ISSUES II outer banks

danger

"If you expect nothing, you can never be disappointed."

❥

Each of us hides on one branch of the tree and we can clearly see Rafe and Barry coming into the garden. Are they holding a gun? What the hell did they plan? "They have to be around here", Barry notices when he looks at the fire which is still burning, "Don't you think your girl will be mad at you?" "Bella is going to understand it. She's always understood me."

"As if she would understand you running around with a gun, bro", Barry lets out a frustrated laugh. "She's going to understand it", Rafe hisses at his accomplice, "She made a promise to me just a few hours ago. She won't leave me." "P for L, bugger it", I hear Barry laughing and see how Rafe is coming closer to the tree, "So your sister is a pogue for life, huh Rafe? What about your little girlfriend? Who would have thought that.. country club and a pogue."

I look at JJ who tenses his muscles. He would love to beat up Barry not only for that comment, but for everything else that he's done. He sells coke to Luke, he threatened us with a gun and they followed us to the hall when we picked up the phantom. "I don't care about my sister but Isabella is not a pogue so shut the fuck up", Rafe snaps at him and rubs his temples.

If Barry doesn't stop, Rafe will freak out and god knows what might happen when he's got a gun in his hand. "Sorry, excuse me. She's not your girlfriend. I forgot she's JJ's little toy", Barry provokes Rafe even more, "So she's with a pogue, seems to match." "Don't talk about her", Rafe hisses and suddenly shouts at him and begins to shoot indiscriminately, "She's neither a pogue nor JJ's or a toy. Get that in your fucking head, Barry!"

I flinch being shocked about the fact that he would make use of the gun even though he didn't hurt anyone. I noticed one shot being fired into the air close to JJ and it feels like my heart stops beating for a second. Then I realize how serious the situation is. JJ could have been shot. John B or Sarah could have been hurt. And it's all my fault. If I had kept my promise to Rafe, he wouldn't run around here with a gun. If I had helped him more with his dad, he might haven't even shot Peterkin. If I only took more care of him, none of this would have happened. "Rafe, calm down man. We could end up in prison because of you", Barry shouts back and pulls Rafe away.

❥

"Great, your brother almost shot us", JJ mumbles when we climb off the tree as soon as we're sure that they're gone. I'm still shocked about the fact that they came here and tried to hurt or even kill one of us. That's when I realize that we're nowhere safe. "It's not about Sarah, J", I say still not knowing how I should handle the situation, "It's my fault. If I hadn't left him alone, he wouldn't freak out now. I will go and talk to him to-"

"You're going nowhere", JJ interrupts me harshly, "It's not your fault when he's the one being responsible for all of this shit. What the hell did you even say to him earlier?" "I.. He's not like that, okay!", I make clear, "That's not Rafe Cameron. That's a part of him that I triggered by leaving him alone. He's better than that and if I had been there for him, none of this would have happened!"

"What promise did you make?", JJ repeats his question tensing his jaw, "He would have killed all of us, even you, okay? Why don't you get it?" "He wouldn't hurt me", I shake my head and am really sure about that as Rafe regrets what was already happened, "I promised him to be there for him again." "Iz", JJ mumbles suddenly giving me a serious look, "You have to make a decision. Kooks or pogues. Rafe or me. I can't do this anymore waiting for you to come back from figure eight while I never know if something happened to you."

"What are you trying to say, JJ?", I whisper lowering my head as I am already aware of what he implied. "Get your shit together and stay away from him or things are about to change between us", JJ replies coldly but his face tells me that he's afraid of losing me in both cases, although he doesn't want me to know. "Guys, calm down. We'll stay here until Kie and Pope are back and then leave. JJ and I pack some stuff and you two wait here and pay attention. Call us if you hear something", John B ends our fight and gives me a soft look before he grabs JJ and goes into the house with him.

"He didn't mean it like that, Bells", Sarah tries to help me when we sit on the steps to the terrace. "He did, JJ's never been more serious", I mumble and pull the grass out of the lawn. "I think he was more serious when he told you he loved you", she replies warmly, "He said the three words to you, right?"

"I mean he basically made me say it first", I chuckle remembering the day when the others found out about us and I confessed my feelings for him, "But he said it back. Plus, he was the one who made the first move on me." "Why is it so hard for me to imagine JJ being a complete romantic?" "Because it's JJ Maybank, the greatest pogue of them all", I laugh with her slowly forgetting about our discussion earlier.

"How did he ask you?" "I had dumped the pogues for you, Topper and Rafe and had a discussion here. JJ walked me home and while we were talking, he suddenly kissed me. I thought it's JJ being JJ but after I've broken up with Rafe, he did it again and asked me out."

"JJ being cute", Sarah states, "You guys changed my mind completely within one summer." "More like John B changed your mind and made you feel ready", I tease her remembering the time when she thought she was ready to have sex with Topper but chose John B instead, "I was afraid I might lose you when I am around pogues more now you're a pogue as well. I'm glad you're with John B. From Topper to John B. Topper is my friend, but I call this an improvement."

"Wow, thanks for that compliment, Izzy. I appreciate it", John B says to me as him and JJ come back to us with their bags filled up. "From me to Rafe? A definite downgrade. From Rafe to JJ? Good choice I would say", he teases me back and tousles my hair. "We good?", JJ looks down to me flashing me a weak smile and I nod. "We good."