"You're not actually going to that stupid party tonight, are you?"

Katherine narrowed her eyes at her boyfriend's condescending tone. "I'm meeting Sarah there," she deadpanned. "What's the big deal? Why aren't you going?"

Todd rolled his eyes and leaned back in the drivers seat of his car. "It's childish, Kat."

"Childish," she scoffed. "Like you don't party with Rafe every weekend."

Katherine could sense the impending argument about to surface. It was inevitable, though. Their arguments weren't exactly few and far between, especially lately. He'd been a lot more on edge, the more time he'd spent with Rafe.

Todd's grip on the steering wheel tightened, his knuckles turning white. "Why do you make everything such a God damned big deal, Katherine?" He closed his eyes and slowly, his grip lessened, signaling he'd calmed down. "Just be careful, okay?"

A small smile formed on her lips at his words. "I'm always careful," she murmured, leaning over to kiss his cheek. She waved him a small goodbye, as she walked up the pavement to her house.

When Katherine arrived at the Boneyard, the beach was already packed with Kooks and Pogues alike, all taking their respective shots at the tourons that they only had to see for one night.

Not yet spotting Sarah, Katherine made her way over to the keg, where she spotted JJ Maybank chatting up a brunette with bright doe-eyes. He looked Katherine's way briefly, before doing a double take.

Katherine stifled a smirk at the way the boy's ocean blue eyes trailed her body. Instead, she narrowed her eyes. "You're crowding the Keg," she deadpanned, folding her arms over her chest. The brunette next to JJ scoffed, making Katherine's glare shift to her. "Goodbye." The girl looked to JJ for any sign of defense, but he just shrugged, as though to say he wasn't getting involved. Katherine gave her a tight lipped smile, before she went on her way.

JJ arched an eyebrow at Katherine, as she filled her solo cup with beer. "That was pretty cold," he muttered. He wasn't sure if it was the alcohol flooding his bloodstream or not, but he found himself unable, albeit unwilling, to take his eyes off the girl in her black bikini top and ripped denim shorts.

Katherine rolled her eyes, bringing the cup to her lips for a quick swig. "Yeah, well there's plenty of places to hit on innocent tourons that's not the keg, JJ."

His lips curved upward into a smirk, as she used his name. "Oh, so she does know my name," he mused, running a hand through his already disheveled blonde locks.

"Mm, yeah, but Idiot just seems so much more fitting." She found herself laughing as well, but she quickly retracted and let her gaze fall to her feet briefly, as though to regain her composure. "I mean, surfing the surge? Really? I do a lot of dumb shit, but surfing before a category three hurricane would never be one of them."

"You'd have to surf first," he countered.

Her eyes narrowed at his words. She couldn't blame him, though, surfing wasn't exactly a Kook Princess's activity. "Bold of you to assume I don't," she hummed. "But to spare you the embarrassment of groveling at my feet, I'll let you continue to believe that."

"W-I-," JJ stammered.

"Yo, Kat!"

Katherine uninterestedly turned on her heels to see Kelce waving her down. She let out a heavy sigh. "Duty calls," she muttered under her breath, unaware that JJ heard her. She looked back at the blonde for a moment, before backing away and sending him a two finger salute and ending it with flipping him off.

The sun was long gone, sunk behind the clouds. The only light came from that of the full moon and the large bonfire that sent embers cascading every once in awhile.

Sarah and Topper found themselves a quiet place to suck each others faces off, while Katherine opted to find another drink. She didn't really need another, per se, but the party was starting to get a little monotonous to her. Of course, she was soon going to wish she hadn't felt that way.

Just before making it to the keg, she ran directly into someone facing the wrong way. "Watch it," she snapped, glaring upwards to see who it was that almost spilled their drink all down her frontside. When he turned around, she met the azure gaze that she had subconsciously been peering throughout the party for. "For fucks sake," she muttered. "Can you watch where you're going?" His gaze looked different this time, though. The blue of his irises seemed much more pronounced as red outlined it. Her eyebrows knitted, almost wondering if he'd been crying, but the lowness of his lids and the cheeky grin on his face told her otherwise. "You're high," she gaped incredulously, narrowing her eyes at him.

"That I am," he hummed, eyeing her curiously. If he didn't know any better, he thought she almost seemed concerned. "And you're not drunk enough. Here." He tried to place the cup in her hands. "Second best thing to smoking a j."

Katherine looked between him and the cup, not understanding the curiosity pricking at her skin when it came to the Pogue. "How do I know you're not trying to poison me?"

"Too many witnesses," he shrugged, winking at her. He wet his lips with his tongue and she kicked herself for automatically being drawn to the action.

As if that weren't signal enough that her party was over, she felt a strong grip at her wrist, pulling her backwards. "What the hell!" Her tone was harsh, until she looked up and saw Todd glowering down at her and she immediately felt half of her actual size. "W-what are you doing here?" Her voice was small and quivering, almost begging him not to make a scene.

JJ's eyes flicked down to the girl with a clenched jaw, noticing the stark difference in her demeanor when the boy approached. "Whoa, man, take it easy." His blue eyes flashed across the way at John B, silently warning his best friend that he was probably going to do something stupid.

Todd couldn't possibly care less about the Pogue standing there, his blazing eyes fixated on Katherine. "Is this why you wanted to come to this stupid fucking party? To slut it up with a Pogue," he scoffed, inching his face closer to hers. Katherine's jaw clamped and she forced her eyes on the ground, fearful that if she looked at anyone around them, she'd burst into tears. "Answer me!" His raising voice caught the eyes of a few passersby, but none of which were bold enough to cross him. None except JJ Maybank.

JJ shoved him sideways a couple of paces, away from Katherine. "Dude, what's your problem?" Katherine's eyes widened, flashing between the two. "We were talking."

Without a word, Todd clenched his fist, inadvertently making Katherine's eyes squeeze shut. All she heard was the deafening crunch of bone and she wasn't sure if it came from Todd's hand or JJ.

She forced open her eyes to see JJ staggering backwards and Todd already walking over to him menacingly. He went to deliver another punch, but JJ leapt out of the way and sent his own fist to connect with Todd's jaw.

Katherine felt herself being dragged away from the altercation and when she looked to her left, Sarah was standing there with a firm grip on her waist, unsure of what to say or what to do. Truthfully, Katherine was just thankful she was there, because she was at a loss too. That was, until she saw Topper pinning JJ back so that Todd could land a few blows of his own.

Without thinking, Katherine slipped through Sarah's grip and went to pull Todd's arm back, but at the feeling of someone's touch, he reared his elbow back and connected with her lip, sending her crashing onto the ground. Topper's eyes widened and his grip on JJ faltered, in shock at what had just happened. Kelce quickly rounded Todd up, pulling him away from the group before anything else got out of hand.

Katherine looked around wildly, ears ringing as she fought to register what happened. The bitter taste of iron coated her mouth making her cringe. Sarah knelt beside her immediately, pulling her hair out of the scarlet stream. "Kat, are you okay?" She nodded her head in response, blinking rapidly.

Her eyes quickly found JJ, who was scrambling over to her, sporting his own busted lip. He frowned, as his darkening eyes focused on the blood on her face. "Shit," he muttered. He tore the bandana from his wrist and offered it to her with a weak smile, despite the blood he had trickling from his own lip, as well as his knuckles.

Though, his attention was forced away from her, thanks to Sarah's scream from beside them. "Topper, stop!"

Katherine's eyes darted over JJ's shoulders just in time to see Topper flip John B over into the water, kicking him mercilessly in his side, repeatedly. "Don't make me drown you like your old man, alright?" Katherine sent her best friend a look, signaling for her to try to deescalate the situation. Topper wouldn't dare make the same mistake Todd did, they both knew that. Sarah looked between the two, not entirely willing to leave Katherine there alone, but when JJ gave her a small, knowing nod, she quickly rose to her feet and neared the water's edge, begging for the war to cease.

But that was the thing about this war between the Kooks and the Pogues, the worst of it was really only just beginning.

JJ's fist clenched again, as though he were ready to spring back into action, but something was pulling him back. Not physically, but the idea of leaving Katherine sitting alone on the beach with what just happened to her made his insides churn.

Pope Heyward, one of the Pogues she'd met in the past from cleaning up after storms, and Kiara Carrera, Katherine's ex-best friend, stood not too many paces back from the fight, each shouting their own cries for cessation, barely able to be heard over the group of rowdy adolescents yelling "fight! fight! fight!"

John B appeared to be down for the count, when Topper turned back to his fans, giving them a victorious grin. However, John B had other plans. He gripped Topper in a headlock hammered his fist into his side a few times before throwing him into the water with brute force.

"Atta boy," JJ muttered, watching his best friend tower over the Kook. JJ didn't hate many things apart from his abusive father, but he hated Kooks even more than that.

One glance at the fear in Katherine's eyes, though, and something inside of JJ clicked. "JJ, he's going to kill him," her voice barely came out a whisper.

"What?" JJ's frown deepened, as he looked through the crowd to see what she was talking about, but Sarah was blocking his view. He stood up and saw Topper dunking John B's head underwater, not giving him a chance to resurface. "Shit," he hissed. He looked back at Katherine who had stood up as well, fighting his inner demons.

Katherine could tell JJ was conflicted, but she wasn't sure why. "Go," she urged him.

He shook his head and backed away, knowing that she had no idea what he was about to do. Kie and Pope watched JJ closely as he approached Topper and John B, but before anyone could process what he was planning in enough time to stop him, he pulled out a pistol he had tucked beneath his waistband and clicked the safety off, pointing it directly at the back of Topper's head.

Katherine shoved through the group that was already beginning to back away from the scene. "Yeah, you know what that is," JJ said maliciously. "Your move, broski!"

"JJ, stop!" Sarah took another step forward, but Katherine caught her, not daring to let her get too close to whatever was about to happen.

"Put the fucking gun down, JJ," Katherine spoke this time, trying to steady her gaze on him.

JJ didn't dare glance her way, not yet, but he did speak directly to her. "You say something, Angel?" His jaw twitched, as his finger hovered over the trigger of the gun. He didn't have anything left to lose, so why not just rid the world of one self-absorbed dickheaded Kook? However, when he did look her way, he knew that wasn't an option, not if he ever had a chance of her looking at him again. He pulled the gun from Toppers head and clicked the safety back on, before shoving the Kook down into the water.

Sarah glared over at the Pogues, Kie in particular. "Kie, can you check your psycho friend, please?"

"Sarah." Katherine shot her friend a warning glance, her voice quaking.

JJ glared down at Topper one more time before turning and brushing past the Pogues. "Okay everyone, listen up," he yelled glaring at everyone in his path. Katherine helped Topper up and into Sarah's arms, while they all started walking to the parking lot on the beach. "Get the hell off our side of the island!" He fired two rounds in the air, making Sarah shriek and Katherine cower into her side.

Topper pulled Sarah closer to his chest, shaking his head. "That dude is fucking nuts," her grumbled, leading them to his truck. He helped Sarah in and looked back to Katherine with a frown. "Kat, I-I'm sorry--."

Katherine put her hand up, not having the energy to argue with him. "It's done, Topper," she muttered, looking past him at her best friend. "Is it okay if I stay over? I just...I don't want to go home."

Sarah nodded immediately. "Of course," she murmured, giving her a small smile, but it immediately dissipated when she looked behind her at Todd, who had just appeared. "What the fuck do you want?"

Katherine turned on her heels and nearly bumped into Topper, trying to back away from him. "Kat, can we talk?" His eyes flickered to Topper and Sarah, neither of which seemed willing to leave her with him. She held her place, folding her arms over her chest. This made his jaw twitch. "You shouldn't have been right there. I was in the middle of the fight a-and it could have been anyone grabbing me. I had no idea it was you."

Katherine shook her head, looking at him in disbelief. "All of that and you still can't even tell me you're sorry," she scoffed. "Fuck you."

Todd narrowed his eyes, jaw clenched. "Stop being so dramatic!" He roared, gripping her by her wrist. "Let's go and we can talk about this like adults." He tried to pull her away, despite her protests. She hated it when he called her dramatic. It was his go-to in every argument and it often left her second guessing herself, but not tonight.

"Man, look, it's been a long night," Topper interjected, glancing down at Todd's hand snaked around her wrist. "I think everyone just needs to cool off--,"

Katherine wasn't having any of it. She managed to snatch her hand away from him and she shoved him back a few steps. "Kat!" Sarah's nervous voice pierced the air.

Topper moved between the pair, before Todd could retaliate. "Just go home," she scoffed, shaking her head. "I'm done. We're done," she quickly corrected.

There was something sickening to Katherine about the grin on Todd's face. "You think that hurts me? You think I need you?" His laugh made her heart sink into her stomach. "I-I mean, where do you think I was last night? I could have any girl in Kildare."

Katherine wanted to lash out. She wanted to cry and scream at him and hit him, but she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing that his words hurt her like they did. Instead, she kept her eyes steady on him. "That's okay, I was fucking your best friend last night," she countered, fighting to keep her voice steady, like the revelations didn't hurt her as much as they did.

Todd was very obviously speechless, wracking his brain for what she was going on about, but it finally clicked. He shook his head in disbelief. When he finally did turn away, she let out a heavy breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. Hands were in fists at her side and her perfectly manicured nails dug small crescents into her palm. "Hey, I'm going to ride with Kat." She could hear Sarah's soft whispers from behind her.

"No, I-I'm okay," she assured her friend, slowly turning back to face her. "I think the drive alone is exactly what I need." Sarah didn't seem completely convinced. "I'm not going to drive my car into the ocean, Sarah," Katherine deadpanned. "No matter how good of an idea it may sound like right now." Both Sarah and Topper's jaw slacked. "Guys, I'm kidding." Judging by their expressions, neither thought it was funny. Katherine had her own history to thank for that one. "I'll be fine, I promise."

Sarah finally gave in, closing her door. Topper rubbed the back of his neck, still uneasy about leaving Katherine there. "Be careful, Kat, cops are probably headed this way after that dumbass..." he trailed off. "Just be careful."

Katherine nodded, crossing her arms over her chest. She was annoyed at everyone insisting that she be careful, like she was made of glass and would break at any given moment. Beyond the dust that Topper's truck stirred up, she could just barely make out the Pogues arguing under the moonlight, with John B leaning heavily against JJ.

Why couldn't he have just kept his mouth shut? Why did he have to go and stir up unnecessary animosity with Todd, in turn dragging more unnecessary people into it. He almost got his friend killed and almost killed one of her friends.

She had no idea she was storming across the beach until JJ's baby blues widened and he fumbled John B's weight over to Pope. "What the fuck is wrong with you," she screeched, shoving him backwards. "That had nothing to do with you! Two people almost died tonight and for what? For you to look like the hero?" She shoved him again.

"Your psychotic boyfriend started it," Kie spat. Katherine went to lunge at her, but JJ pulled her back.

"You guys help John B get in the van, I'll be there in a sec." Kie shot him an unsure look, but she didn't argue. Katherine went to shove him again, but this time he gently grabbed her hands. He looked between her pale blue eyes rimmed with tears that she was unaware had started flowing. "Are you okay?"

She inhaled sharply, the question having caught her off guard. "I-I," she stammered, sniffling, unsure of how to answer. Truthfully, she felt like her entire state of being was in shambles. It felt as though she had her own personal Hurricane Agatha attacking her. However, she was not about to let JJ Maybank, of all people, see that. "Why do you care?"

JJ narrowed his eyes are her. "Are you serious," he scoffed, running a hand through his golden locks, clearly trying not to be frustrated. "I'm sorry, okay?" She narrowed her eyes, trying to guess his angle. "Not that I picked a fight with Todd, because the way he talked to you and the way he grabbed you-," he cut himself off, shaking the thoughts out of his head before he could get too worked up. "But I am sorry that you got hurt." His eyes fell down to the split in her lip, before meeting her gaze again. "So are you okay?" He repeated the question.

For the second time, JJ caught Katherine off guard and she wasn't sure how she felt about it. She had grown so used to being the one that was sorry. It had been that way since she'd started dating Todd. She hated confrontation and she knew that apologizes were the quickest way out of them, but to be on the receiving end of the apology was a whole different ballgame for her.

Still, she couldn't help scan his face to try and see any sign of malicious intent, but there was nothing but concern. Her eyes fell down to where he still held her hands in his against his chest. There was nothing forceful about his touch, and the only roughness came from the callouses along his hand. She pulled them away and he didn't try to stop her, but he sure did feel colder without her touch.

Distant sirens could be heard, making JJ's jaw clench. Katherine started backing away, thankful for the diversion. "Guess you'll have to find out the answer to that question another day, Maybank," she hummed, before turning on her heels and jogging towards her car, leaving him staring after her for only a moment, before the Pogues rushed him into the van.

Still, his mind found itself wandering back to Katherine, all the while she thought herself to be insane for grinning like a fool over a Pogue.

Authors Note.
JJ & Kat make my heart skip a beat & this was one of my many fav chapters to write🩷 ps FUCK TODD as always :)