Deep Water [OuterBanks]

20: what's done in the dark

They had stayed the rest of the night at the Chateau, the four of them spread out amongst the small living room like elementary school kids at a slumber party. Alana had been the first to fall asleep, and as a result, she rose the following morning at daybreak. The sixteen year old sat outside for close to an hour before anyone else had even begun to stir. Alana felt peaceful watching the sun paint subtle bursts of orange into the awakening sky. Her mind had wandered back into the early weeks of summer break; before they had stumbled upon the wreck, and they were just carelessly trespassing at the construction sight on Figure Eight. It was interesting how easily the sands could shift.

Eventually, JJ wandered out of shack, the two of them now sitting on the edge of the newly acquired hot tub, their feet in the stagnant, chlorinated water while Kiara and Pope made casual conversation in the background. "We should get a real baby duck. We could keep it here in the Cat's Ass." Alana rested her head on JJ's shoulder, while she fidgeted mindlessly with the miniature inflatable he'd gotten for her.

"I'd be the best duck dad." JJ gave her a half-smile. He wore a wife beater, and his blonde locks peeked out from underneath his backwards red cap. He clutched an almost empty beer bottle, and had even swapped his golden medallion back out for his faithful shark tooth necklace.

"Of course you would." Alana agreed, slowly swinging one of her feet back and forth, creating ripples in the lukewarm water. "JJ?" She mused out, and the boy hummed in response as she lifted her head from his shoulder, her aegean eyes settling on him. "Can I see one more time?" Alana asked softly, and JJ hadn't needed any more context to know what she was asking him. So, after considering her request for a few short moments, he lifted his shirt, revealing his bruised torso.

"I'm not gonna lie, it hurts like a bitch." JJ told the girl, though her breath seemed to get caught in her throat as she reached out, gently running her fingers over one of the injuries, that was now a deep shade of blue and purple.

"You think something might be broken?" Alana asked, his sun-kissed skin like fire beneath her light touch.

"Nah. I'll be all right." JJ took ahold of her hand, kissing her knuckles before pulling his shirt back down. "John B pullin' a Houdini." He announced loudly enough for Pope and Kiara to hear as they tested the handmade pulley system.

"Yeah, where is he? I got my scholarship interview tomorrow morning. We gotta get this done." Pope stressed as he carefully lowered Kiara back onto the ground. And as if on cue, John B was stalking through the uncut grass, his eyebrows threaded together and jaw clenched. Alana immediately took notice, and wondered if he and Sarah had broken up. The blonde would never forget John B's first girlfriend, Dahlia Reid. Fifth graders were cruel, and after two weeks of vanilla hand holding and cheek kisses, the ten year old had broken up with him, claiming the whole thing was a dare. So, the next day in gym class, Alana Kessler accidentally threw a soccer ball at the girl, hitting her smack in the face. Long story short, she really didn't want to throw a soccer ball at Sarah Cameron.