◜ 　　　　　 ◝

𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗙𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗬 𝗙𝗜𝗩𝗘
𝒅𝒂𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒇𝒕 𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒐

◟ 　　　　　 ◞

・・・・☆・・・・☆ ・・・・

"Ah, crap! The tide!" John B said once they saw that the previous path that they had drove on was now, pretty much, just water.

"Well, this doesn't look good," Pope pointed out the obvious.

"How deep is it?" Kiara asked.

"I dunno. The road's gone," John B said before he stopped the van from going any further.

"The tide rose faster a little faster than I thought it would," JJ remarked.

"Just a little bit."

"What are we supposed to do?" Kyla asked no one in particular.

JJ glanced at her before he looked back at John B. "Uh, John B, how high are the spark plugs?" JJ then questioned the teen.

"They're good. We're fine," John B replied, not answering the actual question.

"How high are they?" JJ and Pope asked at the same time, wanting to know the answer.

"Oh, um..." he trailed off before he looked out the window. "Uh, just above the taillight," he told them.

"Okay, so that's, what, three feet?" Pope guessed.

"That's three feet. Yeah," JJ confirmed and Kyla clicked her tongue.

"That water can't be three feet deep," Kiara argued.

"So, then what's the problem?" John B questioned.

"Not a problem. No, we're good. We're good. She'll make it," JJ assured, and the three girls shared the same, worried glance.

"Yeah. Ladies and gentlemen, fasten your seat belts. Hold on to something. We're going into hyperdrive," John B told them and Kyla sucked in a breath, going back to gripping the cushions yet again.

"I'm gonna say a quick prayer," JJ muttered before he did the sign of the cross.

"Three, two, one," John B counted down before he pressed down on the accelerator, making the wheels turn quickly. They stayed in the same place for a few seconds before the van flew forward, making the water splash up all around them.

All of them began shouting different things like it was gonna make them go faster. But, it didn't seem to help because the Twinkie swerved and fell off the path. "Ah, shit!" Kiara yelled, her face scrunched up.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no," John B repeated multiple times.

"I think we miscalculated," Pope spoke up, out of breath.

"You think?" Kyla respond, blinking rapidly in disbelief.

"I knew I should have driven," JJ said before they all had to get out of the van, standing in the murky water.

"Okay, maybe we can walk from here," Pope suggested.

"What, and leave the Twinkie? The — the tide's coming in," John B told him.

"So then what are we supposed to do?" Sarah asked.

"Not stay here," JJ answered.

Kiara seemed to contemplate it for a moment before she said, "We can take our dad's truck."

"Wait, what?" Kyla said, looking over at her sister in confusion. Kiara nodded at her.

"Kie, are you sure?" John B inquired.

"How much worse can it get, you know?" Kiara replied with a shrug, and Kyla had to nod an agreement on that one.

"We're gonna need something to pull her out with. There's a winch at the Château. That's, like, two miles," JJ brought up.

"Yeah, that's a good idea," Sarah said.

"Okay, if you're gonna do it, let's go, okay? Tide's coming in, all right? Twinkie's going underwater," John B said.

"Double time, Kie. We gotta move," JJ urged as the two of them climbed out of the water.

"Hey, wait!" Kyla called out, following them. They both turned around to look at her. "Let me get the truck, Kie."

"What?" Kiara said in confusion.

"I've been sneaking in and out of the house for the past few days without being caught by our parents. And, if they do catch me, you know I won't be as punished as you would be. It's safer if I do it," Kyla explained to her sister, glancing over at JJ who was watching them intently.

Kiara thought about it for a moment before she nodded. "Okay, fine. Just be careful and be fast. We don't have much time," Kiara told them.

"Will do," Kyla said before she and JJ began to walk off together.

"Just you and me," he commented after a moment.

"Yep," she responded, keeping her gaze locked ahead.

・・・・☆・・・・☆ ・・・・

Kyla and JJ finally made it the Carrera household. JJ quickly looked into her dad's truck and said, "He's not in there. We're good."

"Why would he just be sitting in there?" Kyla asked quietly and JJ shrugged before the both of them moved towards the fence.

"Are you sure you wanna do this, a little Dad Theft Auto?" JJ asked as he crouched down.

"Why would I want to? We just need to," she answered before JJ opened up the fence door, urging her to go.

Kyla swiftly walked up the steps to the porch, looking through the windows. She didn't see anyone sitting down on the couch so she quietly opened up the door, being careful not to make any noise.

She then began to slowly walk inside, hearing her parents voices from inside the kitchen area. She walked over and peered around the corner, seeing them laughing and talking together happily. Kyla couldn't help but frown. They seemed happier without her and Kiara in the house.

And, well, that only made taking the truck key's slightly easier.

She looked down at the bowl where they kept the car keys and took the truck ones before she quietly walked out of the house, continuing to crouch so she wasn't noticed.

JJ saw her coming down the steps and opened the fence door again. "Hey," he whispered and Kyla tossed him the keys before the both of them hopped in the truck, starting it and driving away.

"Oh, thank God," Kyla breathed out, proud of herself for not getting caught. It seemed like her days sneaking around actually seemed to benefit her even more.

"Nice job. Never doubted you for a second," JJ told her and she looked over at him, sending a gentle smile his way. He continued to drive over to the Château. "This'll only take a sec. I think it's in the surf shack. Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's in the surf shack. I'll be right back. Got it," he said before he opened the car door, running out. "Be right out." He went to go hop over a mound of dirt, but instead, he tripped on it and landed face first.

"Ooh!" Kyla winced from the car, her face scrunched up.

"I'm okay!" JJ called out before he began searching for winch.

Kyla looked down at her hands, letting out a deep sigh. She'd knew that being alone with JJ would bring up some conversations, so she needed to prepare for them. She just didn't know how. All she knew is that she wanted to settle this lingering tension between them both.

She then looked up, noticing that she didn't see the blonde anymore. She reached over and honked the horn. "JJ!" she shouted. When he didn't reveal himself, she got out of the car and switched to the drivers seat, honking the horn even more.

After a few more seconds, she saw JJ walking over to the car with his father, Luke Maybank. "What the hell? No. Immediately, no," Kyla said as she got out of the car, shaking her head.

"No, I know," JJ started to say.

"What is this?" Kyla questioned.

"Just get in the truck," JJ pointed at the truck, placing the materials in the back.

"JJ, the Twinkie's drowning right now and our friends our stranded. What's the plan? What are you doing?" Kyla asked frantically before JJ grabbed both of her arms, pulling her closer to him.

"Just listen to me! Listen to me, okay? I need to get into the marina at the Island Club. There's a boat there that he can take," JJ explained and Kyla sighed, looking away in disbelief. "You got the sticker on your truck. Twenty minutes, that's all I need." He then let go of her, walking over towards the truck.

"We don't have twenty minutes!" Kyla argued, not caring about raising her voice.

"I know, Ky!"

"Leave him, and we can come back!"

"The cops are after him!" JJ revealed, banging softly on the truck. "If I do this now, maybe I will never have to do it again," he told her before he got into the passengers seat.

Kyla sighed and got into the drivers seat, not bothering to look at his father. She never actually met him, but she hated him for what he did to JJ.

・・・・☆・・・・☆ ・・・・

"Hey, pull up to Home Food here. I'm gonna need provisions," Luke instructed and Kyla reluctantly pulled up the store, and JJ got out. "Crackers and baked beans and tuna, all right? And — and some salt and pepper."

"Yeah," JJ responded.

"Five days' worth," Luke added.

"I know."

"You Kiara's sister?" Luke then asked after a second.

"Yeah," Kyla said without even looking back at him. She heard him hum behind her.

Luke then began to hit on all the seats, trying to create some sort of beat with it. Kyla shook her head slowly in annoyance. "You're a terrible father, you know that?" she spoke up, feeling the need to defend JJ.

"Yeah, preach it to me," Luke replied. "Set me straight."

Kyla's lip curled in disgust. "Do you have any idea how special your son is? Like, even a clue?" she questioned.

"He's a thief is what he is," Luke countered.

"And what are you?" Kyla asked, getting mad. "You're just a wasted local salt who never did shit but get messed up and hustle people. Not exactly impressive," Kyla insulted calmly.

"You know, you sound just like your mama. She was just like that in high school. Always thought she was better than everybody else. Kook princess," Luke told her, causing Kyla to narrow her eyes. "You know, I bet you're a lot like your mama. Slumming with the bad boys. Are you an ungrateful shit like she was?" Luke asked before he quietly laughed. "I bet you are. Miss Figure Eight, hopping up there on your high horse, riding around in daddy's car, not caring 'bout your sister, only you—"

Kyla elbowed him right in the face, causing his head to go back and for him to groan. Kyla looked back at him for the first time during that drive. "Don't talk about my family," she warned before she looked forward.

"Hey!" JJ then called out, handing his father a can of beers before he placed the rest of the groceries in the back.

Kyla started the truck back up before JJ hopped back in. He looked at Kyla and then his father, before back at the girl. "Let's get this over with, yeah?"

"Yeah."

・・・・☆・・・・☆ ・・・・

Kyla pulled up to the Island Club's marina, and JJ got out, going to get the groceries. "Hey, why don't you tell your mom hi?" Luke suggested to Kyla.

"Shut up," JJ immediately said, opening the door for his father.

"Make it quick," Kyla told him and the blonde nodded.

"Come on," JJ urged his father, who had now gotten out of the car and shut the door behind him.

"Hey, Luke," Kyla called out, making them both turn around. Kyla gave him the middle finger with a mocking grin.

Luke went to go step forward, but JJ blocked his path and demanded, "Go. Go!"

Kyla's mocking grin turned into a real one and watched as the two walked away. She hoped that his father wouldn't try to take JJ with him, but she knew that JJ wouldn't let that happen. He couldn't.

But...Kyla couldn't let him do this alone. He needed someone. No matter how much she knew that JJ hated his father, it was still his father.

After waiting a few minutes, she got out of the car and walked out towards the dock just as Luke was getting ready to leave. She watched as he drove the boat away before she looked at JJ, who was sniffling.

"You okay?" she asked softly and he nodded, blinking slowly to stop himself from crying. "Come here," she whispered, walking over to him and putting an arm around him. She didn't want to see him hurting like this. "Let's go."

The two began to walk back to the truck, their arms around each other comfortingly.