𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐫
[𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒂𝒍𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒔 𝒇𝒂𝒊𝒍]
❧

THE GROUP WERE INSIDE THE CHATEAU AS THEY CROWDED AROUND THE TABLE. JJ was rooting the cupboards for something to eat. "That bread had mold on it three days ago." Pope tells him as he watches the man pull it out of the bag.

"I'll just pull off the bad parts. Plus, mold is good for you. It's just a natural organism." Jj retorts and Marina just glances toward him with a roll of her Eyes.

"That is not true in the slightest." She denies, shaking her had. JJ eats it anyways since when did he ever listen to what anyone else said. But it didnt take long for him to gag, spitting it back into his hand.

"Dude." marina complains as she scrunches her nose up, just looking Back at the group.

"Holy shit." John B says as he rolls the map out on the table. Marina leans over his shoulder to get a better look.

"X marks the spot." Pope points toward it.

"Longitude, latitude."

"If this is even real." marina states as she crosses her arms against her chest. John B just glances toward her.

"Optimism, Mari." He responds, nudging her arm.

"She doesnt know the word." Kiara teases and Marina narrows her gaze at the girl, hitting her slightly while Kiara only laughs.

"Wait, there's something else in there." John B tells them as he puts his hand back inside of the tube before pulling something out.

"What's that?" JJ asks, furrowing his eyebrows while Kiara just rolls her eyes.

"It's a tape recorder, dumb ass." Kiara responds and JJ gives her a glare.

"Seriously have you never seen one before?" Marina asks, wondering how so many people her age genuinely don't know what so many things are.

"He's never been in your room." Kiara retorts with a snicker, even though that wasn't true since JJ had climbed through her window the other day.

"Dear, bird." A voice echos through the room.

"Who's bird?" JJ questions.

"That's what my dad called me " John B states and everyone goes quiet as they listen to the recorder.

"I hate to say I told you so, but I told you so. And you doubted your old man." Big John starts and Marina was surprised to say the least. "I suspect at this moment, you're filled with guilt and self loathing over our last fight, but don't kill yourself just yet, kid. I didn't expect to find the merchant either. You were right to call me out. Wasn't exactly father of the decade. What can I say, kid? I could smell the barn. And hopefully, we're listening to this in our brand new sugar shack down in Costa Rica, living odd passive investments and pulling on permits. If not, and you find this for less than optimal reasons, well, that's what the map is for. There she is, the wreck of the merchant. If something happens to me, finish what I started. Go for the gold, kid. I love you, bird. Even if I didn't always act like it. I'll see you on the other side." As the recording stops, everyone was in shock.

John B just gets up from the table and as he passes Marina, she could see the tears start to leave his eyes. "Holy shit, he did it. Big John--- he found--" JJ starts to celebrate but Kiara cuts him off.

"Can you.. can you please?" she pleads, gesturing over to John B before she walks over and wraps her arms around him from behind. John B cries as he holds onto the wooden post that he was leaning against.

Marina sighs as she rubs the back of her neck. "Well, this is depressing." She admits, only to get elbowed by Pope who gives her a stern look. She glares back at him but remains quiet, no one daring to say another word.

❧

SITTING ON ONE OF THE CHAIRS ON THE BOAT DECK, Marina blows the smoke from her cigarette out of her mouth. Her eyes were just trained on the water in front of them as she rested her head against Kiaras shoulder who was sitting beside her. She went to take another hit when Kiara took the cigarette From her and put it out. Marina went to complain but Kiara only narrowed her eyes. Letting out a sigh, Marina just crosses her arms.

"How much was it again?" JJ asks curiously as he looks toward the group.

"Four hundred mil." Pope answers him and Marina whistles. She couldn't imagine actually having that much money.

"That's a chunk of change, man." JJ admits and everyone nods. "All right, 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 were after us. Protection? Not cheap, okay?" JJ explains and Marina snorts, raising an eyebrow.

"Right, the dude who dropped the gun two stories?" She argues back and JJ frowns as he looks toward her.

"That wasnt--"

"You haven't trained. You've done zero training." Pope denies, also not on board with this.

"YouTube, bro! That's at least a five percent bump right there." JJ states and Marina couldn't help but rub her face.

"You havent--" Pope starts to say but Marina jumps in.

"YouTube? Oh we're so going to die if you're protecting us." She admits and JJ just ignores all of them.

"Any objections? Didn't think so. I don't hear any, so.."

"I remember being attacked and your so called 'protection' being no where around." Marina points out and JJ just lets out a scoff.

"Well, that doesn't count." He denies and  she laughs humourlesly.

"Oh, it doesn't count?" She asks him and he firmly shakes his head. Kiara just sighs, having enough of the arguing.

"What are you gonna do with your seventy five mil, Pope?" Kiara asks him curiously.

"Pay for college in advance. And also, textbooks. Those are expensive." Pope admits and Marina pretends to snore as she rests her head back.

"Boring."

"Shut up." Pope throws a piece of paper at her and she just smirks at him before placing her hand on her chest.

"You're not even gonna buy me anything?" She asks, faking an offended tone.

"Ill buy you a bus ticket so I don't have to hear you complain." He tells her and she just flips him off while the others laugh. Well, JJ was just staring at them, trying to ignore the banter. He didn't get why Pope got this side of her as well. Why was he the only one who got the cold side of Marina?

"What about you, Kie?" JJ asks her, switching the topic.

"Yeah, what does a socialist do when she's rich?" Pope questions, raising an eyebrow.

"Save all the turtles in the world." Marina states firmly and Kiara laughs as she nods her head.

"Every single one." She agrees and Marina just smiles at her. "Just wanna make a double album. About OBX, the pogues. You know, the way catch a fire is about Kingston. Record it at Marley studio. Peter Tosh producing." Kiara explains to them.

"Peter tosh--" Pope starts and Kiara just sighs.

"Is dead, I know. Spirit of Peter tosh will never die." She denies and Marina only shakes her head.

"I know what I'll do. I'm gonna get a big ass house on figure eight and go full kook." Jj states proudly and they look a bit wary of his idea.

"You're gonna go full kook?" Pope didnt quite believe it.

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

"I'm never visiting." Kiara denies.

"I think he'll repel everyone on the island." Marina adds, scrunching her nose up. JJ gives them both the finger.

"What are you gonna do, JB?" Pope asks him, talking to the man who hadn't said a word yet. John B looks at them for a moment, everything silent.

"To going full kook?" John B states and they laugh as they nod their heads in agreement. Marina just stares at her hands as they celebrate though.

"To going full kook!" They all chime in.

"Full kook, Mari?" Kiara asks as she nudges her best friend who hadn't joined in.

"I don't know." Marina denies as she shrugs her shoulders.

"Come on, we'll buy matching mansions beside each other and even get our own private section of the beach so we can surf whenever we want." Kiara says with a smile on her face. Marina chews the inside of her cheek.

"If we get that money I'm definitely not sticking around." She states and Kiaras smile fades as she just stares at the girl.

"What?"

"Kie, there's no life for me here, honestly." Marina denies. She didnt see the point in staying somewhere where she truly didn't feel happy. Having to be around people who had either made her life hell or just made her feel worthless in general was not her plan.

"Where would you go?" Pope asks, being curious while Kiara had suddenly gone quiet.

"As far as I can possibly get." Marina admits with a small laugh. She would only come back to visit her family and Kiara, otherwise, she'd be long gone.

"I should get home." Kiara was suddenly getting up, barely looking at anybody but they could quite clearly see that she was upset.

"Kie--" John B goes to say but she shakes her head.

"No, my parents are probably worried. I'll see you." She gives a slight wave before beginning to walk down the dock.

"Kie, I didn't mean-- kie!" Marina shouts after her but the girl didn't stop. She sighs, not meaning to cause a drift between them.

"She'll get over it."  John B assures her. Kiara was never able to stay mad at Marina for long. The most she had been able to was about two hours.

"You think your dad would let you leave before your eighteen?" Pope questions and Marina couldn't help but let out a scoff.

"It's a fever dream, guys. I probably won't even make it to then anyways." She mumbles the last part but because it was so quiet, they were able to hear her.

"What does that mean?" John B asks, a small frown on his face but she just shakes her head.

"Nothing." She just gets up from the seat as well. "I should get home too." Marina says, sending a wave before starting to walk away from them.

"That was weird, right?" Pope asks them, immediately getting agreement from the other two.

"Super." JJ says with a nod, the trio watching as the girl made her way back towards the chateau.

❧

JOHN B SIGHS AS HE RUNS HIS HAND THROUGH HIS HAIR, making his way into the living room where Pope and JJ resided. He noticed JJ had been oddly quiet recently and wondered if something had happened. "What's up with you?" John B asks as he nudges JJ's foot as he sits down beside him. JJ just shrugs his shoulders.

"Nothing." He denies bluntly and John B raises an eyebrow.

"He's sulking." Pope adds and JJ glares toward him, clearly annoyed.

"I'm not sulking."

"You are totally sulking man."

"Why is he sulking?" John B asks, knowing they would go back and forth if he didn't interject.

"Mari gave him the cold shoulder yesterday." Pope speaks up once he realizes JJ wasn't going to say anything.

"Ooh." John B just presses his lips together tightly. JJ let's out a small scoff.

"Right, man. Not like you had anything to do with it." He grumbles toward the boy who only looked confused.

"What?" Pope didn't get what he meant by that.

"Come on, dude. You were flirting with her." JJ points out and Pope's eyes widened in shock. He had never once tried to or even wanted to flirt with Marina.

"No, I wasn't."

"Oh really?" JJ asks as he raises his eyebrows, not believing him for a moment. "'You'll get the scholarship Pope, you're like super smart and handsome.' 'Well, if I can tutor you, I can do anything.' Yeah, tutoring my ass." He says with a scoff, imitating both of their voices.

"She did not call me handsome." Pope denies with a roll of his eyes.

"Whatever, it was implied." JJ mutters, just picking at his fingers.

"We don't see each other like that, okay? We're just friends." He assures his friend who was literally spiraling over a conversation that was simply platonic.

"So you haven't slept with her?"

"No, dude! Of course I haven't." Pope looked bewildered that JJ would even ask that.

"I'll talk to her." John B pipes up and JJ's eyes widen as he snaps his head toward the man.

"You will?"

"If it'll stop you from being crazy, yeah." He admits with a small sigh and JJ seemed ecstatic that he had changed his mind.

"This is why you're my best friend, John B." JJ says, clapping his hand on his shoulder before getting up from the couch.

"Mhm." He hums, watching JJ leave the room before his eyes go to Pope. "Were you flirting with her?" John B asks, keeping his voice low.

"He thinks everyone who talks to Mari is into her." Pope says in annoyance and John B snorts, knowing that was most definitely true.

❧

MARINA SAT ON THE SAND, cleaning off her surfboard. She was a bit down since she texted Kiara to see if she wanted to join but the girl hadn't responded. Marina understood she was upset but she usually would be over it by now. They never stayed mad at each other and marina didn't even truly understand why Kiara was mad at her. She just said she would leave if she had the money, it didn't mean she would just abandon Kiara.

"Hey." She hears a voice from beside her. When she turns her head, she notices John b with his board in his hand.

"Hi." She responds, just looking back in front of her.

"Surfing alone?" John B asks her and she just shrugs her shoulders a bit.

"It makes me calm." Marina tells him, brushing her hair behind her ears. John B just glances around the seemingly empty beach.

"Mind if I join?"

"Why?" She seemed a bit wary as he took a seat beside her on the sand.

"Cause we're friends." John B tells her and she only stays quiet. "Mari, can you stop acting like we're just some temporary people you have to hang out with?" He knew she was reserved and kept to herself a lot. She didn't have many friends so maybe she was wary to let them in. But it wasn't like they were forced to be around each other, the group quite enjoyed having her around.

"I'm not. Just not used to hanging with you without Kie." Marina responds which wasn't exactly a lie. She barely hung out with the guys separately, it was almost always in a group.

"Did she tell you I kissed her?" John B asks, raising an eyebrow as he could feel slight awkwardness between them.

"No." Marina lies but John B just stares at her, unconvinced making her roll her eyes. "Fine, yes, she did." She admits and John B nods his head slowly.

"It was nothing and we're friends, I've been friendzoned." John B tells her and Marina couldn't help but laugh a little bit.

"Right."

"Have you ever told Kie?" He asks, seemingly out of the blue and Marina just looks toward him. "About the night after my dad disappeared?" John B wondered if Kiara did know because they never discussed keeping it a secret or not.

"Why would I?" Marina retorts. Yes, Kiara and her were very close but when it happened, she was still in her kook era and they weren't talking as often.

"I don't know. I just assumed girls talk about that shit." John B says nonchalantly and Marina just rolls her eyes playfully.

"We didn't." She denies with a shake of her head. Not that she cared if Kiara knew, it just never came up. "Did you tell JJ?" John B was a little bit taken aback by her asking, blinking a few times to bring himself back.

"No." He shakes his head. "Why?" He asks her and she just smirks at him.

"Just assumed guys talk about that shit."

"Nice." John B says with a chuckle. Truthfully, he was trying to keep it from JJ because he knew the man would be pissed if he did find out. Especially considering the time it happened around.

It was the night after his dad went missing and John B hadn't exactly been in the best state of mind. He had gone to a beach party and gotten completely wasted, hoping to just forget about what happened. His mind was swimming in circles as he made his way over to Marina who was leaning against a tree, alone.

"Mari, right?" John B's words slur as he leans beside her. Marina simply glances at him, remembering him as one of Kiaras friends. Well, before she started hanging with kooks.

"You are wasted." Marina replies with a sigh, glancing around for any signs of the others but it seemed he mightve come alone.

"Well, life sucks sober, so." He says with a shrug, scoffing as he finishes off the drink in his hand before going to move but she blocks him.

"Kie would kill me if I let you wander off now." She grumbles as she just grabs his arm, wrapping it around her shoulders. "Come on." Marina didn't intend to be doing the sober driving tonight but here she was. Not exactly sober but better than John B to get him home.

It had been a silent ride, John B groaning in the passenger seat the whole way. Once they got to the chateau, he stumbled his way inside, not even hesitating to grab a beer from the fridge. Marina doesn't even stop him, at least knowing he'd be safe here if he passed out.

"Do you know my dad's gone?" He asks her, pointing toward the girl who just grabs a drink as well. "Just vanished. Poof." John B makes the action with his hand and Marina nods as she takes a long swig of her beer.

"I heard."

"What kind of a parent does that?" He asks, knowing it was most likely due to the royal merchant which his dad had been obsessed with most of his life.

"At least yours isn't showing up everywhere after leaving." Marina retorts with a roll of her eyes, taking another drink.

"Oh, yeah. She fucked a kook, right?" John B asks, having heard about her family drama as well. Marina just glares at him.

"Thanks so much for the sincerity." She bluntly responds and he shrugs his shoulders.

"Now I don't have a mom or a dad, how great is that?" John B was clearly more upset than he was letting on, all but throwing his empty beer bottle across the room.

"Thrilling." She states as she finishes her own. Leaning to grab another one. She scrunches her nose at the taste but starts to down it, closing her eyes momentarily.

When she opens them, her gaze shifts back to John b only to see him now shirtless as he lounged out on the couch. She almost choked as her eyes met his toned skin, breathing a bit heavily from all the alcohol. His shorts were hanging loosely on his hips, exposing a bit of his v line.

"Like something you see?" John B's voice brings her out of her daze but she didn't let him believe she was embarrassed. Instead she confidentially met his cocky gaze and raised an eyebrow at him.

"And what if I do?" She answers him back with a firm tone. John B chuckles until she moves toward him on the couch causing him to readjust his position.

"Shit, you serious?" He asks, watching her hand slide to his thigh. John B thought she was just messing with him, they had barely interacted other than tonight.

"I mean, it doesn't have to mean anything." Marina points out as she slyly moves her hand towards the ever growing bulge in his shorts.

"Marina Emery suggesting a casual hookup? I'm clearly going crazy." John B says with a small scoff but his smirk returns. Honestly, Marina was a bit surprised herself. She never did casual hook ups, she never even did relationships. The one and only time she casually hooked up with someone, she instantly regretted it because it was a touron and he didn't exactly give her a good time. She had only done it cause she felt pressured to fit in because she had heard people whispering about her.

Now, she couldn't give a fuck what people thought about her.

But she needed to forget her mom leaving. She needed to forget the fact that her family was torn apart. And if that was John B making her forget, then so be it. "We all go a little crazy sometimes." Marina admits before slamming her lips into his. The kiss was sloppy, both of them not exactly in the right state of mind as their lips met as if their life depended on it.

John B pulls her onto his lap, his hands gripping her waist as his tongue slips into her mouth. Marina moves her hands into his hair, gripping it earning a moan before they slide down his bare chest. Gripping onto her shirt, he pulls it up, throwing it somewhere in the room as his lips move down her neck and onto her chest.

Marina gasps as she tilts her head back, grinding down against him a little bit. "John B.." Her voice sounded like more of a whine as his hands slid down to her ass, squeezing it which made her grind against him once more. He moves them a bit so they were laying on the couch, John B hovering over her as he dry humped against her, his hot breath hitting her skin as he sucked a mark on her collarbone before catching her lips in another heated kiss.

The next morning, John B had been awoken by a crash in the living room. He groans as he brings his hand to his face. Who was making so much noise so early, he had wondered. As he went to turn over, he hit something making his eyebrows furrow. As he glances to the side, he noticed a brunette woman on her stomach, seemingly asleep.

He glances at the sheet just loosely wrapped around her waist, exposing her bare back. John B smirks, remembering a bit about last night as he gets up from the bed. Bending down, he grabs a pair of boxers in order to throw them on. As he turns back around, the girl had moved slightly and now he could see her face. His smirk vanished as his heart almost came to a complete stop.

It was Marina. Marina Emery. The same Marina Emery who his best friend had claimed his devoted love for not three days prior. It was then his head snapped toward his bedroom door. Rushing toward it, he opened it just in time to be met with JJ.

"Dude, this place is trashed." JJ says as he sees his best friend standing in front of the bedroom door.

"Yeah, just had a rough night." John B responds, clearing his throat as he tried to close the door in a way that wouldn't show the naked girl on his bed. JJ finally met his gaze, his eyes dropping to the man's appearance.

"I can see that." JJ responds amused as he could see the marks littering his skin.

"When did you get here?" John B wondered, hoping to God it was just this morning and not anytime last night.

"Just now, why?" JJ asks, furrowing his eyebrows before realization dawns on him. "Oh, shit. She still here?" He walks closer to his best friend who blocks the door even more, forcing the smile onto his face.

"Can you just uh, come back later?" John B questions and he could see the smirk on JJ's face.

"I see how it is. Round two, hm?" He says, wiggling his eyebrows.

"Something like that." John B answers and JJ laughs as he clasps him on the shoulder.

"That's my boy. Don't have too much fun." He teases and John B keeps the smile on his face until JJ leaves the house causing it to instantly fall.

His eyes move back to Marina who was still asleep on his bed and John B could only run a hand through his hair. "I'm so fucked." He mutters as he squeezes his eyes shut tightly.

Clearing his throat as his mind his brought back to the present, he looks over at Marina. "About JJ." He says, glad there was leeway for him to speak about his best friend. "Pope was telling me you were acting a bit distant yesterday." John B admits.

"Why was Pope telling you this?" Marina asks, furrowing her eyebrows.

"He was just curious." John B didn't want to throw Pope under the bus, especially since he didn't actually say anything. But John b couldn't exactly say that JJ asked him to talk to her. "Like, did JJ do something or make you uncomfortable in any way?" He asks, although he knew his friend and yes JJ could be flirtatious, he would never cross a line.

"He's fine." Marina mumbles as she just stares down at her hands.

"Doesn't sound like he is."

"I just know his reputation, okay?" She admits, looking back at the man who seemed to understand what she meant. "Pope, he doesn't have any intentions behind being a good friend. You and me, yeah there's history but neither of us have ever wanted a relationship with each other." She denies as she just runs a hand over her face. "JJ flirts with anything that moves and I'd rather not be just one of the girls on his long list." Marina didn't really see JJ as a guy who was solely talking to her to become her friend.

"Trust me, that would not be the case." John B mumbles, low enough that she didn't actually hear him. "Yes, JJ is flirtatious. But he's actually a great guy once you get to know him." He admits but it didn't seem like it was doing anything to change her mind.

"I'll take your word on it." She mumbles as she gets up from the sand, bringing her board with her. John B sighs as he watches the girl move toward the water. So much for step one of JJ's plan.

❧

JJ WAS PRACTICALLY BOUNCING ON HIS HEELS WHEN JOHN B RETURNED TO THE CHATEAU. John B on the other hand wasn't exactly excited to tell the man that Marina practically wanted nothing to do with him. "Dude, how'd it go?" JJ asks him curiously and John B runs a hand through his hair.

"It was fine." He says, shrugging as he made his way past JJ who furrows his eyebrows.

"Fine? Did she talk about me?" He questions but John B just stays silent. "Step one, dude. I need to pass that to go onto step two; make her laugh." John B gave him a puzzled expression.

"That's step two?" Now he was slightly regretting helping his best friend if that was step two.

"Slow and steady wins the race, John B." JJ says with a wink and John B just shakes his head. "Shit, did she not talk about me?" He asks, all of a sudden becoming nervous.

"No, she did." John B clears his throat a bit, becoming slightly awkward. "You're a flirt, JJ." He didn't know how else to say it and he didn't want to just come out and say she didn't want to be around him.

"Is that news? Even though I'd say I'm atrocious in front of her because I get embarrassed." JJ says, turning slightly red just thinking about it. It didnt help that most of his failed attempts happened in front of the group and he was constantly teased about it.

"No, you're a flirt. You flirt with anyone and she's seen that." John B says, wanting him to see that actual facts.

"Okay? I'm sure she's flirted with a lot of guys." Both of them knew that wasn't true though. Marina never outwardly flirted with anybody which is why they were surprised to learn she had previously had a boyfriend.

"You just have a reputation." John B admits as he shrugs his shoulders. JJ furrows his eyebrows a bit.

"Did you tell her that it wouldn't be like that with her?"

"No, because that would be weird." He admits. He couldnt just say that JJ would treat her well because that would just out the fact that he liked her. "She doesn't see you like that, man." John B denied as he turns to get a glass from the cupboard.

"She doesn't want to be in a relationship?" JJ knew Marina may not like him in that way right now, but that was what his plan was for.

"I don't even think she wants to be your friend." John B corrects him and he could see the sadness that took over JJ's features.

"Oh."

"But that can change, hm?" John B tells him as the man sits down on the couch, seemingly beginning to sulk again. "Just gotta get through the summer." He admits. A lot can change in one summer, he just had to be hopeful that she'd open up a bit.

"Yeah, yeah, right." JJ mumbles, simply sinking into the couch more. He didn't understand why she didn't even want to be his friend. Just because he was flirtatious, doesn't mean he wasn't respectful. It wasn't even like he could flirt with her really since he was always a stuttering mess.

But it seemed like his plan was far from even being started and if anything, his five step plan just got a whole lot bigger.

❧

Authors note;

Back in my writing era. Also the trailer for part two looks sooooo good and I'm so excited !! (Wow i was so naive writing this. Now im just heartbroken) Jj and marina already have my heart BTW and when she finally allows JJ in is gonna be such a sweet moment although it's because of a not so sweet moment...

Finally caught up again after changing a few things and the faceclaim, let me know what you think