Deep End || JJ Maybank

[4] Boy Toy

"Check out this pic I got," The girl chuckled. I wanted to stand up and punch her straight in the nose. "Dead body." She moved her phone around, showing everyone. I didn't bother to look at the photo, having enough respect for the man who just died and his wife.

"Could you be more insensitive?" I snapped my head up. When she simply rolled her eyes, I felt my heart stop for a split second. Someone was dead, and she just brushed it off like it was nothing. I had to admit I was a little disappointed in my friends for being so interested in the picture. I mean who wants to have a picture of that on their phone? That has to be some sort of bad juju.

I quickly stood, trying to take a deep breath. I walked away, steadying myself against the shed. My body shook as I inhaled and exhaled. I closed my eyes and rested my hands above my head, trying to open my airway. I was trying to remember what my therapist had told me, but it was no use. I felt a hand place on my back, and I looked over to see Kiara. I tried to shrug her off, not really in the mood to talk to anyone.

"I-I gotta go. I'll see you later," I quickly spat out, hurrying away before she could ask more questions or try to console me.

Once I got far enough away, I stopped walking. It took a little while, but I managed to calm myself down. Then, I continued back to my dad's.

Luckily no one was there, but I found myself slowly losing my mind just sitting in my room. I tried everything to get my mind off of what happened, but it was no use. I sighed, grabbing more things to bring back to John B's.

Of course, my skateboard was at John B's, leaving me with the only option to walk all the way there.

My legs burned as I stepped up onto the porch. I called out everyone's names when I walked in, but no one was there. I frowned, setting my stuff down on the couch when I noticed a piece of paper on the table. I grabbed it, unfolding it.

Knew you'd come back. Boneyard. Kegger to lay low. I better see you there Bryant.

A name wasn't signed, but I knew exactly who wrote it. First tell, the name I was called. Second, the barely legible handwriting. I smiled at it, appreciating him knowing me well enough to know I would be back at JB's. I lowkey didn't want to throw the note away, so I stuffed it in my bag before I found my skateboard right where I left it and headed to the Boneyard.

The Boneyard was the go-to place for Keggers. They attracted people from every side of the island. John B liked to call it a three-layer burrito. First, the working class, then the rich assholes known as Kooks, and Tourons, which were the tourists, basically chum for the sharks.

By the time I got there, the sun was still shining brightly down on the beach. The mixture of lifestyles never fails to confuse me, because while most of us disagree on most things, we all push aside our differences for some beer. I looked around, seeing all my friends doing different things, but all chatting up Tourons. John B was sitting on a fallen tree branch with one, Kie on a bench with another, and Pope adjacent to Kiara. I looked around but couldn't see JJ anywhere. I started making my way towards Kiara. Even though something was still a tad off with us, I'd rather not be standing around like a loser. I wasn't one who could randomly go up to people and start talking to them. Before I could take more than three steps, an arm wrapped my waist and pulled me back.

"Woah!" I said, spinning around.

"Looking for me?" The familiar mop of blond hair asked me. I rolled my eyes and smiled as he handed me a red solo cup. I took a sip, cringing from the taste of warm beer, but downing it nonetheless.