bonus chapter
200k special

JJ Maybank remembers the first day he ever saw Athena Cameron. It was a random day when they were around twelve, and he was just taking a stroll across the island instead of going home and dealing with his dad, when a bike suddenly rushed past him, a fly of brunette hair along with it. He was so taken back when he recognised the Cameron girl immediately – her bike being so familiar across the island, his best friend John B pointing out if was hers one day at the Wreck when it was leant up against the wall outside – and physically stopped in his tracks. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion, why was a kook, a Cameron above all else, riding their bike on the cut.

And so he followed her... or at least tried to, she had already gotten a bit far away since he stopped. He managed to figure out where she was going, Heywards. Heyward was Pope Heyward's father, the man exclusively being known by his last name, and was probably the best person on the island, he had everything in his shop that one would need and he was kind, caring and selfless.

JJ noticed Athena stop, smiling at the man, who greeted her happily. JJ's eyebrows knitted in confusion even more, wondering how Heyward even know Athena, but JJ knew one thing, she must have been a good person for Heyward to like him, for the man disliked many people, including JJ.

In reality, this was the first time Athena had visited Heyward at his shop. It was only a few days ago when she was wandering around, walking home from the Wreck when she noticed Heyward struggling with his shopping bags. And because Athena was taught by Rose at a very young age that helping people was something you should always do, and was something Athena had always enjoyed doing for entirely selfless reasons, for she lived to make other people's lives easier, and Dorota always told her that her kindness was her greatest strength, Athena went over to the man and offered her help. She helped him carry his bags all the way back to his shop, and then she continued to stay and help him unpack, the two getting to know each other quite quickly.

When she left later that evening, bidding the man goodbye after telling him that she needed to be home for dinner otherwise she would be in trouble with her father, she promised him she would come and help again at the weekend.

And now it was Saturday morning, and Athena got Dorota to wake her up early so she could ride her bike over to the cut and visit Heyward, just as promised. She put on a pair of cycle shorts under her blue summer dress and her black converse and put her hair up in two half up dutch braids before cycling over to the man's shop.

JJ remembers staying there for a little while and just watching her... not in a creepy way, more like he was admiring her from afar, like she was so mesmerising that he couldn't keep his eyes off of her. He sat there, next to the wooden bit of the Heyward deck, watching her with a small smile on his face.

And Athena so involved in what she was doing, didn't even notice. She didn't notice the way he laughed affectionally when she tripped over something, or he how his smile grew every time she laughed, or how that the usually reckless, confidence, loud JJ Maybank had been rendered silent from her selflessness... well just her in general actually. Athena didn't notice any of that.

She also didn't know, how she played with her rings when her and Heyward had stopped and began to talk, clearly talking about something she was uncomfortable with, or that her eyes light up when he made a joke before she laughed so hard, she had to scrunch her eyes shut and hold onto something to stop herself from falling over, or that she flicked her hair over her shoulder whenever she moved, and despite having it out of her face, she kept pulling the two front bits down to frame her face subconsciously.

JJ did.

He noticed a lot about her in those moments, and it was then that his crush started on her. Since then he went every Saturday morning to see if she was there, and when she wasn't, he went on a Sunday, just in case she changed it up. And when she was there, he simply watched her in awe, constantly surprised by her caring nature.

He even noticed the day she dyed her hair blonde. It was freshman year of high school, and her and Sarah decided they needed a change to represent the new beginning and celebrate starting high school, the supposed best years of your life, and so they both decided to bleach their hair and go blonde. JJ remembers because he didn't recognise her at first, he was sure that it was a customer until he heard her laugh at something Heyward had said, and he immediately knew that it was her.

He remembers that day so vividly because of how beautiful she looked. Her blonde hair shone in the sun as Heyward complimented her, twirling around so her hair spun out around her. JJ remembers liking her even more on that day, her hair suiting her so well that it simply enhanced her previous natural beauty.

However, the day he watched Pope Heyward spin Athena Cameron around happily, it all went downhill for him. JJ Maybank was reckless. Everyone knew it, kook knew it (Maybanks had a reputation), his best friend, John B knew it, Pope and Kiara Carrera knew it, Heyward knew it, literally everyone knew. His reckless nature took over in that moment, so clouded by anger that his friend hadn't told him of their friendship, despite JJ telling all of his friends – although in a jokey manner because kooks were the enemy – that the only kook he'd ever get with would be Athena Cameron, and that he'd be up for it because he really like her. He felt betrayed, and so he did what he did best.

He hid his feelings and turned the sadness into anger and hatred, aimed at the kooks, because at least then it could be justified not just by her singular action. He knew he didn't hate the girl, who could? In his eyes she was perfect and always would be, but she was a kook and so she had to be treated like one in order to not raise suspicion, even if it killed him a bit inside.

But once again that went downhill when Athena helped then get to the internet. They had just found out about the Royal Merchant, and JJ was the only person who had access to a place with internet. And it was just his luck that a security guard caught them and asked them all for their access cards, proceeding to threaten to kick them out once they could not produce said cards. If it wasn't for Pope spotting Athena at the end of the corridor and rushing them all over to her, they would've failed and could kiss their chance at finding the royal merchant goodbye.

Luckily, because of the incredible person Athena was and had always been, she quickly went along with their rouse and helped them to the computer room, access the internet and find the place they were looking for. She even told another worker to leave, making another excuse up and boring him into leaving so he didn't catch the pogues where they weren't supposed to be.

JJ remembers smiling softly at the girl, in awe once again as she spoke about the pogue vs kook rivalry and the stupidity of it. The smile quickly dropped from his face, putting up his 'I hate kooks' wall once more.

His walls were knocked down though, as Athena got closer and closer to them. He was already in deep trouble after walking her home from the boneyard party. The two got to know each other, and Athena in her slightly tipsy state and all in her two am mind, got quite vulnerable with the boy she barely knew. JJ realised he was in deep when he walked back home with a smile on his face.

JJ first noticed his feelings growing again when he danced with Athena at the Wreck. She looked upset that Pope wouldn't dance with her, the boy pouting because he had a crush on Kie and she was dancing with John B, and all JJ could think in that moment was getting her to smile. So he asked her to dance, and as he spun her under his arm, her hair spinning around before so crashed into his chest with a laugh, JJ smiled. He smiled, soft and gentle, and as he looked down at her, he knew that the feeling he had for her had doubled in just a mere few seconds.

But the first time he realised he was in love with her. Now that was a different story. It was the same night that JJ, Pope, Kie and Athena all went to watch the movie on Figure Eight. Pope and JJ had gone behind the screen to piss because Rafe, Topper and Kelce were blocking the toilets and the boys were too scared to face them after sinking Topper's boat because Rafe beat Pope with a golf club. However, their plan was unsuccessful when the three boys jumped JJ and Pope behind the screen.

Kiara and Athena managed to save the two, Athena punching the boys and Kiara ultimately lighting the screen on fire to force everyone, including them to leave. Athena didn't leave JJ, instead she stayed with him and took him back to her house. The boy had been beaten up by Rafe as Kelce held JJ so he couldn't fight back, and Athena was fine (she would only have a bruised knuckle in the morning, nothing she couldn't handle nor had she had before.)

But that wasn't the important part in this story. No, the important part was when Athena snuck the boy in her bedroom and he met Dorota, the woman inflating his ego when she admitted Athena had spoken about him before Athena grabbed his hand and dragged him to her bathroom.

She began to clean his wounds, and even when he reassured her he was fine, she didn't let up. But the moment he knew he was in love with her was when, after he made a joke about his father's abuse, she looked up at him with nothing but concern, despite the fact that they had only really known each other for a few days. And when he reassured her once again, the concern never faded, and it was in that moment, when she looked at him, and he was the one with her entire attention that she was being so selfless and caring towards and she offered her bedroom as his safe place, he knew that he was in love with her. And that she, herself, was his safe place.

For Athena, she fell in love with JJ Maybank when she started to catch herself looking towards him whenever she was happy or needed to be happy again. Every time she achieved something or was upset about something, she turned to JJ, not for any reason in particular but because his presence made her happy and she wanted to celebrate her own achievements with him.

She remembers to day she asked Rose how the woman knew she was in love with Ward. It was the day that JJ had been arrested. Athena had gone home and caught up with Sarah before the two watched romcoms until they fell asleep. However, at about midnight Athena had woken up, very dehydrated and so she went downstairs to get some water, the only thing in her mind was worry for JJ.

Rose was still up, doing work at the kitchen counter. She was sorting last minute things out for Midsummer, which was the next day. Rose looked up with furrowed eyebrows when she heard footsteps walking into the kitchen, smiling at Athena as she walked closer.

The blonde got her glass of water before leaning on the counter opposite the woman.

"You okay?" Rose asked her, looking up from her work in confusion.

"How did you know that you were in love with dad?" Athena suddenly questioned her.

"Why?"

"I just wanna know... how you realised? How you knew?" Athena shrugged.

Rose eyed her suspiciously but answered nonetheless, "I first knew that I was in love with your dad because he was my safe place, and the person I could go to no matter what. I looked to your dad whenever I was sad because he could cheer me up, and if I was happy because there was no one else I wanted to celebrate my achievements with, and all I wanted to do was protect him under any and all circumstances."

Athena smiled softly at the woman's words, looking down at the counter for a few moments.

"Do you love someone Athena?" Rose wondered.

"I think so." Athena nodded.

"Love is not something you think, it's something you know." Rose told her, leaning over and placing her hands over Athena's. "You my dear girl are so special and have a heart like no other person I know, and while that is a beautiful strength to have, it can also be your biggest weakness If you only think you love someone then be careful."

Athena thought about her words carefully before her smile grew again. "I love him."

"Then he's be a fool to not love you back so do not be afraid my darling, go for it." Rose reassured her. "When the time is right, and I assure you, you'll know then too, tell him, because you are the most loveable person in all of Outer Banks."

"Thanks Rose." Athena rounded the counter, wrapping her arms around the woman that she would gladly call her mother.

"Anytime, Thena." Rose hugged her back with a smile. Rose hadn't always been close with any of the kids, even Wheezie liked to hang out with her own friends or even her siblings rather than her mother, and both Rafe and Sarah didn't particularly like the woman but Athena, sweet little Athena had always had an open mind when it came to Rose, and the woman would be eternally grateful for the young girl.

Their relationship, minus the constant threat of death, was beautiful. JJ Maybank and Athena Cameron complimented each other like they were written by the goddess, Taylor Swift herself (not one of her sad songs though). They were there for each other, always. When Athena was kidnapped, JJ was there rushing John B to do something, when JJ turned up at Midsummers, Athena was there giving him a hug, when John B and Sarah were announced dead, they were their for each other.

The only problem was they had both had just lost someone important to them. Athena had lost her twin sister, her lifelong friend basically at the hands of her brother, her best friend, and JJ had just lost the only person who ever believed in him, who had always believed in him. They both loved each other, but they needed to grieve and with all the kooks still believing that John B killed Sheriff Peterkin, JJ wanted space from the kooks, and unfortunately that meant Athena as well.

JJ remembers the days after John B's 'death'. He drowned his sorrows, and became more reckless and angry, going back to Athena at god knows when in the night with cuts on his face, bruised knuckles and black and blue skin. And even though Athena was grieving the loss of her sister, her friend and her brother, she was Athena and so she did what she always did. She helped him, she cleaned him up and put eye on his bruises and ran her hands through his hair until he fell asleep

She hated him for being so reckless but she understood so deeply that she couldn't bare to ever bring her concerns up with him, for she was coping in her own way. Athena had made a little memorial for Sarah up on the roof where the two used to hang out all the time, and she sat up there every day, just talking to the girl she prayed was actually still alive. Not only that, but she had fired Dorota, and basically isolated herself, submerging herself in schoolwork. She even became friends with Topper, who was the only other kook who believed John B was not at fault.

JJ remembers the day that Athena began to isolate herself. It was the day after they heard the news about John B and Sarah and the girl had fired Dorota. She stayed in her bedroom the entire day, and JJ remembers watching as Dorota left the house with all of her belongings. The boy was going to check on Athena when the woman caught his attention. He quickly rushed over to her, greeting the woman before helping her put her belongings in the cab that was waiting outside. She smiled at the boy, accepting his help happily.

"You treat her good Master JJ." Dorota stated as she stood by the door of the taxi.

"I will." JJ reassured her.

"She is a good girl with a kind heart, do not take her caring nature for granted." Dorota told him sternly. "You two are good for each other."

"Thank you."

"Stay safe, and please tell Miss Athena I love her." Dorota smiled sadly, getting in the cab as JJ nodded.

The blond waved Dorota off before rounding to the back of the house and climbing into Athena's bedroom. He greeted the girl, who had locked her bedroom door and was crying her eyes out at the window, having also watched Dorota leave. JJ sent her a sympathetic look before allowing her to collapse in his eyes, it being one of the only nights during the time before they found out their two friends were actually alive that JJ comforted Athena instead of the other way around.

But it didn't matter who comforted who, because at the end of the day they loved each other and always would. Full Pogue... till death do they part. ​​

𝗜𝗦𝗢𝗕𝗘𝗟 𝗦𝗣𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗦
PAPER RINGS HAS 200K READS!!
I AM UNBELIEVABLY GRATEFUL FOR EVERY SINGLE PERSON WHO HAD READ THIS BOOK AND LOVES ATHENA AS MUCH AS I DO
ROLL ON FEBRUARY SO I CAN GET MY GIRL BABE
HOPEFULLY YOU ALL LIKED THIS BONUS CHAPTER I KNOW I DID!!
till death do they part 👀👀
you guys are amazing and i love you all so so much thank you once again for all the reads, votes and comments they give me life
see you soon
isobel xxxx