BABYDOLL // JJ Outer Banks

twenty-one

the group of teens were all on edge as they made their way towards the sunken wreck in heyward's boat.

"alright, jj. pin it here," john b ordered.

jj gave him a mock salute. "roger that! 'X' marks the spot."

"alright, ladies and gentlemen, to going full kook," john b placed the drone in the water.

"awe, i don't have a beer to clink," hannah whined. jj snickered at the girl, earning him a tiny kick to the shin. "i'll kick you harder next time," she warned as she went over to kie to help lower the drone.

"alright, jj, we're right over it. ten seconds northwest."

"got it. ten seconds northwest."

hannah turned to kie. "how is the same boy who eats mold and can't do basic math, the same one who's driving the boat right now?"

"i heard that!"

"you were supposed to!"

"one hundred feet," kie called out.

hannah nodded, marking it down on the side of the boat when she heard a loud gasp from behind her.

"what? what, what, what, what?" john b sprung up.

"it's nothing," pope mumbled, causing john b to groan. "sorry, i thought-"

"don't do that to me, man!" jj yelled. "come on, bro."

pope lowered his head bashfully. "my bad. i just thought i saw..."

"it was a squid," hannah deadpanned. "what did you think it was?" she raised her hands in defense when pope shot her a look. "sorry."

pope rolled his shoulders to try and relieve his tense muscles. "and to quote the hobbit, 'down, down, to goblin town. down, down, you go, my lad'"

"this is why you don't have a girlfriend," hannah remarked, turning to jj and john b, "do you let him say this shit when he's flirting with girls?"

jj shrugged.

"four hundred feet!" kie called out. hannah nodded, drawing another tally on the boat. "the tide's turning."

"hey, jj?" john b said.

"yup?"

"ten seconds easy. south-southeast"

"copy that!"

"jj, twenty seconds mid-speed, alright? south."

"copy that! aye, aye!"

"aye, aye!" hannah replied.

"keep the tether out of the prop!" jj yelled at kie.

"i'm trying! the tide's taking it!"

hannah knew it was going to get caught in the propellor at any second, so without any hesitation she stripped off her shirt and dove in.

"hannah!" jj shrieked.

"jj, keep going!" john b demanded.

"are you fucking crazy? hannah's down there!"

"hannah can handle herself. she'll be fine! now keep going!"

jj reluctantly continued, but his gaze never left the water. fuck, i should've dove in after her. a wave of relief washed over him when hannah resurfaced.

"i moved the tether out of the prop!"

"nice work, han!" john b praised. "we're good here, jj."

"okay, seven hundred feet!" kie marked off.