Chasing Sunshine | JJ Maybank

46 // The Phantom

"Kie, are you sure you're parents aren't here?" I asked, watching the headlights of the SUV illuminate the paint-chipped sign for The Wreck. She shrugged, pulling the keys from the ignition harshly, and the headlights flipped off to leave us once again in total darkness. We all clambered out after her and she noted as our shoes thumped against the gravel path, "The lights are all off. Besides, they're probably running around looking for me anyway so we should be good."

"Yeah, 'cause they wouldn't even think to look for you here," Pope sniped sarcastically, stomping past us all into the building after Kie twisted open the lock, "It's not like your family owns the place or anything."

I half-expected her to sassily retort back in retaliation but was surprised when she just looked after him forlornly with her lips pinched tight to keep them from trembling. She held the door open for JJ and I, and I nudged her on my way past. Meeting my gaze, I'm sure she could tell the question that lay behind it; what happened? But she didn't say anything to me either, just sighed and brushed past me to flip on a few of the back lights.

Lucky for us, Kiara had inherited her father's culinary gifts and she was able to whip us up some hot sandwiches and fries with relative ease. I felt bad eating food I had no way of paying for, but accepted it when she handed the baskets out anyway because, well, I was hungry. She gave the boys some water, a lemonade for herself, and a pop for me. This time I hesitated before taking it from her, knowing the caffeine wouldn't be good for me so late at night but I suppose I wouldn't be sleeping much anyway so at that point, it didn't really matter.

No one said much of anything; we were all too busy stuffing our faces to waste time talking. And even if we weren't, what were we going to say? We all knew the plan was to bring the getaway boat to the dump by three o'clock. Anything else we would just have to make up as we went along, like we'd been doing for the past twenty-four hours. One by one, each of us claimed whatever semi-comfortable sleeping spot we could find, curling up on tabletops or inside the booths with stacked napkins or balled-up clothing for pillows. I listened to each of them fall asleep in turn; Kie went first, almost as soon as her eyes closed, then I heard JJ's change in breathing from the bench next to mine, and finally, Pope's snoring rounded out the trio.

So it was just me, laying face up and staring at the fake netting and plastic shipwreck-themed decorations that hung from the ceiling. Every once in a while I'd glance over at the clock on the wall, watching as the minute hand moved with molasses-like speed around the face. But mostly my mind was consumed by...well everything, I guess.

My train of thought bounced around like I was stuck in a pinball machine, from what Rosie and James were thinking right now, to if John B had been able to find somewhere to shack up for the night, to when the police were going to break through the door and arrest us all. I was dreaming up scenarios faster than I could process, each of them more ridiculous than the last. The rough and unforgiving surface of the booth bench I was laying on wasn't helping matters either, and soon the muscles in my neck and shoulders began to twinge sharply in retaliation. I'd never thought I'd miss John B's worn-out couch, even with its mysterious stains and flattened, overused cushions.

Slipping as silently as I could from my makeshift bed, I tip-toed past JJ and the others to cross the dining room floor in search of the door handle that would open into the outdoor seating area. My hip smacked against the corner of a table I couldn't see and I froze while letting out a string of silent curses, waiting for the thud to have woken someone up. I moved again when I realized no one had stirred and thankfully found the exit without any further injury. I crossed the deck to lean my elbows against the railing lining the perimeter and took a deep breath of sea air, trying to focus on the steady whoosh of the waves hitting the docks in front of me instead of the high-pitched whine of emergency sirens behind me. Ignoring my better judgement which would have been to stay with the group inside, I swung one leg and then the other over the side and jumped the short distance onto the grass below, making a beeline for the water.