I can see you, JJ Maybank

008. STILL NOT GOOD ENOUGH

Chapter eight

"Still not good enough."

The next morning, Mia and Topper had woken up and gotten changed for the day, but as they headed downstairs, the two were for once in their lives getting along "could you believe, Rafe yesterday? I mean he's cool and all but trying to get me to hit Pope? What does he want me to do get sent back off the island?" Mia asked him, as Topper scoffed "I know. I know, dude. He's crazy. Like he may be my friend, but when it comes to you? I'm not having it." he told her, but as the two made their way down the stairs, and toward's the kitchen, they found their mother waiting by the back door "you two out back, now!" she voiced, turning around and walking out.

And when she did, Mia and Topper looked to each other "did you do something?" Mia asked him "no, did..did you?" Topper asked her "not that I know of. But seeing as I am me and you are you, it's probably automatically my fault seeing as she hates me." Mia shared, as the two began walking toward's the back door, Topper shook his head "no, no, you haven't done anything, Mia." he told her, putting his arm around her, as the two headed out onto the patio.

They noticed their mom walking down the dock and toward's where their father's boat was docked, as the two followed after her, but as they began to get closer, they noticed a crane there that seemed to be pulling their dad's boat out of the water, making Mia and Topper's eyes go wide "Topper, what the hell?" Mia asked "I..I don't..I don't know. I did everything I was told to do with it, okay? So just act cool." Topper told them, as the two stepped closer to their mom who was talking with a man "a boat like this don't just sink, Dr Thornton." the man shared.

"How much is this gonna cost me?" their mom asked "ah, submerged twenty four hours, so you're looking at twenty five, thirty k." the man shared "and insurance won't cover it?" their mom asked, as the man chuckled "no. Not for operator error." the man shared, as their mom automatically looked to her and Topper "plug wasn't in there." the man shared, as Topper and Mia looked to their mom "well, why..why are you looking at me?" Topper asked her "why do you think?" their mom asked him "mom, he didn't do it, I swear!" Mia voiced, making their mom scoff "then it was probably you! I mean I thought they said you got your act together and stopped all the fighting, the crazy behavior, preferring to be all alone rather then have any friends." she shared.

"Mom, neither Mia or I forgot to put the plug in. It's been sitting in the water a week." Topper shared "I thought when you turned sixteen, you'd take a little more responsibility for your actions and be different then your sister." their mom shared "mom, mom I did not do this! Are you kidding me? You think I'm that stupid? Why is this my fault? Or..or even Mia's who doesn't even touch the boat unless I'm around." Topper shared "because it usually is. I mean, after all my hard work your still un perfect." their mom told Mia, turning and walking off and when she did, Mia felt tears in her eyes and as she did, Topper turned to her "Mia, hey, no, Mia this isn't your fault you know that.." he told her, trying to hug her but as he did, Mia shoved him off of her and turned, running away.

In her room later on, Mia was packing up her stuff, knowing fully well after this fiasco her mom would be sending her back to that dreadful place anytime now, as her bedroom door open, Topper walked in "come on, we're going." he told her, as Mia chuckled "yeah, I know, I already expected that. Why do you think I'm packing?" she asked him, turning around to grab something else from her closet, but as she did Topper furrowed his brows "no, no, not back there! Mia, stop packing!" He voiced, walking up to her, he grabbed her wrist, stopping her from going back into her closet "we're going to get the one who really did this, come on, Rafe and Kelce are downstairs in the jeep." he told her, turning around and dragging her out of the room with him.