TONGUE TIED ↠ JJ MAYBANK

The One with the Compass

"Diver down?"

Rosie was pulled out of her thoughts and watched with a smug grin as Kie gave John B a kiss on the cheek. 

"Diver down."

John B jumped into the water and slowly sank down. Rosie turned back into her seat in the boat and stretched her legs out. Her bare feet nudged against JJ. He shot her a look and shoved them off, but she put them back up on the seat with a smirk.

"Shit. Guys!" Pope cried out as the wailing of a siren filled the previously peaceful air. 

Rosie's head shot towards the source of noise to see a boat heading towards them.

"That's the police," JJ stated the obvious.

"Just act frickin' normal," Kiara flung her hair back and situated herself into an unnaturally natural position. 

Rosie's heart raced, but she remained in her relaxed position as to not raise suspicion.

"Evening, officers," Pope addressed them.

"Evening."

"How you kids doing? You know the marsh is closed?"

The teenagers all looked at each other with faces of mock surprise.

"No, wow."

"Why is it closed?"

"We're conducting a search out here. Boat went down," the officer replied. 

Rosie remained silent while the officer interrogated them some more questions before asking if he could take a look around their boat. She sat up in her seat and moved out of the way so he could inspect it. Rosie's worry-filled eyes met JJ, who held a calm expression; though she knew he was freaking out internally too. Rosie's leg shook with anxiety as the officer stood at the edge of the boat and looked down at where John B had to be waiting. The teenagers waited..and waited.. and waited. Finally, the officer deemed it acceptable and moved back into his own boat. 

"Let us know if you see anything on your way out," the officer called out.

"We'll be gone soon, sir," Pope replied as the police drove away.

As soon as they were headed in the other direction, all four teenagers raced to the edge of the boat and peered down. Rosie watched the water expectantly. Sure enough, seconds later, John B floated to the surface and the tension in her shoulders deflated. 

"Thank God!" she cried.

"There he is!"

"Did you find anything?" JJ asked in excitement. 

John B threw a soaking duffel bag onto the boat. JJ, Rosie, Kiara, and Pope all cheered and helped their friend out of the water. 

"You okay?"

"Yeah, I ran out of air," John B panted.

Kie sighed, "You scared the shit out of me."

Pope and JJ explained the situation with the cops, but Rosie and Kie's attention was elsewhere. Rosie watched a boat with two men approach from the distance. Something about them sent an uneasy feeling crawling up her spine.

"Hey, guys? Bogey two o'clock," Kie directed the boys' attention to the boat.

"What are they doing back there?"

"The marsh is closed," Rosie mumbled.

"Let's not stick around to find out," JJ moved to get the bowline from the water.