gorgeous

004

Now they were back on the boat, JJ was laying down facing John B who was driving, Kiara was sat closest to John B while Summer sat by Pope.

"Well, that was fun. Could have warned us sooner." JJ says with a chuckle, Summer raising a brow at Pope who shook his head. "We would have, except Pope was on the math team." Kiara says which made JJ turn to Pope.

"You were on the math team?" JJ questioned as Summer wrapped an arm around Pope's shoulder. "The best and brightest of us all." Summer cooed which made Pope playfully shove her, Summer laughing.

"The cops took everything like it was a crime scene. Did you guys find anything?" Pope questions as JJ sits up. 

"Did we find anything? No, I don't think so. Oh, yeah, we did." JJ says as he holds up a stack of cash and a gun, Summer's heart dropped. "What the hell?" Pope questioned as he stood. "Dude, what?" Kiara questions as Summer simply looked at him in shock.

"JJ what the fuck?" Summer questions in worry, JJ seeing the look on her face. "Sunny it's fine." JJ says as he turned towards Pope who was still freaking out.

"Dude, chill. Come on." JJ says, Pope shaking his head. "Why take that from a crime scene?" Pope questions. "Better than cops having it." JJ says with a shrug. "You serious? I'm gonna lose my merit scholarship." Pope says.

JJ stood right in front of him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders and shushing him. "At least you have us, right?" JJ questions as Pope moved away. "I'm living the nightmare." Pope says as he slumped down into his seat, JJ moving and sitting next to Summer as they sailed back to the docks on the cut.

They were sat by the water with some of their other friends, Summer stood next to JJ as they watched a body be dragged out of the water, a woman screaming over the body. "Scooter? Scooter? Oh, God!" The woman shouts, Summer's heart aching.

"Who's that?" John B questions as Avery, a girl that they talked to held her phone. "It's Scooter Grubbs. He was out during the storm. Check out this pic I got. Dead body." Avery says as she showed the photo around, Summer grimacing.

"What kind of boat did he have?" JJ questioned as he leant his chin on Summer's shoulder. "Somehow, that dirtbag copped a brand-new Grady-White. Everyone's out looking for it." Avery says, John B turning to his friends.

"We'll see you around Aves." Summer says as they walked away, rushing back towards the chateau. 

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Summer sat in a chair, her knees tucked under her chin. "Okay. So, um... we didn't see anything. We don't know anything. We need to have total and complete amnesia." Pope says as he walked into the chateau, his tone shaky.

"Actually, Pope's right for once. See, I agree with you sometimes." JJ says as he stands up, walking to stand by John B. "Deny, deny, deny." JJ concludes.

"Guys, we can't keep that money." Kiara says, JJ sighing. "Okay. Not all of us can afford unlimited data plans, Kiara." JJ says, but Kiara wasn't affected by his jab.

"We have to pass that off to Lana Grubbs. Otherwise, it's bad karma." Kiara says, Summer sighing as she shifted in the seat, her legs dangling off the arms of the chair. "Bad karma to be implicated in a felony, too. We gotta go dark." Pope states.

"If that means we get to keep the money, then I agree." JJ says, Summer shaking her head. "I don't agree." John B says as he moved to stand next to where Summer was sat. "What? Why?" JJ questions. 

"Just think about it. This is Scooter Grubbs we're talking about. Same dude that's buying individual cigarettes at the Porthole." John B says, Summer nodding in agreement.

"Shit, one time I saw this dude begging for change in the Save-A-Lot parking lot because he needed gas." John B says. "I remember that." Summer spoke up, the group turning to the girl who was slowly coming to the conclusion John B had.

"We're talking about a dirtbag marina rat who's never had more than 40 bucks in his pocket, and all of a sudden, he's got a Grady-White? Just sayin'." John B says.

The five teens were now sat out on the dock, Pope and JJ were fishing. Summer sat on the railings as JJ fished next to her, the girl kicking her legs as she hummed lightly. "You wanna fish?" JJ questions, Summer shrugging as she held the rod in her hands.

"All right, so think about it, Pope. How does a marina rat get a Grady-White?" John B questioned Pope who was staring ahead. "Prostitution." Pope says, Summer chuckling quietly. 

"Square groupers, bro. Okay, flying under the radar, no aerial surveillance. They don't do that stuff during a hurricane. What does that mean? JJ?" John B questioned as JJ peered over at them.

"They were straight smugglin'." JJ says, John B nodding in agreement. "Smugglin'. And I guarantee there's a serious amount of contraband in that wreck." John B concludes. "Hell, yeah." JJ says, Summer felt a bite at her line, the girl gasping as she tried to reel it in, JJ helping so she wouldn't fall in.

"Fish on!" JJ exclaimed which made the group chuckle.

When they got inside, Pope sat on John B's bed while the rest of the group found their own places to sit. "For the record, if that is a smuggling ship with illegal contraband on the inside of it..." "Mhm?" Summer questioned as Pope continued talking.

"It probably belongs to someone else." Pope says, Kiara chuckling from next to Summer. "Minor details." Kiara states. "They could come looking for it. Taking it would be catastrophically stupid." Pope says, holding the stack of cash in his hands.

"Right. Well, stupid things have good outcomes all the time." JJ says, sifting through the dollar bills, turning to his friends. "All we need to do is figure out a way to get into the cargo hold of that wreck. Until then, we just lay low. Just act normal." JJ says, Summer raising a brow.

"That's gonna be hard for you J." Summer says, JJ nudging her. "Right. And how exactly do we do that?" Pope questions, Kiara and Summer turning to each other with a smirk. "Kegger?" Both girls questioned.

--------

After setting up the keg, more people came to the boneyard and the party was in full swing. Summer felt buzzed as she walked over to JJ who sat on a branch. "Hey J." Summer says which made him look up, a grin on his face. 

"Hey Sunny." JJ says as he stands up, offering his seat for her. Summer sat down and grinned up at JJ happily. "Kie and I were talking to this guy, but then she started talking about Virgos so I had to leave." Summer says with a giggle.

JJ liked when Summer was like this, more free, and very giggly. He absolutely loved her laugh. "Sounds boring." JJ says as the kid next to Summer left, JJ instantly taking his spot. "It was!" Summer exclaims with a laugh.

"So, what has the great JJ Maybank been up to, hm?" Summer hummed as she leant her head on his shoulder, watching as the party continued. "Drinking beer and talking to my favorite girl." JJ says, Summer looking up with her brows raised. "Where is she now?" Summer questions as she looked around, genuinely confused.

"Right in front of me." JJ says, Summer's jaw dropping. "Me?! You're so sweet." Summer says with a flush, but JJ couldn't tell if it was because of the beer or she was genuinely flustered. "Not sweeter than you." JJ says as Summer laid her head back onto his shoulder.

"Could you help me fix my house tomorrow? Trin should be back." Summer says softly, JJ nodding. "You know I will." JJ says which made the girl grin. "You're amazing." Summer says as she stands up. "Where're you goin'?" JJ questions as Summer started walking backwards.

"Finding Kie!" She exclaims happily, but speaking of the girl, Kiara grabbed Summer which made her squeal, both girls letting out happy laughs as they got more beer and found another place to sit. 

JJ caught himself smiling for a moment too long, shaking his head. He really didn't think Summer would go for him. He was in Kiara's terms, a 'slut' and he thought Summer deserved someone better than him. But then again, he would rather die than see Summer's gorgeous smile directed at someone else.