SUNBURN | JOHN B ROUTLEDGE

007

The group began to approach the building. Once perhaps a modest motel, it now bore the unmistakable marks of neglect and devastation, its appearance more akin to a dilapidated meth lab than a place of rest. "Motel or meth lab?" Gabriella asked.

The aftermath of the recent hurricane had only added to its decrepit state. "You be the judge," Kiara said.

"Doesn't look like a place somebody with a Grady-White stays." John B was confused.

Pope added to the mystery, "No. Looks like a place someone with a Grady-White would get killed."

The roof was partially caved in, with jagged pieces of corrugated metal hanging precariously, swaying slightly in the breeze. Broken windows gaped like empty sockets, their glass shattered and scattered across the ground. The walls were streaked with grime and the dark green stains of mold thriving in the damp, humid climate.

As JJ jumped out of the boat, he tied the rope safely onto the land. "We good."

John B began to get off the boat. Pope called out to him and reminded him, "don't let him do anything stupid," pointing towards the blonde boy who Gabriella had now understood his recklessness and laughed at Pope's comment.

"I'm not making promises."

"Get back here quick." Kiara said to both John B and JJ as she passed JJ the key, feeling weary of the entire situation that was about to unfold.

Gabriella looked at John B, "Uh, be careful." her voice was low, "I mean it." She coughed. "Both of you. Be careful." Gabriella wasn't used to this type of life she was now apart of. She was worried and slightly self conscious by the way she acted around them, seeing as they're all such a tight knit friend group. Let alone, she didn't know how to act around a guy who made her stomach filled with butterflies like John B did.

John B's repositioned his backwards hat on his head, his eyes flickering between the blue water behind Gabriella and her deep honey brown eyes, "Yeah." He chuckled out, feeling the same butterflies she had.

As John B and JJ climbed up the stairs of the motel, searching for room 29, JJ pulled John B's shoulders and spoke in a sensual voice, "Just be SO careful, John B," imitating Gabriella to a heavy exaggeration.

"God, you're so weird." John B pushed JJ off of him.

"What the heck was that about?"

"I don't know. Maybe she wants us to be careful." John B flicked his wrists.

JJ couldn't help but notice his best friend and his new friend, Gabriella, had some sparks between them, "Since you two have met each other, she's just been, like, Oh! Be so careful, John B. Oh, just give me that John D already. "

John B brushed his hands off his shoulders again, "Get off. It hasn't even been 24 hours since I met her. Bro, you know the rule, no Pogue-on-Pogue macking."

JJ replied, laughing to himself, "Dude, she doesn't even know what Pogue means."

"Besides, you're the one that found her and hitting on her."

"Of course I'm hitting on her. A new girl slumming with us," JJ continued, "Why? I can't figure out, we'll find out more about her later but right now, who cares, bro?"

"You need help." John B gently pushed his friend. "Not like a little bit of help, a lot of help. It's like every girl who just has a heartbeat, you're like... uhhhh!" John B imitated JJ groaning as they reached the room.

JJ did a rythmatic knock while bopping his head. In a high pitched tone he said, "Housekeeping!"

When no one replied, John B used the mystery key to open the locked door. They began to rummage through the random belongings of a unknown person, not finding anything appealing to themself.

As Kiara, Pope and Gabriella waited for John B and JJ, Kiara asked Gabriella, "So, what is New York like?"

"Depressing compared to this."

"Really?" Pope asked, "You prefer this meth lab and a run down house compared to the Big Apple?"

"Yeah. This is the type of place I've dreamt about. Maybe not the meth lab but this," Pointing out towards the deep blue water, "There's just something about living near water that just-"

Kiara cut her off, "-makes you feel complete, right?"

"Yeah." Gabriella breathed out. She was fiddling with her 3 anklets which caught Kiara's eyes.

"You got a turtle tattoo? I love it." Kiara confessed. Gabriella had managed to hide her small turtle tattoo on her ankle from Dean for the past 3 years, all credit going towards socks and anklets. If he knew she had gotten a tattoo, it would've ended with a clear smack to the face. He disapproved anything that made Gabriella feel unique and like her own person.

"Thank yo- Shit, look." Gabriella spotted from the corner of her eyes a police car pulling up to the motel, speaking to what seems to be a guest there who pointed towards the room that John B and JJ we're searching.

"Call them." Pope told Kiara.

"I can't. Towers are down." She said as the three of them began to climb out of the boat and towards the side of the motel, where a window was perfectly placed in the room the two boys were still in.

"If I lose my merit scholarship, I'm gonna kill someone."

"You got a merit scholarship, that's so cool, what for?" Gabriella whispered to Pope.

"I want to be a coroner, I know its weird but dead bodies are just so interes-"

Kiara interrupted the boy who seemed so excited that Gabriella was interested in his academics, "Guys, now isn't the time. Do something, anything to get them out."

Pope grabbed a rock and aimed it towards the window, but failed miserably as the rock didn't even get close. Gabriella tucked her hair behind her ears, "Didn't you ever play baseball?"

"Dude!" Kie groaned.

In his own defence, Pope confessed, "I was on the math team." Causing Gabriella to snicker.

Gabriella quickly scooped up a rock, her fingers trembling slightly. Taking a deep breath, she aimed and hurled the rock at the window with all her might. Inside, John B, who had been engrossed in a conversation with JJ, snapped his head toward the sound. He peered out through the broken window, his eyes widening in surprise and confusion. Below, Pope, Kiara, and Gabriella urgently whisper-shouted, "Cops!"

John B's expression changed instantly from confusion to urgency. He spun around, sprinting towards the window next to the door, taking a quick glance outside. The officers, Shoupe who he was already acquainted with and a woman officer were only moments away from the entrance.

The two boys didn't waste another second. They bolted to the side window, pushing it open with practiced ease. Along with Kiara, Pope and Gabriella who ran back onto the boat, pretending to be engaged in deep conversation, trying to not draw attention to themselves. John B and JJ slithered out onto the small roof that jutted out just below the window frame. The roof was narrow and sloped, offering little in the way of security. The boys pressed themselves flat against the wall, their breathing shallow and controlled.

"Should we peel?" Kiara asked, sitting behind the wheel.

"You never leave a Pogue behind." replied Pope. Gabriella didn't know what a Pogue was, but she knew that she couldn't leave her new found friends behind either.

As the cops began to search the room, they stumbled upon the open safe that was filled with cash. Shoupe pulled out a wad of 100 dollar bills wrapped together, holding out to the female officer, "Everybody's gotta dip their beak." He said, trying to justify stealing money from a crime scene.

John B and JJ turned to each other, mouthing how they couldn't believe the cops when JJ began to fiddle with his back pocket that contained the gun he had found in the safe, previous to the cops entering the room. The gun fell out of his pocket, falling down from the patio roof, causing a noise loud enough the cops could hear. Shoupe opened the blinds, peering outside. His brows furrowed unable to see what causes the noise.

A few moments later, the cops left, allowing John B and JJ to get back onto the HMS Pogue safely, getting back to the Chateau all in one piece.