𝟎𝟓𝟖. 𝐡𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐲𝐦𝐨𝐨𝐧 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐝

paradise ──── coldplay

☀︎ 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐥𝐲𝐧'𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐯

𝖥𝖮𝖱 𝖳𝖧𝖤 𝖥𝖨𝖱𝖲𝖳 𝖳𝖨𝖬𝖤 𝖨𝖭 𝖠 𝖫𝖮𝖭𝖦 𝖳𝖨𝖬𝖤，𝖨 𝖶𝖠𝖲 𝖧𝖠𝖯𝖯𝖸．Sure, I was unclean and I felt disgusting from the inside out, but I was really, really happy. I felt free, like an animal who had been let out of its cage after being locked up all day. I felt really, really good, and despite being stuck on this island for nearly an entire month, I wasn't ready for it to be over.

I was living the real Pogue life── the life I dreamed of having with Dad and John B as a little girl. That dream we had would've looked a lot like this if it had become a reality. Foraging for food ourselves, creating meals out of little to nothing. Watching the stars at night whilst sitting around the fire, telling each other stories and replaying memories. Falling asleep on the soft sand with the gentle push of the waves soothing us.

This is the Pogue life. This is what I was born for. I was born to get my hands dirty, bury them into the water and pry fish out. I was born to climb trees and search for my own food, grabbing any berry and fruit I could get my desperate hands on. I was born to weave bamboo to create shelter. I was born for this life, that much was obvious from how I've lived these past thirty days.

It's been thirty days. Well, it's been thirty days according to my tally marks I've craved into the largest palm tree on the island. Just like at home, JJ and I have claimed a tree as our own by carving our names into the wood right under the tally marks. At night, when everybody was asleep, JJ and I would sneak off, splitting our time between the highest cliff overlooking the water── the one he had jumped off on a dare while I held my breath in fear── and the palm tree I'm standing under right now with a coconut bowl full of crushed fruits and berries.

Kiara had made bowls by splitting coconuts in half. I had helped her carve out the insides of the coconuts before we ate the remains and washed them in the pond. With our makeshift bowls washed, we reused them to eat berries and fruits and fish, and I'm using one right now to eat breakfast... or lunch. I don't know exactly what time it is, but we each eat at least two meals a day.

For thirty days, this place has been our home.

On day five, JJ and I made the flag, and having that chance to draw, even if it was just on a piece of washed up cloth, was rewarding. With a sharpened piece of wood thanks to the knife we have, we created a makeshift pencil, and I drew, completely in my element the second I dragged the pencil across the cloth canvas. JJ wrote out the name of the island onto the piece of cloth── Poguelandia. Then with his guidance, I drew the chicken smoking a joint whilst wearing a coconut bra and crocs underneath the name.

I then scribbled my initials in the corner next to his, and I clapped my hand over his as we admired our work. That flag we made now hangs on the tree closest to where we washed up all those days ago.

That was a good day. A really, really good day.

The day after making the flag, I felt inspired, and I knew what I had to do. I decided to draw on the walls of the cave we slept under. I spent most of the sixth day drawing on those walls, spending a lot of time on my own which was nice. Since that day, I've tried to draw a little something everyday to keep my inspiration alive.

I love keeping my hands busy, that's why I adore drawing and sketching, and I'm glad I got to continue my love whilst stranded on this island.

On day eleven, it rained heavily so we sat under the cave with the fire blaring, trying to keep ourselves warm because the rain was ice cold. That was a hard day, I will admit, but we did our best to keep ourselves entertained. We reminisced, told ridiculous stories, and ate with what we had left over. I snuggled into JJ that day, leaning on him in the hopes of keeping him snug.

The following day after the storm had passed, we knew that there'd be more fish in the water than ever before, so when the rain cleared, JJ and I braved the waters, using the spears we crafted to fish for dinner. We caught a lot of fish that day, and JJ was unbelievably proud of me, applauding me for my great spearing skills. I always avoiding fishing with Dad and John B as a kid as I found it to be gross, and while it is kinda gross, it's necessary to keep us all alive, and JJ makes almost everything fun.

He's currently spearing fish with Kiara, and every now and then, they both turn and wave over at me as I continue to eat quietly. I wave back, smiling to myself as it's nice to see them bonding. My boyfriend and my ex... fling, I don't know, but the three of us have become something of a trio whilst on the island. Sure, I see everybody everyday, but when it comes to doing tasks like foraging for food or collecting wood, I often turn to JJ or Kiara to be my partner.

Sarah and John B have obviously been close, working together to keep us alive, and Pope has formed a bond with Cleo, so with there being an odd number in our crew now, I latch onto JJ and Kiara── my trio.

On day nineteen, it was JJ's birthday. I remembered the day we became stranded, so I knew which day JJ's birthday would fall upon. He seemed content that day, over the freaking moon to be spending his birthday in paradise. Instead of a cake, he and I shared a mango that morning, and we fished later that evening with the makeshift net we'd crafted with Pope days prior. I learnt that day that I preferred to spear fish rather than to catch them with a net. I think I got bit several times, but look at me, I'm still alive!

When everybody fell asleep around the fire on the night of his birthday, he pulled me away and tucked us under the safety of this tree I'm leaning against, and after talking and playing our favourite game, I fell asleep with my head right over his heartbeat. I then woke the next morning to his fingers digging into my scalp, massaging my hair that, let's just say, isn't the prettiest thing in the world.

I've had my hair down for twenty-six out of the thirty days which, I must say, is the longest I've ever had my hair down. Even as a child, I always pulled my hair into a ponytail, refusing to let my hair fall. My headband snapped in two, leaving me to let my hair hang down my back. With how much I've been exposed to the sun lately, I've found that the roots of my hair have lightened, but I think it looks... pretty, as does JJ.

Anyway, I've woken up to JJ every morning and fallen asleep beside him every night just like I had always planned. So far, as a couple stranded on an island, we've handled things pretty well. We're in that peaceful honeymoon period, and if we continue to stay on this island, I don't believe we'll ever leave that period. We've been completely and utterly wrapped up in each other, infatuated by any little thing the other does.

As ridiculous as it sounds, given that I've just spent the last thirty days of my life trapped on this island, I don't want to face the reality of leaving this place. We've made a home out of nothing, and I'm proud of all that we've accomplished even if some days are harder than others. We're extremely resourceful, but I always knew that we could be.

I've learnt a lot being on this island, and I'm not quite ready to give it up. Would it be nice to have a warm shower? Yes, definitely, but I can't deny how much fun I'm having. I've explored this island top to bottom, scoured the sand for seashells and a new place to draw. I've climbed the trees, wishing I could build a treehouse and never leave it, but I don't think we're that resourceful.

If we stay any longer, I think I might just get to work on building that treehouse.

I don't know how much longer we'll stay here. Honestly, I thought after a couple days on this island we would've been found, but nobody has come to "save us" if you want to word it in that way. I don't need saving, not from this, and I think I'd stay here if given the choice.

Sure, it's not perfectly practical, but I'm happy.

We are happy── JJ and I.

Speaking of him, he wraps his arm around my middle, pulling my back into his front. A laugh bubbles out of me, and I nearly drop the bowl in my hands as I hold onto him. His head drops, nuzzling into my neck as his lips run along my shoulder and up my neck.

I relax into him, loving every time he touches me. "JJ..." My laugh dies in my throat, my breath catching suddenly as JJ continues to glide his lips along my skin.

Ive leant that he's clingy as a boyfriend, and I don't mind one bit. I see his clinginess as his way of making up for lost time. Before, when he was just "more than a friend", we only had each other in the safety of our privacy, but now that our relationship is bold and loud, he and I spend little to no time apart.

Over these past thirty days, my love for JJ has only grown stronger, and he doesn't even know it.

His hands flatten over my stomach, his chin now resting upon my shoulder. "Hey, Sunshine." I hum, always loving to hear him call me that.

"Hey, you." My head turns, peering up at him with a glint of a smile on my lips. His nose and cheeks are burnt from the sun, and his blond hair appears to be even lighter. He looks pretty, he always does, but on this island, there's just something about seeing him so happy in his true element that makes him more attractive to me.

His lips press against my forehead. "We caught dinner," he tells me, grinning.

"Oh, yeah." Go Kie and JJ. "What fish?"

"Skate," he replies, and my eyes widen, pleasantly surprised by that. While I'm sick of eating fish, and I probably won't eat fish ever again once I'm back in Outer Banks, I can't turn down good food.

"Well done." I turn in his arms, facing him as I lift the bowl of berries. "You hungry?"

His eyes flicker from the bowl of berries in my hands to me, and something playful glows in the blue of his eyes. "Oh, yeah, I'm hungry." His head dips, but I don't let him kiss me. No, I instead reach my hand into the bowl of berries, grabbing a single berry and pressing it against his lips.

He breathes out a laugh, letting me push the berry between his lips. The berry and my fingers catch between his teeth, and I laugh as I yank my hand back. "I can't believe you just did that." Instead of kissing me, he dips his hand into the bowl between us, pulling out several more berries to eat.

"Hey, JJ." His eyes meet mine, his throat working as he eats the berries I picked myself. Whatever, I like keeping him fed. "Do you think somebody will save us?" I've asked the question several times over the thirty days we've been here, and JJ always, even in the earliest days, says the same thing.

"Save us from what? Paradise?" He lifts one hand, pressing it against my cheek.

While it is considered to be paradise to us── JJ and I── I can see that not everybody loves it here as much as we do. Kiara is enjoying her time, that much I can see, but Sarah is struggling, constantly looking out to the water to see if somebody is coming to "save us". She has a fear that Rafe or Ward will find us, and while that's a reasonable fear, I know they won't find us.

I don't need saving, as I've said before, but I hate to see somebody I love worried and afraid. She, like my brother and Pope, want to go home, I know that much. Even Cleo is wanting to see what our life is like back in Outer Banks.

"I don't wanna leave," JJ utters, and I can hear the sincerity behind his voice. He really, truly loves it here, and I can understand why. It has felt like paradise, and it's been a beautiful experience living on this island with our friends. It's been fun and fulfilling and life-changing, and I'm afraid of the reality that will face us if we leave this place.

JJ turns us, letting us face the island and what we've created over the past thirty days. His arm rests against my back, fingertips digging into my waist as I lean into his side. "Look at what we have, Sunny. This is paradise right here, baby. All this is ours."

I sigh, leaning my head on his shoulder. "I know."

I feel his lips press against the top of my head, offering me a simple act of comfort. I let the coconut bowl slip from my hands, choosing to wrap my arm around his back and hold him, silently telling him that I love to be here with him in our paradise that we've created.

I peer up, staring at him as he looks forward at the island from upon this hill where our palm tree sits. He's so content here, so at peace. He belongs here. He deserves to be here. He's relaxed, and I wish I could be just as relaxed as him, but it's hard when I worry for my friends and what they think of the world we've created on this island.

JJ catches me staring, and he looks down, his lips twitching in a smile. His hand moves up my back, dragging up the back of my neck and pushing into my hair. I exhale, eyes coming to a close as I lean into him. I love having his hands in my hair, more than I let on.

"I like your hair down." His fingers press into the base of my skull. "You should keep it down more."

"It's been down for twenty six days," I retort.

"And I like it." He smiles against my hair before pushing his lips against the same spot. "I like it a lot, Sunshine."

I do like having my hair down. It's freeing in the best possible way, and I like it even more knowing that JJ loves to see my hair down. I may never tie it up again, I don't know. I only have my hair down as I don't have any other choice thanks to my only hairband snapping in two, so maybe I'll let it be free moving forward.

My hair has become awfully wavy from the humidity and warmth in the air, and JJ has spent most of our nights twirling the curls in my hair with his fingers. He's even attempted to braid my hair with my guidance. It's cute, him trying to style my hair, but he isn't very good at it.

I love all our nights together. I love all our mornings together. I love him.

"Are you afraid of what'll happen if we go back?" I'm uncertain of what will happen if we get found. Actually, I think we will be found eventually, so that's why I'm even more uncertain on what will happen, not just to JJ and I, but to everything.

I don't like not knowing, it's why I'd prefer to go into the future rather than the past. I'd rather see what's ahead of me so I can figure everything out before it happens. Sadly, that's not real life even though I wish it could be.

"What?" He pulls his head back slightly, glancing down at me. "Between us?"

"Will we still be like this when we get back?" Will we still have this spark between us that has only been present whilst on this island? We began our relationship stranded, so what if we can't survive a relationship in the real, non-paradise world? What will happen to us then?

"Do you not think we will?"

"I-I don't know," I breathe out, slipping my arm away from around his back. "I want us to still be this, but once we get home, we won't get to live in this paradise we've created."

"This is our home, Brooke."

"JJ..." I sigh loudly. "Be realistic, okay? Somebody is going to find us eventually, and we won't be here anymore."

He looks away, obviously wishing for that not to be true, but we have to be realistic. We're not going to be on this island forever, caught up in this moment of paradise, no matter how much he wishes to stay here forever.

I take JJ's hands, wanting him close to me once again. "Hey." I take his hand, lifting his knuckles to my lips. "We will be like this when we get back," I say softly, assuring him. "We're going to be okay, JJ. We're still going to be paradise Sunny and J." I offer him a grin, pressing a kiss to his hand. "Right?"

He nods, smiling fondly. "Right."

I don't want the spark to die the moment we get back to the Outer Banks, but that fear of us changing once we leave paradise is high.

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✩ 𝐣𝐣'𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐯

𝖡𝖱𝖮𝖮𝖪𝖤'𝖲 𝖧𝖤𝖠𝖣 𝖫𝖠𝖸𝖲 𝖮𝖭 𝖬𝖸 𝖢𝖧𝖤𝖲𝖳．Her arm hangs over my middle, her leg pressed into mine. She breathes slowly and softly, her chest heaving with each careful breath. My arm falls around her back, thumb pushing hard, soothing circles into the dip in her waist as she relaxes into me.

She feels so right in my arms, moulding perfectly to my side. I never want to let her go, not for a second, but as I stay awake tonight, staring at the stars up above whilst holding onto Brooke, I think about the question she asked earlier.

Will we still be like this when we get back?

I was caught off guard by the question, but I knew the answer then. I just didn't say it, I don't know why. She just stared up at me with those big eyes, desperate to hear me say yes, but I didn't say a damn word like a fucking fool. If anyone is going to screw up this relationship, it'll be me, I know that for certain.

The truth is, yes, I think Brooke and I will still be happy, paradise-y us whether we live on this island or back in the Outer Banks. We're still going to Sunny and J, as she said earlier, as that's what we've always been. When we leave this island, and yes, I know we will eventually have to leave the island we've turned into a home, I believe Brooke and I will be okay.

I've waited a long time for her, and I am not going to screw it up. I can't screw it up.

She's who I want. She's who I need. Wherever I end up, if she's there beside me, I know I'm going to be okay. So while I'd love nothing more than to keep us on this island for the rest of our lives, I know we're going to still be this when we make that trip back to OBX.

I let my head drop, and my lips press to the top of her head. She's so beautiful. On this island, I've realised more and more why I call her Sunshine. She glows in the sun. Her hair is wild and lighter. Her smiles are brighter and larger. Her laughs are bubbly and loud. She's a literal ray of sunshine whilst on the island. She's been exploring and foraging, climbing up trees and running through ponds with the wind in her hair. She's been so free and so full of joy.

She's always been beautiful to me, but on this island, she is fucking breathtaking.

She stirs, her arm tightening around my middle. Her eyes blink open slowly, and I mentally curse myself out for waking her up, but the moment her eyes find mine in the darkness, all thoughts die in my head. 

A lazy smile spreads across her lips. "Hey, you."

I drag my knuckles up and down her back, offering her a similar smile. "Hey, Sunshine." God, she's so... so, you know?

"You okay?" She settles back into me, stretching her leg out to lay across mine.

"We're still going to be like this when we get back," I tell her, wanting to make myself clear. I can't stand to know that she's worried about us when she doesn't need to be. I'm hers completely, she has to believe that.

She exhales, smiling softly. "I know."

"I don't care where we are, Brooke, okay? I like you." A lot. More than a lot. These past thirty days with her have been incredible, and I can't wait to see how we'll act back in the Outer Banks. Our relationship is no longer a secret. We don't have to hide behind closed doors. We can be loud in front of our friends. I can kiss her in front of our friends. I can hold her in front of our friends.

While our relationship is no longer a secret, I still can't help but still be a little private with her. I still kiss her in secret, away from her brother's eyes as he absolutely doesn't like me being all over his sister. We've been sneaking off in the darkness when our friends are asleep so we can spend our nights together under the safety of this tree we've claimed as our own, or upon that cliff that overlooks the water.

I like having her all to myself.

She pushes her hand up and under my shirt, splaying her fingers above the waistband of my shorts. "I like you too," she breathes out, her hand so warm against my skin. "And I know you like it here, JJ, but somebody is going to come get us. I mean, we can't live here forever."

"I know." I move my hand up her back, pushing my fingers into her hair. I love when her hair is down. It's wavy, bouncy, and so long, trailing all the way down her back.

"We can make our own paradise when we get back," she says, voice soft.

I huff out a laugh, appreciating her effort to carry our paradise back to the Outer Banks. "Paradise is wherever you are, Sunshine."

"Oh, you've become so cheesy."

Yeah, maybe I have become cheesy, and past me would laugh at present me, but I don't care. I've never had a girlfriend, and I've never liked anyone as much as Brooke, so I'll be damn cheesy if I wanna be damn cheesy. I like her, I want her to see that everyday.

I dig my fingertips into the base of her skull, hearing her sigh contently. "You've liked it here, right?"

"I've loved it here," she corrects. "I've loved waking up in the sun. I've loved falling asleep under the stars. I've loved that we've had to find our own food. It's fun, fishing and foraging." She breathes out a laugh, but I believe that she has loved fishing and foraging. The smile on her face has proven that. "I've loved that we've made a home out of nothing. I love this place."

She pushes herself up, her hand still on my stomach as she turns to face me. My hand falls from her hair, sitting on her lower back. "I love it here, I really do, but if we stay here any longer, we may have to repopulate."

A laugh crawls out of me, loud and surprising. "You just wanna have sex with me."

One of my favourite colours creeps up her neck, brightening her face. "No, I don't," she bites out, pinning me with a hard stare.

I pinch her skin. "Your face says otherwise."

"It's sunburn," she retorts, but I know better.

"Sure." I sit myself up, still leaning back against the tree that we've claimed as our own. "Whatever you have to tell yourself, Sunshine." I rub my hand up her back, pulling her towards me again. She sighs, rolling her eyes at me, but she doesn't protest. She just falls into me, leaning back against the tree with her head pressed into my shoulder.

She takes my hand, and I slide my arm around her shoulders. "Hey." She squeezes my hand, swiping her thumb across my knuckles. "One day in the future, when we finally have some freaking money, we'll find our way back to here, okay?"

A smile touches my lips, appreciating her. "Sounds like a plan, Sunny."

We will find our way back here, I trust that.

"I so want to make a treehouse," she comments, peering up at the tree we're sitting under. This tree would definitely not hold up a literal house, but there's plenty of trees on this island that would. "If we stay here any longer, I think I might."

"I said I'd build you one." I've said it several times, and I really do mean it when I say I will build her a treehouse. I'll build her anything she asks for. I'll give her whatever she asks for. She deserves everything and more, I mean that.

"With what?"

"My... hands," I stammer out.

Her lips upturn. "I wonder what else I can ask you for..." She hums, turning her head and pressing her lips against the side of my neck. "You know, seeing as you really wanna keep me happy."

I'll give her anything she asks for.

"Oh, shut up." She places her hand against my jaw, turning my head towards her so she can press her mouth over mine.

Unlike all those previous times we've kissed, Brooke is commanding and ruthless. My arm falls, sweeping around her back, and I pull her into me, bringing her to straddle my legs. Her hands hold my face as she leans into me, kissing me with an unmatchable force. I groan, trying to kiss her back as strongly as she hums in satisfaction.

I nip her bottom lip softly, bringing a similar sound out of her instead. My hand presses into her lower back, pulling her just an inch closer. Urgently and somewhat gracefully, I move my mouth over hers.

Her hands push up, sliding into my hair which isn't the softest thing in the world, but she doesn't seem to care. She just holds on. I pull my mouth back, tracing a path from her jaw to her neck before stopping at her collarbone, and then moving back up to reattach my lips to my favourite spot── her lips.

She pulls away this time, her chest heaving as she tries to catch her breath. Her forehead rests against mine, her laugh breathy and soft. "There is another reason we need to get back home to OBX."

I grin. "Oh, yeah? What?" I know the reason, I just want to hear her say it again.

"You know why," she toys.

"Play along with me, Sunshine."

She sighs, but she enlightens me. "I wanna be alone... alone," she clarifies. "I want to be away from my brother and my friends, and I just wanna be with you..." She swipes her thumb across my cheekbone. "...in a bed..." She drags her tongue along her teeth, grinning. "...or in a backseat."

"You want our first time to be in a backseat?"

"I-I don't care," she replies, lifting her shoulders in a shrug. "I just wanna be with you. Alone."

"You've said that a lot," I bite back.

"Because we deserve time alone." She's right, we definitely do. Sure, we've spent our nights together like we are now, but our friends are not that far away from us. They're always, without a doubt, near us. It's annoying because all I want is alone time with my girlfriend.

"Well, we'll get to be alone soon, Sunny." I do love it here, but she's right. I know we can't live on this island forever, and even though I'd love to trap us here, I know we have to go back to our semi-decent lives in OBX.

Her mouth meets mine for a short moment. "I can't wait, JJ."

I claim her mouth this time, and my hands slide up her back, holding her close. She places her hands on my chest, dragging her hands down, and I grunt, knowing I can't overstep, not when we're on this bastard island. I need to get us back to OBX so I can have her all day, all night without the eyes of our friends.

I yank back, breathing harshly as her hands dig into the waistband of my shorts. "What day are we on?" I ask, sucking in a sharp breath.

"Thirty," she replies, eyes still closed. "Maybe thirty one."

Thirty days, maybe thirty one. Will we end up spending another thirty days here?

"We'll be home soon, Sunshine."

I just hope I don't lose this with her once we get back to OBX.

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❀ soph speaks

first chapter of act three!!

and the first chapter of the beginning of brooke & jj <3

thankyou for reading :)

also, i'm seriously considering giving kiara a love interest, adding an eighth member to their group, but i ain't got a clue how to introduce one . . . if you have any suggestions, let me know!!!!