"THATS ABOUT, WHAT? A 3 STORY fall off the deck?" Pope Heyward, the nerdiest boy of the Outerbanks chuckled. "I give you a 1 out of 3 chance of survival."

  John B. Routledge grinned mischievously, licking his pointer finger and lifting it up towards the tangerine colored sky. He was barley balancing on one foot atop of a newly constructed beach house. "Should I do it?"

  "Yeah, I'll shoot you on the way down." Pope chuckled, pointing the drill in his hand at John B.

"Oh, you'll shoot me?" The Routledge boy challenged with a laugh, folding his fingers into faux guns and playfully shooting towards his best friend.

  Kiara Carrera, the islands local planet activist that had disappeared into the vacant home to explore could be heard entering. She was actually judging the new technologies included, and as she walked out she voiced those complaints. "They're gonna have Japanese toilets with towel warmers!"

  Sierra Ray, tiredly resting her head on the metal bar in front of her gave the girl a bemused look. "That just screams I am rich, and what the hell even are Japanese toilets?"

"Of course they would, why wouldn't they?" JJ Maybank commented, not really caring about her concerns but he still acknowledged them to seem interested. The blonde boy had one hand hanging off the same metal bar Sierra's rested on, dangling a beer in the warm breeze.

  "This use to be a turtle habitat, but who cares about the turtles, I guess." Kiara glanced around confusingly, attempting to find where the voices of her friends came from. She tilted her head up and nearly gasped, eyes widening at the sight of John B causally playing with death on the ledge of the roof.

  "I can't have cold towels." JJ added on softly, sipping at his beer to ignore the glaring gaze of Kiara.

  "Hey, I care." Sierra raised a hand like a school girl waiting to be called on. "I love the turtles, they're green and weird, but very cute."

  The blonde beside Sierra looked at her with a smug smirk and nudge her shoulder. "Yesterday I bought you chocolate and you left the wrapper on the ground. You never picked up."

  "Fuck you Maybank." She flipped the boy off, feigning betrayal on her pretty features.

  "Aww, love you too." JJ chuckled, knowing that Sierra could never be mad at him no matter how stupid he was. The boy dropped an arm around her shoulders, tugging her close to his side just to tease her.

  "Ugh, I hate you." Sierra groaned, immediately contradicting her words as she rested her head on his shoulder. "And you stink."

  "Hey! I just showered." The boy argued, scrunching his brows with confusion, pointing at his messy hair. "Bourbon by Head and Shoulders." Sierra stuck her tongue out in disgust, shutting her eyes to pretend like she was asleep. "Hey, don't drop that beer 'cause i'm not giving you another one!"

  As if the blonde jinxed the future, John B immediately let go of his beer, watching as the contents spilled onto wooden deck. He muttered a curse, planting both feet on the ledge and watched the bubbly liquid with frustration.

  "Of course you did." JJ huffed, rolling his blue eyes, "Like, right after I told you not to, A plus."

  "Smooth."

  "Rest in piece to that beer." Sierra pouted, her irises trailing over to the JJ's beer, "You don't mind if I drink it, do you?"

  "I-" The boy was cut off as Sierra immediately took away the beverage, not caring for a yes or no.

  "Thanks."

  "Sure, I don't mind at all." JJ mumbled with a scoff, taking the time to admire her side profile despite his annoyance.

  "Perfect, so..I can drink the rest?"

  "Give me that." JJ shot Sierra a glare, taking the nearly empty can of beer from her. He lightly sipped on the rest, ignoring her mutters of protest as the girl went back to resting on his shoulder.

  Pope watched in amusement, though he was the only one to catch the sound of rubber tires gliding against rocky gravel. He glanced down to see a car approaching, two men in blue uniforms and...particularly round statures stepping out.

  "Hey, uh, security is here, let's wrap it up." Pope gently tapped the railing a few times before rushing towards the sliding doors. The one thing guaranteed during hang outs with the Pogue's is that Pope would be the first to leave the crime scene. The smart boy never failed to remind them all that he had his own things on the line. And despite loving their hangouts at abandoned buildings or the homes in Figure 8 still under constructions, he couldn't get caught.

  "Boys are early today." John B noted, watching from his high spot on the roof like a hawk in the sky, searching for it's prey.

  Sierra let out a throaty groan, feeling JJ's shoulder disappear from under her jaw. "We've barley been here for, like..twenty minutes."

  "It's nearly been two hours, but you were getting there, princess." JJ chuckled, tugging at her wrist to get her to get up and moving. He leaned over the metal railing of the platform, his grip on her hand never faltering. "Gary, is that you?"

  "JJ, quit it!" Sierra couldn't help but laugh, pulling the boy away from the edge. She followed behind him, maneuvering her tall figure through the bars of the platform and onto the deck."Let's go, Johnny!" The Ray girl looked up at the brunette who was sliding down the roof, scrambling to climb down the structure.

  "Jump, you've got a big strong man to catch you!" JJ shouted up to his best friend, chuckling as John B threw him a look. "I've been workin' out."

  Kiara looked at Sierra, hooking their arms as an infectious string of giggles slipped out their mouths. "Ladies first." Sierra commented, mockingly bowing before throwing a glance behind her back. "Catch up, boys!"

  The group of teenagers let out whoops and shouts of excitement as they raced through the home, adrenaline pumping through their veins. The chase, the shouts, the laughs, the thought of getting caught, it was both a motivation to hurry and a guilty pleasure. The high of that serotonin filling their brains all fed into the energy. Sierra couldn't even feel that burn in her legs when she reached the bottom of the stairs.

  This is something the Pogue's consider to be fun, which is what separated them from the rest of the snobby Kooks. Whilst they were golfing, tanning in yachts, sipping Martinis, the Pogue's jumped over fences and sprinted into a beat up van as a hobby.

  "Not much of a hugger, man!" JJ shouted teasingly as he escaped the grip of the security guard that nearly had him. Dodging the other one that followed close behind him. "C'mon, Pope let's go!"

  Sierra caught sight of Pope who was just a few feet in front of JJ, tossing himself over the wooden fence and toppling onto the faux grass. With JJ's encouraging shouts, he was quick to get back on his feet, allowing room for Sierra to swing her legs over and land smoothly. She felt the security guards arm just mere inches from her's, turning to see him crash into the planks with an angered grunt.

  "Woah, calm down Peter Griffin. You're gonna break it, don't think they pay you enough to fix it." Sierra laughed, flicking off the man before sprinting back towards the parked van that awaited her arrival. Nearly like a carriage, and though the circumstances were far from a Royal ball, Sierra wouldn't ever replace it for anything.

  "Look at Gary gunnin' for a raise!" Pope commented laughing loudly as the large guard chased after them.

  "Wait, John B slow down." JJ instructed, digging through the cardboard packaging to retrieve another can of beer. He peeked his head out from the open van door, a teasing grin painted itself onto his features. "Come on, you're so close!" JJ taunted the old man that gradually began turning red, his sprints turning into slow limps with every step he took. "Come on, there you go!"

  The security guard caught the drink, nearly tripping over his aching legs as he bent over with tired pants. If Sierra could record this moment and live in it forever, she would. Nothing beats the sound of her friends laughing and that ache in her stomach. Watching from the dirty window, it seemed as if even the day had been as beautiful as the moment. The sky, the water, a perfect  and yet so imperfect life.

  She watched as the sign she'd seen nearly thousands of times passed by, never failing to make her smile.

THE OUTERBANKS
paradise on earth

—

"Hurricane Agatha is getting closer and closer to the outer banks of North Carolina." Some middle-age lady on the TV announced, hands pointing over to a colorful swirl that shifted through Atlantic ocean. Sierra sank in her couch and clicked it off, she ran her hands over her face, dragging her tired features.

"For fuck sake." Sierra groaned lowly, talking to one in particular except for the pictures frames littered across her shelves. She stood from the couch, bare feet padding against the floor to reach a back closet in her small house. She grabbed her fathers toolbox along with a couple wooden boards that were always kept there in case of emergencies. Sierra wandered outside and felt the harsh wind in her hair, the feeling of cold water droppings already pricking her tan skin. The sky filled with grey gloomy clouds as the sun practically disappeared, the Outerbanks missing it's natural glow. "This is gonna be one hell of a storm."

Sierra took a plank, layering it over her glass windows, amateur-like considering her dad was the one who usually did this job. After a while, she'd boarded up all her windows it began to rain harder. The light pricks turned into strikes of fat droplets pounding down on the island. By the time she walked back into the house she was wet and very cold, so she hopped into a hot shower for a nice refreshment. She had to take advantage, already knowing that Cut would most likely be powerless for at least a week. No power meant no hot water, and Sierra didn't like cold showers.

  As soon as she got out, she dried up quickly,
listening to the whipping wind that fought with the trees. A few clacks followed, probably stray twigs crashing against her roof. Standing in the bathroom, Sierra noticed how the lights flickered, distracting her from her usual routine. Nonetheless, she changed into a giant t-shirt that belong to JJ, miraculously it'd been one he hadn't torn up. She paired it with some shorts, white socks, a silk bonnet to protect her natural hair and she was in bed within a few minutes.

  She cuddled under a white, soft blanket, just listening to the sound of thunder as it rang through her ears. Like her own personal white noise that put her in a sleepy daze. From time to time a flash of lightening would illuminate her room, striking down with a crash. She hardly remembered it, though, too focus on the approaching sleep that took her away. But just as quickly as it came, it left.

The sun peered through Sierra's window as she fluttered her eyes open, squinting her sensitive eyes from the beaming light. She checked the time, nearly gasping as it read 10:37 am. It made her groan, rubbing her eyes tiredly before letting her hands fall back to her lap.

  For the next five minutes, Sierra just stared. Glaring at the small gap in the wooden planks that allowed the small stream of light to pour in. Contemplating whether she should just go back to sleep. It's a free day, she remembered JJ's words. He always stated the same thing after each hurricane or even a small storm. Claiming that it was a new rule placed by the pentagon that was only meant for Pogue's.

  As tempting as it was, Sierra stood up and walked out her home to observe the mess Agatha left. Not surprising, it was a total shit show. A mess caused by the aggressive winds had covered the road, glancing over at her neighbor, it was just as worse. Luckily, all plants had remained in rooted in their spots and no tree had fallen onto her roof.

  Sierra walked back into her home, one hand instinctively going to flick on the lights, but of course, it was out. Just like she'd guessed. She let out a sigh before turning back, choosing to clean up her yard a bit. Just until she got bored, which was only about thirty minutes later. Sierra began to get ready, slipping out of her night clothes and into her regular outfit. Same top, different colors and denim shorts. Long, wavy hair messily let loose and her worn out converse protecting her feet. The same shoes she'd gotten for her birthday a few years ago.

It was then that she heard a loud engine rumbling nearby, her open window allowing the noise to flow in more clearly.

"We've got an arrest warrant for Sierra Ray!" JJ familiar voice shouted, glowing blue eyes staring at the back door of her home. The boat came to a slow stop, waiting in front of the old dock. Sierra couldn't hold back her smile, pushing open the backdoor with excitement. "She's being charged for being too hot to handle."

The girl rolled her eyes, taking JJ's hand that he offered out. "That's so corny." Sierra muttered, stepping onto the boat carefully.

"What, it's true." JJ shrugged, stepping over to lean against John B.

"How's the house?" The Routledge boy asked, dark eyes hidden behind a pair of sunglasses he probably got from a sketchy gas station.

"Peachy, barley even felt a thing." Sierra informed, sitting down and leaning back. "And the Chateu."

  "Great, she stills stands strong."

Sierra nodded, turning to look out at the moving water. "So, what adventure shall we embark on today?"

"A little bit of fishing, some ravaging, potentially some smoking." JJ voiced, walking to sit beside her. "Throw in some thievery in there, as well."

Sierra chuckled, turning to look at him with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Sounds dangerous, could potentially be thrown in jail." The girl shrugged, "I'm in."

-natti's note-
And that's it for the first chapter of "Pirate." How was it!? I really wanna know if it was good or not, please comment! To me this chapter was, eh. Okay but idk