SEASON TWO,
CHAPTER 26:
A CARELESS FATHER
"Perfect don't matter."
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THE PLAN WAS settled for how the group of friends are going to pull the vehicle out of the murky water, just needing to get it completed as soon as possible. The three hurry with their actions to ensure that they can get to The Cut and back before Limbrey has a chance to return to Goat Island. However, due to the fact the campervan is the one stuck in the water, they have to walk the whole distance.
Currently, the three are crouched down outside of a white fence that borders off the Carrera household. Kie seems to be having some doubts about the plan because it's going to affect her relationship with her parents even more. But the girl still chooses that it's best if they continue with the plan, especially since it's the only one that have right now. So, JJ reaches forwards and pulls open the fence gate, which allows Delilah to sneak towards the front of the house.
Carefully and quietly, the front door is pushed open and the sound of talking from the two adults fills her ears almost instantly. The scraping of forks against plates follows behind the voices for a brief moment, meaning that the Carrera's are distracted with their dinner. Delilah advances forwards on her tiptoes in order to remain as silent as possible to avoid being caught. The redhead makes her way over to the bowl of keys like Kiara had previously explained, peaking around the wall to see the parents eating dinner with bright smiles on their faces — they both look happy without their daughter, which is a kick to the guts.
Delilah allows her eyes to drop down to the bowl of keys, scanning each one of them until she's able to recognise the one that Kie has been seen with many times before. The girl the reaches inside and pulls the keys out, making sure to grabs onto the keyrings to stop it all from clanging together; the last thing that she wants to do is create any type of noise that will give away her hiding spot and tell the adults that she's sneaking around the house. Then, Delilah turns back in the direction that she previously came from and walks back outside and over to the two teens.
"Got it?" Kie questions.
"Got it." Delilah repeats, holding the keys up. "These are the right ones, right?"
"Yeah, they are." Kie replies.
The redhead throws the car keys over to her friend so that she'll be able to drive, already knowing that she's not trusted to do that — hence why Kie tagged along with them. JJ manages to call shotgun for the passengers seat and swiftly climbs into the car, Kie just glancing over at Delilah to then receive a shrug in response. The girls clamber into the car too and drive off before they can get caught stealing a truck. But also, they're constantly reminding themselves that they need to hurry with their actions to avoid increasing the possibility of the campervan sinking underwater because of the tide coming in.
Eventually, after sometime of driving to The Cut, the three teenagers arrive at the Château so that they are able to get the winch and make their way back over to Goat Island. JJ offers to go into the surf shack so that he can go find the tool, knowing that he's one of the best mechanics in the group. So, the blond boy hops out of the truck and starts running towards the house to be quick. However, he manages to trip on a discarded wire and fall along onto the floor, swiftly
rising back up to his feet within the same second.
"I'm okay! All good!" JJ exclaims.
"That's my boyfriend right there." Delilah mumbles.
"You know." Kie begins, twisting in her seat to look at the redhead. "I'm actually surprised John B and Sarah got married before you two."
"It's not like we thought JB was going to propose to her while on the run." Delilah tells her. "But that boy is madly in love with Sarah, I swear."
"So are you and JJ." Kie states. "That connection between you two has always been there, but you guys were just a bit blind to see it."
"Shut the hell up." Delilah replies, laughing.
"It's true though!" Kie insists. "I mean, if JJ did propose to you, would you say yes?"
"Of course, why wouldn't I?" Delilah replies with a smile. "I don't see myself with anyone other than J."
Kie smiles. "Awh."
Both of the girls turn towards the sound of footsteps to see that JJ is returning back with the winch, but is also bringing a guest along. The teenage boy's father is trudging along beside JJ after suddenly making an appearance from around the corner. Delilah's brows furrow together in confusion as to what's happening, her eyes finding JJ's. When nothing is said about the sudden new addition of an adult, Delilah and Kiara slide out of their seats and walk around to the boy.
"Dad, just get in the truck." JJ instructs, putting the winch in the back. "And don't do anything stupid."
"What the frick? No! Immediately, no." Kie protests.
"JJ, what's he doing here?" Delilah asks.
"Look, I just need to get into the marina at the Island Club. There's a boat there that he can take. Kie, you got the sticker on your truck. Twenty minutes, that's all I need." JJ briefly explains.
"The Twinkie's gonna be a submarine in twenty minutes!" Kie exclaims.
"Can't you just leave him here and we come back to get him later?" Delilah suggests.
"The cops are after him." JJ informs. "If I do this now, maybe I'll never have to do it again."
"But the Twinkie—" Kie begins.
"Kie." Delilah warns, interrupting the brunette. "Let him do this."
"Also, Ly?" JJ calls. "I'm not letting you sit in the back with my dad."
"Like hell are we gonna let you do that too." Delilah argues.
"He won't do anything, I promise." JJ reassures, voice quiet as he holds onto the redhead. "I'm just scared of him being near you."
"No." Delilah protests, shaking her head to show her disagreement. "You don't think I'm not scared of that either? J, we both know what he's like."
"Ly, angel, stop." JJ tells her. "He's not going to do anything. Trust me."
The girl doesn't get to argue in response, watching as he slides into the back seat — it's not that she doesn't trust JJ, it's that she doesn't trust his father. Delilah glances over at Kiara with uncertainty as a sigh slips past her lips. The girls pull open their side of the car doors and clamber inside so that they can start the drive over to the Island Club. Kie wouldn't be lying if she said that this has gotten under her skin, wanting to get back to Goat Island where their friends are.
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A deadly silent drive along the thin roads isn't ideal for teenagers that just want to explode and spill out their thoughts about the situation that they're in at the moment. Everything just appears to be awkward due to the fact that Luke is sitting amongst the three, each of them knowing about the abuse that his son has to face from him. None of them want to break the silence by saying something, just allowing the awkwardness to continue in case the wrong thing is said to someone.
However, the Maybank father couldn't just have a direct travel to the Island Club, demanding to have a pitstop along the way. The adult wants to make sure that all the necessities are stocked up and ready for him to safely escape off of the island. Kiara can't do anything apart from listen, just wanting this to all go smoothly so that they can return back to their group. But JJ is the one that chooses to go inside and buy the items, which only leaves the girl alone with Luke.
"You're a terrible father, you know that?" Kie tells the adult.
"Yeah, preach it to me then. Set me straight." Luke carelessly replies, turning to the redhead. "Delilah, isn't it? Yeah, I knew your mom back in school. Saw her in jail too."
"Shut up." Delilah demands. "I don't want to hear you talk about her. You're even worse than she is."
"Might wanna get your friend to preach to your mom too then." Luke jokes.
"Do you have any idea how special your son is? Like, even a clue?" Delilah questions.
"He's a thief is what he is." Luke replies.
"There's so much more to JJ than that." Delilah tells him, annoyed. "He's always protective of the people he cares about, and will go to any lengths to make sure that they're okay. He holds so much love for all of his friends because you couldn't do the same for him."
"I don't care." Luke mutters. "I don't care how much my son means to you, or anyone else. He's nothing more than a thief."
"And what are you then?" Kie asks, scoffing loudly as the man falls silent. "You're just a wasted local salt who never did shit but get messed up and hustle people. Not exactly impressive."
"You know, you sound just like your mama." Luke informs. "She was just like that in high school. She always thought she was better than everyone else. Kook princess. You know, I bet you're a lot like your mama. Are you an ungrateful shit like she was? I bet you are, Miss Figure Eight."
Kiara pulls her lips into a thin line as she listens to the adult talk negatively about herself and her family like he knows them. In her peripheral vision, she can see that Luke is slowly leaning forwards to appear as menacingly. But it doesn't work, only resulting in the brunette girl slamming her elbow back and allowing it to collide with his face. Luke groans loudly in pain as he slumps down in his seat, not expecting that to happen. Delilah just grins over at Kie in pride.
"Don't talk about my family." Kie demands.
"Delilah, I bet there's another reason no one sticks around in your life." Luke comments. "First your dad, then your mama? My money's on my son next."
"Do you want to get hit again?" Kie threatens out of anger. "You'd wanna run before she gets her hands on you."
"You know, I thought you'd be the one to end up with JJ." Luke informs.
The father is wearing a small smirk on his face as he knows that what he's just said may getting under the teenagers skin — he's never thought that way, but he just wants to annoy them. Luke has been watching as Delilah's body visibly became more tense each time a comment was said towards her. Kiara glances over at the redhead girl, brown eyes meeting green ones.
"Don't listen to him." Kie whispers. "Remember the conversation we had earlier? It's all the truth."
"I know, I know." Delilah replies with a sigh. "It's just not nice to hear."
"Well, he's an abusive liar." Kie reminds, keeping her voice low to stop the man from hearing.
The girl doesn't get a chance to reply to her friend as JJ walks back over and dumps everything into the back of the truck. He glances through the window of the vehicle and notices the uncomfortable looks that are written across both of the girls faces, which only makes his stomach churning with fear that Luke may have said something to either of them. JJ climbs into the car while deciding against saying anything to the three, simply casting a look towards his father.
Delilah flashes Kie a small smile before shifting her gaze to stare out of the window, watching as nature passes by as the truck begins to drive. A small nudge is felt against her thigh from the area where there's a gap for the car door. This only causes the girl to look down and see JJ's hand for a brief second before it then disappears. A smile splits across Delilah's hand before she reaches her hand back, allowing him to take ahold of it and intertwine them together. The pads of JJ's thumb gently brushes against Del's skin as he soothes her, concerned that she's worried.
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The original plan has been put to the side for awhile now, the current focus being on getting the Maybank father off of the island and away from the cops. JJ is currently out on the docks as he helps Luke set it up and make sure that the boat is stocked with all of the supplies that's been brought. This leaves both of the girls seated inside of the truck as they patiently wait for the father and son to finish with the boat and say their goodbyes to one another.
"Did you go after Delilah?" JJ asks, wanting to know the truth. "Or Kiara?"
"I told them the truth, and they didn't like it." Luke tells him. "May have told a lie to the redhead too."
"Everything, huh?" JJ questions with a scoff. "You freaking ruin everything I have."
"I don't try to. Just happens naturally." Luke replies, shrugging. "I know the redhead means a lot too."
"Don't even talk about my girl." JJ demands. "Look, you've got a full tank of gas, but I reckon that's only gonna get you to Jacksonville. You've got money for that, right?"
"What do you think?" Luke fires back. "I'll figure it out somehow."
The blond pulls his lips into a thin line, realising how unprepared his father is for this escape trip. The son rummages throw his pocket and grabs his wallet to see how much money he has left — he may not want anything to do with his dad, but that's still his blood. So, JJ picks up a note and hands it over to Luke as he shoves the wallet back into a pocket. The boy goes to walk off but Luke grabs ahold of him.
"Son, I know I could've been better." Luke informs.
"I haven't exactly been perfect either." JJ mumbles.
"Perfect don't matter." Luke assures. "You got a good heart. I already knew that, but Delilah was telling me about it."
"Dad—" JJ begins.
"We can't let it end like this, JJ." Luke tells him. "I'm going to Yucatan, and I might never be coming back. It'll all work out."
"No, it's not." JJ replies, shaking his head to show his disagreement. "But maybe in the next life."
"Come on, son. Don't be like that." Luke urges.
The boy doesn't reply, hesitating before choosing to give in to his father. He leans forwards and wraps his arms around Luke, allowing them to cling onto each other during this loving moment. JJ's eyes fill with tears that he has to blink back, not wanting to let his own father see this side of him. Luke just holds onto his son tightly with knowledge that he was the one who messed up the relationship, but there's nothing he can do about it now.
"Take care, Dad." JJ whispers.
The father and son break apart from the warm hug and separate ways, understanding that this will most likely be the last time they'll ever see each other. JJ pauses as he stares down at the rope that was tying the boat to the docks, knowing that this is the final decision towards his fathers escape. Tears roll down his cheeks before the boy throws the rope down onto the boat and steps backwards onto the wooden dock. Blue eyes stay locked onto the transport, watching as it starts to sail off across the water.
After a minute or so, JJ manages to bring himself to pull his gaze away from the boat and turn around to make his way back over to where the girls are sitting in the truck. But the boy immediately finds Delilah walking down the wooden docks to make her way to where he's standing. A smile spreads across JJ's face at the sight of his girlfriend, walking forwards and wrapping his arms around her waist. Delilah cups his face in her hands, pads of her thumb brushing away the fallen tears staining his cheeks.
"It's okay, baby." Delilah reassures, whispering. "It's okay. Everything's going to be okay."
"What did he say to you while I was gone?" JJ asks.
"I don't—" Delilah begins.
"Ly, please." JJ insists, interrupting the girl. "Just tell me what he said."
"That there's a reason why my family's left me and that you guys will be the ones to do it next." Delilah replies, pursing her lips. "And that he thought you were always gonna end up with Kie."
"You don't believe him, do you?" JJ questions.
Delilah pauses. "Okay, look, I know he just wanted to annoy me, but I won't lie and tell you that it didn't bother me when it did."
A frown falls upon the boys face, but not because hes annoyed but because he didn't realise Delilah would believe his fathers lies. JJ allows his hands to drop from around her waist, sliding down her arm to then take ahold of her hand. Delilah smiles while glancing down at their intertwined hands as they sway gently.
"Ly, just listen to me." JJ begins. "That's not going to happen, okay? I will never let that happen. I've been with you ever since the beginning, and I'm going to be with you till the end."
"I'm so thankful for you, J." Delilah informs. "It just hurt to hear because it was so unexpected. And to say one of our best friends too?"
"You're the girl for me, don't forget that." JJ tells her with a smile. "Only you, angel."
"Only you too, pretty boy." Delilah states.
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After the whole ordeal with sending Luke Maybank out to sea in order to escape the police, the teenagers had swiftly turned their focus onto the original plan that was made. The three drive along the thin roads in the truck, which has been stolen from Kie's father, and swiftly make their way back over to Goat Island. They find their best friends sitting on the roof of the campervan as it continues to sink further under the water because of the tide.
Delilah hops out of the truck and steps onto the dirt path beneath, walking along the top of it to enter the murky waters. Brows furrow together at the sight of John B's face crossed over with pain, chest heaving up and down to control his breathing. Eyes then drift down to see that the campervan is smeared with red blood from the fresh wound on the boys leg.
"Where the hell were you guys?" Pope exclaims, his voice laced with annoyance.
"Parental complications." Kie replies.
"Luke was at the Château." JJ informs.
"JB, what happened?" Delilah asks, grabbing the brunets attention. "Why are you bleeding?"
"Bit by a gator." John B replies.
"For real?" JJ questions.
"Does it look like we're joking?" Sarah fires back as she motions down to the brunets leg. "Look at it!"
"What the hell happened?" Kie asks.
"Bit by a gator!" John B and Pope chorus as they both repeat the previous answer.
"I don't know why I'm being yelled at because I put my ass on the line!" Kie tells them.
"You're being yelled at because it was supposed to be twenty minutes." Pope informs.
"We got here as fast as we could!" Kie states.
The whole group of teenagers erupt into arguments, unleashing their built up anger and annoyance onto one another. The air around them becomes thick as the tension rapidly increases by the second. Delilah stays almost frozen in place as she stares at each of her friend, fearing that what Luke said is true; what if an argument causes them all to go separate ways? JJ glances over at the Delilah and notices a hint of worry crossing over the top of her face, which only makes him choose to go ahead with his decision.
"Shut up!" JJ yells over their voices, grabbing their attention. "Seriously, guys, I can't take it anymore. And I don't think Ly can either. Everyone just cut it out for a second, please. I just helped my dad leave this island for good. Like, he's not ever coming back. He's straight up like the Spanish, just 'bon voyage'."
"That's not the right language." Sarah whispers.
"I know for a fact all I got is you guys, okay?" JJ tells them. "You're it."
Delilah smiles as she catches sight of her boyfriend's eyes settling upon her as the last sentence leaves his mouth. Blue stares into green for a moment, sending butterflies into the girls stomach.
"I've come too close to losing you, all of you." JJ continues. "Ly and Kie, you two almost drowned in the storm drain. Pope, you were kidnapped. Sarah, you got shot by your own brother. And John B, you were almost dinner for a freaking gator, bro."
The six glance at one another as they realise just how much they've all been through so far, whether they were together for the incident or not. All of them are simply teenagers trying to live their lives and survive as life continues throwing obstacles into their paths.
"This blaming each other is some Kook-ass bullshit, alright? We don't do that. We're Pogues." JJ reminds before pausing. "Sorry. That was a lot right now. I didn't mean to..."
A grin splits across Delilah faces, feeling proud of the boy for speaking up from the argument and bringing them all back together. The girl begins to clap loudly, which only causes the rest of the friends to copy her actions and clap too. Smiles are already across their own faces as their eyes remain settled on the blond.
"Whoo!" Delilah cheers. "Bravo, J!"
"I've gotta say, that was the best freaking speech you have ever given." Pope informs. "Well done."
"You should think about a Rosetta Stone because your Spanish and French are flip-flopped." John B comments, receiving middle fingers in response.
"We should bon voyage out of here." Sarah states.
"I'm with you on that." Kie agrees.