II.   all roads lead back to you

Being a Kook was a fantasy life. The kind you see in movies. The kind you hear in songs about cool kids, the invincible adolescents; they live a good life yet they don't have a clue about what's going on outside of their bubble. Rich kids don't have to care about anyone else but themselves. They have everything they need in their small wasteland of an island.

Bridger rested on the back of Topper's boat with a pair of black sunglasses covering his eyes. An arm stretched over his head and Inez laid beside him on her side, her arm rested on his bare chest. It was scorching hot in Kildare which meant it was a perfect day to go out on the water.

Even though there was still families struggling from the aftermath of Hurricane Agatha.

Topper directed the fast moving boat with Sarah close to his body. The Kook friends were quiet but it was peaceful.

JJ Maybank's water color eyes spotted the boat from the opposite end of the marsh. He felt his jaw drop.  "You guys see that?" He said to the other, gaining their attention. "That's the Malibu 24-MXZ, the world's finest wakesetter. Number one in luxery, quality, and performance."

Pope shook his head. "We picked the wrong parents." He mumbled.

When Kiara saw the boat they were speaking of, her face darkened into a bitter glare. "I hate to break it to you guys but that's Topper and Bridger with their girlfriends."

And that's when their eyes met.

Sitting up slightly, resting on his elbows, Bridger lowered his sunglasses at the same time they passed by the HMS Pogue. His lip curled into a sneer at the sight of the Pogues but then his eyes met with JJ. Sun kissed, sweaty, and glowing. It had been a long time since he saw him. Neither of them were willing to look away.

JJ felt his body tense up at the sight of the Kook prince with his girlfriend by his side, her arm wrapped around him so freely. His hands tightened into fists,  the rings on his fingers cutting into his skin from the pressure.

When the boats finally passed by, Bridger released a shaky breath as his eyes tore away from JJ's.He pulled his sunglasses back up. Inez opened her eyes and looked his way. "Are you okay?" She asked softly,  seeing the disgruntled look on his face.

"Yeah, I'm okay." He quickly said back, smiling down at her convincingly.

She returned the smile and reached up, pressing her lips to his. It was the only kiss they shared where Bridger's focus wasn't on her.

MAY 18,  2018
4:00  PM
FIGURE EIGHT

Summer had officially started. Every student on Kildare Island was planning their first night of the season. Bridger lounged by Topper's pool while Rafe and Kelce were in the water playing volleyball. "Yo, what are we doing tonight? There's no way we're staying in on the first night of summer." Rafe said after spiking the inflatable ball.

Kelce spam and retrieved the ball from the end of the pool. "I saw that the cut's having a party at the Boneyard tonight." He informed.

Bridger lifted his head and narrowed his eyes from the sun. "How do you know that?" He asked weirdly.

The boy shrugged like it was obvious. "Instagram, duh."

He rolled his eyes and laid his head back on the concrete. "I'm not spending my first day of summer at the cut." He rejected the offer, emphasizing the word in disgust.

Topper finally raised his head from the inflatable pool chair that he was sitting in. "Come on, Bridge. You're gonna pass up a party?" He laughed.

He nodded stubbornly. "If it's at the cut, yeah. Why don't we throw a party?"

"You're gonna pass up on free beer and hot girls?"  Kelce laughed, continuing with the persuasion.

"And weed." Rafe added. He hit the ball over the net again.

"Put your personal vendetta aside for one night and let's go have fun. It's summer!" Topper continued.

They stared at him intensely, waiting for an answer.  Bridger's jaw dropped at the pressure. When he realized they weren't going to give up, he sighed.  "Fine, whatever." 

"WHOO!" They belted out at the same time and started splashing him. Bridger immediately objected and Rafe swam over, grabbing him by his arm and dragging him into the pool with them. "Let's go, baby!"

BRIDGER'S HOUSE
7:00 PM
FIGURE EIGHT

The smell of Dior cologne lingered in the boy's bedroom as well as the strong scented Sauvage aftershave he applied. Bridget ran his hands through his dark brown hair (which was naturally curly but he liked to keep it somewhat straight) and adjusted the sleeves and collar of the white Polo he was wearing.  He took his time getting ready seeing as how he didn't want to go in the first place.

Bridger loved a good party. He was the Kook prince after all. He never missed an opportunity to go to one but the Boneyard was a place he tried to avoid, even if the parties were good. It was also the first night of Summer and there was no way the boys were letting him stay inside the house.

When his phone dinged, it was 7:00 and Rafe's name showed up on the screen. Hurry your ass up. He wasn't a patient person.

Dawson wasn't at home like usual. He was at a dinner party thrown by Ward and Rose Cameron. The two families went hand-in-hand, always seen together,  keeping their picture perfect image on display.  Bridger locked the mansion door behind him and jogged to Rafe's truck that was parked in his driveway.

Topper rolled down the passenger window and stuck his head out. "Bout time, bitch!" He hollered like a crazy person.

Bridger flipped him off. "Shut the fuck up, Flopper." He mocked and climbed into the backseat with Kelce.

Rafe started to back out of the driveway. His phone was connected to the aux, Swimming Pools by Kendrick Lamar blared through the speakers. "Bridge,  you got your cologne on you?" He asked the younger boy.

He took out the bottle of Dior cologne from his shorts pocket. "Don't use it all. It's my last bottle!" He warned and gave it to him. He reached forward and patted Topper on the shoulder. "Where's Sarah, Top?"

"Ward's got her babysitting." He answered.

"You should've seen her face. She was so pissed off."  Rafe laughed. He zoomed at an unnatural speed down the road.

Bridger felt slightly disappointed that Sarah wouldn't be there. When it came to the best friends, they made every party more entertaining. He brought out the more wild side in Sarah Cameron because he never judged her. But then again, he felt happy to have a boy's night like they used to before Topper and Sarah started dating.

When they arrived at the Boneyard, Bridger hopped out of the truck and inhaled a breath. "God, it smells like fish over here." He sneered.

"Smells like fish on Figure Eight too, bro." Topper laughed.

"Yeah well, at least we know how to take showers." He smoothed out his Polo shirt. They started making their way down the wooden stairs that lead to the beach. The Boneyard was already crowded with people. Music echoed in the salty air and the smell of beer overtook the smell of fish. "I'm gonna need to be really fucked up for this."

"I'm with ya." Rafe declared.

The Kook prince flashed the people a smile as they called his name. He took the high fives and the flirtatious winks from all the girls. He slowly started to feel at home in the comfort of his crowd. He was popular. He was loved. He shook the nerves away.

"Hey, Bridge!"

"What's up, Bridger!"

He passed by a group of girls looking his way. "Hey, Bridger." One flirtatiously greeted him.

"Hey. . . " he paused when he realized he didn't know her name. "You."

Rafe ordered him to go get them beers from the line.  After flipping him off and telling him to go fuck himself, Bridger trudged through the sand to go stand in line. The sound of his name being called didn't stop until he was almost at the front of the line. The sun was starting to go done which caused the hot air to decrease to a light breeze. He unbuttoned the top two buttons of his Polo and allowed the air in. When he finally made it to the front of the line, he laughed.  "John B Routledge." He announced with an obnoxious smirk

John B's grin disappeared at the sight of him. "Hey, Bridger. . ." He said back, slow and monotoned. 

From behind him, JJ lifted his head and his jaw tightened. 

He held up the nozzle to the beer keg. "How many?"

"Three."

"Let's see," JJ started and he quickly moved so that he was standing next to John B. They began filling the cups. "Asshole number one." He almost shoved it his way. "Asshole number two." He handed him another.  "Andddd asshole number three."

Pope closed his eyes and exhaled a breath.

Bridger gripped the beer filled cups and smiled tightly. "Thanks, Maybank." 

JJ smiled back. "Yeah, I'm sure." He said sarcastically.  He watched the Kook walk away and the smile disappeared into a glare. His jaw tightened again in anger. "God, I hate that guy."

"He's such an asshole." Kiara scoffed, agreeing with him. 

BONEYARD
8:30 PM

By the time the sun had went down, Bridger was drunk. The music was slowly getting louder the more and more he drank. It felt like he had cotton in his ears. He stood with his friends and one of the girls he passed by earlier had her arms wrapped around him.  Her lips were pressed to his neck but the brunette's vision started to blur.

Rafe was busy with a girl of his own when he noticed the disoriented look on his friend's face. "You alright, Bridge?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," he spoke and his words slurred.  "I just, uh. . . I need to go sit down."

"You need help?"

"No, I'll be okay." He lazily replied and staggered away from them. The music and talking from the people gradually got louder until he felt a sharp pain in his head.

His feet shuffled though the sand and he desperately searched for a place to go where nobody was around.  He took deep breaths to calm the shakiness of his chest. He walked down the shoreline where all of the large rocks weee and he stumbled to sit down.

"Is the Bridger Fitzgerald actually alone at a party?" Someone called out from behind him.

Instantly, he groaned. "Go away, Maybank."

JJ smirked and ignored his request. "Did you forget your on my territory?" He mocked and made his way over to him.

"Believe me, I'd rather be anywhere but your territory." Bridger argued.

The Pogue put his hand over his heart. "Ouch, that hurt."

"Just like my head because you don't stop talking."

"Your snappier than usual."

"Because you're won't leave."

"I like annoying you."

"Clearly."

Finally giving up, JJ chuckled and stuffed one of his hands in his pockets, a cup of beer in the other. "Why aren't you with your Kook friends?"

Bridger's eyes watched the reflection of the moon ripple off the water. His head continued to spin and the smell of fish only made it worse. "Just needed a break, I guess." He responded with a shrug.

"Bridger Fitzgerald needs a break from a party?"

He threw him a look over his shoulder. "Will you stop using my full name in every sentence like I'm a celebrity?"

JJ smirked again. "My bad." He took the liberty of sitting beside on the large boulder.

Bridger looked him up and down with a twisted face.  "Uhh, what are you doing?"

The blonde looked down at the rock, all around him,  then back at him. "Sitting." He answered like a smart ass.

Bridger's eyes narrowed. "No, really?" He sarcastically responded. "I meant why?"

"Cause it's a free world."

"You're invading my space."

"You're invading my territory—"

Bridger scoffed. "Where are we, World War II—"

"Aww, you know your world wars."

"I hate you."

JJ chuckled loudly. "Wow, you're too easy."

Bridger scoffed again and rubbed his face. "Jesus, you're like a parasite."

"Yeahhh, it's my specialty." He smirked again, proudly, and sipped his warm beer.

Then there was silence, and Bridger was grateful that he finally shut his mouth. The party continued in the background but they sat there watching the water. The Kook prince looked at him from the corner of his eyes,  quickly, then looked away again. JJ did the same.

After a few minutes of a now awkward silence, Bridger opened his mouth. "So. . . why are you alone?" He asked.

To his surprise, JJ didn't make a quip. "Too loud, I guess." He responded with a shrug.

"It's also—"

He held up his hand, eyes wide. "Don't finish that sentence!"

Another loud laugh escaped the Pogue's lips. "No, but uh, I come over here to sit sometimes." He told him with a tiny smile.

"Oh, so I am in your territory,"

"And you thought I was being sarcastic."

A laugh bubbled in Bridger's chest and escaped his lips. JJ glanced at him again, a smile curling on the corner of his lips. "When you say you need a break. . . what do you mean?"

Bridger rolled his eyes. "I'm not sharing my feelings with you, Maybank."

"Aww come on, you don't trust me?" JJ teased and nudged him in the arm.

He stared at him, blankly.

"Yeah I wouldn't either," he muttered and looked down at his cup. "I'll tell you if you tell me."

Bridger continued to gaze into the distance of the ocean. The same salty smell filled his nostrils and he strangely felt calm. Bridger was never calm. But he was also really drunk. "Do you ever wonder what your life would be like if you weren't a Pogue?" He questioned.  "Or, a Kook? That you were just an anonymous person in the world?"

JJ's mouth gaped slightly, thinking of the question.  He blinked. "Um. . . N-No, I guess I haven't thought of it." He answered.

Bridger swallowed and he shook his head,  feeling embarrassed. "Yeah, yeah, don't worry about it. It was a stupid question." He dismissed.

More silence.

"I don't know. . . I gets to be a lot sometimes."

For the first time in his life, probably, JJ didn't have a sarcastic thing to say. When it came to Bridger Fitzgerald or any of the other Kook assholes, he hated them with every bone in his body. They were two completely different worlds. Bridger was all expensive Polo shirts and Italian golf shoes, along with gold Rolex watches and chains, and all JJ had was ripped up T shirts and a house full of empty beer cans. "Yeah, it does. I feel that way, too." He admitted after a while.

Bridget looked his way, feeling shocked. "Yeah?"

He nodded again. "Yeah." He looked around where they were at. "I, uh, I come here to get away from all the ruckus from time to time. It's actually pretty peaceful." A smile curled on his lips.

Bridger had to agree. "It is. We don't have this on the other side of the island."

JJ snorted. "Why would you? Your parties are at mansions." He emphasized.

His words made him feel insecure which is something the brunette never felt in his life. His father taught him to never be insecure about his life. He twisted the solo cup in his hand. "Yeah." He muttered.

The Pogue's eyes widened slightly. "N-Not that it's a bad thing," he stuttered. "I mean, rock on. I'd rather party at a mansion than here any day." 

He raised his brows at him. "Really?"

JJ opened his mouth but no words came out. ". . . No."

There was a laugh. "That's what I thought."

He grinned and looked down at his boots, licking his lips. Then, he raised his cup. "Here's to needing a break."

Bridger's eyes flickered between him and the solo cup being held in his face. What was he doing? He thought to himself. First, he was on the cut and he hated coming to the cut. Two, he was having a conversation with a Pogue. Was it the alcohol coursing through his veins or was he just lonely? Perhaps it was both.

Whatever it was, Bridger really didn't give a fuck at the moment. He lifted his cup and grinned. "To needing a break." He recited.

They clinked the plastic cups together and took two big swigs. Suddenly, brown met blue. Bridger's mind was lost and dizzy but he could still make out the electric color in the dark. His eyes meld mischief, like a little kid holding fire works.

JJ stifled a laugh and sipped from his cup again. "Why are you staring at me like that?" 

"You have nice eyes." 

The laughter stopped and for a second – a split second – JJ's face softened. He quickly covered it up with a cheeky grin. "Dude, you're so drunk."

On cue, there was a drunken chuckle. "Yeah, I am."

"So am I though." said JJ, the softness on his face reappearing. His water color eyes traveled around the brunette's face. He saw the redness on his face from a sunburn, the freckles on his nose and random spots on his face, his unruly eyebrows, and his deep colored eyes. Then, they traveled down to see chest hair poking through the opening of his Polo shirt. The buzz got stronger and he suddenly couldn't control himself from leaning forward.

"Why are you leaning in right now?" Bridger questioned as his own eyes traveled to the blonde's lips.

"You have nice lips." He responded in the same tone that he used before.

As he went to release another drunken laugh, JJ's lips collided with his and a noise erupted from the back of his throat. He jerked back and JJ's eyes widened. 

They stared at each other in shock, one waiting for the other's move. Bridger opened his mouth to shout and curse at him but it never came. Instead, his hands grabbed his face and pulled him back in.

JJ's hands immediately reached behind him and rugged at his hair. He pulled him in even more. The brunette groaned again and it sent a wave of butterflies through JJ's stomach. Their teeth clashed together and the alcohol in their systems turned into pleasure.

"This is just a one time thing, right?" Bridger asked sharing his lips, sighing pleasurably.

"Sure." JJ responded and tugged him back to him.

JUNE 25,  2020
KILDARE

"Bridger?"

He blinked once and saw Inez staring at him, her face concerned. "What?" He spoke, not understanding her.

"I asked if you were okay. Where'd you go?" She giggled and her hand touched the back of his neck, her fingers curling around his hair.

"Oh. I, uh, zoned out, I guess." Bridger stammered with a nervous chuckle.

The girl leaned forward and kissed him. He closed his eyes and kissed her back but he couldn't focus on her.  It was the second time he had never been able to focus on their kiss.