𝟎𝟗𝟒.        𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐚 𝐰𝐚𝐯𝐞

waves         ────         mr. probz

( brooke spends a lot of this chapter just being horny for jj . . . )

☀︎ 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐥𝐲𝐧'𝐬 𝐩𝐨𝐯

𝖨𝖥 𝖩𝖩 𝖶𝖠𝖲𝖭'𝖳 𝖧𝖮𝖳 𝖠𝖫𝖱𝖤𝖠𝖣𝖸，𝖧𝖤 𝖢𝖤𝖱𝖳𝖠𝖨𝖭𝖫𝖸 𝖨𝖲 𝖭𝖮𝖶．

I think it's safe to say my hormones are running wild at this picture of him. He's in the shallow shore of the water, holding Matilda's hand as she stands upon his surfboard, attempting to stay afloat and not fall. Her laughter carries through the wind, entering my ears as I watch them from afar as me, Emory and Kiara move to join our friends who stand by the Twinkie.

It shouldn't be this attractive to watch him interact and bond with a child he barely knows, that we barely know as a group, but I think I'm about ten seconds from running over there and asking him if he wants to have a child, no joke.

Come on, Brooke, you're nineteen. What can I say? He'd be a hot dad── girl dad, specifically.

"Oh, you've got that look." Emory nudges my stomach with her elbow. Hard. My attention is brought away from the dazzling, beautiful, insanely attractive, stunning, Sunshine-like specimen of a boyfriend that I have, and is instead brought to Emory.

Why can't I just ogle JJ in silence?

My brows furrow, a quizzical look replacing the previous one as I pretend to act like I don't want to jump JJ and beg him to speed up our ten year plan. "What look?"

"The 'my boyfriend would make a hot dad' look," Kiara comments from the other side of me, and Emory laughs, once again a completely different version of what Kiara and I saw earlier.

I scoff, feeling slightly caught out and flustered. "I do not," I exclaim, though I absolutely do.

"Hey!" John B steps over, acting as a shining light that quite literally burns any previous thought I was just having about JJ. Then again, I feel like he can read me regardless. It's his twintuition, I swear. It's strong. "You're back." He hits his hand against Emory's good hand, the two of them sharing the famous Pogue handshake that Emory has perfected over the past eighteen months. "You okay?"

Emory nods, pulling her hand back. "Oh, yeah. Sorry about the mirror. I'll, uh, pay for a new one."

"Don't worry about it." I roll my eyes because they were devastated about this freaking mirror earlier. "You sure you're okay?"

Emory inhales. "Yeah. I'm good. Thanks."

John B doesn't look convinced, though he isn't one to pry, not into Emory's life. My life, on the other hand, is one he just loves to weasel his way into, just like he does now when he looks at my very red face and asks, "Are you okay?"

I open my mouth to respond only to be cut off by her. "Your little sister wants your best friend to give her a baby," Emory says, grinning wickedly like she didn't just say the worst thing possible in front of my brother.

John B snaps his head over to me. "What?"

"I-I didn't──" My eyes slice over to Emory, wishing I could poof her into a pile of ash. I can't do that though, not when she's been through a lot in the past twenty four hours so that would just be cruel. "I can't believe you just said that."

Emory shrugs, hitting a condescending hand on my arm. "Sorry, B." Oh, she's so not sorry.

Sliding her hand into Kiara's, the couple step away to go over to Sarah who stands by the Twinkie, consequently leaving me alone with my brother who looks just about ready to either kill me or JJ. Though we're both totally innocent, John B doesn't care.

I smile innocently, or as innocently as I can. "Hi." John B just stares at me, likely trying to figure out if I'm pregnant or something based off how intensely I was watching JJ. Just blame it on regular horny hormones, okay?

Horny hormones? Hm. That sounds weird.

"I'm not having a child," I rush to say.

"Ever?"

My mouth falls open, unable to form any kind of sentence because who asks such a thing? I inhale through my nose, exhale out my mouth. "Hm." I click my tongue. "You know, I'm not gonna answer that. Although, never say never."

He crosses his arms over his chest. "Hm."

"Anyway, it's so good to see you. Enjoy those waves, bro." I hit him on the shoulder as I walk by him. "I'll be going now." I rush off, moving to join the girls again except not all the girls are here.

Cleo isn't here. Nor is Pope.

Upon asking, Cleo isn't here as she took off this morning to fish up some bait for the business as we were running low. While we told her to not bother and to come back and join us, she hasn't gotten back to any of us just yet. Pope, on the other hand, is protesting against this particular day as he wants to research the million dollar amulet we have, not wanting to give it away for only fifty thousand when it's so obviously worth more.

I wish Cleo and Pope could be here as it'd be fun to do this day with everybody as we could certainly use a break. Well, they may not be here to enjoy the day, but I am going to exercise this break. I'm going to enjoy today, starting with joining my boyfriend and Matilda out in the water.

As I walk towards JJ and Matilda, I find that she is still standing on his surfboard with her arms outstretched. He has one hand wrapped around her ankle, his other hand keeping the surfboard afloat and steady so she doesn't slip and fall. He looks up at her, a proud expression across his face as she laughs, sounding so unbelievably free and happy. It's refreshing to see.

I wave at the two. "Hey, surfers!"

Matilda looks towards me as I join her and JJ. "Brooke!" She jumps right off the surfboard, splashing JJ in the process as she rushes to me. "JJ is teaching me how to surf," she beams, her smile wide.

"Oh, yeah?" I sneak a glance at JJ, seeing him pull himself up with his surfboard.

"Yeah, she's getting the hang of it."

"He says I'm better than you," Matilda quips, finding that statement a little too funny. They aren't wrong though. I'm no good at surfing so I wouldn't be surprised if Matilda is better than me after an hour or so.

I place a hand upon her head, her braids wet. "That's probably true, kid."

Her eyes bulge, wide and blue. "Wanna see?"

I nod along, laughing softly. "Hell yeah."

Matilda spins on her feet, facing JJ. "Come on." She pushes her hand into JJ's. "We gotta show Brooke."

"Okay." JJ flashes me a smile over his shoulder as Matilda drags him back towards the water, insisting he place his board back in the water. I watch, bottom lip tucked between my teeth as I stare at JJ, completely infatuated by him. He's being so undeniably kind to Matilda who is just a moving, rolling, chatty ball of literal Sunshine. Together, they're so sweet and they fit one another so well, I think.

The board is back in the water, and JJ keeps his hand in Matilda's as he helps her come to stand on it. "Okay, Tills. Look." With his other hand, he points out to the waves that are coming right towards us, crouching down to her eye level. "They're not too big, so just do what I told you, alright? Paddle out to the wave and just before it hits, you stand up, plant your feet, hold your arms out, and balance, okay?"

"Yes," she chimes, giving him a know-it-all look. "I know."

He chuckles, shaking his head to waft the wet hair away from his eyes. "Okay, Tills. Show me what you got." He pats a reassuring hand against her back, giving her a gentle push as she lowers herself onto her stomach, beginning to paddle off into the water.

JJ straightens back up, looking out across the water as Matilda pulls herself through the gentle ripples of the water. I step up beside him, sliding my hand up his back, leaning my face into his arm. "Hey, you."

"Hey, Sunshine."

I crane my neck, stepping up on my tiptoes to brush my lips against his cheek. "She really likes you," I say, squeezing the back of his neck.

"Yeah, she ain't too bad herself."

I fall back on my heels, smiling against his shoulder as I push my fingers into his hair. We continue to watch as Matilda moves through the water, heading straight for the oncoming wave. "Come on, Tills!" JJ calls out, clapping his hands just as the wave comes barrelling towards her.

I hold my breath, feeling immense anxiety in my chest as I watch. Anything could go wrong. I mean, she could get caught up in that wave and lost. I know the wave isn't a big one, not like the ones my friends ride, but it's still scary. "Oh, God."

"She's got this, Sunny. I know she does," JJ utters, rubbing his hands together as the wave lifts high, ready to crash down. While I've got faith that Matilda won't give up until she cracks this wave, I've got to have faith that JJ actually taught her thoroughly.

However, just before the wave can crash down, Matilda rises to her feet, her legs slightly wobbling as she attempts to stand her ground on JJ's board. I squeeze my eyes shut, feeling seriously afraid. "Oh, God. I can't watch."

"Sunny, you've got to watch."

Hesitantly, I blink my eyes open, gazing forward to see Matilda hold her arms out, balancing just like JJ instructed her to do. I keep holding my breath, watching as the wave lifts her and...

She rides the wave flawlessly.

A laugh bubbles out of me, feeling as though I can breathe again now that I know she's safe. "Yes!"

"Woo!" JJ cheers, applauding loudly. "Let's go!"

"Yes, Matilda!" The others clap and cheer the girl as the wave brings her right back to the shore, right at mine and JJ's feet. She's laughing loudly, that smile of hers brighter than it's ever been, and it's so refreshing to see her this happy.

The moment Matilda rejoins us, she jumps off the board and runs to us excitedly, her arms outstretched as she crashes into us. We laugh, crouching down just before she reaches us so we can wrap our arms around her in a tight, crushing embrace that displays just how proud we are.

"I did it!" The sweetest, biggest laugh rips out of her, her arms attempting to hug both me and JJ. While I had nothing to do with what she just did out there in that water, I'm happy to be here, embracing her achievements because that was truly something. "I did it," she exhales, pulling away from us.

JJ lifts his hand. "Yeah, you did!" She raises hers, clapping it over his as hard she can.

She sways from side to side, grinning. "Yeah!"

"Well done, kid," I praise, squeezing her shoulder, so unbelievably proud. "That was amazing."

"You need to do it next," she insists, but she truly has no idea just how bad I am at surfing.

On the several occasions where JJ has brought me out to the water, I've struggled massively to catch a wave. I'm never able to actually stand on the board once that wave hits without falling back in the water. I then get too mad at the water, insisting it hates me, and I storm off. Yeah, surfing ain't for me.

"Oh, yeah, if you want some comedy, Brooke has to do it," JJ comments, earning a glare from me even though I know he's right. I suck at surfing.

"You won't be as good as me." Matilda points to herself, nodding firmly. "But you have to try. It's fun!"

I sigh, knowing she'll continue to be persistent. "I'll maybe give it a shot later, alright?"

JJ snorts out a laugh. "You're serious?"

I squint at him. "Yes."

"Oh, Tills, you're gonna enjoy that," he says, speaking lowly despite me hearing him perfectly.

Matilda giggles. "I'm excited."

She rushes off, wanting to continue her celebration of hitting that wave with the girls and John B who stand around the Twinkie. I straighten myself up, and the moment I do, JJ's arm immediately comes to wrap around my back so he can pull me flush against him.

He looks down at me, the corner of his mouth tugged upwards. "Hey, Sunshine."

"You said that already," I jest.

"You're supposed to say, 'Hey, baby. I missed you'," he corrects, eyebrows pulled together.

I roll my eyes. "I was gone an hour."

"Two, but who's counting?" His head lowers, forehead brushing against mine. "I missed you." His nose moves over mine, his hand squeezing my hip as he lips hover over mine.

I sigh, pulling myself closer as I breathe him in. "I missed you too."

"Good." His mouth presses over mine, his lips harsh and fiery as he glides his mouth over mine.

Minutes before, I watched him laugh and applaud a six-year-old girl, looking like the sweetest guy in the world. Now, there's nothing sweet about him. There's just unrelenting, bruising passion that he's been waiting to unleash. It's almost like he's been starved of oxygen despite it only being two hours since we last saw each other, according to him.

His tongue swipes across my bottom lip before plunging into my mouth. I bite back a moan, teeth sinking into his lip in retaliation as I press a hand against his chest, needing to stay grounded as I feel my legs shake, and not from being on a surfboard.

His fingers press into the small of my back, pulling me impossibly close to him that I fear we'll merge into one being if he keeps me any closer. Then again, I have no opposition to that as I'd love nothing more than to just sink into this beautiful feeling of us.

"Hey!" I'm pried away from the love of my life, my lips feeling as though they've been attacked. I cast a glance over my shoulder, my face undeniably red as I look to find John B. Ah, if Pope isn't here, it's John B who cockblocks us, I can always count on that. "There's a child, dickheads."

Sarah is covering said child's eyes, a tight lipped smile on her face as she looks to JJ and I as we remain close to each other, knowing neither of us want to pull away just yet. Emory and Kiara lean against the Twinkie with Kiara shaking her head, obviously amused, while Emory gives us a subtle thumbs up from behind John B's back.

Speaking of John B, he's got that murderous look in his eye once again. Like before, I can't tell who it's directly aimed at. I don't think I want to know either.

"Is it just me or does he look like he wants to kill me?" JJ asks, keeping his voice low like he thinks John B can hear us from all the way over there. Part of me believes that he can even though it's so obvious he can't.

"Uh, maybe," I whisper back, leaning my face against his chest. "Just ignore him. I think Emory freaked him out earlier."

"She tends to do that," JJ mutters, nodding in John B's direction, but I imagine John B just thinks he's provoking him in some kind of way. I tell you, having your boyfriend and your brother in the same friend group ain't for the weak. "Hey, how's she doing, by the way?"

"Oh, uh... she's good."

"Yeah, that was really convincing there, Sunny."

"Sorry, I-I just can't tell you," I say, wishing I could tell him, but unless Emory wants to confide in JJ, I won't be saying a word. I lift my head from his chest, offering him an easy smile. "Sorry. I promised her I wouldn't."

JJ nods slowly. "She's okay though?"

I breathe out a laugh, appreciating the concern he has for her. "Yeah, she's gonna be fine."

JJ and Emory have a strange bond. I mean, when they were first introduced to one another, there was a lot of hidden contempt, but as they've come to know each other over the past eighteen months, they've formed something of a friendship. They argue over silly things at times, but who doesn't? Hell, they've had food fights while the rest of us are eating. While they fight like cat and dog, you can't deny that they are each other's biggest supporter. Seriously, if JJ wants to do something stupid, Emory will jump right on that bandwagon with him, and vice versa.

So it's not surprising that JJ is showing concern for Emory as, of course, he sees her as a good friend── as somebody he doesn't want to see get hurt.

"How'd she freak John B out?" he then asks.

"Told him I wanted a child with you," I say, not even considering what I just said before the words are out of my mouth. I wince, realising what I just said out loud. What the hell?

JJ just grins, a flare of surprise in his eyes. "Oh, yeah?"

I nod, a little ashamed of my previous ogling. "Yeah, I may have, you know, just..." I drag my tongue across my bottom lip, feeling a little nervous now even though I know I don't have to be embarrassed, not around him.

"Just what, Sunny?" The amusement in his voice, however, makes me feel painfully embarrassed.

I look away from him, finding fascination in the water all of a sudden. "Just that you'd, uh, you know, make a... a, um, well, a hot dad..." I whisper the last part, hoping he doesn't catch that. Though, let's face it, JJ knows what I said.

His hand squeezes my hip again, jerking me closer ever so slightly. "Oh, yeah?" His words send a literal electric jolt down my spine as I continue to look anywhere but at him, knowing he's got a smug look on his face. "Do you wanna go off and make one?"

My mouth gapes, eyes widening as my face heats. "Oh, my God." I shake my head. "Shut up."

"I'm sorry, you're the one who said──"

"I know what I said." I wiggle free from his grip, suddenly feeling a little too warm. I push my hand into JJ's. "Come on. John B's still got that murder look in his eye." I go to move, but JJ stays still, his hand gripping mine tightly. I look back to him, finding our hands very much attached but he's staying right where he is, not following me. "What are you──"

"You know, you'd be a hot mom, Sunny."

I stare at him, breathing out a laugh as he steps to me, his hand squeezing mine. "Thanks," I utter.

"I mean it." He leans down, going to kiss me again. "We're gonna be super hot parents."

I lean up on my tiptoes, wanting to kiss him, but we're once again cockblocked. However, instead of John B being the one to block us, it's something entirely different. We hear and see as several expensive cars come cruising in our direction, just about ready to ruin our entire day and act as the biggest cockblock known to man.

JJ and I move away from the shore, rejoining our friends as we look to the cars, knowing exactly who they belong to. "What the hell?"

Sarah sighs, arms crossed. "You're joking."

"Who's that?" Matilda inquires.

"Kooks," we each respond, the same disdain in each of our tones.

The cars pass by us, and I pray to God that they continue to drive on and find somewhere else on the beach that's not close to us. "Anywhere but here," Kiara utters, her head shaking.

The cars come to a slow, stopping right in front of us, only a few yards away. I scoff, knowing that was going to happen, but secretly wishing it wouldn't. "There's an entire beach," I hear Matilda say, squinting her eyes like she has some kind of power to turn them into a pile of ash. "Why'd they park there?"

"They're Kooks, kid, they don't give a shit."

"Language," she chirps.

"We were here first," Sarah says.

"Yeah, like they care," I complain, watching as the damn bastards get out of their giant trucks, beginning to set up their spot like they're not about to take up our waves and ruin our fun. "Those fucking bastards."

"Language!" Matilda shouts again, but she'll be hearing a lot worse later on.

"Great." I look to Sarah, seeing her look towards the cars. "My brother's here," she tells.

Despite him wearing sunglasses, I know he's looking right at me, his dislike for me so glaringly obvious as we look at one another. I know, from previous experience, there's nothing but coldness in those eyes of his as I've looked right through them before in the past. He can hide them all he wants now, but I know there's nothing but emptiness in his heartless expression.

I haven't seen him since Enduro, but I hadn't properly interacted with him since I shoved him off that boat in Barbados. I'm still pleased about that, by the way. I think he's still salty about that, not that I can blame him, I guess. I did steal his boat after shoving him into the water. Then again, he did deserve it.

He looks away from me first, his attention snagging onto the beautiful brunette at his side who, shock horror, is his girlfriend if I'm not mistaken. I swear, when I heard that the Rafe Cameron had a girlfriend, I couldn't stop laughing for ten minutes. Seriously, love is the last thing that bastard deserves after all he's done. Thinking about it now, I wonder if she knows all he's done. Somebody should warn that girl.

"Hey, y'all." I clear my throat, glancing at JJ who is nodding towards the frosted-tip bastard who dares to step over to us. "What do you think he wants?"

Matilda tilts her head, literal disgust wiped across her face. "Who's that?"

"Topper," I tell her.

"That's not a real name," she bites back, stepping closer to me as Topper continues to move towards us. He better not get any closer, I swear.

I clap my hand over hers. "Preach."

"Please don't let him antagonise you," Sarah comments, looking directly at my brother who has fought with Topper on several occasions. Although, it's been a good two years since the pair have fought── two years since Sarah cheated on John B with Topper.

"I got him," John B assures, stepping by me. "I'm gonna be cool."

"People who are cool don't say they're gonna be cool," Emory chimes, crossing her arms over her chest.

John B glares at Emory who smiles politely. "I got this," he insists, walking away from us to meet Topper in the middle.

We can't hear their conversation, not that I want to as I imagine it'll reek of toxic masculinity and testosterone. I just stare at them, watching my brother tense as Topper clearly says something that pisses him off. If I wasn't trying to set some kind of example to the six-year-old next to me, I'd just punch Topper to release all that tension I feel.

There's a very big reason why I want to punch Topper, and it's not because I hate his face. In fact, I wouldn't mind taking some kind of stab at him, if I'm being honest. No, I don't want to kill him, I just want to hurt him. Slowly. After all, he burnt down my home.

I nearly lost JJ because of what he did, so I shall never, ever forgive him, not for as long as I shall live. While he can deny it all he wants, I know he burnt down my beloved home that is no longer standing. Don't get me wrong, I love our home now but I grew up in the Chateau, as did a lot of my friends, so that place will always be missed.

How do I know Topper burnt down my house? Well, while JJ and I were saving Kiara from Kitty Hawk, Topper apparently paid my friends a visit on the tarmac. He said he'd heard about the Chateau burning, but for him to know such a thing so soon after it happened, it was very clear that he had something to do with my beloved home burning to the ground.

I hate him, let's just say that.

Put me in a room with him for five minutes, I beg. He ain't coming out, trust that.

Once Topper and John B finish their conversation and step away to join their crews, the fun begins despite there not being nearly enough waves for all of us to enjoy. Whatever. I can't let them ruin our fun, not when that's all they ever do.

I strip down to my bathing suit, a simple black bikini underneath my clothes. I catch JJ staring at me as he watches me fold my clothes neatly. I wink at him, pulling my bottom lip in between my teeth as he pulls his shirt off, revealing one of my favourite sights. If he wants to admire me, I'm gonna be admiring him all day long.

"Gross," Matilda grimaces, placing her hands over her eyes.

Each of my friends beside Emory strip down to their bathing suits too. "Hey, Tills. Wanna hit another wave?" JJ asks, walking backwards with his surfboard tucked under his arm.

That face of hers brightens once again. "Yes!"

JJ looks to me. "You coming, babe?"

I look down at Emory as she goes to settle in the sand, obviously not going for a swim or anything. I decide, then and there, that I don't need to join everybody in the water, not yet. "Uh, I'll catch you in a bit."

"You gotta hit the wave!" Matilda shouts over her shoulder as she rushes after JJ.

"I'll be there soon!" I call back, going to sit down beside Emory just as JJ calls out something.

"Your sketchbooks in the van!" JJ tells me, saying the best thing I've ever heard.

I fail to hide the smile that creeps up my face as he brought my sketchbook without me even asking. He knows that when there's days like these, I always, without a doubt, bring my sketchbook, but I had visited Emory beforehand so I forgot it. Well, I thought I wouldn't have it, but I should've known JJ would impress me. He always does, after all.

I laugh, waving to him. "Thank you!"

Don't I have the best boyfriend?

Sarah and John B are already moving away, walking hand-in-hand to the water, so sickeningly in love. Kiara's surfboard is tucked under her arm, and she looks like she wants to go and rush off and catch those waves before the Kooks steal them, but she's watching Emory like she wants to stay put and stay with her.

I think somebody else is just as infatuated as Sarah and John B are.

"I'll stay with her," I tell Kiara. "Go have fun."

"I don't need babysitting," Emory bites out.

"It's not babysitting. I'm just staying with you, bitch," I snap, going to retrieve my sketchbook from the van. "Go have fun, Kiara."

"You sure? I-I can stay──"

Emory reaches her hand up, taking Kiara's. "Kie, go have fun. Catch a wave for me, alright?" They share a look── a look I don't quite understand, but Kiara nods regardless.

"Okay. I won't be long," she assures, freeing her hand and rushing off to get in the water with everybody else.

The moment Emory and I find ourselves alone, she turns to me and says, "You're babying me, Brooke, and I don't appreciate it." She leans back against the Twinkie as she attempts to get comfortable.

I sit beside her, sketchbook in lap. "Am not."

"Are too."

I shake my head. "Nuh-uh."

"Uh-huh," she mocks. "I'm fine, alright? I promise."

"I know," I reply, opening my sketchbook to a blank page, knowing what I want to draw already. "Now be quiet, I'm drawing."

"You're a bitch," she whispers.

I smile, content. "Right back at ya."

Emory and I spend a long while in silence── maybe over an hour. Our friends have the time of their lives in the water, swimming and surfing. I, on the other hand, am perfectly content the entire time they're in the water as I exercise my hand with my pencil, working on a piece of art that resembles just how I'm feeling today.

While the Kooks linger not too far from us, I do my best to ignore them as my eyes flicker from my piece of art to JJ and Matilda who continue to laugh with one another. He's keeping a close eye on her, not letting her out of his sight as Kooks swim and surf by them, obviously confused on who the child is. He helps Matilda onto the surfboard, continuing to show her the basic ropes of surfing that I still need to conquer.

I promise, I will try and hit a wave by the end of the day.

For an hour, I sit in the sand, sketching both in my book and in the sand while my eyes skim over everybody in the water. I spot the Kooks riding the waves, trying to invade in our space sneakily but never getting close enough. I see John B and Sarah caught up in each other as John B attempts to offer Sarah a few surfing tips too. I catch Emory watching Kiara with a relaxed expression, and part of me wonders if she wishes to be out there, enjoying herself with everybody else.

I give her a small nudge, my hand feeling numb from the continuous movement with my pencil. "You okay?"

"I used to love swimming," she tells me, resting her chin on her knees that are brought up to her chest. I feel sad for her, knowing why she no longer chooses to do those things. "I was also really good at surfing."

My eyes widen. "Yeah?"

"Yeah. I loved it. I mean, come on, I lived in Miami, you have to surf down there," she speaks, a certain peacefulness in her town as she talks about where she grew up.

"You miss it?" I ask, already knowing the answer deep down.

She shrugs. "Sometimes," she answers. "But I like it here too. I like you guys. I like the house. I just... I don't like that..." She doesn't need to say the rest of the sentence. I know what she's attempting to say. She doesn't like that her biological father isn't so far from here, that he's lurking on this island, knowing full well that Emory is his daughter. "It's not so bad here, but yeah, I miss Miami."

"Maybe we could visit one day," I suggest, attempting to keep the conversation light. "You know, all of us?"

Emory breathes out something of a laugh. "You wouldn't last five minutes in Miami, B. You'd be so burnt."

"Uh, sunscreen exists, Emmy."

"Hey." A shadow looms over us in the form of JJ, stealing our attention. "Tills wants you to hit the waves, Sunny."

My back of my head hits the Twinkie. "Ugh."

"Oh, this is gonna be good," Emory laughs, snatching my sketchbook from my lap. "I've heard how bad you are at surfing."

I shove her arm. "Shut up."

"It's true. She's awful," JJ comments, not defending me in any kind of way despite it being very true that I cannot surf to save my life.

"Okay. Enough with this abuse."

"I wish we had a camera," Emory laughs, her entire facade so different to what it was moments ago when she was telling me about Miami and how she used to love surfing and swimming. Seriously, she can switch up so fast, it's crazy.

"Yeah, sorry, no camera," I deadpan.

"It's fine." She hits my arm gently. "I'll just take mental Polaroids."

JJ laughs, reaching his hand out to take mine so he can pull me up and out of the sand. "You both suck, I hope you know that."

"Hey, JJ, five bucks says she doesn't catch a wave," Emory reasons, obviously finding this so funny.

"I don't have five bucks," he replies.

"A dollar?"

He shakes his head. "Fifty cent?" he bargains.

Emory nods, holding her hand out. "Fifty cent," she repeats, shaking his hand firmly.

"I hate both of you," I bite out, eyes flickering from Emory to JJ who find this hilarious. "I'm gonna ride that wave just to spite you both." I begin to walk off, just about ready to conquer the terrifying waves that I know will likely eat me alive the first chance they get.

I march towards Matilda who is sitting upon JJ's board, just floating on the surface of the water. She spots me, a smile brightening her face. "Are you gotta hit the wave?"

"Yep. Do you believe in me?"

She scrunches her face up. "Sure."

"Seriously?" I sigh, watching her get off the board so I can take it. "Have a little faith in me, kid. Be on my side."

"I am on your side," she insists, though I'm not completely convinced.

"Okay. Well, I am going to catch this wave and shove it in everybody's faces." If I convince myself that I can do just that, it'll surely happen, right? Well, that's what I'm telling myself anyway.

JJ joins us. "Okay. You ready, Sunny?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," I say, lowering myself onto my stomach on his surfboard. "I got this."

"Yeah, you do," he says, squeezing my ankle.

"Shut up. You and Emory just bet against me."

"No," he scoffs. "If you catch this wave, she owes me fifty cent, alright?"

I look over my shoulder at him. "I want the fifty cent."

"I'll put it towards our surf trip," he replies. "But you gotta hit this wave, Sunshine, or I've gotta find fifty cent somewhere. I'll probably steal it off her to give it back."

I shake my head, laughing nonetheless as that sounds like something he'd do. "I can do this." I exhale a deep breath, looking out at the water ahead. I see several Kooks in my direction, though I ain't about to let them stop me from conquering this.

"Good luck!" Matilda applauds.

"Good luck, Sunny." JJ pushes the board gently, sending me off into the water.

I begin to paddle, heading right for the oncoming waves. The board rises and falls with every passing push of water that comes underneath me as I glide along, feeling perfectly content to just stay laid on my stomach.

Although, I've gotta do this. I've gotta stand up. Matilda is counting on me to do something as great as what she did, so I'm gonna try my damn hardest to impress that girl.

Also, if I wanna go on a surf trip with JJ around the world, I gotta know how to do the basics, right? While a life of sunbathing and burning in the process seems fun, I can't do that in every country we visit while he's living life out in the water. It just doesn't seem like fun.

I'm doing this for future Brooke.

I spot a wave up ahead, and I see that it's beautiful and big and ready to be ridden by none other than me. That sounds wrong in every which way, and if I wasn't so terrified to be swallowed whole, I'd laugh and make a "that's what she said" joke as I'm ninety percent sure I've said something along those lines to JJ.

Okay, that was inappropriate.

Sorry, I'm nervous when there's a giant wave preparing to attack me.

"Come on, B, you got this," I tell myself, beginning to lift myself up and off my stomach as a wave rises before me. "Come on."

I rise on wobbly legs, holding my arms out and attempting to plant my feet as the wave hits and crashes down, down, down. Just when I think I've withstood my ground, balancing perfectly on the board, I feel my feet slipping as I push over the heavy and large body of water.

I close my eyes, bringing my arms down as I know what's happening before it even happens. It's happened many times in the past, so the feeling is awfully similar to me. It's painfully familiar, and it's painful in general. "Shit."

I slip right off the surfboard, falling right underneath the giant wave that, like I said, swallows me whole and pushes me back out to shore with JJ's board hitting at my legs.

Coughing and spluttering, I reach Matilda and JJ. "Shit," he utters. "I owe Em fifty cent."

I spit out some water. "Shit indeed."

"Language," Matilda chirps.

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❀ soph speaks

i was originally gonna write out the entire beach scene in one chapter but i'm at 6000 words and i got lazy lol

i'm very excited to write when jj & emory find out they're related hehe

btw,, just to clarify,, brooke will NOT be getting pregnant in this act. i have no plans to have her be pregnant like sarah,, sorry if anyone is disappointed but i just don't think it'll suit the book in any kind of way :/

so while i'm writing about her and jj having a kid and making jokes about it, i promise it's a "way in the future" kind of thing

thankyou for reading!!