Thalassophile // JJ Maybank

Chapter 27

JJ shows up at my house early in the morning. I was still sound asleep when he came into my bedroom loudly.

"Franklin!"

I startle awake, trying to find the source of the voice. I open my eyes but am blinded by the bright sun, beaming through my window. I feel his hand place on my shoulder, getting me to finally look at him.

"Well good morning, sunshine." A slight smirk forms on his lips.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I ask, my voice thick from sleep.

"We got plans today, Frank."

"It's early, J." I complain.

"It's 11." JJ points out. The blonde scoops me out of bed bridal style before trying to put me down on the floor. I hold on tight to him, not allowing him to put me on the floor.

I bury my face in the crook of his neck. "It's sleeping time."

He lets out a breathy laugh before dropping my feet to the floor. "Come on, Princess."

I sigh before walking over to my dresser to grab some casual clothes and disappear into the bathroom. I quickly strip out of my pajamas before I pull on a pair of Jean shorts and a white crop top. I throw my hair up into a messy bun before stepping back into my bedroom.

"Ready?"

"Yeah, let's go." I say to the boy.

We walk outside into the fresh air. JJ's motorbike sat in my large driveway. I follow him over to it, he hands me a helmet before climbing onto the front of the bike. I slide on the helmet, clipping it under my chin. I slide my arms around the blondes waist, his muscles flexing underneath my touch as he moves.

JJ pulls on his own helmet before tapping my hands that were now linked across his stomach. "Good to go?"

"Yeah."

He starts the bike, pulling out of my driveway and taking off down the street.

JJ drives down the familiar streets of town. The wind blows intensely against my skin. I grab JJ tighter, laying my head on his back as I watch the ocean go by.

Eventually JJ pulls up to our usual surfing spot on the beach. He already has two surf boards lying on the sand with packs of surf wax next to them. A smile breaks out on my face at the thought of his planning this all out.

I climb off the back of his bike, sliding the helmet off my head. He does the same, looking over at me with a proud smile.

"You did this all this morning?" I question.

"Yeah." JJ runs a hand through his hair, evidently nervous. His eyes drop to the sand.

"Thank you." I tell him.

He looks back up at me, a smile on his face. "I uh- I got your suit from Roni."

"Oh, thank you. Let me change really quick and then you're on, blondie." I challenge.

"Oh you're going down, red."

I grab my swim suit he had brought and go change behind some thicker bushes. I step back out, sprinting for my board and taking off toward the water.

"Hey, cheater. Come back here." JJ yells after me.

I go splashing into the water, gliding onto my board and paddling away from shore. Soon enough JJ catches up to me.

We surf around for a couple hours, me obviously doing better than him and showing him up. We were now sat on our boards next to each other, pretty far out in the water. I sat with my lower legs dangling in the water, allowing the cool water to lap up onto my board.

"Hey, Franklin?" JJ speaks up.

"Yeah?"

"What was he like? Your brother." JJ asks hesitant.

"He was older than me, by two years. He was brilliant, the smartest kid you'd ever meet. And he was kind, had a big heart, always putting others above him. But I think those are the things that got him. Too much pressure to always be doing the right thing, to be getting the answers right. You could tell it bothered him. I always looked up to him though. I wanted to be as smart as him, or as kind. He was always my biggest supporter at competitions. The loudest cheerleader." A small smile breaks onto my face. "I wish you could've met him. He would have really liked you. Your free spirit and big goofy smile."

"Sounds like you have that in common."

"Funny." I retort with a light laugh.

"He sounds like a good guy, Frank. I'm sorry you had to go through losing him."

"It's okay. That's just what his story was meant to be. And this is mine. I'm not gonna spend all of it crippled with depression from losing my brother."

"You are probably the strongest person I've ever met." JJ announces.

"Probably." I tease.

"You're a dork." JJ says flinging water at me.

"Hey!" I slash water back at him before we both erupt into a fit of laughter.