Alone Together • JJ Maybank

Two.

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The salty sea air was lightly spraying at my face as the HMS Pogue sped back towards the marshes. The sun had begun to set behind us, and I couldn't control the wide grin on my face. We had spent almost the entire day out here. Messing around, swimming, drinking and smoking. It was nice to let my mind forget everything for a day, but as I sat with my legs hanging over the edge looking out at the peaceful ocean, I couldn't help but think of the plan I had made for tomorrow.

The shadow of a person moving towards me caught my attention and I looked up to see Kiara sitting down in the spot beside me.

"How you doing?" She said with a small hint of concern in her voice.

I nodded, forcing a smile back to my lips. "It's been a nice distraction today. But back to reality now, huh?" I turned back towards the sunset, seeing Kie nod her head.

"I thought as much." Her voice was barely audible as the boys joking and laughing loudly further behind drowned her out. "It'll just take time, I guess. I don't really know..." her voice trailed off and she remained silent for a moment longer. "I know we've just met, and the only person you really know here is John B, but you're not alone, ok? A friend of John B's is a friend of ours. Honorary Pogue." She nudged my shoulder slightly, causing me to look back at her. Her eyes had a genuine sparkle to them as she raised her beer bottle towards my own.

I clinked it back with an appreciative smile at the same time the boys all roared out laughing at something they were talking about. We both looked back towards them to see what they were up to. "I have no idea how you've put up with all three of them on your own." I chuckled, pushing back my previous thoughts to deal with later and trying to change the somber tone I had created.

"Honestly," she turned back towards me, lifting her legs up from the edge of the boat and sitting cross-legged in front of me, "it's all about control. They think they have it, but we do. Watch this." A mischievous grin grew on her face as she lent back, half turning towards the boys again. "John B," she called out, "can you grab me and Abby another beer?" I watched a small smile creep onto the boy's face as his eyes glimpsed quickly over Kie's stretched out body. With no words and just a small nod, he made his way over to the cooler.

I burst out laughing as Kie looked back at me with a smug expression, shrugging her shoulders. "Amazing." I couldn't help but chuckle as John B walked towards us, flicking off the bottle caps of the beer bottles and handing them to us. He walked back to the boys, completely unaware of Kie's little game he just fell for.

"Boys!" She rolled her eyes as she lifted the bottle to her lips. I looked back at the three of them. Pope was at the wheel. A black baseball cap backwards on his head and his white button down shirt completely undone revealing his impressive body. John B was to his left. He had a black t-shirt on with a grey bandanna tied round his neck. His shaggy brown hair bursting out from the bottom of his cap, framing his boyish smile. But I couldn't help my eyes being drawn to the loud blonde boy on the right. A wide, lovable grin on his face as he shoved Pope, teasing him about something. His hair had dried messy from the salty ocean water and his grey tank top hung effortlessly over his body, as if to almost purposefully show off the muscles in his arms.