𝐒𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐎𝐍 𝐎𝐍𝐄, 𝐄𝐏𝐈𝐒𝐎𝐃𝐄 𝐓𝐖𝐎
14:20-15:33
𝙨𝙤𝙣𝙜: 𝙨𝙢𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙨 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙨𝙥𝙞𝙧𝙞𝙩 »𝙣𝙞𝙧𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙖

∞

I know my chances with JJ are slim, but I can't bring myself to push him away. He's the only person at this point in time who truly cares about my feelings. We both take each other seriously, which is something that the rest don't do. And even though he's admitted to having some feelings for me, I can't shake the thought at the back of my head that just keeps saying 'he's playing you.'

JJ and I slowly made our way back to the chateau, the whole time his arm was wrapped around my waist, making me feel safe and calm. I sucked up my tears as we neared and he backed away. The others were on the dock, sitting there just looking at the water. We joined them quietly, no one speaking.

"How much was it again?" JJ asks, breaking the awkward silence.

"Five hundred mill," Pope tells him.

JJ swings his leg over the beam to face us, "Alright, let's talk the split. Now, before we say 'evenly,' may I remind you that I am the only one that can properly defend us from those groupers who're after us."

I light a cigarette, "JJ, you haven't trained. You probably can't even shoot straight."

"Don't underestimate me, Ava. I know more than you think." He taps his temple.

"What are you gonna do with your one hundred mill, Pope?" Kie questions after rolling her eyes at JJ.

"Pay for college in advance." He nods slowly, "And also textbooks. Those are expensive."

"What about you, Kie?" I raise my eyebrows, blowing out some smoke, "Got any plans?"

"Yeah, what does a socialist do when she's already rich?" Pope tilts his head.

She chuckles, shrugging, "Just wanna make a double album. About OBX, the Pogues."

I smile gently, "That's a sick idea."

"You know, the way 'Catch a Fire' is about Kingston. Record it at Marley Studio, Peter Tosh producing," She smiles at the thought."

"Peter—" Pope starts.

"—Peter Tosh is dead. I know that." Kie stops him, "The spirit of Peter Tosh will never die."

"Actually," JJ speaks up, "I know what I'm gonna do. I'm gonna get a big ass house on Figure Eight and go full Kook."

"You're gonna go full kook?" Pope smirks, not quite believing it.

"Yup," He smirks, "Gonna get a marble statue of myself and then I'm gonna get a koi pond. Put a bunch of those fish."

I shake my head, grimacing at the image in my head, "I'm never visiting."

"I think you'll find," He teases, leaning closer to me, ". . . that you're gonna be living with me."

I roll my eyes at him, pushing him away, "Boy, you wish."

"What are you gonna do, JB?" Pope asks my brother, an eyebrow raised.

There's a long minute of silence while he thinks of his answer. He turns his head to us, a bright smile on spread across his cheeks, "To going full kook." He states.

We stand up and the others raise their cans while I raise my cigarette, having nothing else in my hand,

"To going full kook." We say in unison while laughing.

~~~

JJ passes me a bottle of beer when I sit beside him on the bow of the boat. His eyes, flow down to my chest and I smack his arm.

"My eyes are up here, playboy." I hiss, motioning to my eyes with my two fingers.

"Oh, I know." He laughs, turning around when he notices a boat coming towards us. He whistles, taking his sunglasses off and placing them on the top of my head so he's able to see the other boat properly.

"You guys see that? That's the Malibu 24-MXZ, the world fondest wakesetter. Number one in luxury, quality and performance." JJ informs us, "200k easy."

"I hate to break it to you guys, but that's Topper and his girlfriend." Kie says through gritted teeth.

Their boat comes parallel to ours and Sarah moves her sunglasses to the top her head so she can look each of us up and down. I raise my middle finger, giving her a sarcastic smirk. She notices and look away instantly, "Spoilt bitch," I growl under my breath, "Thinks she's better than us cause she's got her daddy's money."

"You don't have to act like you don't see us, bitch!" Kie snarls, watching them leave.

"She makes me wanna ram my head into a wall," I lay back, closing my eyes, "She's so fucking. . . annoying."

"That's a bit excessive, A." Pope says, his face slightly worried.

"Is it though?" I glance at him, "After all, it is Sarah Cameron. The Kook Princess."

"Ava raises a great point," JJ shrugs, "The money makes the girl think she's the president looking at us like we're fucking peasants."

"Well, of course you agree with Ava," Pope rolls his eyes, "You always do."

John B looks at him, confused, "What? What's that supposed to mean, Pope?"

I tense my jaw in annoyance and JJ comanches his fist together, wanting to shout at Pope for his slip up. Pope hasn't even been told that JJ and I 'talking' but it's obvious he suspects something. lKie smacks Pope leg discreetly, signalling to him that he has to make up a good excuse.

"They're best friends. Of course he'll agree with her," He stutters, scratching the back of his neck.

John B furrows his eyebrows, "Whatever, man."

Pope sighs and falls back into a sitting position. I glare at him across the boat and he looks at the water, avoiding eye contact.

~~~

John B parks the Twinkie and JJ opens the glove box, pulling out the pistol and placing the ammo slide inside.

"Yo, come on, man. Just put it back." John B snaps.

"What? You can never be too careful."

Pope gets out the back of the van and leans on the window near JJ, "Hey, I predict that bringing a weapon to a four-star hotel will likely cause more plot ones. than they solve."

"Thank you, Pope." John B nods.

"I swear to God, I'm gonna throw that thing in the ocean, JJ." Kie snarls, grimacing at the gun in his hand.

"Guys, we might actually need the gun at some point." I speak up and they all turn to me.

"What?" Kie's eyes widen.

I raise my arm in a surrender, "I'm just saying. We appear to be in some deep shit, we need some way to protect ourselves."

"But, JJ, we won't need it now." I look at him and he sighs in annoyance while John B grabs the gun and shoved it back in the glove box.

We all jump out, following behind JJ as he leads us towards the building.

"Where are we actually going?" I question.

"We're getting on the internet because only rich people have electricity now." He replies, not even looking back.

He leads us through some sort of kitchen where he greets everyone happily before we reach a hallway, that looked like school.

"See, they got the backup generators going? Kooks don't miss a beat."

JJ rushes past the guard and into a room, holding the door open so we can get through before he shuts it quickly.

"Sweet, sweet internet. I've missed you." Pope exhaled, basically sprinting to the seat in front of a computer.

I sit down on the couch at the side of them, watching each of them as they hurriedly try do everything.

"Can this be quick, please? I have places to be." I groan.

JJ's head snaps to me, "Where?"

"None of your business, Maybank." I wink at him, and he rolls his jaw.

"If you helped, it would go quicker." Kie looks back at me, beckoning me over.

"Okay, okay. I'm coming." I rise up and stroll over to them where Pope is putting the coordinates from Dad's map onto the computer.

"Boom," John B clicks his finger, "Continental shelf right there."

"Well, if it's off the deep end, it's not gonna be much of a treasure hunt, is it?" Pope purses his lips.

The screen takes forever to zoom into the exact location, and outside the door their are voices, presumably from the guards.

"Does this thing go any quicker?" I moan, throwing my head back.

"Shit," John hisses, "It's on the high side. It's only 900 feet."

JJ shrugs, "That's not too deep."

Kie looks up at them in confusion, "Is that doable or something?"

"Yeah, totally doable." JJ nods.

"Will we be taking your personal submarine?" I turn in my chair to scowl at him.

"How do you know this, Mr. Dive Master?" John B questions.

"The salvage yard." JJ throws his arms up, "They got a drone that can drop 1,00. It has a 360 camera and everything."

"That's exactly what we need," I straighten in my seat, "But, how do we get it?"

"Yeah. Can your Dad get his grimy little hands on it?" John B tilts his head.

"Well, my Dad's grimy little hand got his ass fired. I guess the salvage captain frowns on showing up shitfaced, turns out."

"Great." I grumble sarcastically.

"But, the drone's there. It's in the impound yard out back."

"How much did you say was on the Royal Merchant again?" Kie asks, here eyes scanning the screen.

"Uh, 500 million." John answers and apple shoots up from his seat, standing in front of the door.

I stand up, walking over and pushing him out the way, "It's worth it, Pope. It's so worth it."

"She's right, Popey Boy." JJ taps his shoulder when we leave the room, the others following.

"Fuck yeah!" JJ fist pumps the air, "This gonna be is amazinggggg."

I smirk at him, "It better be."

JJ slides the Twinkie door open, allowing me to step in first, "Oh, believe me, Ava. Believe me when I say we're gonna be rich as fuck."

John B starts the Twinkie, glancing back at Pope who's sulking about this whole situation.

"Pope, we're not stealing the drone... We're borrowing it."

Pope crosses his arms, looking out the window, "'Humans are the only animal that can't tell fantasy from reality'."

"Wait, did you come up with that?" John B raises an eyebrow.

"No, you dipshit, Albert Bernstein came up with it." I roll my eyes at my brother, "It's obvious you're failing school."

Pope turns around, "So which one is it? Fantasy or reality?"

"Why are you so weird, Pope?" JJ blurts, starting down at the cigarette he's rolling.

"Took the words right out of my mouth." I slide down in my seat, getting more comfortable.

Kiara sighs, "It's fantasy, but possible reality."

"Reality." John B states, looking over at Kie next to him.

"Virtual reality." JJ mumbles, pulling his lighter out.

Pope snatches the cigarette out of his lips, throwing it away disapprovingly. JJ's mouth hangs open and I can tell hems trying his hardest not to say something.

"Keep the signal clear." Pope mutters and I laugh at JJ's face.

"Ava, you're coming with me." Kie slides the van door open, pulling me out.

I salute, "Yep, sure."

We get in her car, the boat towing on the back. While she starts the car, we sit in silence but I hate it.

"So, you and my broski." I smirk.

She shakes her head, "How'd you know?"

"It's obvious."

"We only kissed. It won't become anything more, unlike you and JJ."

I roll my eyes, "I'm scared he doesn't feel the same way as me."

"Well, how do you feel?"

"I think I'm in love with him."

Her mouth widens, "In love?"

"Yes, yes. I know it sounds dumb, but that's how I feel." I shrug.

"Tell him and see how he feels."

"Fuck, no. It's JJ, if he gets told something he doesn't want to hear, he'll isolate himself for days."

She sighs, "It's worth a shot. And judging by the way you two act around each other, I think he feels the same way."

I groan, "I don't know. But either way, let's stop talking about boys."

"We're here anyway." She stops her car, a few metres away from the car before hopping out and slashing a tyre with her keys.

"This better work." I grumble as we jog over to the security box.

"Hello!" Kie waves, grabbing the guards attention, "Excuse me?"

"Can I help you?" He asks us, clearly suspicious of something.

"Hi!" Kie smiles.

"We have a flat tire." I grumble, getting right to the point.

Kie nudges me discreetly, "We we're wondering if maybe you could help us out?"

"Yeah, yeah." He nods, rushing back into his box to open the gate.

"It's too easy." I grimace, "I guarantee if it was John B and JJ in our position right now, he would've wanted to know more."

"Tell me about it. I hate being a women some times." Kie looks at her feet.