𝟎𝟒𝟖.                   𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐡

everywhere ──── fleetwood mac

☀︎ 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐥𝐲𝐧'𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐯

𝖨𝖭 𝖳𝖧𝖤 𝖲𝖯𝖠𝖭 𝖮𝖥 𝖧𝖠𝖫𝖥 𝖠𝖭 𝖧𝖮𝖴𝖱，𝖳𝖧𝖤 𝖳𝖨𝖣𝖤 𝖧𝖠𝖣 𝖱𝖨𝖲𝖤𝖭 𝖳𝖮 𝖳𝖧𝖤 𝖯𝖮𝖨𝖭𝖳 𝖮𝖥 𝖣𝖠𝖭𝖦𝖤𝖱𝖮𝖴𝖲．We've been sitting in the van, staring at the water that covers the path that we need to drive down. How the hell do we beat this? We can't brave this, not when there's a ninety-nine percent chance we'll sink under the water.

I take back the win I thought we had secured.

Even if we did try to drive through, I highly doubt we'd make it far. I don't want to risk the life of our poor van who definitely cannot take this.

"What are we gonna do?" I ask, seating myself in between John B and JJ who sit up front.

"How deep is that?" Kiara peers over my shoulder, looking at the path that is entirely covered.

"I dunno. The road's gone."

"Tide rose faster than I thought it would."

"Just a little bit."

"John B, how high are the spark plugs?" Oh, no. They're going to drive through it. I know they're going to drive through it. They're going to risk the life of our precious van.

"They're good. We're fine," he says, not sounding completely reassured. I don't think he knows exactly how high the spark plugs are.

"How high are they?"

"Oh, um..." He peers out the window to check, but again, I don't think he knows. "Uh, just above the taillight," he answers, looking back at Pope who is calculating in his head how high that is.

"Okay, so, that's what, three-feet?"

"That's three feet. Yeah."

"That water can't be three feet deep," I utter, but again, I don't know how high the water is. I'm not the genius, I can't tell based of a single look.

"Then what's the problem?"

"Not a problem. No, we're good. We're good. She'll make it," JJ says, but he really doesn't sound convinced, and if JJ doesn't sound prepared, we shouldn't bother. Although, we don't have much time to waste as Limbrey and her crew are likely figuring out where they're supposed to go, so we need to leave.

We need to risk it.

"Ladies and gentlemen, fasten your seat belts. Hold on to something." John B inhales a breath, gripping the steering wheel tightly. "We're going into hyperdrive."

We fall back into our seats, holding onto my seat.  I look upfront, watching JJ as he starts to pray for some unknown reason. I didn't even think he knew any prayers, but hey, he apparently went to Sunday school. Pope, Kiara and Sarah prepare, gripping onto their own seats as John B begins to count down.

"Three, two, one!"

John B pushes down on the accelerator, struggling to push us forward at first as the van tires are stuck in a heap of mud. With a lot of pressure and push, we eventually become unstuck and we jerk forward, heading straight for the water. John B continues to drive us forward, pushing us through the mud and gunk.

JJ yells encouraging words at him to try and aid him in getting through the water without killing any of us, but I'm afraid we're going to get stuck despite the speed at which John B is driving. The water is deep, that much I can see based off the mud splatters that hit the windows.

I look forward, and just when I think we're about to make it, the van swerves to the left, dragging us in the wrong direction before the van comes to a crashing halt.

"Shit!"

"I think we miscalculated." Just a little.

"I knew I should have driven." I don't think it would have mattered who drove. We absolutely would've gotten stuck regardless.

We get out of the van, finding ourselves to be knee deep in mud and water. This is the life we have to live, how exciting. Yeah, I really am going to take back the win comment.

"Maybe we could walk from here?" Pope suggests, but he's crazy if he thinks I'm going to walk and abandon the poor Twinkie.

"What? And leave the Twinkie? The tide's coming in."

"So then what are we supposed to do?"

"Not stay here."

"I have an idea," Kiara speaks up, looking over at me for some reason. She then walks over to me, pulling herself through the water to reach me. "I need you to take my dad's truck."

My mouth gapes. "What?"

"If I do it, I'll get caught."

"What if I get caught?"

"You won't." I don't even know what to say. How does she know for certain that I won't get caught breaking into her house and stealing from her parents? "Look, the keys are by the back door on the table. The van is parked out front. They might not even be in the house, okay?"

I sigh, looking at my friends. "Kie, are you sure?"

"I don't want to see them," she says, her head dropping. "They'll probably realise later on, but hopefully we find the cross before they realise."

"Okay."

She lifts her head, looking at me. "I mean, how much worse can it get, you know?"

I huff out a laugh. "Yeah, you're right about that."

"We need something to pull her out with," JJ says, stepping up behind me. I shift uncomfortably in the water, wishing the water would just dry up as I am so not prepared to steal from Kiara's parents.

"There's a winch at the Château," John B offers.

"That's like, two miles," I say.

"If you're gonna do it, you gotta go."

"Alright." I slap my hand against Kiara's, assuring her that I won't mess this up, that I will get her dad's van even if she'll be punished for it later. I peer back at JJ, smiling. "Let's go."

"Tide's coming in. Twinkie's going underwater."

"Double time, guys. We gotta move."

──────────────────────────

𝖩𝖩 𝖠𝖭𝖣 𝖨 𝖠𝖱𝖤 𝖢𝖱𝖮𝖴𝖢𝖧𝖤𝖣 𝖡𝖤𝖧𝖨𝖭𝖣 𝖳𝖧𝖤 𝖳𝖱𝖴𝖢𝖪，𝖲𝖳𝖠𝖱𝖨𝖭𝖦 𝖴𝖯 𝖠𝖳 𝖪𝖨𝖠𝖱𝖠'𝖲 𝖧𝖮𝖬𝖤．I have to break into the house── kind of── and steal the key that should be on the table by the back door. I know my way through Kiara's house, so I know where she means, so that key better not have moved.

I know that Mike and Anna Carrera are in the house as I can make out their figures in the window as I stare up at the house, wondering when I need to rush forward and go inside the house.

"Can't we just, I don't know, hot-wire it?"

JJ tilts his head. "You know how to hot-wire a car?"

"No, but don't you know?" He rears his head back, obviously taking offence to that. "What?"

"Why would I know how to do it?"

"I don't know," I argue. "You seem like the type of guy who would know how to hot-wire a car."

"And what is that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, stop!" I hit my hand against his arm gently. "Do you know how to hot-wire a car or not?"

He smiles innocently. "Not, angel."

I'll ignore how hearing him call me that makes me feel as I have a mission to complete, and I need to get away from him in order to get inside the house. I really, really hope the key is right at the door. I can't brave going further into the house as I'll probably get caught.

"Okay." We move forward, heading for the white gate that opens into Kiara's home. "Alright, are you ready?"

"No," I answer honestly, but I've gotta do it.

We need that cross. We need that win.

"Hey." He places a hand on my back, pinning me with kind eyes. "It's gonna be fine, Sunny."

"Okay. I've got this."

JJ pushes open the white gate, about to push me through. "Okay. Go, go." With a hand on my back, he ushers me in. "Go, go, go."

JJ stays behind while I rush forward, keeping myself crouched as I push myself up the steps, heading for the back door. Kiara's house is unnecessarily big, I've always thought that, but right now, I'm using that to my advantage as her parents aren't exactly where I need to be.

I step up to the back door, peering through the glass and finding the small table next to the door where that beautiful key to the truck sits. I inhale a sharp breath, reaching for the door handle. Please don't see me. Please don't catch me.

My teeth bite down into my bottom lip as I try to ease the anxiety crawling up my skin. "Come on, B," I mutter to myself, needing to be brave right now. "Come on."

I push open the back door slowly, relieved when the door doesn't creak and whine like the door at the Chateau does. Still holding my breath, I dip one foot into the home, and then my other foot. I shut the door behind me in case they feel the breeze coming through because, yes, I'm that paranoid.

Voices carry into my ears, alerting to me that Mike and Anna are just in the other room, and if they just looked over their shoulder, they'd catch me reaching for the keys. They're laughing with each other, acting like they didn't just kick their own daughter out.

I don't like them, not after they kicked Kiara out, so I guess taking the truck from them is just a little bit of revenge, if you want to call it that.

I pick up the keys, mentally cursing when they jingle in my hands, but Mike and Anna don't bat an eye in my direction. Oh, thank God. I then take a step back, still holding my breath as I'm afraid they have super-sonic hearing or something.

I reach for the door handle behind my back, pulling the door open as I keep my eyes on Anna and Mike in case they look over at me. Moving backwards, I step out of the door, careful to not slam it shut on the way out.

Once I'm free, I rush to rejoin JJ who is standing in the same place, waving his hand to urge me to move faster. I pull open the gate, throwing the keys over to JJ who cheers quietly. "That's my girl!" He claps his hand over mine, laughing.

That's my girl.

Again, I won't ignore the way that makes me feel.

JJ rushes around to the driver's seat while I pull on the passenger door. The moment we set off, pulling away from Kiara's home, I know that we won't have long before the truck is noticed to be missing.

We need to get to that cross.

We need a freaking win.

It doesn't take us long to get to the Chateau from the Carrera house, and one we arrive, JJ is already rushing to get out of the car. "I think it's in the surf shack," he rushes out, pulling himself out of the truck. "I'll be right back."

My eyes follow him, watching as he slams the door shut and bolts. He runs forward, heading for the surf shack, but before he turns the corner, he jumps── for dramatic effect, I don't know── and then he trips over his foot, his face meeting the ground.

A laugh bubbles out of me. "Idiot," I utter.

"I'm okay!" he yells over his shoulder as he picks himself up and off the ground, scrambling forward to reach the surf shack.

He turns the corner, leaving my line of sight, and I wait for him... for a minute before I grow impatient and agitated. I press my hand over the horn, hoping he hears me. I push open the door, yelling out for him, "JJ!" When he doesn't answer or step into my view, I pull myself out of my seat, shutting the door behind me.

I need to check on him. Something could be wrong. Maybe he needs help finding the winch. I round the car, heading in the direction that he walked off in, but I come to a sudden stop when JJ steps into my line of view.

And he's not alone.

"No." I scoff, my head shaking vigorously in the hopes that he disappears. "Absolutely not. No."

Luke Maybank steps into my view, offering me a goddamn wave like we're some kind of friends. I pin him with a hard glare, my insides boiling as I stare at a man I hate with a burning passion. He's not first on my list of most hated, but he is definitely in the top five.

I hate him. I hate him for how he's hurt his son for nearly seventeen years. I hate him for how he traipses in and out of his life whenever he wants something like right now. Of course he just had to show up right now.

"Just get in the truck," JJ tells his dad, ignoring me as I continue to say no.

"I'm sorry. The Twinkie's drowning right now, JJ." I'd never forgive myself if the Twinkie drowned. I love that stupid van. "What is the plan?" I yell, growing frustrated by the minute. "What is this?"

JJ grabs both her arms tightly, forcing me to stop yelling and stop moving. "Listen to me, okay?"

I look away, eyes catching onto his bastard father. Oh, I hate to see him coming. "JJ──"

"Please just listen to me." I avert my eyes back to him upon hearing the soft plead in his voice. "I need to get into the marina at the Island Club. There's a boat there he can take. The sticker is on the truck." I know that. Kiara has mentioned it before. "Twenty minutes, that's all I need, Brooke."

He frees me, stepping away. I turn, looking over at him as his father slams the car door shut, settling into Kiara's truck. "The Twinkie's gonna be a submarine in twenty minutes," I yell.

JJ sighs loudly, stepping to the passenger side. I guess I'm driving now. "I know, Brooke."

"Leave him, and we can come back!"

JJ slams his hand down on the hood of the car, staring right at me. "The cops are after him!" I'm not surprised, he should be locked up. I'd love nothing more than to let him rot behind bars. "If I do this now, maybe I will never have to do it again."

He pulls open the passenger door, leaving me to ponder over his stupid words. If we do this, JJ may never have to see his father again, and that sounds like music to my ears. I never want that man near him again for as long as he shall live.

I yank on the door, pulling it open, reluctantly getting into the truck. JJ doesn't look at me, knowing full well that I'm mad at him for letting his father in this truck when we have things we need to be doing, but I like the idea of JJ never having to see his piece-of-shit father again.

So I get in the car, and I drive off, silently apologising to the Twinkie. That sounds crazy, I know, but I don't want anything bad to happen to that damn van. I love that van.

I really, really love that van, and if it drowns, I will feel nothing but guilt.

Just before we're about to enter the Island Club using the sticker glued onto the front window of the truck, Luke shifts forward in his chair, pointing forward at the Home Foods that he likely wants me to pull up to. "I'm gonna need provisions. Pull up."

"I'd rather let you starve," I bite out, glaring at him through the rearview mirror.

"Brooke." There's that plead again in his voice.

"Fine." I pull up to the Home Foods, parking the truck. I press down on the brake with much more force than necessary, but I don't care. I hate him, and I think he knows that based on how I'm acting.

JJ's hand lands on my knee, and I look over at him, seeing that desperation in his eyes. "Just go and get the provisions, JJ."

"I can't leave you in the truck with him."

"I can defend myself," I utter, knowing he can probably hear, but he better not interrupt this conversation. "Go and get the provisions, JJ."

His hand lifts, and he looks away from me to his father in the backseat who looks smug. "Crackers and baked beans and tuna, alright?" Luke says before JJ even has to ask. Rude bastard. JJ nods firmly, pushing open the car door just as his father calls out, "And some salt and pepper."

I wish I could let him starve, that's the least he deserves.

JJ looks at me one final time before he shuts the car door, rushing inside to grab the provisions his father demanded for. Didn't even offer him a "please" or a "thank you". No, he just demanded things from his son like he's just allowed to do that after all he's put JJ through.

I can defend myself against him. I can protect myself against him. I'm not afraid of people like him, and I won't let myself be fearful of him. He can't hurt me, not when JJ is just in that store. If he catches wind that his father has hurt me, I don't imagine it'll go over well with JJ.

He can't hurt me. I won't let him hurt me.

Luke obviously struggles to sit still for longer than a minute as he starts to drum his hands against the back of my seat, probably wanting to get a rise out of me which, annoyingly, he does.

"You're a terrible father, do you know that?"

Speaking to Luke isn't something I expected, but I think I've always wanted to say something to him ever since I met him all those years ago. I think I've wanted to say something since the moment I saw a bruise on JJ's arm when we were eleven-year-old. I've hated Luke Maybank for years.

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

"Do you have any idea how special your son is?"

No, he doesn't know, I don't need him to answer that. He doesn't know that his son is one of the most loyal people I know. He doesn't know that his son would go to all kinds of lengths just to protect us. He doesn't know that his son is the best friend a person could have.

He doesn't know that his son is perfect in every which way.

He doesn't know just how deeply loved his son is, not just by me, but by each of our friends.

He doesn't know that his son is nothing like him.

I love him. I have for eight, nearly nine years. Throughout those years, I've always known that JJ would never, ever become the one man he fears he will be── his father. He could never hurt somebody, not in the way that his father hurt him. I know that. I've always known that.

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

"What does that make you then?" I ask rhetorically, already knowing the answer. "You're just a wasted local salt who never did shit but get messed up and hustle people." I hear him scoff behind me, but he knows that I'm right. "That's not exactly impressive," I add.

"You're the girlfriend." He doesn't ask me, he implies that I'm the girlfriend which, technically, I'm not. "You think you're better than everybody else, don't you? Pogue princess."

I don't give him the satisfaction of answering, partly because I don't know what to say to that. I've never, not once in my life, thought I was better than anybody else. I've certainly never found myself to be the "Pogue princess", whatever the hell that is.

He leans forward ever so slightly, trying to taunt me. I peer up in the rearview mirror, watching him carefully. "You might wanna be careful," he utters. My eyes flit down, looking to JJ who is stepping out of store with bags in hands. "You keep on slumming it with the bad boys, you're gonna end up just like your daddy."

That makes me snap. Nobody, especially not him, gets to talk about my father. I reach my elbow up, hitting him right in the nose as he's the one who had the audacity to lean forward. He falls back against the seat, groaning loudly, and I look over my shoulder, glaring at him.

"Don't you dare talk about my father."

He knows my father. He remembers my father. I'm surprised he even remembers who I am never mind anybody else. He knew he could get under my skin by mentioning the only person I ever loved and hated all at the same time.

"Hey." JJ whistles, chucking several beers into the backseat with his father before throwing the rest of the provisions into the trunk.

He then rejoins me in the front, peering at his father like he can sense something's happened between the two of us. I smile at him, not wanting to worry him. "Let's get this over with, yeah?"

He sits alongside me, nodding. "Yeah."

I then set off once again, driving us to the Island Club, and it's a very tense silence in the car the entire drive there, but with every passing minute, I'm just glad we're getting closer and closer to not seeing Luke ever again.

When we arrive, JJ gets out of the truck first to collect the provisions from the back of the truck. Luke leans forward, speaking in my ear as he says, "Nice seeing you again."

JJ steps up to the window. "Shut up." He yanks on his arm, forcing him back as he opens his door so he can get the hell out and leave me alone.

I look to JJ. "Make it quick."

"Come on," he says to his father, tilting his head.

Because I'm salty, and because this might be my last chance to make a jab at Luke, I decide to call out, "Hey, Luke." He turns around, looking directly at me as I hold my middle finger up as a parting note.

He pushes forward, obviously pissed which I'm happy about. JJ shoves him away, getting him as far away as possible from me. "Move." I smile, satisfied, as I lean back in my seat.

Once again, I only remain in my seat for a minute before I grow agitated and need to get out of the truck and check in on him. I shut the door before walking in the direction JJ left in. I head down the dock, moving to the boat that's just about to set off, but I spot something.

JJ and his father share a hug── potentially their last one. I pause, crossing my arms over my chest as I watch from afar until he and his father part, and Luke leaves, hopefully forever. I never want him around his son ever again. JJ deserves far better than him, and I will spend my entire life telling him that.

I want Luke gone.

And when JJ finally lets go of the rope, letting him and the boat be free, I step forward. He turns to me, emotion in his eyes because, despite all his dad has done to him, I know he loves him. I hate that he loves him, especially when Luke does not deserve his love.

"Hey," I whisper, placing my hand on his arm, sliding it up to his shoulder. "Are you okay?"

JJ looks from my hand on his arm to my eyes, exhaling. "Did he say something to you?"

"JJ──"

"Did he say something to you?" he asks, voice much sterner than before, indicating to me that he wants me to answer, but I don't answer. I remain silent, and that offers him all he needs to know. He steps away, separating from me to lean back against a wooden post. "Of course he did."

"I handled it, JJ."

"Everything I have..." He shakes his head, frustrated. "Everything I have, he ruins."

"Hey." I step into him, sliding my hands back up his arms, and this time he doesn't step away from me. "I'm right here, JJ. He didn't ruin this. I had it all handled, okay? I'm strong, aren't I?"

He huffs out a laugh. "Yeah."

I slide my hands up, resting them against his face. "He's gone, JJ. You've let him go, and I'm glad because you deserve so much better than him."

He nods, his eyes leaving mine. "We should go." He's distancing himself from me, I can see that. I can sense that. "The Twinkie's drowning, Sunny."

Right now, I don't care about the Twinkie.

I care about him.

He steps away from me. "Yeah, let's go." I match his pace, deciding to slip my hand into his which I'm relieved he doesn't pull away from. I don't want him to pull away from me just because his father said something. I won't let his father ruin this── us.

We walk back down the dock towards the truck so we can set off, and JJ separates from me so he can get into the passenger side. I have this gut feeling that JJ wants to say more, that he wants to talk about something that's clearly bothering him, but I'm unsure if he'll confide in me or stew in silence.

Have I mentioned that I hate his father?

I get into the driver's seat, starting up the truck because we do need to go. Our friends are probably wondering where we are, and the poor Twinkie is probably about to be unsalvageable.

They're going to be pissed, but they don't know the extent of the story.

I set off, leaving the Island Club, knowing full well that Kiara's parents are going to know soon── if they don't already know── that the truck is missing, and they'll trace it right back to Kiara and she'll be forced back home. I don't have time to think about that though, we just need to get back.

But I can't have unspoken tension between me and JJ, so instead of waiting for him to talk to me, I speak first. "What are you thinking?" I ask.

He's staring out the window, doing his best to look anywhere but at me, and that hurts, but he answers me regardless. "Am I gonna be like him?"

Luke. Is he going to be like Luke?

"No," I answer quickly, knowing that answer since I was a child.

"You didn't even think about it."

"I don't need to," I reply, peering over at him while driving. "I know you, JJ, and I know that you are nothing like your father, and you never will be."

"You don't know that for sure, Brooke."

"I know that you'd never hurt me." I pause, taking a sharp right turn as I wasn't paying attention and had to turn quickly. "I know that you'd never hurt any of us, JJ. All you've ever done is protect us. You'd give up your life to keep us safe. Would your father do that for anyone? No. No, he wouldn't."

He doesn't respond, and I fear I've overstepped in what I've said, but I can't seem to stop myself from talking once I've started. "Honestly, I don't understand how you're his kid because you are absolutely the opposite of him, JJ. You're kind and loyal and strong. You have the biggest heart in the world. I sometimes just don't believe that you were raised by that."

I look over at him, but he keeps his eyes on his hands that sit in his lap. "You know," he begins, voice low but I hear him fine. "When I was a kid, I used to wish that he wasn't my father, that maybe there'd been some mistake, and I was supposed to be somebody else's son."

He lifts his head, sniffling. "My wish never came true."

"I'm sorry," I say because sometimes that's all one can say. "You deserve so much, JJ, and I wish you could see that. I wish you could see yourself in the way that I see you because your life is worth so much more than you realise. You are incredible, I've always thought that."

He peers over at me, blinking the tears away that I so desperately want to wipe away. "You're bias."

"No, I'm not. I'm honest."

His head leans against the window, his eyes refocusing back on the road ahead as I turn another corner, heading in the direction of our friends, really hoping they won't be too mad.

I reach my hand out, pulling on his and forcing our hands to intertwine on the centre console. He glances at our fingers, and then I catch him looking over at me but I focus on the road, now driving with one hand which isn't ideal, and I probably will have to take my hand back in a minute, but it's all about the simple gesture of holding hands.

"You aren't him, JJ." I say it again so it's clear to him because I really need him to know that he really, really will never be like his father. "You will never be him, okay? Trust me on that."

"I do trust you." He squeezes my hand before I take my hand back, needing to get us there in one piece.

"And keep wishing," I tell him, smiling softly. "You never know, your wish might come true."

He huffs out a laugh. "I don't think it will, but I don't even know if I want the wish to come true." I peer over at him, eyebrows furrowed. "I could end up with something much worse than my father now that he's left."

I exhale. "That could happen."

"Have you ever wanted something so badly that when you finally get it, it's nothing like what you thought it would be?"

I glance at him, pondering his words, but there's only one thing I've ever wished for my entire life, and I found that it's better than what I thought it would be. The one I wished for, the boy in front of me, has no idea just how much better he is than I originally realised when I concocted the ridiculous wish in my head for us to be together.

"Hey." I turn the corner, inching closer and closer to our friends. "How about we make a new wish? We can both make one wish."

"And how will it come true?"

"Hmm." I press my lips together. "We could kiss on it?" I suggest, liking that idea.

He grins. "Sounds good to me."

"But we can't tell each other our wish."

"Okay."

"It won't come true otherwise."

"Of course." He looks away from me, seeing that we're getting closer to seeing our friends. "Have you got your wish in mind?"

"Yep." I've had my wish in mind for a while── for years. "Have you?"

His eyes fall back on me as I start to bring the car to a slow. "Yeah."

My eyes find his as I bring the car to a stop. "Okay, then."

I lean in, he leans in, and our lips meet for a few seconds, sealing the wishes that we can't tell each or else they won't come true, and I want all his wishes and dreams to come true, so I kiss him in the hopes of making that wish come true.

We pull away, blinking our eyes open and staring at one another for a short moment. "So it'll come true?" he asks, eyes dropping to my lips.

"Yeah," I breathe out, pressing my forehead to his. "It'll come true, whatever it is."

"Good."

Then we set off and actually make it to our friends who are, well, pissed as suspected. I didn't think they'd be happy, but I've never seen them so annoyed in my entire life, but they don't the situation we had to deal with.

The moment we're out the truck, Pope is already on us. "Where the hell were you guys?"

"Paternal complications," I reply as that's the only explanation I can offer.

"Luke was at the Château," JJ adds.

"Oh, great!" I sigh, obviously feeling guilty, but there was nothing I could do. JJ wanted his father off the island, I helped. "While you were having family time with your pops, John B got bit by a gator."

"What?" I snap my eyes over to my brother who I find to be sitting on top of the sinking Twinkie with his foot wrapped in his bandana. My brother got bit by a freaking gator while I was helping a fugitive escape the island. Now, if I didn't feel guilty before, I feel fucking awful now.

"I'm sorry, okay?" I yell, wanting to assure them that we didn't plan to take forever. It just happened, we couldn't help it.

"I got bit by a gator!"

"I don't know why I'm being yelled at because I put my ass on the line," I shout, hoping to defend myself against my brother who, yes, has every right to be mad, but we're here, aren't we? It might've taken longer than necessary, but we eventually made it, did we not?

"You're being yelled at because it was twenty minutes──"

"We got here as fast as we could!"

"Shut up!" JJ snaps, silencing each of us as he doesn't want to see us fall out over something like this. "Seriously, guys, I can't take it anymore, alright? Everyone just cut it out for a second." He laughs, leaning back against a tree. "Look, I just helped my dad leave this island for good. Like, he's not ever coming back. He's straight up like the Spanish. Just, bon voyage."

I scrunch my face up. "That's not the right language..."

"All we got..." JJ continues. "And I know for a fact all I got is you guys, okay? You're it." He looks over at me, pausing for a moment as we watch each other. He's got me, he knows that, and I know I've got him. "And I've come too close to losing you, all of you."

He sighs, pushing himself off the tree. "I mean, shit, like, you almost drowned," he speaks, still looking at me before shifting his gaze over to those who are by the Twinkie. "Pope, you were kidnapped. Sarah, you've been shot. Kie, you might get sent away to boarding school. And, John B, you were almost dinner for a freaking gator, bro."

God, we have a lot of problems, don't we?

"So this blaming each other is some Kook-ass bullshit, alright? We don't do that. Okay, we're Pogues." He breathes heavily, stepping back. "Sorry, that was a lot right now."

We stare at him, honestly amazed that he made such a speech to us. He's not usually the speech giving type of guy, but here he is, insisting we shut up and act like Pogues, so it only makes sense for us to applaud him. "Well done."

"I gotta be honest that was the best freaking speech you have ever given," John B comments, laughing. "Also, you should think about, like, Rosetta Stone because your Spanish and French are flip-flopped."

JJ holds both his middle fingers up at John B.

"We should bon voyage out of here," I say, stepping over to him and patting his shoulder gently.

"Let's get the damn Twinkie out of here."

Sounds like a damn plan.

──────────────────────────

❀ soph speaks

"i already got my wish" . . . stares right at her

little does he know, brooke's already got her wish too </3