• Time Out • outer banks

Boat Chase

John B returned sooner rather than later and we all piled into the boat heading out into the marsh. Surprisingly, we didn't run into any of the cops on our way out and it was pretty quiet where the wreck was. Perfect for us.
"Uh this tank says empty...I think." I spoke up as I attempted to read the gauge.
Kie pulled the thing from my hands reading it too. "This is empty. You took empty tanks?" She asked him, unimpressed, then checked the next one. "This one's a quarter full. It's enough for us." She guessed putting the gauge back down.
"Love it when a plan comes together." Pope spoke. I smiled at how relaxed he seems in the drivers seat.
"So does anyone know how to dive?" I asked them. "Uh.. anybody?" I pressed as they all glanced to each other silently.
"It's kind of a Kook sport," Was JJ's argument.
"I-I read about it." Pope lifted a hand.
"Great, Pope read about it. So someone's gonna die." Kie decided and it made sense with his whole aspiration to be a coroner and all.
"Look, ya put the thing in your mouth and breathe." JJ gestured confidently.
"How hard could it be?" I tried to be optimistic glancing at John B.
"Well if you come up too fast, nitrogen can get into your blood -and you get the bends."
"The bends?" I asked completely lost.
JJ bent him self over and threw out his ass, trying to guess what it looked like. "Bend like, bend over and I'll-"
"The bends kill you." Pope interrupted not a fan of his bad jokes.
"I-I'll dive." John B volunteered, "I'll do it."
JJ put his hands on his hips with a smile. "You're gonna dive?"
"Since when can you dive?" Kie agreed.
"I'll do it it's fine." He tried to assure us all staying pretty calm.
"Let me do some calculations real quick." Pope decided grabbing a pencil and started guessing the numbers.
I ignored this part and looked to Kie who jumped to her feet as Pope scribbled down numbers. I narrowed my eyes at her as she ripped her shirt off and jumped off the boat splashing down into the water.
"What the...?" I muttered under my breath leaning down to see if I could spot her through the murky water.
"Uh what was that all about?" Pope asked.
Both John B and I shook our heads just as dumbfounded.
"I don't know. But I liked it... A lot." JJ answered.
I turned around awkwardly not knowing what to make of Kiara's actions then looked to the boys as JJ talked his friend through what to do. after a few moments I heard another splash and I turned around seeing Kie had surfaced.
"Hey!" She called out to get everyone's attention. "I tied my T-shirt to the anchor chain, about ten feet down."
I smiled at her as she bobbed in the water. "The safety stop." I spoke realising there was a method to her madness.
"Cool." John B nodded as he pulled on the oxygen tanks. "How much of this do I need?" He asked Pope.
"Unclear." he replied. "Uh, try breathe as little as possible?"
"Oh great." I laughed and John be smiled at me shaking his head then stepped up onto the edge.
"Uh hey," he looked down at me with a hopeful smile.
I folded my arms, already not liking his expression."What?"
"So you're like, definitely, nursing me to life right?" He pleaded with a grin.
A small laugh escaped my mouth. "If I say yes, you'll drown on purpose."
He rolled his eyes, "Well yeah." He nods earning another light laugh from me.
"Zen!" JJ chimes in stepping next to me. "-Think zen you know." JJ danced a little making a strange-ass face.
"Hey if we get caught in the marsh, we're basically screwed so..."
I leaned around to look at the brainiac. "Thanks for that Pope." I nodded.
"Anytime," he assured me. "Better get a move on."
"Copy that." John B breathed and reached for his goggles hesitating as Kie neared him. I watched as she placed a kiss on his cheek. Naturally, unable to stop it, my brows raised in surprise. She was just trying to be sweet, but she'd left the poor boy dazed for a moment.
"Diver down?" John B asked in a shaky voice.
"Diver down." She nodded.

I looked to the others and watched as Pope looked away and JJ scrunched his face up into a frown. It had been clear from day one that each boy had some weird thing for her. JJ was just a natural flirt and Pope was magnetized to the girl. JB played it the most cool but you'd find him staring at her every now and then. I breathed a laugh at their expressions and Pope ignored me while JJ glared at me.
"Something funny?" He asked.
"Your face." I giggled.
"Yeah the face you dream about." He bit his lip trying to be seductive.
I shook my head at his attempt, "You wish." I replied.
"Every night."
"Guys!" Kie snapped jumping down to sit with us.