Ties That Bind Us • JJ Maybank {Book One}

one| all the memories

Aliana

I thought my life here was over. It's been two years since my mother made the horrible choice of separating our family, taking me away from my older brother, Kyle. Our father got laid off from a construction company where he worked. They laid off many workers, and he had to search for another job. It was not easy for him, and after a few weeks, he gave up. He started going out to bars with his friends and drinking. Our mother had to step up and ensure the bills were paid. She was the money maker and still is. But she could only handle so much before she cracked down on our father. They fought a lot about their financial struggles and how he needed to help and stop drinking. The yelling escalated our dad's drinking, and he began staying out overnight. Kyle was the one who struggled to keep everything together. And then, one night, my mother had her last straw. She demanded they get a divorce and already had the papers in her hands. Kyle protested so many times, but he couldn't stop it from happening. He never expected our mother to kick them both to the curb, pack her bags, move to the mainland, and take me with her. I still remember that day so vividly, like it was yesterday. I never understood why our mother didn't take Kyle with us. Maybe because he was always defending our father and his drinking habits, he didn't want our family to be destroyed. He chose to stay because he didn't want to leave our dad alone.

After the separation, my mom and I lived alone in a New York City suite. She landed a new job at a law firm and quickly enrolled me back in school. Any time I brought up Kyle or Dad, she immediately shut down. I felt horrible that I couldn't keep in contact with either of them. She wouldn't let me. She wanted to leave our old life behind and start a new one, and I was forced to do the same. I didn't even get to say goodbye to my friends. She left voicemails for their parents, and that was it. So I could only hope that her message got relayed to them. The first year was the hardest. I had to make new friends, keep my grades from slipping, and learn the ways of city life. After a while, my mom and I got into a routine. We spent a lot of time together and worked around our schedules. We had our dinner nights planned every week, either going out or staying in to cook. On weekends, I would hang out with my friends, and she would work at home or go out with her co-workers. By the second year, I had gotten a job as a waitress, and I was working on getting my driver's license. I was finally moving on and coming to terms with my new life. I was okay with it.

And then, out of the blue, Kyle found my new social media accounts and contacted me near the end of my junior year. I was shocked and ecstatic. He told me he still lived on Kildare Island and wanted to reconnect. He told me he finished college online and landed a big job, although he didn't explain what he did. He got his own house and his car. He was living the Kook life and wanted me to stay with him for the summer. He told me that after we moved away, Dad went MIA one day and never came back. He said he tried looking for him and contacting him many times but always returned with a dead end. After a while, he gave up and focused on the goals he wanted to achieve for himself. I lived in the Outer Banks for many years; nobody can disappear like our father did. I knew something was up, but if he didn't want to be found, then so be it. 

I told Mom that Kyle contacted me and wanted me to stay with him for the summer. She was livid at first, but surprisingly, after pleading with her, she gave in and told me I could, but only if I agreed to call to check in with her every day. She would have me sent back to the city if I got into trouble.

So, here I am, back in the Outer Banks with my twenty-five-year-old brother. My friends have no idea that I'm back. I left out of nowhere, and they had to find out from an audio message on their house phone. When they see my face, they are either going to be shocked, pissed, or happy.

Probably all of them.

I nibble on my cheek and stare out the window at the passing trees and bushes. I've never been this nervous about seeing my friends again. I know Kiara is going to be upset but happy. Being the only girls in our group, we became best friends. John B will most likely give me an earful for leaving, but he'll welcome me back with open arms. Pope won't be upset at all. We weren't the closest, but we had a playful relationship. Then there is JJ Maybank. Our relationship is complicated. I met Kiara first because our mothers were friends in high school, and she introduced me to the rest of them. I was only ten years old when I met them. I quickly clicked with John B and Pope, and it only progressed. JJ was the most difficult to break through. He barely spoke to me, but as we got older and continued hanging out as a group, he slowly started greeting me and giving me short sentences. Once we reached our teenage years, he started talking to me more, making fun of me with stupid remarks and jokes about me. It was annoying to deal with at that age, but secretly, I liked it.