𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐬𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐥𝐲

fourteen: Shipwrecks.

     

     THE three boys joined John B and Kie at the beach, surfing the rest of the day until night fall when they all rested. John B was sitting on chairs with Pope while JJ, Kai and Kie were on the hammock, swinging gently.

"You really think it's out there? Like, no bullshit?" Pope asked John B as Kai stared at the sky. "My father thought it was." John B responded with. "But do you?" Pope asked him next. Kai leans closer to JJ, almost cuddling up against his side and Kie stared at the two, smiling faintly.

"After hearing his voice on that tape... I think I do." John B says and Pope nods. "Only one way to find out." He says before they do their handshake. "Look, we're gonna find it, you know? Even these two believe it." Kie pointed to the two snuggling on the other side of the hammock.

"Oh, my God, JJ, Kai, do you really believe?" John B asked, not finding the two being touchy in any way odd as he smiles at them. "Totally." Kai nods, his head resting on JJ's shoulder. "Wait. Are we talking about four mil?" JJ asked.

"Four hundred mil." Kie and Pope say at the same time, weirdly in sync. "Jinx." Kie says and Kai smiled at the two. "I'm gonna dream about shipwrecks." JJ says, getting comfortable and in a position where Kai can be comfortable too which ended up in a sweetheart's cradle kind of thing where Kai's head was on JJ's chest and JJ's arms were around Kai. "Goodnight, Bird!" JJ says.

"Goodnight, bird shit!" John B says which caused Kai to uncontrollably giggle into JJ's chest. "I will push you off this swing..." JJ mumbled as he squeezed the boy in his arms and he raised his hand to flip off their best friend.

Kai still hadn't fallen asleep but they all have, he glanced up at JJ and saw him peacefully sleeping, his arms around Kai still tight. He looked away, staring at the sky again before he realized the feelings he was having over this. Laying on JJ's chest and cuddling with the boy.

Shit. He might have feelings for him like that.

The next morning, they were off and Kai kept glancing over at JJ. "Okay, what's up with you?" Kie suddenly asked, her arms crossed and he sighs, leading her to the back of the boat. "I think... that I like a certain someone but I don't think the certain someone will like me back, because the certain someone wouldn't like people like me." He says and she just stared at him.

Then a big smirk grew on her face. "JJ?" She said suddenly and he puts her hand over her mouth. "Shut up. No." He says right away and she just laughs, pushing his hand away. "I mean... I can kinda see it. You guys are so cute together, like last night when you were all cuddled up, aww," she clasped her hands together.

"I can't like him... not when Sterling and I are getting close... Like, the other night when I went to my place with him, we talked, like a lot... How he's been feeling, especially with his parents and all that. He told me about, uh, how he came out to them and everyone else, they're supportive, you know, but, uh, he said they don't... they don't say it to his grandparents, like they're hiding it from them as if they're ashamed." He says.

"I think... you do care about Sterling, but it's not as strong as with JJ. But you gotta let things like this, you know, go as they are destined to. Go with the flow and whatnot." Kie says and Kai just nods, glancing down, biting his lip. "Hey, you guys okay?" It was JJ and Kai nods.

"Yeah... definitely."

"Alright, JJ, pin it here." John B said as they arrive. "Roger that! X marks the spot." JJ says as John B and Pope got the ROV ready. "Alright, ladies and gentlemen," John B says and stood near the edge. "To going full Kook." He says with a nod before putting the drone into the water.

Pope controls it as Kie held the tether, letting it down gently and John B sat with Kai, looking at tablet in his hands. "Alright, JJ, we're right over it. Ten seconds northwest." John B called out to the blond steering the boat. "Got it! Ten seconds northwest." JJ responded.

"One hundred feet." Kie called out as Pope kept bringing the drone further and further down. Then he suddenly gasped bringing Kai and John B rushing up to their feet and to his side. "What? What, what, what, what?" John B repeated.

"It's nothing." Pope says and Kai looks at John B right away, annoyed. John B groans, walking away. "Sorry, I thought—" "Don't do that to me, man," JJ called out from where he was.

"Come on, bro!"

"My bad. I just thought I saw..." Pope shrugged as John B and Kai sat back down, watching the tablet. "And to quote The Hobbit, "down, down, to Goblin Town. Down, down, you go, my lad." Pope says as he goes even further down. "Four hundred feet!" Kie calls out as she drew a fourth line to indicate how far down the ROV was now.

"The tide's turning."

John B looks down at the tablet, "hey, JJ?" He says. "Yup?" The blond glanced over. "Ten seconds easy. Alright? South-southeast." John B says as he stood up. "Copy that!" JJ calls out from over his shoulder before turning back around.

"JJ, 20 seconds mid-speed, alright? South." John B shouted to the boy steering. "Copy that! Aye, aye." JJ says as he continues to steer the boat around. "Keep the tether out of the prop!" JJ called out. "I'm trying!" Kie shouted back.

"JJ, keep going!" John B shouts as a thunderstorm came rolling in and Kai went over to help Kie with the tether. "John B, is that good?" JJ shouts. "We're good! We're good!" He replied.

"Okay, 700 feet!"

It was getting windy, and there was a thunderstorm, and the waves were getting more rough. All of them seemed unsure but kept going anyway, even as the wind began to pick up and the thunderstorm clouds were closer. "JJ, hold it steady!" John B shouted as the thunder rumbled.

"Okay, 900!" Kie shouted to the others as the tether kept going. "JJ, we're gonna turtle in this storm, man!" Pope shouted out. "920!" Kie shouted out next. "Crank it north by northwest! Ten seconds!" John B shouted out to JJ before looking at Pope. "Pope, how are we doing?" He asked.

"Almost there." Pope says, continuing to bring the ROV down and down further into the water. "Johm B, there's too much current!" Kie shouts as she and Kai handle the tether. "We're gonna lose it!" She added after, holding the tether tightly.

"South, south west, JJ! Hard!" John B shouted and looked back at the tablet. "Half-speed. Steady at this bearing, JJ!" He shouted next and then they were right over it, the wreck they were looking for. "What do you got, Pope? Come on, man. What do you see?" He asked and Kai looks over.

"Nothing, a whole lot of nothing."

"You should be right above it, brother."

"Kiara!" Pope looks over. "960." She shouts as she kept letting the tether down. "970! 980!" She calls out and then Kai went over to stand on the other side of Pope. "I'm at the bottom! I'm at the bottom!" Pope exclaimed. "Okay, steady here, JJ! Steady here. Quarter speed, alright?"

John B looks back at the screen. "You should be seeing something, man." He says to the other. "I know, I know! Wait, wait." Pope said and then there it was. "Oh, good God." Was all Pope even said, leaning back a bit. "See anything?" JJ calls out as he looked over his shoulder.

"It's the Royal Merchant."

  

   

  

   

   

   

authors note i did what i need to do today so i'm gonna be going to bed ✨❤️