"you're so funny, man." JJ called out, John B, Pope and Ace held JJ back from Topper knowing it won't end well if JJ was the one who started the fight.
"JJ, don't!" Ace said holding onto his arm so he wouldn't go near Topper.
"dirty Pogues!" Topper called out, John B rushed towards him pushing him back away from the crew.
"John B! we're supposed to be incognito, remember?" Pope told the boys getting in the middle of John B and JJ.
"babe, babe, babe, babe—" Sarah started to say, Topper didn't listen punching John B causing him to fall down. JJ started to pull away from Pope and Ace pushing him back more.
"hey, John B, don't make me drown you like your old man, all right?" Topper kicked John B back into the water.
Ace ran over to Topper pushing him away from him "you did not just sat that." the girl snapped at him, Topper moved around her glaring at her as the crowd started to chant 'fight' multiple times.
John B quickly stood up throwing Topper in the water, "John B, let it go!" yelled Pope.
"stop, you guys!" Kie also yelled hoping the two would stop fighting.
the two boys continued to fight in the water punching their sides, John B punched Topper yet again, "come on!" John B yelled.
"you guys stop!" Kie yelled out once again as Topper punched John B who quickly went back up hitting his stomach and wrapping his arms around him to get him on the ground which he successfully did by flipping him into the water.
"come on, Topper! let's go! come on!" John B yelled.
Ace looked at the boys nervously grabbing her hair. the two boys continued to fight when Topper flipped John B a bit deeper in the water shoving his face in.
"Topper, stop! no!" Sarah yelled at her boyfriend.
"he's drowning him." Pope told the girls, "i know"
JJ ran up behind Topper pointing something at his head, Ace immediately froze up seeing what he was holding. Kie held her best friend closer to her backing up a little.
"JJ!" Ace yelled stepping forward, everyone started to run.
"put the gun down." Sarah said holding her hand out.
"did you say somethin', princess?" JJ yelled keeping his eyes on Topper.
Ace got closer to him hoping he'd listen, "JJ please!"
"we're good, we're good." Topper finally let go of John B putting his hands up.
"Caroline! can you check your psycho boyfriend, please?" Sarah yelled.
Ace looked at her and scoffed. "what about yours? look at what the hell he's doing and open your damn eyes!" Ace yelled at her.
"okay, everyone, listen up! get the hell off our side of the island!" JJ yelled aiming his gun up in the air shooting two warning shots.
Ace jumped back looking at JJ in shock.
"are you crazy? you idiot!" Pope yelled.
"stupid!" Kie pushed JJ back, "why would you do that! it's not worth it!"
"i'm saving his life, okay?"
"stupid! you're gonna jeopardize everything!"
—
JJ and Ace walked into her home quietly trying to not wake her parents or brother. the two took off their shoes quietly going upstairs to her room, JJ walked into the room first setting his shoes and bag down sitting on her bed. Ace closed the door doing the same and shut her curtains.
"baby?" JJ asked sitting down looking at Ace. she turned around crawling on the bed sitting down next to him.
"i'm sorry, i just couldn't watch Topper do that to him." he tells her.
"i know, but JJ you could get into huge ass trouble if you get caught." she said watching him grab her hand playing with her fingers.
"i know, i'm sorry." he looked at her, the more JJ looked at Ace the more he fell in love with her. her beautiful wavy hair and blueish/greyish eyes and her smile that he loves so much.
"you want anything before going to sleep?" she asked him looking at his gorgeous blue eyes.
"nah i'm good, just wanna lay down with you." he smiled laying down quickly pulling her down into his arms.
Ace smiled laying her leg over his, they shared the pillow as JJ wrapped an arm around her waist, he held his hand up as they lined their fingers together. Ace tried to wrestle his fingers with hers but failed, she laughed as he intertwined their fingers together holding her hand, JJ kissed her forehead smiling at her. the two stayed up late talking about the most random things and what their future would be like.
—
"look, i'm callin' it off. all right?" John B announced to his friends, Ace looked over from drawing on her ankle sitting by JJ on the table who was throwing rocks, while Kie played her bongos and Pope read a book.
"Peterkin said, if i stay out of the marsh, she'll help me with DCS." John B said.
"and you believed her?" asked JJ.
"yes, i believe her, JJ." John B responded to the blonde.
"an actual cop, John B. you believed a cop." JJ scoffed lightly throwing another rock.
"all i gotta do is stay out of the marsh for a couple of days, and she'll help me out. it doesn't help that your ass was the one shooting a gun." John B tells him throwing something aside.
"you know what i should have done? just let Topper drown your ass." JJ said, Ace slapped his back gently shaking her head at him.
"Topper was gonna drown me?" asked John B.
"sure looked like it. i mean have you looked in a mirror?" JJ stood up walking over to his best friend, Ace stood up following taking a seat next to Kiara.
"tell me some more. come on." John B told him walking over to him.
"they always win, don't they, man? Kooks versus Poques. they always, always win!" JJ leaned his arm against the pole looking at John B, hitting the buoy's that were hanging, "Goddamn!"
"look it's okay!" Kiara called out.
"no, it's not okay! it is not! they don't want us to down into the marsh. that means there's something valuable down there, and you know it man." JJ pointed at John B.
"i know you do. and i understand why you don't wanna go. you're the golden boy. you got way too much to risk." JJ told Pope looking at him and then Kiara, "and you— i mean, you're already rich as fuck anyway. why would you bother?" JJ then looked at Ace sighing softly.
"and you, you got it all like Kiara, rich as fuck. but whatever i wanna do in the future i imagine you there with me by my side," Ace looked down smiling small playing with the marker in her hand.
"but you and me, man, we got nothin' to lose! we really don't, all right?" John B turned his head sighing.
"JJ"
"and i know it didn't use to be that way for you." JJ told him.
John B shook his head standing up, "i don't want to talk about this. i don't want to talk about it." he walked away pushing JJ aside.
"so that's it?" asked JJ who followed John B, "just get out of my way, bro."
"John B, listen to me. i have a plan." JJ followed John B, "you got the key to Cameron's big boat, right?" the other three teens looked at each other then back at the two boys.
"no," John B crossed his arms looking ahead.
"there's scuba gear. we borrow that, and then we go down to the wreck this afternoon, and that is whats gonna save your, man. you don't see rich kids going into foster care, do you?" JJ asked him.
—
"you really think it's a good idea to go down to the marsh?" Ace asked JJ packing a few things in her bag to take on the drive to the marsh.
"i know there's something there" he turned to her zipping up his bag, he walked over to her moving her hair to the side. "i meant what i said, about imagining you there with me through it all."
Ace smiled looking at JJ, "i know, and i'll be there every step of the way, i promise." she told him, he smiled kissing her cheek grabbing the bags.
once John B got back from taking the tanks from Cameron, the five were now at the marsh where the Grady-White is at checking all the tanks.
"this is empty. you took empty tanks?" Kie asked checking every single one, Ace folded her shorts shoving them in her bag standing next to JJ.
"okay, this one's a quarter full. it's enough for one of us." Ace set the tank meter down shaking her head.
"love when a plan comes together." Pope sarcastically adds.
"does anybody know how to dive?" Kie asked but everyone stayed quiet, "anybody?" she asked again.
"it's kind of a Kook sport." JJ said.
"i... read about it." Pope suggests.
"great, Pope read about it, so someone's gonna die." Ace says letting her hair down.
"look, y-you put the thing in your mouth and breathe. how hard could it be?" JJ asked looking at Pope.
"if you come up too fast, nitrogen gets into your blood, and you get the bends." Pope educated the blonde on how scuba diving works.
"bends like, bend over and.." JJ arched his back sticking his butt out.
"the bends kill you." Pope told him, Ace chuckled watching JJ quickly stand straight. "right."
"i can- i can dive." John B suggested.
"you can dive. i'm cool with that." JJ added.
"since when can you dive?" Ace asked John B.
"i'll do it, it's fine." he looked at her.
"let me do some calculations real quick" Pope says.
"you serious?" Ace mumbled to John B as she moved to the bow crossing her arms listening to Pope.
"that boat's about 30 feet down. okay. so it'll take 25 minutes at that depth. twenty-five which means you need to make your safety stop at about.. ten feet. all right? for two minutes." Ace listened closely, she pulled off her shirt asking Kiara for her shirt also jumping into the water making the four teens look over at the water.
"uh.."
"what was that all about?" Pope asked.
"i don't know, but i liked it. a lot." JJ mumbled keeping his eyes on the water waiting for Ace to swim back up.