[2] Titanic
(Pilot pt 2)
I groaned as I stretched out my sore limbs from sleeping on the pull-out couch with Kie last night. I sat up, seeing John B with a beer in his hand already, looking at photographs on the wall.
"Morning Kie, Kobi."
"Morning," We both groaned out.
I looked over to Kie, who was rubbing her eyes. I stood up and made my way towards the kitchen to clean up a little bit before I headed back to my dad's house for a bit. I grabbed the trash can, piling in pizza boxes, empty beer bottles, and God-knows-what else.
"Don't worry about that, K. I'll get it later," John B said.
"No you won't," I replied, continuing the chore. "Hey, I gotta head back. I'll be back later. You don't mind if I ride the storm out here, do you?"
"You know you don't have to ask, I'll see you later," John B said, walking over and placing a kiss on the top of my head.
"Peace, Kie!" I called out, to which she replied with a tired mumble. I didn't bother saying bye to Pope, who was still outside sleeping because I didn't want to wake him. I walked towards the front of the house, looking for my skateboard.
Of course with my luck, my board was right outside of the room where JJ was saying quite the good morning to the chick he brought home last night. I audibly gagged as I reached down. "There's this thing called a door, you should learn to use it JJ!" I yelled, grabbing the handle and slamming the door shut. I'm sorry, but that was not the way I wanted to start my morning. I shuddered, trying to rid my brain of the image of JJ with his tongue down a girl's throat.
Once I reached my driveway, I grabbed my board and walked up to the front door. I left my skateboard outside as I would be using it to get back to John B's later. Walking through the living room, I was more than surprised to see my father sitting on the couch, laptop on the table in front of him, working. He must've seen me in the reflection of the computer because as soon as I fully stepped into the room, he turned around.
"Kobi, there you are. Where were you?"
I had to hold back a scoff. "Not that you actually care, but John B's. And I'm going back over to ride the storm out with him, I just had to grab a couple things."
He nodded, turning back to his work. "I'm leaving in about an hour. I won't be home for a while, so Sasha will be coming to watch you." I figured. This was what he always did. Comes home for a day to act like he's part of my life, then leaves and doesn't bother to check up.
"Well I'm either going to be at John B's or Kiara's, so there's no point in her coming, except to house sit."
"No, you aren't. You will be coming home where I know that you're safe, not with those delinquents you call friends."
I let out a breathy laugh. "No." I shook my head, as he turned his full attention to me. "Look, you haven't really been here, so you don't really get to tell me what to do. If you actually gave a single fuck about me, you wouldn't constantly leave. So no, I don't think I will be coming home!" My voice rose a bit, which doesn't happen very often. I'm not an angry person, and I try my hardest not to be when it comes to dealing with my father, but sometimes it's just too hard.
"Don't you raise your voice at me. Everything that I do is for you. I have-"
"How can you say that? You've never been there for me. Ever since mom died-"
"Don't speak of her."
"You're telling me to not speak about my mother? Why? Because you're sad she's dead? News flash, dad, I'm sad too! But you've never noticed. Never. Just leave, I'm better off without you here."
I stormed off to my room. I grabbed a backpack, shoving clothing and toiletries and everything else I could possibly need into it. Before I left, I quickly showered, trying to scrub away the memories of that conversation. I changed into a fresh pair of jean shorts, a crop top, and a light jacket to wear. Luckily my father knew better and was gone before I went back downstairs. I then began my journey back to John B's, which was extremely long. The ride from Figure Eight to the Cut wasn't easy, but I didn't mind.
Now, my friends constantly asked me why we never hung at my place, because according to them, it's a castle. While it is big, it isn't anything spectacular. It was just an empty home filled with useless antiques that had no sentimental value. There wasn't even a single picture of my mother, the only one I had left was trapped in the back of my phone case. My father thought it was best to forget about her, and apparently me as well.
As I continued my ride to the Château, the weather became worse. Gray clouds began to cover the usual clear, blue sky, causing the wind to pick up. My unzipped jacket whipped the zipper back and forth against my hip as I skated. Soon enough it was sprinkling, but with my luck, as I got closer to John B's it started to downpour, already causing the streets to flood a bit. My hair that was still wet from my shower stuck to my face.
I walked up the porch, leaving my board outside, but in a place I knew it wouldn't blow away. I looked down at my clothes, which clung tightly to my skin. I went inside to find JJ laying on the pull-out that I slept on last night.
"Have a nice ride?" The blond asked, adjusting his arms behind his neck to support his head.
"Wonderful, thank you," I sarcastically said. Looking down at my sopping clothes and JJ's vulnerable state, one side of my lips slowly upturned.
"Oh man, I am just so tired," I obnoxiously fake yawned, then jumped right onto JJ, and wrapped my wet body around his own.
"Aw gross, Bryant! Get off!" He laughed, eventually prying me off of him. "I'm sad you didn't wear a white shirt, now that would've been-" He completed his thought by blowing a chef's kiss, to which I shoved his face.
"I'm going to go change," I pointed towards the empty bedroom where I was sleeping tonight. Just as I picked up my bag, John B busted through the back door, soaking wet and out of breath.
"Kobi, glad to see you made it in one piece. You two should have seen the waves out there, they were absolutely wicked."
"JB don't tell me you actually surfed the surge?" I voiced my concern. Even a person with a brain as small as JJ's could see that those waves were far from surfable.
"More like attempted to. But hey, I'm alive!"
"Ooo kay. Well, as I said before, I'm going to change." I made my way to the room, setting out my wet clothes for them to dry, and covering my body with clean ones. I threw on a pair of pajama shorts and a large t-shirt, courtesy of JJ. It wasn't rare for Kie and me to steal the boys' clothes, I mean, guy clothes are way comfier than girls'.
I walked back out, and when I did, I noticed JJ eyeing me up. "What?" I asked. He quickly shook his head, replying with "Nothing." I just shrugged my shoulders and sat on the couch with the two boys. JJ pulled out a joint and grabbed a lighter from the table. After he took a few hits, he passed it to me, and I did the same thing. I looked outside and the wind was starting to pick up even more. I could already see random objects flying around into the ocean.
"Yeah, with this going on I'm going to need to be a little more than buzzed," I said, grabbing the joint from JJ just as he went to take a hit.
As the two of us took turns, we kept an easy-going conversation with John B as he sipped a beer.
My eyes started to feel heavy, but they immediately shot back open when I realized where I would have to sleep. "JJ please tell me you changed the sheets on that bed."
"Do I look like the type of person to change sheets?" He said, running his hand through his blond hair. "Why?"
"Because I'm not sleeping on sheets where you boned some random girl, that's disgusting. So I'll sleep out here, and you get the bed you've marked your territory on."
"Hey, I'm not a dog."
"You're acting like one."
"Ladies, ladies, chill," John B intervened, bringing the bottle in his hand up to his lips.
"Whatever."
"Yeah okay."
We grumbled at the same time. After that tiny squabble, we went back to smoking until the joint was nearly nonexistent. The effects took over me, and my body felt really warm, like I could just fall asleep right where I was, so I did.
•••
The next morning I peeled my eyes open, rubbing the tiredness away. I was surprised to see that I slept through the storm, but that's what happens when you smoke the shit that JJ gets.
I looked over and saw the still shirtless JJ next to me, lying on his stomach, face shoved into his pillow. I swear I had to check if he was still breathing. Footsteps approached the room, and when I looked up, John B walked past.
"Yo, Kobi, JJ either of you been outside yet?"
I shook my head and JJ said, "I have polio, bro. I can't walk."
I got up and followed John B outside. I looked around to see trees fallen, trash throughout the yard, and just a complete utter mess.
"Oh man, that's no good," John B lifted his hands above his head while looking at the massive tree that was uprooted. Luckily it didn't fall onto his house. I walked over to John B's boat, the HSM Pogue, where branches covered the entire thing from front to back. I started pulling the branches out, and John B joined.
"Agatha did some work, huh?" JJ called from the porch. I looked back, and he had a beer in his hand.
"It's literally like ten in the morning, you can't save that for later?" I asked.
"It's an all-day thing, baby," He extended out his arms as he took a seat on a tree. "Whatcha thinkin'?" He directed to John B.
"I'm thinkin' that storm surge pushed all the crabs out on the marsh maze. All those drum are gonna chase the crab," JB and I continued to clear the boat.
"Isn't the DCS supposed to come today?" I asked John B.
"Nah, they're not getting on a ferry." He paused what he was doing to look at JJ and me. "Come on, think about it. It's God telling us to fish."
We all looked at each other, breaking into grins as we raced into the house to change into swimsuits, and then pulled the boat into the water.
John B drove the boat down the marsh, JJ stood next to him, and I was sitting on the very front, my arms propping me up. The sun was already beaming down, even though it was fairly early. I was glad I remembered my sunglasses, because I'm pretty sure I would be blind at this point. As we sailed along close to the docks, the two boys waved to locals, saying their good mornings.
"-She totally looked at me," JJ said.
"I saw it," John B agreed.
"JJ I doubt it," I shook my head.
"The ladies love me, Bryant. I'm like a magnet."
I just laughed in response. I fully sat up, taking in the damage of the hurricane. "Look at this."
"Agatha what did you do?" JJ groaned. "We're gonna be cleaning this all summer."
"That is my nightmare," John B responded.
As we continued on our way, we finally approached Pope's place. He was hosing down the dock, looking miserable.
"Well look who we have here," JJ said in a nasally voice.
John B made a sound with his voice, mimicking talking into a walkie-talkie. "We have a safety meeting. Attendance mandatory."
"I can't. My pop's got me on lockdown," He continued spraying the hose.
JJ moved to stand next to where I was sitting. "Come on, man!" He did the same thing as John B. "Your dad's a pussy, over."
I slapped his leg, and he looked down and let out a breathy laugh.
"Oh I heard that, you little bastard," Heyward walked over. Oh Heyward. I have too many good things to say about that man. The entire time I've known him, he's treated me like the daughter he never had. I'll never be able to repay him.
"We need your son!" John B said.
JJ continued, "Yeah and island rules: Day after a hurricane's a free day."
"Who the hell made that up?"
"Uh, Pentagon, I think. We have security clearance. I have a card." JJ reached into his pocket, acting like he did have a card.
"Y'all think I'm stupid?" Heyward said.
Pope started pleading. "I'll do it tomorrow. I promise, tomorrow."
"Hell no, you doin' it right now!"
JJ and John B kept pestering Pope, telling him to jump on the boat. Pope threw down the running hose, and made a run for it. He quickly jumped on, steadying himself.
"Bring yo' ass back up here! When you get back you gon clean shrimp, clean fish, you'll clean your dirty ass room!" Heyward called after us.
"I'm sorry, Heyward! We'll make sure he comes back in one piece!" John B shouted.
"And I don't like your friends!" He yelled. "Except Kobi! Kobi you keep that boy in check!"
"You got it sir!" I sent him a two-fingered salute. Pope took the seat next to me while we made our way to Kiara's.
"Kobs want me to head to your home, check things out?" John B called over the wind.
Truth be told, I couldn't give a shit about my house. It's not like my dad doesn't have the money to fix it up. "If you could even call it that," I muttered. I looked up and saw JJ looking at me; he must've heard what I said. I cleared my throat, looking back towards the captain. "Uh, no. I'm sure my dad did a great job of boarding up."
"Your dad's home?" Pope asked.
I shook my head. "No. He was home yesterday for like two seconds, then left to go somewhere else. I didn't bother asking where." I turned around, dangling my feet off the edge of the boat, effectively ending the conversation.
As we reached Kiara's we all cheered as she had a big red cooler in her hand, with the crew's favorite drinks in the world in it.
"Whatcha got? Some juice boxes?" John B asked.
She walked across her dock to catch up with us. "Oh you know, some yogurt, some carrot sticks."
"How about my kind of juice boxes?" JJ asked, grabbing Kiara's hand to help her onto the moving boat.
Kiara responded with a dragged out yeah. Once she got settled next to me, she passed us each a bottle, which we clinked together in a toast before taking a sip.
As it got hotter, we all stripped off our first layer of clothing. I was just left in my bikini top, but I left my shorts on. Eventually John B and Pope switched positions, the latter taking control of the wheel.
"Wanna see a party trick?" JJ asked. We all groaned knowing exactly where this was going. He stood up in between Kiara and I, lifting his bottle about a foot above his head, tilting it down so beer would fly out into his mouth. Though, most of it missed his mouth and flew backwards into our faces.
"You're getting beer in our hair!" Kiara laughed.
He finally stopped once the bottle was empty. "Oh I got it, Bryant come here," He offered me his hand, which I reluctantly took. "Titanic time, baby!"
I laughed as I stood in front of him, extending my arms as he placed his hands on my waist, like we've done a million times before. The rest of the group cheered, and Pope sped up a bit.
I loudly laughed as JJ twitched his fingers, tickling my sides. "JJ stop!"
All of a sudden, the boat jerked, effectively ejecting JJ and I off the front. I felt JJ grab onto me, pulling my body into his, and I hit the water face first. JJ let go of me as we resurfaced, and he began floating on his back.
"What the hell, Pope!" I said, breathing heavily.
"You okay Kobi? JJ?"
"Pretty sure my neck snapped in half." I coughed out about 3 cups worth of water that I swallowed.
"I think my heels touched the back of my head," JJ continued floating. "Pope what did you do?"
"Sandbar. The channel changed," Pope explained.
I looked over at JJ. "You good, Jack?" I asked him, referring back to our Titanic stunt.
"Think so, I'll be better if you let me get the door this time."
We both paddled back to the boat, and I attempted to jump back on. My short stature wasn't helping me very much. After struggling a few more seconds, I felt a pair of hands from under me grip my thighs and hoist me fully onto the boat. "Thanks JJ." I peeled off my now soaked shorts, laying them in the sun so they could dry.
"Guys, I think there's a boat down there."
"Shut up."
"No way."
"Really, Pope?"
John B, Kiara, and I said at the same time.
"N-No guys I'm serious, there's like a boat down there," Pope pointed to where he saw it.
We all gathered around him, and sure enough, it looked like there was a boat down there.
"Shit," I said. I jumped back in the water next to JJ, and we waited for everyone else to get in before we swam down to examine the wreck. I opened my eyes as I got closer.
Shit. It looks like a Grady-White, a hella expensive boat. The storm must've taken it, but I just hoped that whomever's it was, wasn't on it. I mean I couldn't see why anyone would be out on the water last night, knowing what Mother Nature was bringing as a gift. Once I felt my lungs screaming for air, I pushed off the top of the sunken boat, shooting towards the surface.
We all broke through the water, catching our breaths.
"You guys saw that, right?" JJ excitedly asked, earning a chorus of just as excited 'yeahs.'
"That's a Grady-White!" I exclaimed.
"A new one of those is like 500 Gs, easy," JJ said. We all climbed back aboard, this time I was able to do it myself because the guys weighed it down on one side as they jumped up. "That's a primo rig," The blond continued.
"That's the boat I saw when I surfed the surge," John B explained. "Maybe it hit the jetty or something."
"You surfed the surge?" Kiara asked, looking at me to see if I knew. I just shrugged, which she immediately recognized as me knowing about it. "You knew?"
"Hey, I just found out when he came home last night. Don't worry I gave him an earful," I smiled.
"That's my boy, Pogue-style," JJ gave John B a high-five.
Pope chimed in, "Do we know who's boat that is?"
"No," John B said, bending down to grab the anchor from its compartment. "But we're about to find out."
Kiara and I immediately voiced our protests, telling him it's too deep. Even JJ agreed, which was fairly shocking.
"Oh, for the weak and feeble, JJ," John B said.
"I'm not resuscitating you. Just making that clear up front," JJ announced.
"Diver down, fool," Pope said.
John B saluted us, holding the anchor in his hand. "Diver down."
"Yeah he is!" JJ took a step, using his momentum to push John B off the side. The four of us stared as he went down, but quickly lost sight of him in the murky water. We watched, not being able to spot him at all. It felt like time was slowing down, dragging us down along with him.
"Guys this is taking too long," I announced.
"He'll be fine," JJ reassured me. I looked over at him, using him being completely focused on the water to stare, which I might add, was completely involuntary. It just sort of happened. He was gnawing on his bottom lip, eyes widened with worry about our friend. His tanned face was slightly reddened from being in the sun all day, and–
My thoughts were interrupted by Kiara kicking me in the leg. I shot my head towards her.
"What are you doing?" She whispered.
"What are you talking about?" I asked. Pope interrupted before she could continue.
"Should we go get him?" Pope offered. In perfect timing, John B popped back up, holding what looked to be a key of some sort in his hand.
"Oh my God, that took forever!" Kie let out a breath of relief.
"Any dead bodies?"
"Looting potential?"
The two boys currently on the boat asked. John B shook his head. "I found this motel key." To which everyone grumbled, unimpressed with his finding.
"Great, he salvaged a motel key," JJ repeated as John B swung himself back up. I opened the compartment where the anchor goes for JJ, and he threw it down into the empty space. Once we all recovered, John B started the boat back up, and we were on our way once again.
"Guys, we should report the wreck to the coastguard, maybe we'll get a finder's fee!" Kie suggested.
"Yeah," JJ started, "and not work all summer. Thanks Agatha, ya batch!"
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kobi's dad is played by ethan hawke