"I propose we go exploring," Skye said to JJ and Kiara who sat in front of her. She was seated on John B's couch, who was no where to be found. The situation with Pope was similar.
Kie looked at her doubtfully. "Go explore what?" Her eyebrows arched as she asked the words. Her and JJ exchanged eye contact.
JJ simply shrugged. "I'm down." He smiled over at Skye, who gave him a nod.
She then turned to Kiara. "I haven't seen that much of Outer Banks. Come on, there has to be places to go and things to see." In all honesty, Skye was bored. She was getting sick of the same trivial patterns over and over. While it was much better than being home, it lacked excitement.
"The power's out on half the island, Skye," Kie explained, her arms falling over her chest. "There isn't much to do."
A small smile came to JJ's lips. "Then let's go where the power isn't out." His features held a look as if he was ready to reek mayhem.
"You want to go hang out on Figure Eight?" Kiara questioned the boy, her face screwing up as she asked the question. She held resentment in her tone.
He shrugged. "There's more to do over there. Besides, what can we do here with no power?" He had a point, and Kiara knew it.
Skye glanced over her with a hopeful look, her eyes batting. Kiara fell victim to the girl. "Fine, but only for a few hours. And we're not interacting with any of them. Deal?"
JJ and Skye turned to each other with grins on their faces. "Deal."
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
"Wait, pull over here," Skye ordered as she glanced at the area covered with trees to the right side of the road.
Kiara turned to the backseat where Skye sat, her SUV pulling onto the shoulder where Skye ordered. "Uh, why?" Kie questioned as she glanced behind her on the secluded, quiet road.
"See that path?" Skye questioned, sliding over in the backseat to the right. She reached for the door handle, pushing the door open. She shut it behind her, hearing the engine turn off before JJ and Kie emerged from the vehicle that she had parked.
A small bridge led over a ditch into the clearing in the wilderness area. It was marked by a dirt trail. She glanced past the bridge for only a moment, before jumping onto the wooden platform and crossing over the small path of flowing water.
She turned to the pair who seemed to be hesitating to cross over into the small forest. "You guys coming?" she questioned, glancing over at them.
Since Pope currently wasn't present to mitigate the flow of bad ideas, Kie knew she would have to step up and play the role. "Are you sure we should just go into the woods?"
JJ shrugged. "What's the worst that could happen?"
After a small trek through the wooded area, the trio located a small lake. It was at the end of the path, and Skye was absolutely thrilled at what they had discovered. She felt she knew something about the Outer Banks that not many others did.
JJ, however, asked a dangerous question in pondering that the worst outcome could be. It ended up being bees.
Skye was swarmed by bees. After receiving a few stings, because she ran from the bees while JJ simply screeched as loud as he could (he heard that it messed with the equilibrium of the cruel creatures), she laughed.
Kiara consoled the girl after ensuring she wasn't allergic. Skye was pretty sure she wasn't. The pain from the numerous stings didn't really faze her. Instead of allowing the pain to overcome her, she simply sat on the dirt ground and laughed to herself.
JJ was completely and utterly confused, as well as slightly spooked by the girl's reaction. Kiara, on the other hand, assumed she coped with pain and injury by laughing through it.
She already knew something was wrong with Skye, anyway.
This didn't prepare her for Skye giving her a long hug in return as she sat next to her on the ground. In fact, it took Kie completely aback.
The moment was one of bonding between the pair.
After the small incident, the trio ended up at the local elementary school because Skye wanted to utilize the swing set.
Kiara sat next to her on the playground equipment meant for much smaller children. JJ insisted on pushing the girls, doing "underdog" every chance he had. He genuinely wanted to show off his strength.
He believed that by pushing the two girls who were significantly smaller than him was the way to flex his muscles. The girls then sat with their legs in each other's swings to do "banana." JJ pushed the girls with intertwined legs, their swings being linked. JJ pushed them extremely aggressively, nearly knocking the girls out of the seats.
The playing on the swing sets them moved to the merry-go-round. Skye and Kiara allowed JJ to have his fun as they spun the device around as J attempted to balance.
He very dramatically tossed himself from it, the boy rolling in the wood chips. He took Skye down with him by pulling her legs out from under her.
It landed up with Skye next to JJ in the wooden ground as Kiara laughed as she sat on the elementary version of a carousel. His arm was around her shoulder, their faces up towards the clouded sky.
It was one of the best days Skye had had in a while.
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
