Strawberry Sunscreen - JJ Maybank - Outer Banks

Chapter 10 - Pilot || Part 10

After finding the location of the motel, the group noted how badly the motel seemed to look, not only after the storm, but in general. The motel was located a few miles away from where the boat was originally found. "This place is a shitshow," said John B.

"Motel or meth lab?" Kie asked.

"You be the judge," said Pope.

"Yeah, if I owned a Grady White, this is exactly where I'd stay," Elizabeth stated sarcastically.

"No, it looks like a place where someone with a Grady White would get killed," said Pope, sounding a bit nervous. With all the crime documentary knowledge stored in Pope's brain, he knew that only bad things occur in motels like this.

"This is your captain speaking, HMS Pogue comin' in for landing," JJ spoke, before jumping off of the boat and tying it up.

"Hey," Pope began.

"Yup?" John B said, turning his attention back to the boy on the boat.

"Don't leave the two of them alone together, alright?" Requested Pope.

"I'd like both of my friends to return alive," stated Kiara.

"Who, us?" Asked Elizabeth, pointing in between her and JJ. The girl felt a tingle on her shoulder as JJ turned around and placed his arm around her. Elizabeth looked back at the boy who was looking at Pope and smiling, a blush slowly creeping up on her face. The girl ignored the strange feeling in her stomach as she looked back at Pope.

"Oh we will," said JJ, who dropped his arm from around Elizabeth and began to walk towards the motel, leading the way.

"I'm not making promises," said John B. "Plus, she kinda scares me."

Elizabeth laughed, looking away from her friends and turning her attention towards the motel. "Here goes nothing," she whispered to herself.

Pope and Kiara had decided to hang back at the boat to look out for any trouble while the others schemed their way into the motel room. "Be careful," Kiara said with concern to John B— only John B. "I mean it." The group watched the interaction, Elizabeth looking over to see Pope looking down at the ground in deep thought. As John B walked up behind JJ, the boy placed his hand on John B's back.

"Just be so careful, John," JJ mocked, caressing John B's face. John B pushed JJ away, rolling his eyes at the blonde boy.

"God, you're so weird," said John B.

"What was that about?" JJ asked his friend, curiously.

"I don't know, maybe she wants us to be careful," John B explained.

"She wasn't telling me and JJ to be careful, that's for sure," Elizabeth teased, noting how Kiara had only been looking at John B while she expressed her concern previously.

"Since she heard you're being threatened with exile, she's just been, like, 'Oh! Be so careful, John B. Oh, give me that John D already.' When are you gonna swoop on that, man?" JJ asked, causing Elizabeth to snicker.

"Nice one," Elizabeth stated, causing JJ to thank her.

"Bro, you know the rule," John B began.

"The rule?" Elizabeth asked, unsure of what the two boys were referring to..

"No pogue on pogue macking. It's supposed to keep things less awkward between all of us," explained John B.

"Did you just refer to it as macking? God, I hate that word," Elizabeth cringed.

"Yup." John B confirmed.

"So what, you're saying JJ and Pope can't kiss? Lame rule if you ask me," joked Elizabeth. "Oh c'mon I can't be the only one who sees it." JJ scrunched his nose and shook his head at the comment, a small smile emerging on his face.