I-I • THE FALLEN COMRADE

'I wasn't really thinking about his personality when his head was between my legs.'


Most people dreamed that they would have at least one adventure in their lifetime. Perhaps they would hike through a jungle, explore hidden temples, or climb perilous mountains. For Serena Routledge, breaking into newly-built Kook establishments and getting drunk with her friends was all the adventure she needed. Life in the Outer Banks was never dull. Pogue life involved having a good time all the time.

Sun glistened off the silver anchor hanging from around her throat, and she aimed it so that it blinded Pope. Green eyes glittered with amusement despite the fact that Pope ignored her childish antics. She was amused either way. JJ Maybank opened his mouth so as to take a sip from his can but instead received a mouthful of brown hair. A few strands flew into his eyes and he grumbled yet again, sliding the hair tie off his wrist. Serena had wrestled it onto his arm hours ago but now he believed it should be returned to its rightful place; at the end of her braid. Strawberry-vanilla engulfed him and he breathed it in deeply, even as he glared down at the small girl snuggled between his legs. Spitting out the dark locks, he was further disgruntled when she swiped the can from his hand.

Taking a deep swig, she batted away JJ's outstretched hand as he reached to take it from her. Just as he was beginning to regret his decision to pull her into his lap instead of leaving her sat beside him, she leant back onto his chest and smiled up at him. Both of them were seated on the scaffolding. Tools had been discarded in one corner and dust sheets had been placed in front of them. Sea breeze blew through her brown curls and Serena smiled at the scent.

Nothing is better than this, she thought, listening to cry of gulls and basking in the salty air. Waves crashed against the shore far below them, relaxing her. My favourite sound. A muscular arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer. JJ's laugher echoed in her eyes. Correction: that is my favourite sound.

"I give you about a one-in-three chance of survival." Pope Heyward calculated, glancing up at the idiot who was balancing on the top of a three-story roof.

John B Routledge had one foot dangling over the edge as he looked down at his intelligent friend.

"Jump." Serena encouraged, watching as the mop of curls flapped about his face.

Both of them had the same shade of brown but their eye colour differed. John B had a rich brown and Serena had a deep green with flecks of brown. Grinning at his sister, John B licked his finger before raising It in the air, pretending to test the direction of the wind.

"Should I do it?"

A gentle puff of air flew into her ear and she wriggled in JJ's grasp, his breath tickling her as he blew. Instantly recognising that as a bad move, JJ stopped and pushed her forward slightly so that her backside was no longer near his crotch. Watching from above, John B narrowed his eyes at the closeness of their interactions. No Pogue-on-Pogue macking was the rule that John B had implemented to ensure that JJ kept his hands away from Serena. As children, their close bond was nothing other than two reckless kids forming a friendship over shared interests. When they reached high school, hormones started to change and so did their bodies. Their bond grew stronger but it took a turn. The pair of them shared flirtatious exchanges and, not wanting their friendship to be ruined by sex, John B had made sure that the Pogues were banned from sleeping with each other. Unfortunately, JJ and Serena liked to push the limits (and John B's patience) from time-to-time.

Distracted by the irritated voice of Kiara Carrera, the Pogue turned the attention to her as she exited the house, complaints of Japanese toilets and towel warmers rolling off her tongue.

"Perhaps we could plant signs in front of the house warning people that if they buy the property, they'll be killing turtles?" Serena suggested before holding her hands up in surrender when her friend scowled at her. "I was being serious for once. I love turtles."

Spotting his opportunity to steal his drink back, JJ also spotted the fact that he could glance down the vest that Serena was wearing. Soft supple skin taunted him and he took a large gulp to calm himself down. Kie narrowed her eyes.

"Can you please not kill yourself?" Kiara asked John B before turning to address his twin. "Why aren't you more worried about him?"

"If he ends up in a vegetative state, I get the bigger bedroom."

"Don't spill that beer. I'm not giving you another one," warned JJ.

"At least he got one." Serena muttered, causing JJ to chuckle at her.

When he had presented the eight pack to the Pogues with pride, he had handed one to John B and one to Kie and taken one for himself. Pope, ever the sensible one, had chosen bottled water to quench his thirst. When Serena had reached for a can, JJ had swatted her hand away, telling her they would share. Since then, every time she took a swig of the warm beer, he tried snatching it back. As revenge for her comment, JJ's fingers trailed up Serena's arm before mercilessly jabbing her in the armpit. Peals of laughter cut through the air as the ticklish girl begged him to stop.

Distracted by their behaviour, John B stumbled slightly and the can slipped from his hand as he fought to right himself. Beer sprayed Pope's feet as it landed on the floor. Jumping off the scaffolding in an involuntary movement, Serena stood below John B as if she could've somehow caught him. Not only had she startled JJ with her swift departure but her panicked movements had knocked the can in his hand, soaking his shirt. Exclaiming as beer sprayed him in the face, JJ scowled at his best friend.

Longingly staring at the fallen comrade now splattered over the deck, John B glanced from his spilt drink to his terrified sister and beamed. "I knew you cared about me."

"Don't flatter yourself, bean."

Before he could retort, Pope alerted them that the Security guards had rolled up early this afternoon. All of them peered down to the Security car before making the intelligent decision to flee the scene of their crime. (Although technically the house wasn't occupied yet so was it really breaking and entering, JJ had reasoned). Kie and Serena took up the front of the group, pounding down the stairs. Pope hurried after them as JJ rolled his body off the scaffolding just as John B jumped down onto it.

"Gary, good to see you, man." JJ greeted, giving him a cheerful wave.

As the wind stung their eyes, Serena acknowledged the fact that her white vest was soaked with beer: her chest becoming chilly as she ran. Hollers reverberated through the group of Pogues as Gary and his partner spotted them. Scattering, the teens dodged the two guards, angering them as they lost them yet again. Grabbing her hand tightly, JJ caught up to Serena and pulled her along in his direction. The blond refused to let her go but when she saw the security guard closing in on JJ, Serena had no such qualms. Momentarily startled at the loss of contact, JJ rolled his eyes when two beefy arms wrapped around him.

"Not much of a hugger, man!" JJ teased, evading capture by ducking out of the embrace.

A wild glint sparkled in his eyes and he grinned as he ran. Adrenaline pumped through his body, pushing him to move faster. The wind ripped through his blond strands of hair and his eyes watered but he loved it. He loved the rush he got when he was chased. He loved the way his heart hammered furiously against his rib age, threatening to break free. Or the burn of his lungs as they worked overtime to get him the oxygen he needed. Nothing compared to this, he thought. Until he caught sight of Serena vaulting over the fence in front of him. Landing safely on her feet, the tan girl turned to smile at him.

Thump! Thump! Thump! His heart demanded to be felt, to be listened to. Maybe one thing compared to this, he amended before ignoring his heart once more. Nothing good ever came from thinking those dangerous thoughts. After ensuring Pope was safely inside, JJ sprinted after the already-moving van. Just as he jumped, his foot caught on something and instead of a graceful leap, he barrelled into the back of the van. Landing in a heap on the floor, he shifted himself slightly before realising that the thing underneath him wasn't the floor at all.

"Hi," he grinned at the flustered girl.

Beer stained her white vest causing a patch of translucent yellow. Navy fabric decorated with white polka dots was very easy to spot through her wet shirt. When he had shifted, JJ had caused the material to be pulled down slightly, giving him a glimpse of tempting skin. Cleavage stared back at him, taunting him. The moment he felt his shorts tighten slightly, JJ jumped off her before his stirring cock manifested into a fully-fledged erection. From her position by the door, Kie had witnessed the entire interaction. She had to disguise her snort as a sneeze when she noticed JJ discreetly adjusting himself.

Not daring another glance at the female Routledge's chest, the horny Pogue hung his upper body out of the window, channelling that energy into goading the guard who attempted to chase after them. Face red and sweaty, Gary yelled profanities at the teens as they drove just fast enough that they were always out of reach.

"You can do it." JJ encouraged, chucking him a can of beer. "They don't pay you enough, bro."

"Even Gary gets one." JJ heard Serena complain from inside the van.

"JJ, stop. You're going to give him a heart attack." Kie reprimanded, pulling him back in and slamming the door shut.

God is testing me today, he groaned. As his back landed against the wall, he realised he had a perfect view of the Pogue who was trying to climb over into the passenger seat. Shorts riding up, the curve of Serena's ass cheeks were being waved in his face. Whilst it should've been a sight he was used to considering they all spent most of their time in swimsuits, JJ found himself unable to look away. He was captivated, which meant he was powerless against the blood that rushed southwards. Snatching up a discarded hoodie, he placed it over his lap and began playing a mental montage of depressing things. Anything to distract himself from how badly he had wanted to reach over and slap- no!

Unable to hide her laughter this time, Kie was able to disguise her amusement at JJ by blaming it on Pope. The poor boy had miscalculated his potions, leant too far back and whacked his head on the back of Serena's seat.


Music pounded through the speaker. Red cups adorned every visible surface, and the sweaty bodies of teenagers pressed up against each other. In the middle of the room was a surfboard, currently occupied by JJ. Lying atop it on his stomach, he had white sunglasses perched atop his nose. However, they were upside down and clinging on for life. An unlit cigarette hung from his lips as he jumped to his feet, pretending to ride the surf. A bottle-blonde sat across from him, watching with thinly veiled lust.

JJ Maybank - best friends with the twins since the third grade. He was a Pogue legend due to being the latest in a long line of fishing, drinking, smuggling, vendetta-holding salt-lifers who made their living off the water. He was a mild kleptomaniac and had been dubbed as a future tax cheat. Oh, he was also the main attraction in many girls' wet dreams. If you could coax JJ Maybank into your bed, you were something special. Even those from Figure Eight were eager to catch his attention. Even though he often chose a lucky girl to warm his bed, his attention was solely reserved for his friends.

Shaking her head at his antics, Serena kissed him on the cheek before excusing herself from the room. John B had just wandered outside and she was eager to follow. All the girls inside only spoke to her in the hopes that it would get JJ to notice them. A bead of sweat trailed down her spine as she pushed open the door. Fresh air hit her and she inhaled greedily.

"Bean!" She called out, giving John B the only warning he would receive before she launched herself onto his back.

"Really, Sprout?" John B shook his head before continuing on his journey.

When they were three, Big John had introduced vegetables into their diet. Carrots and potatoes had been happily devoured by Serena. However, the moment the sprout made contact with her lips, she had puked all over the table and on her brother. John B, who had been in the middle of munching on green beans, freaked out and returned the vomiting over his sister. Neither had touched the green vegetables since. Initially the names had been used as a taunt but were now a term of endearment.

Walking past the fire, they spotted Kie, who was ranting about an environmental criminal. John B - with Serena still wrapped around his back - slung his arms around her. Fuelled by the irritation of her argument, Kie threw John B's arms off and delved back into the topic.

Kiara Carrera - Marley enthusiast and micro plastic hater. When she wasn't saving baby sea turtles with Serena, she was forcing her friend to get a matching dolphin tattoo.

The boys were convinced Kie only hung around so that she and Serena could spend their time making the beach a safe habitat for the wildlife. Serena knew that Kie loved the boys regardless of their lack of turtle knowledge but she liked watching them doubt it.

"Where are we even going?" Serena asked her brother.

"To the keg!"

"To the keg!" People cheered, clinking their cups together.

Beer sloshed onto the ground. The party had been in full swing for three hours and whilst the Pogues had only been there for two, most of the teenagers around then were already drunk or passed out. Those still standing were only a sip away from puking.

Pope stood near the keg, attempting to chat up a pretty blonde. Judging by the look on her face, it wasn't going as well as Pope would've liked.

"I want to be a coroner."

"A what?"

Smiling at Pope's flirty, the twins attempted to be encouraging when he looked at them, shooting him a thumbs up.

Pope Heyward - the smartest member of the group. Over the years, he had been responsible for ensuring their most scatter-brained plans would work and avoid them ending up hurt. Due to his fascination with the dead, he was also dubbed the weirdo of the group. Thankfully, Serena was interested in those who created the dead (i.e. serial killers) and with their knowledge combined, Pope and Serena could be weirdos together.

Near the dock, the female twin spotted someone she wished to speak to and slid off John B's back. Barely glancing over her shoulder, she muttered a quick farewell, stole John B's drink and hurried over to the small group. Most siblings fought and led separate lives to each other. Whilst they did have their occasional fights, Serena was also John B's best friend.

Serena Routledge - often known as the sarcastic bystander. When the Pogues had a dispute, she sat in the corner offering unhelpful commentary. When she wasn't winding them up, she was fiercely protective. They couldn't be angry or hurt without her popping up to wipe away tears and offer advice. Serena was the realist to John B's idealist but that didn't stop her from being impulsive. Oh, and she was the cause for John B's daily heart attack.

Watching her voluntarily skip into a group of Kooks, John B felt his heart drop into his stomach for the second time that day.


Sun filtered in through the barely closed curtains, rousing John B from sleep. Exiting his bedroom, he knocked on the door next to his and cracked it open when he received no response. On the bed, the dark grey blanket remained taut across the bed. The pillows were soft and plump and clothes littered the bed. The room was empty, untouched. Serena hadn't come home. Or she just didn't make it to her room, John B reasoned, closing the door and heading for the kitchen.

On his way, he stuck his head round the doorway to JJ's room. Words died on his lips when he was greeted with the sight of a shirtless JJ hovering over a half-dressed girl. Their lips were centimetres apart until the girl noticed John B.

"Dude! Come on, man. Get out." JJ exclaimed.

Closing the door for them, John B entered the living area. Crumpled on the pull-out, Kie was twisted in a blanket and squinting at the sun as if it had offended her. No sign of Serena out here. Exasperated, John B sighed at the fact that she was already causing him anxiety in the early morning.

Since the disappearance of their father nine months ago, the twins had cling tightly to each other. They were all they had left and aside from work, they didn't tend to do much without the other. At first, Serena had taken on the responsible role - she bought food, she cooked, she cleaned, she made sure they survived. However, she was still only a teenager and every now and then, she spent some time out of John B's sight, sending him into a spiral of fear.

Passing Pope, the perturbed teen threw himself into the hammock and waited.

Hand searching the bed, Kie located her phone under the pillow she had been sleeping on. Sleep blurred her vision and she blinked furiously so she could read the notification on her lock screen. A picture of Serena with straws sticking out of her nostrils told Kie who the message was off but all that had been sent was an emoji. Kie chuckled when she realised where Serena was. For moments when Kie's phone was in view of the boys, the two girls had devised an obvious code. However, the Pogues wouldn't immediately assume it meant what it meant and would believe the girls were just messing around. The purple aubergine had been sent from Serena's phone last night: the reason she hadn't slept in her own bed was because she was getting fucked in somebody else's. Instead of replying, Kie was distracted by a grumpy JJ throwing himself down on the couch.

"You might want to get your friend out before S gets home." Kie mentioned, shooting a pointed look in JJ's direction.

Flipping her the bird, his frown deepened. He had heard John B ask Kie if she knew where Serena was, which meant he knew she wasn't home. Unable to stop thinking about where else she had spent her night, JJ had been unable to go through with sleeping with the woman again now that he was sober.

Shoes in hand, Serena stared down at her rumpled clothes in bemusement. Sweat and dust clung to her, and she was beginning to regret her decision to walk home. All she wanted was a shower but for the moment, she would settle for the way the morning sun felt warming her skin. Praying that her friends were still asleep, she snuck towards the porch.

"You need to tell me if you're going to be staying out all night."

Cursing her lack of luck, Serena turned to see John B stood near the hammock. With a bottle in hand, his features had already morphed into 'lecture mode'

"I don't need to tell you anything. You're not Dad."

"Serena, I mean it."

Who does he think he is, she scoffed. Hot-headed. Big John had called his twins hot-headed during their last conversation - well, it was more a disagreement than a conversation. As the twins glared across the yard at each other, it was safe to say that Big John hadn't been wrong. Drawn by the sound of raised voices, Pope stood on the steps of the porch watching them.

"Oh, no, you mean it? Now I really am in trouble."

"You-."

"No. Let's get something straight, John B. You are not Dad. If you wish to cling onto the hope that he is still alive then you need to stop trying to take over his role. Secondly, I think you sometimes forget that I'm older than you. By 24 minutes-."

"How can I forget? You bring it up all the time." John B seethed, furious that she had brought the disappearance of their father into it.

Big John was the one topic they truly disagreed on. John B was convinced he was still out there somehow, trying to find his way back to his children. Serena, on the other hand, knew the minute she saw Sheriff Peterkin and Deputy Shoupe outside her door that she would never see her father again.

"Finally," she said in a louder tone because he had spoken over her. "I was safely indoors before you even left the party. So, actually, from now on, if you plan on staying out late, you need to let me know."

Shaking her head in disbelief, Serena stormed past Pope. She faintly heard him teasing John B about 'getting his ass handed to him' but ignored it. Infuriated by her brother's behaviour, she threw her sneakers into a corner of the room and stalked past the blond and brunette. Heading for the bathroom, she silently fumed that her good mood had been ruined.

Whispers had spread through the party about who Serena had been spotted leaving the party with. It wasn't the fact that Serena had stayed out all night that caused John B to act like a dick, it was who she had stayed out all night with. He didn't approve of her choice of bedfellows. Prohibited from entering the bathroom by a call of her name, Serena turned to face JJ.

"Morning, you dirty little stop-out. There's rumours floating around that you went home with Rafe?"'

"So what if I did?" Serena snapped, not in the mood for another spat about who she chose to open her legs for.

"Wait, seriously?" JJ asked incredulously, smile sliding off his face. "Rafe Cameron?"

"He's good with his fingers."

JJ had to force away a mental image. How would she feel if my fingers were – stop it brain!.

"He's a major dickwad!" JJ exclaimed in disgust.

"I wasn't really thinking about his personality when his head was between my legs."

Opening his mouth to retaliate, a door opened, pulling their attention away from each other. An expensive dress covered the body of the blonde who exited the bedroom JJ had slept in. Apparently JJ had also spent the night with a Kook. Knowing she had instantly won their argument, Serena smirked and slammed the bathroom door behind her.