Thalassophile // JJ Maybank

Chapter 22

I walk out to where John B was sat, leaning up against the railing of the dock. I had waited to follow him outside, wanting to give him a moment of space.

"Hey..." I say walking up to him. He looks over at me giving me a sad smile. "I'm sorry about your dad."

"Thanks."

"Can I tell you something?"

"Sure."

"I've lost someone too. I know we don't know if your dad is dead or alive-"

"He's not dead."

"Okay." I hold my hands up in surrender. "He's still gone, at least for now. I know how scary that is. The truth is, I'm not just here to visit my dad."

John B look up at me, a look of surprise across his face.

"Back in Australia I had a brother. Last summer I tore my rotator cuff while surfing. I had to go on some pretty intense pain killers for a couple weeks and my brother got into them. That's when his addiction started." I explain.

"I'm sorry."

"Eventually he turned to meth when the high of the pills stopped doing anything. He was dating this girl whose parents were major meth heads which gave him easy access. One day he came home high as a kite and went into our bathroom. He was in there for a really long time so I went to check on him. I found him dead. Overdose."

"Shit, Frank."

"I just want you to know you're not alone. I know what it's like to have someone suddenly missing from your life."

A small smile crosses his face. "Thanks, Franklin."

I sit down in my own spot, sitting on the railing of the dock. Soon, the rest of the Pogues joined us outside. Kie had brought out her ukulele, strumming it as we all sat around the dock.

"How much was it again?" JJ asks from beside me.

"Four hundred mil." Pope responds.

"All right, let's talk the split." JJ states. "Now, before we say 'evenly,' may I remind you that I am the only one that can properly defend us from those groupers who were after us. Protection? Not cheap, okay?"

"You haven't trained." Pope points out. "You've done zero training."

"YouTube, bro!" JJ defends. "That's at least a five percent bump right there."

"You haven't—"

JJ cuts Pope off again. "Any objections? Didn't think so. I don't hear any, so...

"What are you gonna do with your 100 mil, Pope?" Kiara asks the boy.

"Oh, uh, 80 mil." Pope corrects. "There's five of us now."

"She's already loaded."

"You realize you are too, right?" JJ points out.

"I don't want any of it." I announce.

"Why?" JJ asks.

"John B's dad is the one that found it. I wasn't part of the original group. It's not my money to have."

"Well it's not technically ours either." Pope points out.

"Guys, you split it. You four." I shrug. "So, as Kiara was saying. What are you doing with 100 mil?" I look over at Pope.

"Pay for college in advance." Pope answers. "And also textbooks. Those are expensive."

I smile at his answer.

"What about you, Kie?" JJ asks the girl.

"Yeah, what does a socialist do when she's rich?" Pope adds.

Kiara chuckles. "Just wanna make a double album. About OBX, the Pogues. You know the way Catch a Fire is about Kingston. Record it at Marley studio, Peter Tosh producing.

"Peter Tosh is dead."

"Peter Tosh is dead, I know." Kiara says at the same time as Pope. "Spirit of Peter Tosh will never die."

"I know what I'll do." JJ pipes up. "I'm gonna get a big ass house on Figure Eight and go full Kook."

"You're gonna go full Kook?" Pope questions.

"Yup. Get a bangin' wife, a marble statue of myself, and then I'm gonna get a koi pond." JJ glances over at me.

"Why a koi pond?" I ask with a small giggle.

"They're supposed to be lucky."

"I'm never visiting." Kiara states.

"What are you gonna do, JB?" Pope asks the brunet.

"To going full Kook." John B raises his beer up to us.

"To going full Kook!" We all repeat, cheering along with the boy.

The next morning the Pogues knock on my door again. I had barely gotten up, exhausted from the night before. I had pulled on a grey crop top and khaki color shorts before I met them at the door.

I pulled it open, revealing the four of them standing on my door step. The bright sun blinds me as I pull open the door. I squint looking at the group.

"What are you guys doing here? It's early."

"What are you talking about? It's noon." JJ says.

"Oh." I say simply. "Can I just get five minutes?"

"Yeah, sure." John B says.

"I'll come with you." JJ tells me. I nod at him, allowing him to follow me back up to my room. The rest of the Pogues turn around, heading back to the boat.

JJ sits on the edge of my bed. I grab my swimsuit out of my dresser and head to the bathroom to put it on under my clothes. When I finished I pull my hair up into a messy ponytail before heading back to my room.

"Ready?" JJ asks looking up at me.

"Yeah, let's go."

The boy follows me back down the stairs and outside. He places a hand on the small of my back as he leads to the HMS Pogue. JJ holds out a hand, helping me into the boat.

"There she is." Pope announces. "Good to see you, Frank."

I smile at the boy. "I saw you yesterday." I giggle.

John B starts the boat, cruising slowly down the water, away from my house.

After awhile on the water, it had grown hot. The air very thick and humid. We had all taken off our clothing, leaving us in our swimsuits.

I sat at the front of the boat, leaning back against JJ's back who also sat up in the front, with my legs stretched out. I soak in the rays of the sun, letting it warm my skin.

JJ let's out a quick whistle. "You guys see that? That's the Malibu 24-MXZ, the world's finest wakesetter. Number one in luxury, quality, and performance. 200K, easy."

"We picked the wrong parents."

"What kind of boat does your dad got, Frank?" JJ asks.

"None. He's into cars apparently."

"I hate to break it to you guys," Kiara pipes up. "But that's Topper and his girlfriend."

"Ew." I cringe.

"Don't act like you don't see us, bitch." Kiara spits as they drive by.