

"Oh i'm good at many other things." he replies looking down at me and wiggling his eye brows at me. I burst out laughing, already feeling much better.

"Blondie?" he then asks me.

"Yeah, thats your new nick name. Blondie." I say, looking back up at him. He was closer than I expected but for some reason, I didn't turn away. I could tell that my actions surprised him but he didn't back away either.

"Hey, guys? Guys, bogey, two o'clock." we hear Kie say in a panicked voice.

It breaks us from our trance as we follow her directions, looking up we see a nice white speed boat coming directly towards us.

"Do you recognize that boat?" Pope asks the group?

"I've never seen it." Kie replies. "what are they doing back here anyways, the marsh is closed." she says.

"I don't know but lets not stick around to find out." JJ says while moving away from me.

"JJ get the bowline." John B says. JJ already moving in that direction before he even asked.

"Should we wait on em?" Pope turns and asks John B.

"Nope we shouldn't." I say with absolute certainty.

John B nods his head in agreement while telling Pope to go get the stern.

"Guys, don't wait for me. Go." JJ says as we watch the boat get closer to us.

"You heard him, lets go!" I shout at John B.

"I don't like the look of this." John B states as he starts driving the boat away.

"Maybe they're fishing." Pope says, trying to easy some of the thoughts that are now no doubt swarming in everybody's heads.

"Go into the marsh." I tell John B.

He starts going in and picks up speed but when i look behind me I see that they are still following us.

"Uh hey guys, I think they're following us." Kie says, hearing the fright in her voice I walk towards her and grab ahold of her hand.

"Dude, you gotta go faster!" JJ tells John B.

"Im going!" John B yells at JJ from beside him.

"Gun it!" JJ yells right back at him.

At this point were practically flying through the marsh with the other boat right behind us. We though it couldn't get any worse. Well that was until the first gun shot rang out.