OUTER BANKS SEASON 4 : JJ'S LEGACY

FANTASY OR REALITY?

The bottle was half empty when JJ had moved onto the fourth box of clothes, personal possessions, surfing posters and new decorations recently gifted to him by the association. His mind overflowed with vertigo and music as Khraungbin played loudly on Pope's Sony speaker that he got him for his 15th birthday because Luke had given him a beer instead of an actual gift. JJ swayed to the rhythm as the small glass of vodka danced below his hand between his fingers.

He nodded his head as it pounded with the sweet, crisp sensation of drunk freedom. He unstriped the boxes of their masking tape and piled everything on the floor. JJ realises he is going to fall over very soon if he doesn't steady himself so he slowly and gently kneels and topples backwards, softly landing on his butt. He stares around him blankly, once again. The music continues as he rummages through his box of stuff from his old room's wardrobe. He glances upon a framed image of him and his mother out by the pier, fishing, sitting with their legs dangling out towards the ocean.

"So we won't forget" by Khraungbin begins to play on JJ's playlist. His mother's tanned arms are wrapped around JJ's shoulders as she squeezes him tightly, both of their blonde bright hair illuminated in the sunlight and their smiles and eyes almost identical. Something that 8 year old JJ didn't realise at the time is that his mother had a small bruise on her collarbone. JJ frowns at the sight in disturbance and frustration. The music's instrumental solo beautifully continues as JJ remembers the day vividly.

JJ strokes his thumb against the edge of the frame as the alcohol blurs his vision for a moment. He strains his face and pulls a hand to his head. He grabs onto the small table next to the furniture and hoists himself up. He stumbles to the nearby cabinet and slowly places the image, loud and proud, on the surface. He smiles and then is disconnected from his thoughts of his kind-hearted, brave mother by the door knocking hard. Thinking his visitor is John B, he rushes over to the tall frame and clumsily grabs for the doorhandle, swinging it open only for his smile to drop.

"Hey kid." Luke smiled, kindly.

"Uhh...hey. What are you doing here?" JJ asks after a moment of confusion.

"Just thought I'd come over and apologise for how I was with you at the event thing." He walked through very confidently and snatched a beer from the mini-fridge.

"You came over to... apologise?" JJ frowned, taken aback.

"Yeah. You sound slurry. You been drinking?" Luke sat himself down on the couch and seemed very... calm.

"Uh yeah. Only the best." JJ swiped the half empty bottle from the counter and waved it at his dad, smirk stretching.

"Come sit down with me." Luke instructed him, pointing to the seat near him with his free hand.

Luke sipped back his beer like it was water. JJ stood for a moment with a lot of unspoken questions but complied, grabbing a beer for himself and drifting his way over to the couch.

He sat uncomfortably and his dad turned to him, about a seat away.

"I shouldn't've done what I did... I was just-"

"Angry." JJ finished his sentence for him.

"Yeah. You understand right?" Luke frowned a little, wary of his words.

"I...I just can't believe you'd ask me for money after leaving me for over a year. You didn't even give me a sorry. Not even an recollection of everything you've ever done to me. I don't care that you hit me, dad. I just care that you think its okay to choose money over your only son." JJ gulped back his beer.

"JJ, look at me, son." Luke spoke in a serious tone.

After a moment of hesitation, JJ turned his head to face Luke.