ISSUES II outer banks

Charleston

"The greatest gift of life is friendship."

❥

"I've read this about a thousand times and I still don't it", Kie says looking at the invitation card that Pope got, "The Limbrey's own half Charleston. What do the Charleston's kooks know about a murder on Kildare island?" "Yeah and why did you get the letter?" "Please come alone, that's so weird." Pope is about to tell us what he thinks about it when steam comes out of the car. "Shit." "No, no, no. It'll explode."

"There's nothing going to explode. You probably loosened the condenser", JJ states and I'm quite proud of him for knowing so much about cars and bikes. "Plan B. We could take the bus or ask someone to drive us or we repair it right now and drive there tomorrow", I suggest not knowing what to do. "Yeah, it's the condenser." "My dad is going to kill me." "He will", I agree imagining Heyward freaking out. Poor Heyward. Poor Pope.

❥

We've decided for option three. Let someone repair the car or at least get the material to do it ourselves. "I can do yours earlier but it'll still take some time", the man tells Pope and I as we look at what he has to do. I've got no idea but I wanted to make sure that Pope is not going to pay a higher price. He's too good to believe that people might fool him. Well, sometimes. And I'm the only one with a credit card.

"370 dollars, are you being serious?", Pope reads out loud as we're in there discussing the final details, "Iz, are you sure that you can pay this?" "Will my parents freak out? Yes. But can I pay it? Also yes. Even if they freak out, Pope, it's not going to hurt them. Plus, your dad has done so much for me that it's the least that I can do." Pope nods feeling slightly unsure but also glad about it.

❥

"Hey guys?", Kie mumbles when we lay on the surface of the truck. Even though Kie and Pope are here, JJ still laid his arms around me and I'm only glad about it. I see how Kie and Pope are unsure of what their current situation is like and I remember JJ and me being skeptical of what is between us so I'm just thankful that we figured it out. "Hm?", I reply, "Are you worrying about Anna and Christian?"

"No, not at all", she quickly makes clear and softens her voice, "I just wanted to let you know that I actually think you're cute together." "Awe, Kie, thank you. It means a lot", I let her know softly as I thought she might never fully accept JJ and I. "Way better than Rafe", she adds joking making us laugh as well, "I can't believe you've dated him. Weren't you disgusted by yourself?" "He hasn't always been like that", I mumble and stop me from thinking about the time when he's been different. That's the past.

"South Charleston", I read out loud when we finally drive on the highway. "I wonder where John B and Sarah are now", JJ wonders and all of us share a look knowing how the others feel.

"The kooks here let our kooks look like pogues", JJ notices when we arrive in the area in which the Limbrey's live, "Is this the right place, Pope?" "I think so." "Let's go knock the door", I suggest shrugging my shoulders and move forward. "You're probably Pope", the man who opens the door points to him. "Uhm, are you Mr. Limbrey?" "Mrs. Limbrey expected you to come yesterday."

"Oh.. I'm sorry. My car broke down." "Well, she wasn't amused." "We wanted to call and inform you but there's no phone number on the invitation", I let him know, "We came here as fast as we could." "And she only expected you to come." "But my friends and I found the royal merchant to-" "She was pretty clear. Your friends are waiting outside", the man cuts Pope off and I'm slowly getting a negative feeling. If they want to help us, why don't they just do it?

"If Limbrey didn't lie, Ward might be arrested and Sarah gets the gold", Kie says but looking to Pope, she sounds more skeptically, "Does that look voluntarily?" "A definite no." JJ realizes that they go to the other side of the house and has the smart idea that we just drive around trying to find them at the same time and walk around when we're close enough just in the right moment to help Pope fighting against that man and run back to the car to drive away.

"He's following us", Kie yells while Pope is driving.. like a mess until the car breaks down again, "What now, Super Mario?" We quickly take our bags, leave the car there and run away. "Shit, he's got a gun!", I shout as soon as I realize what we got ourselves into. "Run! Run!", Pope yells to JJ who's in front of us and when we get out of the small alley, we stop for a moment to look around.

There's John B and Sarah. Wait, am I hallucinating? John B and Sarah? Here in Charleston? "Get in, let's go!", John B tells us and quickly jump on that bike pushing that man away from us one last time and John B drives that bike until we're on the beach.

"You're here, you're really alive", I whisper gasping for breath after this run and look at Sarah. Sarah starts smiling and quickly pulls me into a hug. "We're here", she repeats and it seems like she cannot believe it herself, "And we're finally back together."

"We were so worried about you guys. What happened?", I ask quickly and turn to both of them, Sarah and John B. They're back. My best friends are back. "Impatient as always", John B taunts me shaking his head and flashes me a wide smile, "We'll tell you everything but right now, come here and hug your best friend."

"I should have known that nothing could kill John Booker Routledge, not even force of nature", I laugh happily and run over to him to let myself fall into his arms and speak to him quieter so only he can hear me, "I thought you were gone forever." "I worried that I might never see you again but here we are, Iz", John B replies softly, "I would never leave you alone, especially not in the Outer Banks." After this reunion, we fill the boat with petrol and leave Charleston behind.