Your choice to disappear from the OBX without telling anyone was unexpected, you had been as silent as possible, but your absence had been a tornado of emotions, chaos and many questions, to which no one could find an answer.

By now everyone had given you up for dead in the middle of the sea, as soon as they saw your sailboat no longer parked in the port.

On surfing days your board was no longer loaded aboard the twinkie by your friends, it had remained in a corner gathering dust, waiting for someone to apply another layer of strawberry scented wax.

Your name was almost a taboo by now, talking about you was difficult for anyone.

You had left little letters to your parents, your best friends, and even to JJ, who even today, after a year and a half, was still trying to find an answer to why you disappeared. ⸻ ⸻ ⸻ ⸻ ⸻ The Pogues were no longer the same without you, that piece of the puzzle that completed them was missing, but by now your absence had almost become a habit, the struggle to overcome you and move on was hard and steep but they would do it together.

JJ tried to find entertainment, distract himself from his thoughts, occupying his mind so much, that he would have no space to think of anything else.

Surfing remained his passion, but he missed the challenges you had together, your encouragement as soon as he had to ride a wave meters bigger than him.

It didn't matter where he was, or who he was with, you weren't there.