𝐆𝐎𝐋𝐃𝐄𝐍 | jj maybank

Prologue

PROLOGUE

TONGUE TIED — GROUPLOVE
I loved you then and I love you now

THE DAY JJ met Stella-Anne Marx, he knew he was a goner.

They were in the fourth grade and the Marx family had just moved back onto the island after a messy divorce that left Stella's mother craving the nostalgic security of her hometown. The older woman had grown up on the island, but left after high school in pursuit of a medical career and a better life than The Cut could provide. It seemed that she only managed to obtain one of the two goals she had set for herself, because after leaving her ex-husband, she packed her daughter's life into a suitcase and sailed back to the only place she had ever been able to call home: the Outer Banks.

At the time, Stella had no idea what to make of their sudden change in scenery. She went from a nice house in the suburbs to a run down bungalow on the rougher part of town. She was happy to get away from her father, but she didn't want to move states to do so. She had friends at school, swimming lessons she loved, and a tree house in her backyard that her dad had built for her before his temper and bitterness got the best of him. She wasn't too keen on leaving her life behind, and as the most stubborn ten year old her mother ever had the pleasure of knowing, she made sure she let the older woman know that in every possible way.

One of the ways Stella rebelled was stealing. The young girl had always liked magic tricks, leading her to be quite skilled in sleight of hand. Her sticky fingers picked up everything from candy bars in the grocery stores to free lunches in the school's cafeteria. She never cared much about getting caught. If she was, she could easily bat her eyes and sweet talk her way out of it.

One day, Stella's mild klepto-tendencies led her into her new school's cafeteria in search of a nice, cold juice box. No one was around as classes were in session—Stella having lied to her teacher about needing to go to the bathroom—and she thought that she might quench her thirst by nicking a refreshing beverage from the cafeteria's fridge. When she entered the kitchen, the last thing she expected to find was the blond kid from her homeroom shoving all the juice boxes into his backpack.

With a hand in her hip and her head tilted to the side, Stella raised an eyebrow and made her presence known. "Leave me a box of apple, will you?" she said, her voice echoing through the kitchen.

The blond boy froze and slowly turned around like a dear caught in headlights. Stella found his stunned expression amusing and urged him to continue what he was previously doing with a laugh. She assured him she wouldn't say a word about it so long as he shared his loot.

Before he could toss her a box of apple juice, one of the lunch ladies came out of the back room and interrupted their one-sided conversation with shouts of theft. Without thinking, Stella grabbed the blond's hand and made a run for it out the door and down the hall. When they stopped in an empty corridor, the blond boy breathlessly introduced himself as JJ Maybank.

Stella just shook her head with a smirk curling on her lips. "I know who you are," she said. "You're in my homeroom."

"You're not going to tell me your name?" he countered with a slight frown.

"Only after you give me my juice box." Stella shrugged. "Though, I do think getting us out of there earns me two now."

JJ shoved his hand in his bag and pulled out two apple juice boxes. He handed her one, but kept the other as leverage. "You get the other after you tell me your name." He was deeply interested in his unknown accomplice. She had made a memorable first impression and he needed to know who she was.

"You know, I could do that," Stella started, walking closer to the boy, "or I could keep you wishing that you paid better attention to roll call this morning." She walked past him, her shoulder bumping his, and walked down the hallway. Raising her hand that held two unopened juice boxes, she glanced back over her shoulder and waved goodbye with a laugh. "See ya around, JJ!"

JJ looked around in shock. He didn't even notice her steal the second juice box off of him.

After school that day, Stella was the sole topic of conversation between JJ and his best friend, John B. JJ couldn't get over the disbelief that he had been out-thieved by the new girl. John B was quick to inform him that he had new neighbours and they just so happened to be the girl in question.

That night, they knocked on the Marx's door. Not only did they find out Stella's name, but they also found a new best friend.

Flash forward about six years and their group of three was now a group of five. John B had introduced Pope to the crew about four months after Stella came into the picture, and a few years later, Kiara was quick to join their ranks.

Each had their own role in the group. John B was the unofficial leader, Pope was the brains, JJ was the glue, Kiara was the responsible one, and Stella was the peacekeeper. They were the best of friends with the tightest of bonds. Pogues for life with the promise that one would never stand alone. The five of them were more than just friends—they were family.

But even the closest of families go through rough patches.

RAE SPEAKS !
hello and welcome (or welcome back) to golden! happy reading!

jj after stella stole the juice box off of him: