𝚋𝚘𝚛𝚗 𝚒𝚗𝚗𝚘𝚌𝚎𝚗𝚝 {𝚓𝚓 𝚖𝚊𝚢𝚋𝚊𝚗𝚔}

𝚜.𝟷 𝚎𝚙.𝟹 -𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚛𝚎𝚎-

"kick, you know this life is rich / but pleasure's not the same as happiness / if you don't collide with the traffic in your mind / I think you'll find your way out of this."

~

After surfing, John B, JJ, and Tate all changed into dry bathing suits and climbed into the HMS Pogue to pick up Kiara and Pope for the day. As the boat skidded over the water towards the main part of town- John B driving and Kiara and Tate perched side by side on the edge of the boat, looking out over the water- JJ let out a low whistle. "I know I'm hot as fuck right now, J, but calm down," Tate said in an offhand voice, brushing her blonde hair out of her eyes and repositioning her red sunglasses.

JJ let out a dry laugh. "I mean, you're not wrong, but you guys see that boat?" Tate rolled her eyes. "That's the Malibu 24-MXZ, the world's finest Wakesetter. Number one in luxury, quality, and performance. 200K, easy."

"We picked the wrong parents," muttered Pope.

Kiara followed their gaze and let out the smallest of sighs. "I hate to break it to you guys, but that's Topper and his girlfriend." Tate saw that she was right just as the boat drew up closer to them and two of the richest kids on the island rode past, standing majestically at the wheel and not even deigning to look at the Pogues. She shifted uncomfortably. Tate and Sarah had a very long and very ugly history, especially since Tate and Rafe had dated on and off the year before. As Topper's boat passed them, Sarah lifted her sunglasses from her face and set them on top of her head, her gaze just barely skimming over the HMS. "You don't have to act like you don't see us, bitch," Kiara said, just loud enough for Topper and Sarah to hear her. Tate smirked and leaned back to watch the boat disappearing into the distance.

While Tate wasn't looking, JJ leaned over to push her arm lightly, almost making her slip and fall off the side of the boat. She flinched and turned to him. "JJ!" She reached an arm out to swat him in the chest.

"What?" JJ asked innocently. He reached out again to try and push her. "Ah- don't fall-"

"JJ!" Tate couldn't help laughing as she leaned over to push JJ back. He grabbed her arm and pulled her over to his side of the boat, trying and failing to send her over the edge. Tate let out a little shriek and fought back, eventually collapsing over his outstretched arm, breathless. "You're the worst, J."

Pope wrinkled his nose at them. "You two are both the worst."

"We need a plank on this thing," said Kiara. "Then the captain of the ship- me, obviously- could say 'walk the plank!" she used a terrible fake pirate accent that made everyone laugh. Tate leaned her head back, repositioning herself so she was more comfortable, but not moving off of JJ's arm. He glanced over at her swiftly, but didn't move. Kiara watched them in mild disgust. "In case you didn't get the message, I'd make you both walk the plank." 

---

Later that afternoon, Tate sat in the back of the Pogue's van with Kiara and Pope as John B careened into the parking lot of the hotel where JJ worked. "Alright, keep a look out," JJ said as they parked, and Tate pulled a face as he pulled the gun he'd stolen from the glovebox. "We're behind enemy lines."

"Yo, come on, man. Just put it back," said John B, putting the van in park and taking the keys from the ignition. The look on his face was practically identical to Tate's. "JJ-"

JJ cocked the gun and held it up. "What? You can never be too careful."

"Stop it, JJ," Tate murmured, climbing out of the van after Pope.

Pope approached JJ's door and leaned against it, talking to JJ through the window. "Hey, I predict that bringing a weapon into a four-star hotel will likely cause more problems than they solve."