My latest obsession lately has been Outer Banks and this story idea has been floating around in my head for the past week and I finally put words to paper, so to speak. I think I've read almost every JJ/oc story there is and finally decided to give it a try. I hope you all enjoy it. I do not own anything. Characters and storylines belong to their rightful owners. Enjoy!

Chapter 1

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Then there was the youngest of the Pogues, my sister Elora James. We're just shy of a year apart. I guess our parents weren't big on waiting, but it's fine. She's pretty cool most of the time. I think dad missing hit her pretty bad, but it's not like she tells me much. She bottles everything up and one of these days I think she's going to just blow.

Her outlet is usually her artwork, but she wasn't a stranger to a night of drinking and possibly spending too much time with JJ and his weed. She works double shifts at the country club to pay the bills and keep food in the fridge since dad disappeared. Somehow she managed to keep her grades up at school. I honestly don't know when this girl sleeps. Like I said, she's probably going to blow sooner or later and yeah, I feel like a douche because I'm her older brother. I should be taking care of her, not her taking care of me.

This summer would be different though. It was just a matter of if that would be in a good or bad way. Only time would tell.

The sun was setting soon and the Pogues had found themselves causing mayhem on one of the current in development houses on the figure 8 side of the island. Outside, Pope was watching John B with amusement as he balanced himself on the roof of the house they'd chosen as their spot tonight. Up on the scaling sat Elora James with her sketchbook in hand as her pencil moved across the page.

Beside her was JJ, a warm can of beer in his hand as he watched her sketch. Her hair had fallen over the side of her shoulder, blocking her face from his view. She preferred it that way, knowing the heat of his gaze was making her blush and she'd rather he not see her reddened cheeks.

"I can feel you watching me, JJ." She spoke, her eyes not even glancing up from her sketchbook.

His chuckle sent the butterflies a flutter in her stomach, but she tried her best to ignore the feeling. JJ was her best friend, but he was also a flirt. If it had breasts, he'd work his charm on it.

She sat up startled when he pushed her hair back from her face. "I don't know how when you can't even see me." He chuckled in return.

Her eyes flickered up, meeting his blue eyes with a raised brow. "I guess I have a sixth sense or something. You gonna share that?" She said with a pointed look to the beer in his hand.

Amusement spread across his face. "Oh, you want to share now? Maybe if you say the magic word."

Her cheeks burned with another blush, but she was going to blame it on the muggy heat. He raised a brow in challenge, daring her to take the beer from him. This wasn't anything new between them. JJ liked to see how far he could push the limits of their friendship. It didn't mean anything.

Leaning over, she pressed herself closer to him. Her lips hovered over his and smirked when she saw him swallow. "Please?" She said lowly, biting her bottom lip to keep herself from laughing.

Maybe they both enjoyed pushing the limits of their friendship. Neither would dare make a move though. They'd been friends since John B first introduced them when she was in second grade and him in third. There was also the no pogue on pogue macking rule that had come into play when she grew boobs and Kiara had joined their group.

She tried to ignore the way she saw his eyes flicker down to her lips and the way his tongue darted out to lick his dry lips. While he was distracted, she reached behind him and took the forgotten beer can from his hand and smiled. "Thanks, JJ." She said softly before returning to her spot.

Flustered, he cleared his throat and lowered his gaze. "Yeah, no problem."

"Would you two get a room? That was uncomfortable to watch." Pope called out from below.

It was a reminder that they weren't alone.

"When aren't you uncomfortable, Pope?" JJ shouted back, teasing as he laughed.

Choosing to ignore his question, Pope turned his attention back to John B as he raised a foot up slightly. "That's, what? A three story fall to the deck? I give you a one-to-three chance of survival. " He said to his friend, watching as he took a long sip of his own beer.

"Hmm." John B seemed to consider those odds.

He raised his finger up, as if he was testing the wind for whatever reason. Elora raised her head up, looking back to see what was happening. Her brother was always putting himself at risk. "Should I do it?" He called down to his friends, fully serious. It was that part that worried Elora.

"Yeah, you should jump. I'll shoot you on the way down." Pope called back, raising the nail gun in his hand upward.

"You are all insane." Elora muttered, only loud enough for JJ to hear if his chuckle was anything to go off.

"You'll shoot me?"

"Yup."

"Pew pew." John B mimicked as he held up his two fingers and pretended to shoot back.

Elora heard the sound of flip flops hitting the new wood and looked down to see their other friend Kiara, the newest addition to their group, coming out from inside the house. "They're gonna have Japanese toilets with towel warmers." She said out, the horror and disgust clear in her voice.

Kiara was big on environmental issues. It was one of the many things Elora liked about her. That, and she was not afraid to put the boys in their place. It was a quality she admired about her.

"Of course they are. Why wouldn't they?" JJ taunted, earning an elbow in the ribs as soon as the words left his mouth.

"This used to be a turtle habitat, but who cares about the turtles, I guess?" She went on bitterly, choosing to ignore JJ's jab as she looked between them until her eyes settled on John B.

"I can't have cold towels. Ow, hey! Cut it out." JJ said as he grabbed Elora's arm and pulled her closer.

He wrapped an arm around her waist and lifted her enough to pull her onto his lap. Her laughter rang out, her head falling back against his shoulder as he hugged her close. "Stop. That tickles. Stop. I'm sorry." She giggled, squirming around to get loose from his grip.

He suddenly released her and she moved off his lap still giggling as she returned to her spot. JJ took off his hat and set it on his lap subtly as he reached over and took his beer back from her. "You are the devil." He chuckled before taking a sip.

Kiara raised a brow as Elora met her gaze before returning her attention to John B up on the roof. "Can you please not kill yourself?" She asked up, blocking the sun as she shielded her eyes with her hand.

"Don't spill that beer. I'm not giving you another one." JJ called up, squinting from the angle of the sun behind his friend.

John B raised his leg up more, practicing a familiar move they'd seen on the Karate Kid movie. Elora felt her heart stop as he stumbled, her hand immediately reaching over and squeezing JJ's.

"Whoa! Oh, shit!" He gasped as the beer suddenly fell it's demise.

"Of course you did." JJ scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Like right when I warned you not to."

His gaze fell to their hands and squeezed her hand in return, giving her a small smile before returning his attention to John B. Elora blushed, releasing his hand as she brushed her hair behind her ear.

"You are such a dumbass, John B." She muttered as she cleaned up her pencils.

Pope heard a noise and looked around the house to see a security car pulling into the driveway. "Hey, uh, security's here. Let's wrap it up." He said, smacking the railing as he turned back to his friends.

JJ immediately turned and helped Elora pack up her art supplies and shoved them into his bag.

"Boys are early today." John B spoke.

Elora scrambled to get up and slip through the metal bars. Pope reached up and grabbed hold of her waist, helping her down. Smiling, she kissed his cheek with a quick thanks and moved to join Kiara. She was completely oblivious to the glare JJ was sending a blushing Pope, but the boy in question was not.

"Humpty Dumpty, let's roll." JJ said, clearing his throat as he climbed to his feet.

"Let's go, boys." Kiara called, a mischievous grin on her face.

"Gary, is that you?" JJ taunted, ignoring Pope hurrying him along. "Gary, it's good to see you, man!"

JJ swung down off the landing, dropping down in front of the girls with a chuckle. Elora giggled, shaking her head. "You're asking for it."

Kiara grabbed her hand and pulled her along with her as they rushed into the house. JJ and Pope weren't far behind with John B bringing up the rear. JJ slipped by them, accidentally sliding down the remaining stairs with a laugh. "This way!" Kiara called out. The two girls ran through the unfinished house together, laughing wildly as they turned another corner.

The group split up as JJ and Pope had to take a different turn to avoid the two cops waiting and ready for them. Kiara, Elora, and John B were able to escape without issue as they jumped into John B's Twinkie van. The girls all but dived into the back as John B jogged around to the driver's side and started the engine.

"There's JJ!" Elora called, pointing to where JJ and Pope had hopped the fence.

John B laid on the horn as the girls called for them to hurry up. JJ was the first to leap into the back of the van, earning a squeak from Elora as he tumbled into her and landed on top of her.

Blushing, she raised her gaze to meet his and smiled. "Took you long enough."

Biting his lip, he brushed her hair out of her face and smiled happily. "Sorry for making you wait so long, Baby P."

The moment was ruined by Kiara's gagging noise, reminding them again that they weren't alone. It occurred to JJ then how they were laying as he held his upper body off her with his arm. Clearing his throat, he muttered a soft apology and climbed off of her as Pope dived into the van.

Blushing, Elora scooted backward and laid herself up. Her cheeks were burning with a blush and she really hoped no one noticed. Unfortunately, by the raised brow expression Kiara was giving her, Elora knew she'd failed.

"Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!"

"Oh, check out Gary gunning for a raise." Pope laughed, watching the officer from the back window.

JJ moved to the open side door of the van and stuck his head out, laughing at the sight of Gary the security officer attempting to chase them on foot. "Come on, Gary!" JJ shouted before telling John B to slow down.

Poor Gary was really trying as he shouted at them.

"You're gonna give him a heart attack." Kiara scolded them as she watched JJ grab one of their beers before returning to the open door.

He was egging him on. "Come on! You're so close! There you go! Oh, they don't pay you enough, man."

Elora watched as he tossed the poor guy the beer, as if he was rewarding him for making it as far as he did. She gave his foot a kick. "JJ, cut it out. Stop it."

JJ pulled his head back inside the Twinkie and turned his attention back to her. "Oh, come on. That sort of initiative is just begging to be punished."

Crossing her arms, she rolled her eyes and moved to sit in the seat behind her brother in the driver's seat. "Whatever."

Taking the hint, he moved to take the spot beside her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "Aw, don't pout, Baby P. You've got such a pretty smile. Come on."

Huffing, she elbowed his side and shoved him off with a small smile. "You are such an ass, JJ."

He chuckled, knowing he'd succeeded in making her smile again. Rolling her eyes again she took out her phone and scanned through her messages. JJ's smile dropped when he noticed her eyes light up with excitement as her fingers quickly typed out a message to someone.

A bitterness came over him because he knew he'd lost her attention to the boy she was currently texting. All jokes aside, he was well aware she had a boyfriend and knew any moment between them was just in his head. Elora James was not interested in him and he knew she never would be. No matter how badly he wished she would be.