Now, you may already know this story. And well, good for you. But you don't know the whole story. This story is the other half of the story you know, the story of the Outer Banks.Okay, let's start from the beginning, yeah? My name is Veronica Routledge. Recognize my last name, do you? Great, now shut up and let me talk. My name's Veronica, but if you call me that and aren't over the age of 25, I will probably deck you. What do you call me then? Ronnie. Oh, recognize that too? Yeah, I've been going by Ronnie a lot longer than Miss Special Agent Veronica Sterling from The Naturals book series has got it? Now, you may already know my crew. These guys are my best friends for life so if you make fun of them and you aren't part of our group (because then I know it's a joke), I'm gonna seriously consider decking you. Probably won't do it because well sometimes I gotta have some self-control (surprisingly). But, I will be mentally insulting you to Jupiter and back. Moving on, yeah my crew of idiots. Let's start with the guy who thinks he's the MC, my twin brother John Brooker Routledge. Yep John B and there it is, the fan girling, never understood that. What was the reason? Honestly. Then you've got kooky spooky Kie, something wrong in the head is a big norm. Pope Hayward, everyone's favorite wuss; yes, I just called Pope a wuss, because he is. Now another fan favorite (unless you like Rafe and then you're just wrong), JJ Maybank the crazy surfer boy with not a single ounce of survival instincts in his body.Let the story begin."Ronnie. Ronnie. VERONICA ROUTLEDGE!" I'm startled awake, smacking my head into my brother's face. "Owww!" He said while rubbing his nose where we had collided. I rolled my eyes and then rolled back over, pulling my pillow over my head. He smacked the pillow and said, "Get up we gotta get out before Agatha hits." "Do we though?" "Yeah, we do, come on, JJ's here." I rolled my eyes as I sat up, " Of course, JJ's here, does he even leave sometimes?" "Whatever Ronnie, you love him as much as I do." I stood up and lightly shoved him, "K, get out I gotta change." He walked out and I got ready in my bikini and threw a pair of shorts over the top. I walked out of my room to see JJ still asleep on the couch. I scoffed and rolled my eyes as I smacked him to get up. He groaned and rolled back over."Come on Ronnie, give me 5 more minutes.""No, John B's insisting that we need to get out before Agatha hits. I don't understand why but he is. So get up."He sat up and looked at me incredulously, "You two are lucky I love you sometimes." "Or are we just lucky we give you a place to crash?" He looked at me and I knew I was in trouble as he said,"Yep, absolutely not." I grinned and started to run and he got up and started chasing me. I got out of the house to see John B already on the boat but ignored it and ran to the back. But JJ quickly caught up to me and grabbed me in a behind hug lifting me off the ground,"Take it back." He said trying to sound scary but I knew he was holding back a laugh."Nope.""Ok, then it's your demise." He started walking still holding me up in the air towards the water and my eyes grew wide, "No. No. No. No. JJ Maybank, don't you even dare.""Too late." And just like that, I was in the water soaked from head to toe while JJ and John B laughed like madmen.I stood up and walked onto the boat and shook my head soaking both the boys along with me and giggled as they tried to wipe the water away."K, were we going?" I said flopping on the side of the boat. Both the boys rolled their eyes but John B was the one who answered, "Kie and Pope are both out of the running for hanging out.""Why?""Because Heyward's making Pope do hurricane prep and we've pissed him off enough lately.""Let me guess, Kie's at work.""Yep." We sat in silence for a minute thinking, then I sat up, "Let's surf then!" John B looked skeptical but JJ lit up. "Hell yeah!" John B rolled his eyes but said, "Get our boards; I'll start the Twinkie." JJ and I smiled at each other and ran inside grabbing my and John B's boards when I realized something, "Shit.""What?""Nothing.""Ronnie, what just happened?""Your board isn't here. It's at your place isn't it?""Damnit.""Surfing's out then.""No, it's not. We'll just have to stop by my house to get it, I know where it is. It shouldn't take that long. Plus, I don't think Dad's home.""Fine, but I'm going with you.""Ok, let's go." We ran to the van and put the boards in but instead of jumping in the van, JJ ran to his bike and started it."JJ don't you even think about it!""Sorry Ronnie, can't let you help this time." And with that, JJ drove off to his house."Shit. JB; he's going home. We gotta get there.""Damnit, JJ. Alright, get in and close the door." I slammed the door shut and ran to the passenger side. As I got in, John B got the car started and made a beeline to JJ's house ranting about how stupid he was to try and go home for a surfboard. We finally arrived at the same moment as JJ, thanks to a shortcut I knew, and before the car was even stopped and JJ had gotten off his bike I was out of the car and running toward him. When I reached him I put my hand on his shoulder startling him, "Ronnie? What are you doing here? I left on my bike so you wouldn't fOllow!""I know. But remember that promise I made years ago?""Yeah.""Well, I was planning on keeping it. So let's go before your dad rolls in okay?""Okay." We started running around the house toward the backyard where JJ kept his board. But when we got there Luke was sitting next to the board waiting. I shook my head, "Damn." "Dad, what are you doing here? And where's the truck?" "It's at the shop JJ you knew this.""No, I didn't. But we're just here for my board. Then we're gonna leave." Luke stood up and took a step toward me but JJ stepped in his way,"Back off she's just here to help me with the board." His dad looked between me and JJ multiple times before saying, "Shame a pretty girl such as yourself hangs out with useless boys like JJ." I saw JJ stiffen in front of me and stand up straighter but I put my hand on his shoulder and gently pushed him to the side seeing the look on Luke's face. When JJ gave me a questioning glance I nodded and gestured to his board, "Grab that, and let's bounce K?" Nobody fought me and I whistled and heard the van's engine start. JJ grabbed his board and we ran back around the house. We got to the van and threw the board in with the others, "Grab your bike and meet us at the beach 'kay JJ? And do you still have that stash of clothes at our place?""I can do that and yeah I do. Why?"John B looked at me in the rearview mirror and said,"You saw something on Luke's face didn't you.""Yeah, but it doesn't matter what. We just gotta let this blow over."With that Jj ran to his bike and I got into the van to go surfing.•○•○•○•After what felt like an eternity of shopping, for a full beach day, we made it to the beach and not a second before JJ. I looked out and saw that on the horizon was a nasty-looking storm and could already feel the wind trying to push me over. I adjusted my stance so I wouldn't fall. JJ threw me a beer, I caught it and set it down at my feet; then took off for the Twinkie, to grab my board. Once we had grabbed everything and gotten set up on the beach, we sat around and laughed for hours with a little surfing here and there. We had a ton of fun all day, and then Agatha hit at around 10 p.m. that night. It was long after we had all gotten back to the house, and JJ had gone to bed unusually early. As we listened to the storm, John B and I just grinned wickedly at each other and bolted out the door. We were determined to go and surf the surge. As we surfed, we hit some monster waves, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw a boat traveling farther into the storm. I shrugged it off and kept surfing; I hit another monster wave and was grinning as I headed in, but suddenly a gust of wind caught the tip of my board and flung me off not 100 feet from the shore. I vaguely heard JB scream my name and felt a searing pain throughout my entire body as I was pulled out of the water and pushed onto a board. Just a glimpse of a face looking down at me worriedly, as everything went black.
