One Stupid Thing

1:1:4

As I wait at the marina for Kiara to show up, I sit at the end of one of the docks and dip my toes into the cool water. Before I left the house, I had changed into a swimsuit and thrown on a pair of jean shorts and a t-shirt overtop. It has been five minutes past the time that Kie said she would be here, and I am getting a little worried that she has ditched me. However, as I am getting up to leave, I hear the sound of a motor and spot the HMS Pogue, John B's boat, rounding the corner.

"Hey, Stella!" Kiara calls to me and waves from the front of the small fishing boat, but she isn't alone. The rest of the Pogues are with her, including JJ.

I wave back at her, slide on my flip-flops and ready myself to hop on. John B lines the boat up with the end of the dock and I am fully prepared to have to step clumsily into the boat when JJ holds a hand out for me.

"M'lady," he says in a funny accent and bows.

"Why thank you, kind sir," I reply and I set my hand in his. Then, JJ helps me into the boat. I am a little flustered by the gesture, but somehow I manage to hide my true feelings.

"You didn't mention the whole gang being here," I whisper to Kiara. Kie just shrugs me off and sits down at the front of the boat. I sit down next to her and put my feet up on the seat.

John B drives the boat away from the dock and we are off on our little adventure. I am looking around the boat when I see something. The exact scuba tanks that Sarah said John B was taking to fill.

"Oh, good, you topped off the tanks," I observe. I had expected a different reaction than the one I received. The four of them have guilty expressions on their faces and seem awkward. Finally, I put two and two together.

"Okay, I see what's going on here. You weren't going to fill up the tanks, were you John B?" I say and sit up from my comfortable position.

John B hesitates before giving me an answer. "Okay, fine. We just needed to borrow the gear for a few hours. Just please, please don't tell your dad."

"Relax. I'm not going to tell my dad anything." I pause and then I get curious. "So, what are you guys doing with it?" The group shares a glance  before John B answers.

"We came across a wreck the other day after the hurricane. A brand new, Grady White just sitting at the bottom of the marsh," he says flatly.

"Okay... well who do you think it belongs to?" I ask.

"We heard that it belonged to Scooter Grubbs. They found his body near the wreck yesterday."

I gasp in shock. Scooter was the guy that had gone missing shortly after helping Sarah prepare the Druthers. Poor Lana. "Wait, but how did someone like Scooter Grubbs manage to get a Grady White."

JJ, who had taken over driving the boat, replies, "Exactly why we need to get down there and look at the wreck ourselves."

"But, why don't we just let the cops handle it?" I inquire.

"The cops won't do shit. Plus, it's more fun this way," JJ replies with a smirk.

"Alright then. Count me in."

The Pogues and I arrive at the marsh a little while later. It took some time for them to relocate the wreck, but as soon as they found it they dropped down the anchor. Kie begins checking the tanks.

"This is empty," Kiara groans. "You took empty tanks?"

"I could've told you that if you had just asked to borrow them instead of stealing them," I point out.

"Okay, this one's a quarter full. It's enough for one of us," Kie says.

"Love it when a plan comes together," Pope replies sarcastically.