The Royal Merchant was deteriorating on the ocean floor. The ship was in pieces. There was definitely no gold. I couldn't say I was disappointed because I had a feeling this would happen, but I felt bad for my brother.

"It's not there. Look, just- just pull the drone up." John B sighs.

"Look, we can do another pass, recharge the battery. We can- we can go back down." Pope tries.

"We've done it three times." JJ points out. "There's nothing there."

"Shut up!" Kie demands loudly.

"What? It's true!"

"The gold could be buried. We don't know."

"If it was here, it would've been found on the metal detector, okay?" I could tell John B was gutted. "Somebody beat us to it."

"Or it was never there." JJ retorts.

"JJ, please." I walk over to him. "We know it's not there, okay? Please don't make him feel worse." I beg.

He gives my hand a squeeze, before letting go quickly and focusing back on leaving. We drop off John B at home, but I didn't want to say anything and make him feel worse so I went to JJ's.

"Where's your dad?" I ask walking up to the door, I noticed his dad's car was gone.

"I don't know, probably his drug dealer."

"Oh."

I sit on his couch, relaxing into the seat. I was drained from the trip. JJ lays down on the couch, pulling me on top of him. I cuddle into him, letting myself drift to sleep.

I wake up later, when I feel JJ's absence. I grab my phone and look at the messages I had received while sleeping. John B had texted several time about DCS. I text him back asking where he was. I relax when I get a text back saying he escaped and he was okay.

I step outside, seeing Pope and JJ talking. "Hey!" I call getting there attention.

"Wait, Kat? What are you doing here?" Pope asks.

"Avoiding my moping brother and napping."

"Oh, understandable, you could've come to my place you know?"

"I know. JJ's my friends too." I say shrugging.

"Alright. Did you get the message from Kie about OBX movie night?"

"No?"

"Oh, well I told her we'd be there and she kinda forced us to come."

~~~

After having no luck with the Royal Merchant I went home with JJ. I wanted to avoid John B being all moody because it didn't work out.

I had to admit I was kinda bummed but I figured we wouldn't find anything anyway. JJ and I had just gone to his house and hung out. I was tired and I wasn't up for much after failing.

I had fallen asleep in his bed, curled up in his blankets. He lay with me for awhile before leaving his house.

I woke up several hours later and I had no idea where he went. I text him asking, finding out he had to help Pope with something. I stayed at his house until Kie had invited Pope, JJ and I out.

I walk with my friends down to the field where they hold the OBX summer movies.

"I'm so glad they're still doing this," Kiara speaks up. "Keep calm, carry on. Back to OBX life. You know? Aren't you guys glad I made you come?"

"Ecstatic." Pope says sarcastically.

I glance at JJ, knowing this would've been time to hangout just us two. "My couch was pretty comfy, I'll be honest."

"This just feels like a distraction from everything else happening." I pipe up. "And I had to cancel my other plans."

"We're out of the green zone, man." I hear Pope mutter to my boyfriend.

"Dude, tranquilo, okay?"

"We're in the middle of Kooklandia. This is the last place I wanna be."

"Shut up, Pope." JJ demands.

I turn around stopping them for a moment, Kie continues walking. "What the hell did you guys do?"

"What? Nothing." Pope spits out.

"JJ Maybank, you better tell me right now." I step closer to him. I see Pope cock his eyebrow out of the corner of my eye. "And I don't want a bullshit answer, I want the truth."

"We may have played a trick on the Kooks." He looks at the ground.

"And?" I demand.

"Fuck, we sunk their boat and they know." Pope rushes.

"You what? Do you guys realize how much trouble you're in? You two are unbelievable." I start to walk away to find Kie.

"Kat." JJ tries. When I don't answer he calls for me again. "Katarina, listen to me."

"What?" I say turning around.

"They beat the shit out of Pope. It was just some payback, I promise."

"Who did it? You or him?" I gesture at Pope.

Shame immediately crosses Pope's face, giving me my answer. My eyes widen in shock. That's honestly not what I was expecting from my best friend. I shake my head in disbelief.

"P, what were you thinking?" I ask.

"I don't know, I was angry."

"You guys have to lay low. No more causing trouble, alright? And I mean you JJ."

"What? Why me?"

I cock my head to the side.

"Fine."

I walk back over to where Kiara was buying drinks. As I walk up, I notice Rafe does too.

"Hey ladies. How are you?"

"Dandy." I say at the same time Kiara says she's fine.

"Good, that's good. Um.. Tell your boy that we know what he did." He says looking right at me.

"I honestly don't know what you're talking about." I say shaking my head.

"Yes you do." Rafe says stepping closer.

I turn around, grabbing Kie to make her follow me.

"Bye!" Rafe yells after us.

"Fuck off." I say back.

We walk over to where JJ and Pope has made a spot for us. I sit down next to JJ.

"We just saw Rafe," Kiara informs the boys. "And he says, and I quote 'tell your boy you know what he did.' What is that?"

"Uh, where is he?" JJ asks nervously.

"He's behind us." I say pointing at where him, Topper, and Kelce has posted themselves.

"Great, the whole death squad." Pope whines.

"Don't stare!" JJ says smacking his friend. "Just warning you bro, if they come after me, I'm coming out swinging, okay? Slicin' dicin', I'm on edge right now. If that doesn't work, I got this right here." JJ holds up his backpack.

"Hey relax," I say. "We'll figure things out as we go. Just lay low and chill out."

"Okay, so just stay in a group."

I tune out their conversation, knowing they would just be talking about the same thing in circles. Eventually Kie gets involved too, getting annoyed with the guys. I just shake my head, so much for laying low.

I whip around, looking at all of them. "You guys need to shut the hell up before someone hears you talking about it. Stuff happened, we'll take care of it when it comes to that. But shut up, so it doesn't happen right now in front of all these people."

They all look at me shocked.

Soon it gets dark and the movie starts. I relax against JJ shoulder, knowing our friends would be distracted with the film in front of us. JJ brings his hand to mine, intertwining our fingers.

"That little speech was hella sexy." JJ whispers so only I can hear. I smack his arm lightly. This was not the time or the place.

Part way through the movie I catch loud whispers between JJ and Pope but I ignore it, focusing on the screen. They both start to stand, I catch JJ's hand.

"Where are you going?" I ask.

"We gotta wring it out."

"Ew, sorry I asked." I say.

"What, are you gonna hold it for each other?" Kiara asks sarcastically. I burst out laughing.

The boys end up being gone a really long time. Anxiety had built up in my chest.

"Kie, they've been gone way too long." I point out.

She grabs JJ's bag before following me. We jog over to where the boys had headed to pee. We find them in a full on fight with the Kooks.

"Shit." I mumble.

I'm immediately running at the boys fighting. I grab Rafe's arm, trying to prevent him from hitting my boyfriend again. But he pulls away, catching my face with the back of his hand. I reach up to my stinging cheek in shock. I swing my leg at him, kicking him in the kneecap, making him drop to the ground. I go to kick him again but he catches my ankle and yanks me to the ground. My back hits the solid ground with a loud thud.

My breath is knocked out of me. I couldn't catch it back. I lay on the ground struggling to breathe and gasping for air. Rafe moves to straddle me, keeping me on the ground while Kelce continues to fight JJ. Rafe grabs my wrists pinning me to the ground.

"You think you're tough, huh? Well you're not, you're just as weak and pathetic as the rest of your family."

Tears burn in my eyes. I still couldn't really breath and my body hurt from the impact of the ground.

"Hey! Don't fucking touch her!" JJ yells, shoving him away from me.

Rafe whips around, standing and socks JJ across the face. JJ throws him to the ground moving to hit Kelce too. Rafe moves toward me, grabbing my hair to stand me up. He grabs me around the throat, cutting off my oxygen all together.

"Stop! Let her go, you bastard." JJ yells as Kelce holds him back.

"Hm, seems like we've found a weakness. Do you have a soft spot for the Pogue princess?"

"Fuck you!"

A flicker of light catches my eye. The screen goes up in flames. Rafe drops me to the ground. Kicking me before taking off running with the other Kooks.

JJ rushes over to me, analyzing possible injuries. I still struggle to breathe as I gasp for air. JJ pulls my arm up and places my hand on his chest. "Breathe." He says. I follow his breathing until I finally am breathing normal.

"JJ?" I mumble.

"I'm here, I'm right here." He sits me up slowly. I suck in a breath, the pain in my side from being kicked burned. I wince as I try to stand. "It's okay, I got you, Baby." JJ whispers.

He wraps an arm underneath my arms, hoisting me to my feet. I wrap my arms around his neck, pulling him in for a hug. His arms wrap around my waist, careful of my now bruised side. Tonight was terrifying and his embrace was the only thing that could calm me down.

"Are you okay?"

I nod. "I think so."