SCARLETT AWOKE the next morning with the worst hangover she had had in a long while. After agreeing to going 'full Kook', the Pogues continued to sit around and drink. Scarlett couldn't remember much, other than downing can after can of beer. Although, she faintly remembered stumbling into the Château and drinking various bottles of Vodka. Scarlett opened her eyes and rolled over to find herself wrapped up in JJ's arms. She turned her body slightly so she could reach the bedside table. Picking up her phone, she read the time. 7:30am.
"Shit." Scarlett cursed, gently pushing JJ's arms away. She sat up and ran a hand over her face. She had half an hour before the start of her shift at Heyward's. Scarlett raced over to the chest of drawers and grabbed one of JJ's old shirts. She pulled it over her head and tied the end into a knot so it wouldn't fall around her thighs. She then grabbed a pair of old shorts and pulled them up her legs. Scarlett brushed her hair, making sure it was acceptable before throwing it into a low pony-tail- she would probably braid it on the way in, or during one of her breaks.
She walked back over to the bed and picked up her phone- which miraculously had a lot of battery left in it. Scarlett smiled at JJ, who was still asleep, and leaned down to place a kiss on his cheek. His face scrunched up, and without even opening his eyes, he reached out and pulled her onto the bed. "Where are you going?" He mumbled, pulling her closer to him.
"I have to go to work, remember?" Scarlett whispered, brushing his hair out of his face.
"Stay here instead." JJ mumbled, burying his face in her shoulder.
"I would love to. But I don't want to get fired, which is likely to happen because I'm gonna be late." She looked up as Pope opened the door and stepped into the room.
He ignored the sight of the two cuddling at stared at Scarlett. "Are you coming to work this morning? Because John B offered to give us a lift, and that offer won't last much longer."
Scarlett sighed. "Yes, I'm coming to work. But this idiot won't let me go." She used her free arm to gesture to JJ.
Pope turned his gaze to the blonde boy. "I think we're doing deliveries today. So, we'll probably need help with that. If JJ's up to it, he can help. Then he won't have to leave you."
JJ looked up, finally opening his eyes. "That could work." He mumbled.
Scarlett nodded and pulled herself out of his arms. "I'll see you in five minutes out on the porch." She smiled at him and placed a kiss on his forehead.
❤❤❤
Scarlett sat on the bow of the boat as they sailed through town. Both her and Pope had turned up to Heyward's- JJ in tow- ready to work their shifts. Except that the store was shut and they didn't have any deliveries to do because nothing had arrived at the store. So now Scarlett found herself propped up on her elbows, stretching her legs out in front of her and resting them atop JJ's.
JJ whistled and tilted his head in the direction of the boat that was coming towards them, but on the other side of the channel. "You guys see that? That's the Malibu 24-MXZ, the world's finest wakesetter."
"None of what you just said made any sense to me." Scarlett chuckled.
JJ shook his head at her. "All you need to know is that it's the number one in luxury, quality and performance." He said, looking over his shoulder at the boat. "200K, easy."
"We picked the wrong parents." Pope stated.
Scarlett nodded, her gave fixed on the expensive motor. "Tell me about it."
"I hate to break it to you guys, but that's Topper and his girlfriend." Kiara informed them as the gap between the boats grew smaller. Scarlett scoffed as she stared at the Kooks. She threw her middle finger up at Topper as he drove past. Sarah Cameron had one arm wrapped around his waist as she used her other hand to balance her sunglasses on top of her head.
"Fuck you, Topper!" Scarlett yelled over to him. The rich boy ignored her, both him and his stuck-up girlfriend staring straight ahead of them.
"You don't have to act like you don't see us, bitch." Kiara called out, huffing in annoyance.
"So, Kie clearly hates her." Pope pointed out.
"What's your opinion on the Kook princess, Red?" JJ asked.
Scarlett shrugged as the three boys stared at her. "I don't hate her." She told them. "But I don't necessarily like her. I mean, she didn't exactly try to drown me like Topper did." Scarlett sighed. "I just think she's a stuck up prick." She stood up, moving over to sit next to Kiara.
"I thought we were both against her Kook ass?" Kiara asked, looking at Scarlett.
"We are. I just don't hate her as much as you do." Scarlett shrugged. "I haven't been around her enough to find a valid reason to hate her. What she did to you was terrible and I'll always be on your side for it, Kie. There just aren't enough things she's done to me, to make me despise her." She explained.
Kiara nodded and rested her head against Scarlett's shoulder. "Understandable."
❤❤❤
Scarlett rolled her eyes as the pulled up to Figure Eight's luxury hotel. She resented the fact that everything was so perfect on this side of the island. Although she hated the place, Scarlett was very familiar with it as over the last six months, she and JJ had often snuck around in between his shifts at the hotel- the two of them finding various spots to make out.
"All right, keep a look out." JJ told them as John B pulled up in an empty parking spot. "We're behind enemy lines." He pulled out the gun and began messing around with it.
"Seriously, JJ?" Scarlett hissed.
"Yo, come on, man. Just put it back." John B told him.
"What?" JJ asked.
"JJ-"
"You can never be too careful." JJ said.
Scarlett sighed and reached forward, trying to grab the weapon from her boyfriend's hands. "There's being careful and then there's being stupid, JJ." She groaned as he moved the gun out of her reach. "This, this is stupid."
"Trying to protect you is stupid?" JJ asked, turning to look at her as he raised an eyebrow.
"Bringing a stolen gun when we're already doing something pretty illegal? Yeah, that's pretty stupid." Scarlett quipped. "Besides, I'm not some damsel in distress that needs saving all the fucking time."
Pope climbed out of the van and lent on JJ's window. "Hey, I predict that bringing a weapon to a four-star hotel will likely cause more problems than they solve."
Scarlett nodded, sliding out of the van. She rested her arm on Pope's shoulder. "And once again, Pope is correct." She smiled.
Pope looked down at her and smiled. "We've been over this, Lottie. I'm always right."
"Thank you, Pope." John B said, leaning the palm of his hand against his face and looking frustrated.
Kiara leaned forward, her elbows resting on both JJ and John B's seats. "I swear to God, I'm gonna throw that thing in the ocean, JJ."
"Uh huh." Scarlett nodded. "If she doesn't, I certainly will."
"Put it back." Kiara demanded as she climbed out of the van.
John B grabbed the gun from JJ's hands and shoved it into the glove compartment. "There you go." Pope said.
"You can't just grab a gun like that." JJ told him. He leaned forward and grabbed his work ID from the dashboard. "Can't forget my badge."
Scarlett sighed, folding her arms over her chest. "I can't believe we're breaking into yet another place."
JJ climbed out of the passenger seat and looked down at her. "It's not like you've never broken in here before." He whispered, sending her a wink.
Scarlett rolled her eyes at him. "Oh, shove off, JJ. This is a completely different thing."
"What's she going on about?" John B asked, walking around the front of the van.
"JJ's idiocy." Scarlett answered, smiling sarcastically at the tall, blonde boy.
He shook his head at her and waved his work badge at her. "May I remind you that I am, in fact a professional busboy."
Scarlett chuckled. "No, you may not." Her response dripped with sarcasm as she plastered a smile on her face. "You're hardly professional, honey."
JJ threw his arm around her, a small blush covering his cheeks which he covered with a scoff. "You know, I'm our only way in here. So you've got to be nice to me."
Scarlett pursed her lips as they began to walk towards the hotel. "Oh, I'm sure we could find other ways of sneaking into the fancy hotel without you, blondie." She quipped.
"So, where are we going now?" Pope asked, walking behind the couple.
"We're getting on the internet because only rich people have electricity right now." JJ explained.
"Then, couldn't we have just gone to Kie's place?" Scarlett asked, looking over her shoulder to the others.
Kiara shook her head. "Way too risky." She said.
"And this isn't?" Scarlett laughed, following JJ who had now taken the lead. They walked through the entrance to the hotel, when a figure in the lobby caught Scarlett's eye. She pulled away from JJ's grip and turned her body, so she could properly see the woman. She seemed to be average height, with wavy blonde hair that was pulled up into a fancy up-do. Scarlett barely noticed as the others continued following JJ. Her feet seemed to slowly move towards the woman, who seemed so familiar. But she couldn't pin-point as to why. Who was she?
The resting of a hand on her shoulder made Scarlett jump, and she turned around to see Pope. "You okay?" He asked, a concerned look on his face as his gaze flicked between his friend and the Kook she had been staring at.
"Uh, yeah. I just..." Scarlett bit the inside of her cheek as she looked around the room. "Bathroom. I, uh, have to use the bathroom."
Pope raised an eyebrow at her. "Can't you hold it? Everyone's waiting. We thought you'd got lost."
Thinking quickly, Scarlett looked back at Pope and tilted her head to the side slightly. "Well, no. I can't just 'hold it in', Pope."
"You found her yet, Pope?" JJ asked, walking round the corner. "Red, where the hell did you go?"
"I-" Scarlett looked back over to the woman, her eyebrows furrowing as she tried to place where she knew her from. "I needed to use the bathroom. You know, lady things."
JJ looked down at her. "That's not for like, another week, At least." He said, taking her- and Pope- by surprise. "Come on. We're on a tight schedule." He threw his arm around her and began leading her through the hotel.
"You, um... You keep track of my-" Scarlett stuttered, unable to get her words together.
JJ nodded. "Why wouldn't I? Gotta know when you're gonna be all moody so I can avoid you." He joked.
Scarlett scowled at him, slapping his arm. "I can't believe you." She muttered. They met back up with their friends and walked through the kitchen, JJ greeting the kitchen staff as they passed.
"See, they got the backup generators going?" JJ pointed out as they walked down a long hallway. "Kooks don't miss a beat."
"You got that right." Scarlett mumbled, shoving her hands into her pockets. JJ pushed open a door and ushered them all in. Scarlett's eyes landed on the computer and her eyes went wide. "Wow, they really do have everything."
"You're surprised about the computer?" JJ asked, closing the door.
"No." Scarlett rolled her eyes. "I just... It would be nice to be able to afford a computer."
"Well, soon you'll be able to buy yourself a house." JJ told her, throwing his arm around her shoulder. "Four mil, baby!" He grinned.
"Sweet Lord, the internet!" Pope exclaimed, running over to the computer and sitting down in the desk chair. "I've missed you."
JJ walked over to the desk chair, grabbing onto the back of it. "Let me get in there. Gotta check out my Insta models." He caught Scarlett's eye, her gaze a hard one. "Only joking, Princess. You know I've only got eyes for you." He winked at her and she rolled her eyes.
"Will you two stop flirting with each other." John B complained, setting his bag down on the chair next to Pope.
"We don't have time for this." Kiara added, leaning against the desk.
"I got the map!" John B said, pulling it out of his bag and setting it on the table.
"Coordinates, please?" Pope asked, pulling up Google Maps on the screen.
"34º 57' 30'' north." John B read out. "75º 55' 42'' west." They waited a few moments as the location loaded on the screen, showing somewhere just off the coast of the island. "Boom, continental shelf right there." John B said, leaning over Pope's shoulder.
"Well, if it's off the deep end, it's not gonna be much of a treasure hunt, is it?" Pope said.
Scarlett frowned in confusion. "What do you mean?"
Pope didn't answer as he zoomed in on the coordinates. Voices and footsteps could be heard outside the room, and they all looked around nervously- scared of being caught.
"Shit, it's on the high side." John B exclaimed. "It's only 900 feet."
"And that's, what? A good thing?" Scarlett asked, still very confused.
John B shrugged, turning to look at her. JJ threw an arm around Scarlett's shoulder. "Yeah, it's a good thing. 900 feet, that's not too deep."
"So, it's doable?" Kiara asked.
"Yeah, totally doable." JJ told her.
Pope spun around in his chair to face them. "Will we be taking your personal submarine?" He asked sarcastically.
Scarlett smirked. "Yeah, and will we be driving out to it in your own private limo?" She chuckled and reached up to grab JJ's hat, placing it on her head.
"Suits you, Red." JJ grinned, pulling her closer to him so that her head was now resting on his chest.
"How do you even know this, Mr. Dive Master?" John B asked, turning to the tall blonde boy.
"The salvage yard." JJ answered.
"What about it?" Scarlett asked, raising an eyebrow.
"They've got a drone that can drop 1,000. It has a 360 camera and everything." JJ told her. "It's for, like, deep dives and stuff. It's exactly what we need."
"Can your dad get his grimy little hands on that?" John B asked him.
JJ shook his head. "Well, my dad's grimy little hands got his ass fired." He explained. "I guess the salvage captain frowns on showing up shitfaced, turns out."
"So, we're gonna do, what, our third illegal thing in like, less than three days?" Scarlett asked, looking around the group. Her eyes landed back on JJ. "Are you trying to get me thrown in jail?"
"Now, why would I do that?" JJ laughed. "But the drone's there. It's in the impound yard out back."
"How much did you say was on the Royal Merchant again?" Kiara asked.
"400 million." John B told her.
"400 million dollars?" Kiara repeated, sounding shocked.
"Holy shit." Scarlett breathed. "That's a lot..."
"Yep." John B grinned.
Pope jumped out of his chair and stood in front of the doors, blocking the exit. "No. Absolutely not. Absolutely not. No!"
"Pope! Move." Kiara demanded. She strode over to the door, the other three behind her. She pulled Pope out of the way and opened the door, leading the way out of the hotel.
"Can't we do anything legal for money?" Pope hissed as he followed behind them.
"I'm with Pope on this one." Scarlett said, glancing behind her and nodding at Pope. "My ass cannot go to jail if we get caught."
"If we get caught." JJ said, emphasising the word 'if'. "And we won't. Stop worrying, Red. Nothing's gonna happen."
❤❤❤
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Edited: 1/12/2020