𝚆𝚎𝚍𝚗𝚎𝚜𝚍𝚊𝚢
𝙼𝚊𝚢 𝟷𝟼𝚝𝚑, 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟶
𝟸:𝟺𝟻𝚙𝚖

Today was the last day of school, nothing special about it since school has always come easy to me. Though this summer did change us all for the better. Let me go back and explain.

I'm Roxanne Thornton and my brother is Topper Thornton as you can guess we're twins. I go by Roxi and Topper is just... Topper.
Cassie Booker Routledge and John Booker Routledge or most people know them as Cassie or Cass and just John B, they're also twins.
Then there's Angeline Carrera and Kiara Carrera, Angeline goes by Angel and Kiara goes by Kie. Finally there's Pope Hayward and JJ Maybank , they both just go by there first names.

We're all 16 and we just finished our sophomore year. Angel's a year older, but she usually still hangs out with us. But that's our group, nothing special say the least.

The summer started with all of us getting into John B's Van and going back to Him and Cassie's house.

There mom bailed to Colorado when they were only three years old. After that their dad raised them the best he could. Even thought they grew up as a Pogue on the poor side of Outer Banks, also known as the Cut. Nine months ago their dad went missing at sea and was presumed dead, but his body was never found. Since then they have been living with their uncle, but he left a couple months ago to build houses in Mississippi.

So they basically live on there own. Which I'm not complaining about, because their house is that house, we always come here. John B is still convinced there father is alive... Cassie not so much. We don't talk about it because it always starts an argument.

Before we got to the house we made a quick stop at the local General Store to get some vodka and beer. Since Angel's the oldest we made her go in to buy the alc, we all still pitched in though.

After we got back to Cassie and John B's house, JJ grabbed the speaker and started playing music. We all gave him a look because whatever song came on just wasn't it. I could tell he was a little embarrassed because he always has the aux and plays the music. He has specific playlists for every occasion, and tonight's... is obviously drinking.

The boys were drinking the beer because the girls didn't really prefer it. They would still drink it from time to time but since they had vodka tonight they went for that instead.

"ROXI DON'T DOWN THE WHOLE BOTTLE YET" Cassie yelled.
That moment she grabbed the bottle as I was still drinking it and some spilled down my face. That moment I noticed John B give me a look.
"Cass you were just complaining about how Roxi was hogging the bottle when you're doing the same" Angel said.
"Guys stop it doesn't matter we have plenty. We still have some vodka left from last weekend. AND if we actually manage to drink it all we can always call Sarah to grab some. Right Topper?"
I said glancing at Topper. He nodded.

Topper and Sarah were dating or at least I think. There relationship was good at first, it was lowkey not a lot of people knew about it. But Sarah has just been acting really weird lately especially around Topper. I've never liked Sarah personally but since my brother is dating her I support it as long as he's happy.

After a couple minutes the vodka hit me like a bitch. I'm usually not a light weight either but something about this vodka was off, it was hitting different. Angel and I let Cassie and Kie have the rest of the vodka we bought later that night but we still wanted to drink so we decided to go find the bottles we had from last weekend. Angel was the one who ended up finding the bottle somewhere in the kitchen, we didn't want to share so we sat in there for a couple minutes and downed the bottle before anyone came in to look for us.

We walk back out see JJ and Cassie in the corner making out.

"What The Fuck" Angel mumbled.
I looked in awe not because I was jealous but because of the fact I wanted a moment like that.
"YO get a fucking room guys" I said with an attitude.

Cassie quickly turned around and gave me a look. She look like she wanted to say something back but she didn't. She got up and at the same time grabbed JJ's hand and brought him to her room.

They've always had a thing but have never made it official yet. I see them more as fuck buddies or friends with benefits.

After I turned around and walked back into the kitchen just to drink more of the leftover bottle. As I'm drinking I turn around to see John B walk in. As he walked up to me he put his hand out, I took that as a hint he wanted to have some so I gave him the bottle.

"What's up?" I said giggling.
"Nothing just wanted to make sure you're okay, you seemed kinda mad back there" he claimed.
"Oh no I'm fine I just said something so Cassie wouldn't pull some shit in front of everyone" I said applying some chapstick.
"What flavor is that?"
"it's strawberry why"
"Could I try some?"
"Sure..." I said giving him a questioned look.

Before I could even hand him the chapstick. He quickly went in for a kiss... I pulled away surprised, trying to figure out what just happened. I look at John B and lean in.

That night we simply made out nothing more. After that the night was pretty quite. Cass and JJ were already sleeping in her room. Topper was passed out on the chair. Kie and Angel pulled the couch out and turned it into a bed. They were talking when we walked back into the room but they looked like they were about to pass out. Pope was on the other chair awake watching some show he turned on the T.V. I wasn't really paying attention to see what show it was.

John B looked at me and with out saying anything grabbed my hand and walked us to his room. I guess he could tell I was tired. I stood by the door as he went to his dresser and grabbed me one of his t-shirts and a pair of sweatpants. He threw them at me  motioning me to shut the door.

"thanks" I said turning around to change into the clothes he gave me.
"Anytime, you can sleep in here tonight with me" John B stated.
I turned around to give him a look and smiled. I'm sure my look said a million words.

I walked over to the bed and laid down next to John  B. I closed my eyes and was about to fall asleep when I felt his arms grab my waist and pull me closer to him. I blushed. I quickly fell asleep after that and I'm guessing John B did too.

𝚃𝚑𝚞𝚛𝚜𝚍𝚊𝚢
𝙼𝚊𝚢 𝟷𝟽𝚝𝚑, 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟶
𝟾:𝟶𝟼𝚊𝚖

We all woke up the next morning around the same time to our phones going off to a weather alert about an incoming hurricane.
Hurricane Agatha

I turned around quickly to turn off my phone, and looked around the empty room after. John B wasn't there.

I got up to go to Cassie's room to ask her where John B was... she wasn't there either. JJ was still in there half asleep but when I came him he gave me a look and asked me the same question I've asked myself.

"Where's Cassie? And why are you in here?" JJ said in a low voice.
"I'm wondering the same thing, John B isn't here either so I came to ask Cass where he was but she's obviously gone too" I said.

After I turned around to walk to the kitchen and JJ was close behind me. We walked in on Angel, Topper, and Pope playing some card game at the table. I'm assuming it's poker, as we always play it. Kie had her head in the fridge probably looking for something to eat.

"Where's Cassie and John B?" I said examining the room.
Kie popped up from the fridge and quickly answered my question.
"They had to go into town and talk to DCS"
"Oh makes sense" I said yawning.

Ever since there dad died DCS has been on there ass about everything, and when I say everything I mean EVERYTHING. We didn't really worry about it though because they would just lie and say there uncle was still here.

Later Cassie and John B came back with worried but calm looks on there faces.

"What happened?" Pope said.
"DCS is coming for an assessment tomorrow to talk to our uncle and see if he's actually here. Something 'came to their attention that were unemancipated minors living on our own' and if our uncle isn't here to talk to them they're going to move forward with foster care" Cassie said in a bitchy tone.
"What are you guys going to do about it?" Angel claimed.
"Nothing" John B stated.
We all had questioned looks on our faces.
"Are u joking? Nothing? You guys are going to go into foster care" I yelled.
John B laughed.
"We caught a break guys"

That moment he showed us phone of a weather channel and some lady talking.
"Hurricane Agatha continues its steady march towards Kildare Island - on the Outer Banks of North Carolina"

"Holy shit" Pope said in awe.

After John B turned off the video of the weather channel and put the phone to his ear.

[women on phone] DCS, How can I help you?
"Yeah, Uh... I think we're probably gunna have to reschedule."

John B walked out of the room still talking to the lady on the phone.

He came back into the kitchen a couple minutes later with a proud look on his face. The room was silent besides the thunder in the background from the overcoming storm.

"You know what this means" John B said with a look and everyone immediately knew what he meant.

Everyone jumped up to go and great ready, and by ready I meant for the surge. Topper and Kie stayed back because this wasn't really their thing.

You might be thinking we're crazy. Why would you go to the surge during a storm... and not any storm a HURRICANE.

But you're right, we are. But have you ever seen the waves during a time like this. They're HUGE. Also perfect waves for surfing.

Right when we step outside we're immediately soaked. The rain was coming down hard but that's how I knew the waves would be good. We hurried and grabbed our boards to get to the beach. We didn't want to waste anytime.

"Its a double overhead out there bro" Pope yelled over all the thunder.
"Double overhead?" John B yelled back.
"Yeah... Those aren't surfable waves" Pope stated.
"SAYS WHO?" Cassie yells running into the water.

We all follow closely behind her, running in and paddling into the waves.

Pope stayed back and decided to wait for us in the twinkie since he was convinced the waves weren't surfable.

Cassie and Angel were doing there own thing, I wasn't paying attention to them though. I couldn't see them either because it was raining so hard and if I tried to yell for them they most likely wouldn't of heard me because of all the thunder in the background. JJ is just probably with Cassie but I wasn't sure. I just knew he was trying to surf too. John B and I stuck together, we were trying to get out of the sandbar to get to the better waves.

"What the hell?" John B looked at me and said.

I look into the distance to see a boat. I gave John B a puzzled look but didn't say anything because I knew he saw it too.

We ignored it and kept on surfing until the wave actually weren't surfable.

𝙵𝚛𝚒𝚍𝚊𝚢
𝙼𝚊𝚢 𝟷𝟾𝚝𝚑, 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟶
𝟿:𝟹𝟺𝚊𝚖

I woke up the next morning to roosters crowing. John B got up around the same time and we both went to go look outside and to check on everything, to make sure there wasn't any damage.

John B looks at his phone.
"No service"
He quickly got up to turn on the light and flicked the light switch up and down a couple times.
"No power. Great."
I laughed
"What did you expect everything to be perfect after a storm like that?" I said still giggling.
He turned around to look at me and rolled his eyes.

We both got up to go look outside.

"Yo, Topper, you been outside?" John B said.
"I have polio, bro. I can't walk" Topper said with his eyes still closed.

[thunders still rumbling in the distance]

"Oh, man"
"That's no good, that is not good" John B said yawning.

Him and I stood outside looking that the tree that fell over.

"Agatha did some work, huh" JJ said with his arm around Cassie.
"Yeah, she did" I said looking back at them.

"What you thinkin?" JJ said to John B.
"I'm thinkin' that storm surge pushed all the crabs out on the marsh maze" John B said smiling at JJ.
"It's god tellin' us to fish" JJ said smiling back.

That night Pope, Angel, and Kie went back home. So it was only JJ, Cassie, John B, Topper, and I at the house.

We got all got ready and got onto the HMS Pogue. If you don't know that's John B's boat.

We drove down the channel to go pick up Pope, Kie and Angel. During this we saw all the damage Agatha really did to the Island. At this point we're going to be cleaning up all summer.

Pope was already at the end of the dock waiting for us to get him he quickly jumped on and told us to drive because his dad was bitching at him to clean up. We drove a little longer until we finally got to Kie and Angel's dock. When they hopped on Kie had a cooler in her hands.

"Whatcha got? You got some juice boxes?" Pope said laughing.
"You know, just some yogurts and carrot sticks" Kie said glancing at Pope.
"How about my kind of juice box?" JJ asked.
We all laughed.

Pope was driving, we were all hanging out and just talking waiting for us to arrive to the marsh so the boys could fish.

During this time Cassie's standing at the front of the boat doing her so called 'party trick'. She's trying to pour beer into her mouth, but because we were going so fast it was going all over her face and spilling everywhere. I'm pretty sure some on it got on Kie cuz she gave Cassie a dirty look.

All the sudden the boat stopped, we hit something. Cassie went flying forwards into the water. Everyone else was scattered around the boat.

JJ jumped in after Cassie.
"Hey, you guys good?" John B said looking concerned.
"We're fine" Cass said referring to her and JJ.
"Pope, What the fuck happened?" JJ asked in a tone.
"Sand bar. The channel changed" He said yelling back.
"No, shit" I said standing up. "this place is probably a whole mess."

Pope has a puzzled look on his face.
"Guys... I think there's a boat down there" he claimed.
"Shut up. No way" Kie said.
"No, no, guys. I'm serious. There's a boat down there."

We all got up to look, when Cassie and JJ stayed in the water looking at us wait for someone to say something.

"Holy shit, he's right. Let's go"  Angel said taking her shirt off at the same time.

Everyone followed, they took their clothes off leaving them in bathing suits. We all jumped into the water and swam underneath to try and see who's boat this is.

We all pop up at the same time.
"Thats a Grady-White. A new one of those are 500 Gs, easy" Topper said only knowing this because our parents had been looking at buying a new boat for the summer and this was one of them.
John B and I looked at each other.
"That's the boat Roxi and I saw when we surfed the surge" John B said glaring down back at the sunken boat.
"Maybe it hit the jetty or something" Topper claimed.

We all got back onto the boat. John B was going through the cabin of the boat looking for the anchor.

"Wait do we know who's boat this is" Cassie said with a puzzled look.
"No but we're about to find out" John B said pulling the anchor out.
"Dude, it's too deep" JJ said.
"Only for the weak and feeble, JJ" John B said laughing.
"Diver down, Fool" Pope said.
"Diver down" JJ said at the same time pushing John B into the water.

A couple minutes later he came up with a key. Not the boat key but a motel key.

"Guys we should report the wreck to the coast guard" Kie said worried.
"Maybe we'll get a finder fee" Angel said proudly.
"Yeah, and not work all summer. Thanks, Agatha, ya bitch." JJ said smiling.

When we got to the coast guard it was super busy. There was a line, people yelling and talking all at once, it was a whole mess. We tried to talk to someone but this lady kept yelling about her diabetic dog.

We decided to leave as it wasn't worth us waiting to talk to these people.

"So, what's the plan?" Cassie said looking at John B.
"I know how we're going to find who owns that boat" John B said holding up the motel key.
"We don't know who's room that is, it could be anyone's" Pope said in a worried tone.
"Come on, you can be look out" Cassie said dragging Pope back to the Pogue.

So we actually went to this motel to try and find the owner of the boat. We were all super curious, even Kie was in on this. When we arrived tho... the place looked like a total dump.

We all stood there looking at the mess Agatha created.
"I thought the Château looked bad" JJ whistles.
"This place is a shit show" Cassie said still looking motel.
"Motel or meth lab?" I said laughing.
Everybody looked at me.
"You be the judge of that" Angel said examining me.

"Honestly doesn't look like a place someone with a Grady-White stays" John B said pulling the Pogue up on the shore.
"No, looks like a place someone with a Grady-White would get killed" Angel said.

He was right though. This place was run down, before Agatha even came through. Honestly Agatha may of helped because after they have to get a bunch of new shit for the rooms. There were mattresses everywhere, lamps, paintings, desks, T.V.'s, anything you can basically think of.

John B, JJ, Cassie, and I all went up to the room. It was the last one on the second floor. Topper, Pope, Angel, and Kie stayed back. Angel was going to come but we decided she should stay back because we didn't want a lot of people going up there. Pope was right it could be anyone's room, so we have to be careful. Instead we made her the get away driver if anything happened, and Topper, Pope, and Kie were look out.

Since there was no power, no security camera obviously. It looked like whoever was working on the place left so we were the only ones there.

We entered the room to see a duffel bag on the bed and another bag on the desk across from it. John B and JJ checked the bags we saw when we first entered. Cass and I went to the closet and bathroom.

"Definitely over 50, He's got new balances" John B said walking away from the bag over to the side table next to the bed.
"Hey guys there's a safe" Cassie said opening the cabinet hiding the safe.

John B walked over to the safe. He put in a bunch of random numbers before he walked back over to the desk and grabbed a piece of paper. The paper had some code on it and him assuming it was the safe code he was right.

We stood in awe as he opened the safe.