Apple Cider-Outer Banks AU Book 1

Chapter Five

JJ knocked on Allie's bedroom window. She came to the window, pulling back the curtain and noticing him. She opened the window, noticing his beaten face. "JJ", she said softly. He climbed in the window and hugged her.

"It's okay"

"Where are your parents?"

"Out shopping for Midsummers. What happened?"

"First, I get beaten by some Kooks and now I'm on the hook for 30 grand", he said. "We should just dip".

"Dip?"

"Yeah"

"Where would you wanna go?"

"Yucatan"

"Yucatan?"

"No, I'm dead serious right now. Surf all day and then we can just live off lobsters we catch with our bare hands"

"We can't just leave 'cause it's hard, JJ"

"I almost killed him today"

"What did you do?"

"I held a gun to his head...but I couldn't do it. I couldn't the bastard that beat me up in the car today"

"It's because you're better than him. You're a good person, JJ"

"No"

"You are. You're better than most people on this stupid island. I just wish you felt that way about yourself"

"You're amazing, you know that?"

She smiled at him and he smiled back. "I just wanted to see you smile", she said. He hugged her tightly.

Later that day, Allie's mom helped her into her dress and placed a flower crown on her head. "You look beautiful, honey", she said.

"Thanks, mom"

"I hope I don't need to remind you to behave tonight"

"I know. I will"

"I mean it. Your father is very upset with you"

"Well, I'm not exactly his biggest fan right now either"

"Allie, stop it! Behave tonight, I'm serious"

"Fine"

Allie and her parents arrived at Midsummers and after some convincing she was able to detach from them and join Kiara. They hugged and quickly spotted Pope putting oysters on a barbecue. They approached him. "Excuse me, sir. Do we have to shuck these ourselves?" Allie asked in a British accent. "'Cause it might mess up our costumes". He chuckled. "We wouldn't want that now, would we?" he said as he did the handshake with each of them. "That accent was bad". "You ever seen this many Kooks in one place?" Kie asked.

"Yeah. Last year"

"We're in the lion's den", Allie commented, catching her father's eye.

"Exactly. Have you heard from JJ?"

"No", Kie said, Allie didn't answer. "He'll be alright. He's got the survival instincts of a cockroach". "It's all my fault", Pope said. "You didn't do this, Pope", Allie said. "Topper almost killed you. Remember?" Their conversation was interrupted by the Cameron's walking in and everyone applauding them. "Here come Lord Capitol and the Exploiters", Kie said. "She's gonna poke someone's eye out with that", Allie added, referring to Rose's spiked headband.

Rafe, Kelce and their friends had chased JJ into a bathroom and were fighting him when a security guard came by. "Gentlemen", he said. "Is there a problem here?" "Pardon me, officer. No, there's not an issue. I-", JJ replied. "Actually, yes. There is an issue. Uh, we got a criminal trespass in progress here. Beep! Call it in, right? Blatant disrespect for private property. I'm in violation of all kinds of shit, sir, but these young gentlemen...uh, caught me, sir, and they're about to take me away. And that's what you should do, escort me out of here. You got me".