The Knight

Four

The boat slowly drifted closer to the hotel, and suddenly Pandora was regretting her choice to stay. The place looked like absolute shit.

She almost grinned when JJ and John B took the words right out of her mouth.

"I thought the Chateau looked bad."

"This place is a shitshow."

Kie and Pandora shared a look of disgust as the boat got closer. "Motel or meth lab?"

"You be the judge." Pope answered.

John B got them as close to the grass as possible. "Doesn't look like a place somebody with a Grady-White stays." And he was right. The place looked straight out of a Breaking Bad episode.

Pandora's nerves only raised a little as Pope quipped back, "No. Looks like a place someone with a Grad-White would get killed."

Pandora didn't know how JJ could be so excited about this. But the boy was bouncing up and down as he came to stand next to her.

"All right. Here we go. This is your captain speaking. HMS Pouge comin' in for landing."

As much as she didn't understand his excitement, it brought a smile to Pandora's face as he jumped off of the boat to stop it from going too far inland.

He let out a little 'Whoo' when he spotted the grin Pandora had on her face as she looked at him. He let a grin fall onto his own face as they made eye contact once again.

While the other's had their own conversation, Pandora walked to the very edge of the boat and leaned down slightly to talk to JJ.

And because her social battery was nearly depleted, her words were so quiet JJ had to strain to hear her.

"Can I come with you? When you go up to the room?"

Pandora didn't know why she asked. She knew the saying; curiosity killed the cat. But she also knew the other part of that saying, satisfaction brought it back.

JJ on the other hand couldn't be happier that she wanted to join in on their stupid ideas.

He knows he forced her to come along against her will, but he thought that maybe she had a little bit of fun today. Plus, he felt bad that she cut her leg because of his decision to bring her along, so he said, "Of course" and held his hand out for her to take.

The two out of the boat stood side by side as they watch Kie look at John B a little differently than she did with Pope or JJ.

"Be careful. I mean it."

Even though Pandora didn't hang out with them, she knew of the rule the Pouges had. No Pouge-on-Pouge macking. So, what the hell was that.

It seemed JJ was just as confused as her though because he turned to look at her with furrowed eyebrows and a slight frown on his face.

John B jumped off of the boat and said, "Let's go." But then he paused as he saw Pandora waiting patiently next to JJ.

He only smiled before the three walked towards the hotel.

On the walk towards the stairs, Pandora saw several mattresses lying out and she was about to ask about it, but John B beat her to it.

"Why are all these mattresses out?"

She didn't expect JJ of all people to have the answer, but he was quick to respond to his best friend.

"After a hurricane, they ditch em' 'cause they're moldy."

Pandora shivered with disgust. "That's gross." she whispered to herself.

As the three walked up the creaking steps of the hotel, JJ grabbed John B's face and purred out, "Just be so careful, John."