❝ rule number five: never be seen with a pogue ❞
The war between pogues and kooks continues to rage as a storm of emotion brews between sides, putting loyalties to the ultimate test.
As romance blossoms, treasure hunts unfold, and lives hang in the...
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JESSE JAMES MAYBANK remembered the day he first officially met Matilda Shoupe as well as he knew the back of his right hand.
It happened almost a year ago, during the second week of summer, and little did he know at the time that this simple interaction would serve as the catalyst for an unforgettable summer.
Prior to this day, he had already taken notice of the girl. For an entire week, she had occupied the same spot, adorned in either a sundress or a delicate pink bikini, with a cap perched atop her head to tame her unruly locks. Her toes were buried in the warm sand, while a book rested gently against her knees, as if it were an inseparable companion. It was a rare occurrence to ever see someone on this spot of the island, maybe the occasional jogger or dog walker. He had been observing her from a distance– John B quickly caught on and playfully taunted him about his hesitance to approach the girl. JJ was not the type of boy to shy away from the company of a girl.
After an hour of surfing, John B and he emerged from the water, their surfboards cradled in their arms, engaged in their own chatter. As they neared the girl, John B cleverly nudged him and swiftly walked away, leaving him alone with her. He vividly remembered the way her azure eyes met his gaze, accompanied by a shy smile, after he mustered a small greeting. JJ small-talked. Something he hated. He asked her if she surfed, and a goofy grin involuntarily spread across his face as she replied, "Yeah, but I'm nowhere near as good as you."
A brief encounter that instilled some much needed confidence in the boy to continue striking up conversations with her throughout the week. It became a routine; he would venture into the water, while she sat on the beach, engrossed in a book. Occasionally, she would wander off to collect seashells or capture photographs, but whenever he returned, she was there, patiently waiting for him.
With his surfboard propped up in the sand, he settled down next to Matilda as she playfully complained about getting wet when he shook out his hair, a wide grin lighting up her face.
