𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐨𝐲

V. Diving Buddy.

     

      AT THE boat, Jake walked over and stood there was JJ was preparing everything for the diving mission. "Hey J?" He said and JJ doesn't even look over. "Hey J." He replied and the Lennox boy just sighs. "I don't want you to dive." He tells him and JJ looks over, stops dead in his tracks. "What?" He says and Jake just stared at him, a deep frown on his face.

"I don't know. I just... don't have a good feeling about this. And I want you safe. So... I wanna go. In your place." He tells him and JJ scoffs, pulling his hands back so he can cross his arms. "You want me safe? Since when have I ever cared about the safe option?" He asked and Jake gestured to him. "Exactly, you're always reckless. I don't want you doing shit like that. Do you not know how much you mean to me? To all of us? I'm going. Not you." He said and JJ just shook his head, looking away.

"As if I'd let you go in my place. You have a daughter." He says as he turns away and Jake sighs. "I knew you'd be difficult... so if you don't wanna switch spots, then I'll go with you. You need a diving buddy." He said and JJ just turns to look at him, clenching his jaw. "If we switch spots, then what? I just sit around, waiting? Doing nothing?" He says and Jake shrugs. "No. You'll be there if I need help. Right? If shit goes sideways, not like you'd let me die. You care about Evie." He says and JJ reached over, now pressing a closed fist against his chest. "And you." He tells the Lennox.

"So, it's... official? You'll let me go instead? You stay up here? Stand guard or whatever?" He asked and JJ sighs. "I'm not gonna lie, I'm only letting you because you kind of struck a nerve, telling me I mean a lot to you. So fine. I won't go. Only because you have a bad feeling about it and I never wanna make you feel bad." He said and Jake just smiles big.

He stepped forward and gave JJ a big hug. "Thank you. Thank you." He said and the blond, after a moment of enjoying the hug, kind of shrugs him off. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. But if shit does go sideways and you take too long down there, I'm coming down." He says and Jake just chuckles, patting his back.

Jake walked over to the bait and tackle shop to let the others know, seeing the look on Kie's face, the girl's brows furrowing in confusion and concern once he told them. Then she nodded to the side, as if to say she wants to talk so he pursed his lips, making his way over to where the girl is walking towards, which was the long dock leading to the shop.

"What? I know that look on your face, Kie." He says, gently touching her back and she turns to her boyfriend instantly. "You're stupid if you think you're diving alone. You need a diving buddy." She says and he just frowned at her. "You?" He asked her and she nods. "Duh. If you're gonna be putting yourself in a dangerous situation like this, I'm gonna be there with you. It's me and you, right?" She said as she then raised her hands to his face.

"Plus it's not safe for you to go alone. And it'll be 80 feet down in the dark." She says and he just puts his hands to either sides of her waist. "We'll drop down, take a peak and that's it. It'll be fine. Right?" He says and she nods quickly. "Yeah. We got this, Jay." She says quietly before reaching up to give him a little kiss. "Come on. We should go join JJ on the boat." He says quietly, taking her hand.

"Ya'll ready?" JJ calls out to them as Kie and Jake walk over, John B and Sarah right behind them. "Let's do it to it." The Routledge says as Kiara and Jake hop on board. "Alright, guys. Listen up." John B says as he hands over the other diving vest to Kie so now they have two. "We got the nav points, and we've got the gear. We're in and out, alright? This is one night only." John B tells the group.

Pope now goes on board of the boat. "We slip down under. We stay under the radar. Alright? Jake, you're going down. Sarah and Cleo--" "um, actually, I'm going down too." Kie says, glancing at Jake next to her who smiles softly, squeezing her hand in his. John B glanced between the couple now, "okay. Jake and Kie go down." He then says to the group.