Salty Summer | JJ Maybank

Chapter Two

Motel Mysteries & Kegger Chaos

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THE teens drove toward the motel, which looked run-down and neglected. The paint on the walls was peeling, the windows were dirty, and piles of rotten mattresses were visible. The Pogues exchanged worried glances as they sail closer and closer to the motel.

"I thought the château looked bad." JJ whistled.

"This place is a shit show."

"Motel or meth lab?" asked Kiara.

"You be the judge."

"Looks like the set of a horror movie." Marley added.

"Doesn't look like the type of place somebody with a Grady White would stay." John B pointed out.

"No. It looks like the type of place someone with a Grady White would get killed." Pope spoke.

"Do you reckon they stole it?" Marley questioned.

The HMS Pogue gently rocked side to side as it slowly made its way through the narrow waterway. The air was thick of damp Earth and vegetation.

"This is your captain speaking, HMS Pogue coming in for landing. Whoo!" JJ declared as he jumped of the boat tying it up on a small post.

"We good?" John B asked JJ.

"Yeah, we're good!"

John B hopped of the boat standing by JJ. "All right. Here goes nothin."

"Hey, don't let him do anything stupid!" Pope ordered as he pointed to JJ.

"Oh, we will." JJ teased.

"I'm not making any promises." John B responded as he looked from JJ to Pope.

"It's JJ when is he not stupid." Marley stated causing JJ to roll his eyes.

"Well Marley, stupid things have good-" JJ started but was cut off by Marley.

"Outcomes all the time. Yeah, I know."

"Uh, be careful." Kiara suggested as Marley passed JJ the motel key.

"She means it!" Marley emphasised looking into JJ's eyes. As she looked into his eyes she felt a flutter in her stomach.

"Yeah, yeah. Let's go!" John B chuckled as he patted JJ's shoulder. John B and JJ walked toward the entrance of the motel while Marley, Pope and Kiara stayed look out in the boat.

The three sat in silence for a few minutes, enjoying the peacefulness of the moment. Then Pope spoke up. "What's your favourite movie?"

"Favourite movie?" Kiara asked.

"Easy! Titanic." Marley exclaimed.

"Titanic? That movie is so sad. What made you like it so much?" Pope asked looking skeptical.

"I don't know, there's just something about it. The story is so tragic, but also so beautiful. And the characters are so well developed." Marley explained.