"Stealing drones makes you hungry." Kiara chirps as she climbs out of the back of the van.
JJ climbs out behind her. "What I would do to a beer and shrimp and grits right now."
"It would not be pretty." Pope says to JJ.
"I don't think I've eaten since yesterday." I announce, climbing out of the car.
"Damn, girl. You need to eat." JJ exclaims, wrapping an arm across my shoulders.
We all walk into The Wreck behind Kiara.
She sighs in content before greeting her father. "Hi, Dad. How did we do?"
"Didn't turn it over once." Her dad answers from behind the counter.
"It's probably just bad luck because of the storm." Kiara tries as she walks closer to her dad.
Kiara's dad wraps his arms around his daughter. "Yeah, I'll be sure to tell the banks that."
I tune out the rest of the conversation as the rest of us make our way over to the other side of the store. I look down at someone's plate of food as we walk by it. My stomach lets out a low growl.
I notice Kiara and her father look over at the four of us. The boys wave and I give a thin lipped smile as they watch us.
Kiara turns back to her dad for a brief moment before looking back at us. "Sit down."
"Oh, thank god." I say plopping down onto a chair nearby.
Kiara's dad and his daughter come out of the back room seconds later with baskets of food. I grab a thing of fries and start eating them. The boys screw around, throwing food at each other, laughing loud.
I smile in amusement as I watch them.
"What, little red?" John B asks nodding his head at me.
"You guys are chaotic." I inform him. That's when a fry hits the side of my face. I look over at JJ, my mouth hung open.
"You love it." He tells me.
"Do I?" I question. He goes to throw another fry at me but I got him with one of mine first. He lets out a chuckle, scooting my chair closer to his. He presses a chaste kiss to my cheek before continuing to scarf down food.
Kiara comes over to us with a pitcher of water, filling our cups before setting it down. She shuffles along to the music before pointing at John B. She wiggles her finger, gesturing for him to get closer. He gets up from his chair and walks over to her.
I look over at JJ in confusion, but he has an eyebrow raised instead. "Oh, no."
"Oh, yeah." He nods as he grabs my hand, pulling me up from my seat.
"Come on, Pope." I yell to the boy. He smiles as he gets up from his seat, walking over to JJ and I.
I had an arm wrapped up and around JJ's neck, his front presses against my back. His hands were placed firmly on my hips as he grinds into me. I do the same, grinding back against him. My other arm was wrapped around the back of Pope's shoulders as the three of us swayed to the music.
***
Heyward hands JJ two bags of groceries before handing me one. "You guys get these over to Figure Eight. Get straight back here when you're done. No fishin'. I promised delivery by this afternoon. Rich folk don't wait for you lazy sons of... oh, JJ, thank you. Sons of bitches."
Pope starts the boat, pulling into the Marsh.
"Doesn't even look like the storm hit here." Pope notices as we drive by Figure Eight houses.
"We have generators, Pope." I mutter, my voice laced with shame.
"And then they say the juice will be out all summer at the cut." JJ adds.
"It's nice to be a Kook." Pope retorts.
"Lucky bastards."
I sit down on the bench in the boat. My heart pounded in my chest, guilt flooding me like a river. "I'm sorry." I whisper.
JJ turns to look at me. "Hm?"
"I'm sorry, J. That we're such fucking assholes. That we don't care. That we don't do a single thing to help you guys. We just go along about our business like the other side of the island isn't struggling."
"Woah, woah, woah." JJ stops me. "They. Not we. You are so different from any of them."
"You care, Franklin." Pope adds. "You come hangout with us and make us feel validated. The fact that you recognize the inequity in the first place shows us that you are nothing like the rest of them."
"You have a good heart, Frank. You've been through some touch shit like the rest of us." I bite my lip nervously. "Come here." JJ waves me over.
I stand, walking over to him. He wraps an arm around my shoulder, pressing a kiss to the side of my head.
Pope parks the boat, turning off the engine. JJ hands me a bag of groceries.
"Frank, we're going to the same place." Pope informs me.
"Okay." I nod, following after him.
We start the walk toward the house we were delivering groceries too. I follow Pope through the golf course, walking down the path, focusing on the trek. I pick my head up, hearing the ping of a golf ball being struck.
I subconsciously flinch when I connect eyes with none other than Rafe Cameron. "Oh, fuck." I curse.
"What?" Pope says looking at me. I nod over to where Rafe stood with Topper on the golf course. Pope looks at them. "Damn."
I notice Rafe start to make his way over to us, blocking off our path. Topper in trail. "Hey, what's up, man? Hey, how much for one of those beers?" Rafe points at the six back Pope was carrying with his golf club.
"They're not for sale." Pope states.
"Oh, wait, wait, wait. You can just give us one, then, right?" Rafe holds the golf club on front of us.
"Or you can order one, like everyone else." Pope retorts, trying to push past the Kook.
"Listen, wait, wait." Rafe reaches out, stopping Pope. "You're not listening to me. Um... You've got so many, bro. And we've got nothing."
"You have nothing?" I ask incredulously. "You have enough money to buy out a whole beer company!"
"No one asked you, Frankie."
"Look, they're not mine." Pope reasons. "They're already paid for."
"Already paid for?" Rafe asks. "What the hell? Probably stole them, right?" He hooks the end of the golf club in the strap of the bag I was holding. The plastic bag rips and the contents spill on the ground.
"Dude!" I shout.
"What the hell? You owe me for that." Pope declares, pointing at Rafe, his plastic bag still in his hand.
"Oh!" Rafe hits the bad out of Pope's hand, sending it flying. "Dude, I don't owe you shit, Pogue." Rafe steps toward Pope.
Pope shoves the boy back. "Buy your own shit!"
"Hey! Come on, man! We just want one of these beers! Just give us one of these-" Topper tries to grab the 6 pack away from Pope.
"Leave him alone!" I say trying to push Topper away.
"You guys are crazy!" Pope exclaims.
Topper finally gets a hold of the box, shaking Pope off, sending him rolling across the gravel. Pope groans as he winces on the ground.
"What the fuck, Topper?" I yell at the boy. "You psychopath!"
"Shit, my bad, man." Topper says.
Pope gets up, swinging a fist at Topper. Rafe steps in, slamming the golf club into the boy. He hits him again as he tries to stand back up.
"Stop!" I yell at Rafe. I try to step toward the boys fighting but I feel arms wrap around my waist, pulling me back. "Topper let go of me!" His hands clamps around my biceps, holding me in place. "You're hurting me!"
"Stay down, bitch!" Rafe yells at Pope after hitting him to the ground with the club. "Let's go, man! Let's go!"
"Rafe!" Topper yells, tossing me to the ground. I hit the solid ground with an audible thud. I wince as I roll over onto my back. "Knock it off, Rafe! Rafe! Come on!"
"Rafe, cut it out!" I yell. "Leave him alone!" I try to get to my feet but the boy shoves me back onto the ground. I groan after hitting my hip on the ground for a second time.
Rafe let's out a scream of rage before raising the golf club high in the air above me. I gasp, covering my face with my hands. I hear the whipping sound of the club flying through the air. I let out a sigh of relief when I hear it hit to ground next to me.
I open my eyes to see Rafe squatting by Pope, patting his face. "We don't want you over here. Got that?"
"Let him go, man." Topper demands
"Stay off Figure Eight, Pogue." He stands, turning away from us. "See ya!"
Topper looks at me from where he stood. An apologetic look was written across his face.
"Get the fuck out of here, Topper." I say to him as I push myself onto my elbows.
The boy turns and runs after Rafe, leaving Pope and I on the ground. I look over at the boy in the gravel.
"Pope?" I push myself up more, getting onto my hands and knees. "Pope, can you get up?"
He groans as he sits up. "Yeah, yeah I'm okay. Can you?"
"Yeah."