It was a nice sunny day and it the waves were at peak hight. JJ convinced John B to go surfing with him and the other pogues ended up following. JJ was admittedly the best surfer of the group and he just kept going wave after wave. Kiara admired his ease on the board and the way he was one with the water. as the sun started setting, JJ took a break by swimming out best where the waves formed and sat on his board with his belly down and arms hanging over the side into the cool water.

The others paddled over and rested too, watching the clouds of pink and purple reflect off the rippling water.

It all happened so quickly after that. Since they were pretty far out from sure, no one could touch the sand without having to dive down some distance, there wasn't much that could be done. There wasn't help for a while, especially considering that they beach they were on had no one nearby because it wasn't a public beach.

JJ was flipped over his board by something large and gray and before he could scream, he was yanked under by the jaws of a shark. It wasn't a large shark, but the teeth easily sank into JJ's shoulder and dragged him down. The water surrounding everyone turned read as bubbled started floating to the top where JJ was slowly being pulled under.

"JJ!" John B shouts, diving after his friend. Pope immediately follows while the girls stay above water. They look at each other and start their swim back to shore in order to call help

JJ on the other hand barely got a good breath before getting pulled under. The pain barely registered to his shocked mind as he punched his enemy as hard and as fast as he could. With his limited and reduced movement in the water, it was hard to get the shark to release. It was a blacktip shark, he recognized it immediately from stories his dad's friends would tell him.

This shark was unusually small for a blacktip, so it was likely a younger one. As punches rained down on the nose, eyes, and every bit of skin JJ could reach on the damn thing, it eventually let go. The pressure release caused a massive burst of pain to pulse through his body, more red spurting out of where he didn't want to look.

He had to violently swim up with one arm and a numb body to fight the instinct to breath, already grateful for the arms that assisted him to the surface. As soon as he breached the air he took a massive breath, expelling the water that sneaked into his lungs by hacking. He barely noticed and made no move to stop the hands pulling at him and tugging on him.

John B and Pope were surprised to see the shark pull away and dart into the blue, but they didn't hesitate to pull their friend up onto one of the boards. Blood was pouring out of his wound that wrapped around his shoulder, the shark had the entire limp in his mouth. JJ was very lucky that his arm didn't get torn off. The red substance was coming from his chest, shoulder, and bad, hardly stopping with the pressure applied.

"JJ stay with me man, don't pass out. You gotta stay awake." John B shouts and JJ's eyes drift lazily across the both of them. Pope started to push that board that they were both resting on, leaving both his and JJ's boards behind in the open water. JJ would be pissed but screw that right now.

Kiara and Sarah ran back into the water as they saw the three struggling to support the blonde. Blood covered his entire chest and kept coming, coving John B's arms as well while Pope supported the other side.

"An ambulance is on its way, we should get as close to the road as possible." Kiara immediately say. Once they get to the sand, JJ's legs give out and almost collapses if it weren't for the two supporters next to him. He groans harshly.

"Oh my god." Sarah whispers, covering his mouth with her hand. She runs to grab the all of the boy's shirts that they removed earlier, hoping to help. JJ winces as the tees are pressed hard into his flesh, stopping the flow for a quick couple of minutes before they bleed through as well.

"Hey Jay you awake still?" John B checks in again. He gets a hum in response, getting cut off with a choked cry as Pope adjusts his grip on the blonde.

"m'fine." Is the quiet words murmured. John B can only huff out a laugh as he pulls his friend up and over a rock to get to the road. They were all barefoot and the small and annoyingly sharp stones hurt, but they were doing anything they could to prevent the death of the Maybank kid.

"Hey I think I hear sirens." Pope states, the others listen as well and sure enough, there are sirens that are getting louder by the second. The road was a couple meters ahead and they ambulance was already pulling up just as they got to it. A stretcher was lowered out and dropped down in order to lift a now limp JJ on it. He was still conscious but the blood loss was making him woozy.

"One of you guys can come with us if you'd like but only 1. Sorry guys, you can trail behind and meet at the hospital if you want." One of the EMT's states with authority. John B immediately walks up the steps with the stretcher and takes a seat in the back. He watches solemnly as an oxygen mask is put over JJ's face and gauze is pressed heavily on the bleeding wounds.

The pogues that were left behind watch with silence as the sirens fade away down the road and into town. And it actually takes a minute for them to process seeing that happen to their friend. They take the trek back to the beach in order to grab their shoes and boards that Kiara and Pope swim back out to get, slightly on edge in the open water. They start the walk back to the chateau with their blood covered clothes left on the beach.

Pope assumed the position as the driver of the Twinkie, already knowing how to get to the hospital where they meet up with John B who was sitting in the waiting room. His head was resting in his, now dry, blood covered hands. Kiara honestly breaks down at the sight, assuming that something had happened to JJ.

Sarah runs up to John B and hugs him, grasping him closely. John B wraps a loose arm around her and looks her into the eyes. His eyes are welled with tears that still have yet to fall. "They brought him into surgery, they don't know if he'll make it but they have high hopes. In the ambulance he uhh...he passed out and he wouldn't wake back up. And I-I couldn't do anything." They all just end up in a group hug as John B explains, comforting him and each other simultaneously. They don't mind the stares they get from other people in the waiting room or from passing nurses as they sit there for endless hours awaiting news of their best friend.

Both Kie and Pope informed their parents and the Heywards were kind enough to come by with some dinner for the 4 of them. Just some plain burgers but they really helped take their minds off the problem.

Just as they were finishing their improv meal, a tall doctor with a clean-shaven face and piecing green eyes approaches them. "Here for John J Maybank?" He asks kindly. "JJ" John B interrupts. The doctor smiles kindly. "Alright then, JJ it is. I'm Doctor Douglass"

"Well JJ came in here with large lacerations across his left chest, back, shoulder, and ribs from what appeared to be a shark right?" John B knows that the guy is doing his job but he really wants him to just hurry up and tell him if his friend will live.

The doctor got multiple murmured responses back. "He seems to be doing well and handling the surgery great. He was very fortunate to have nothing vital hit and all the damage done were just flesh wounds. He is recovering well, albeit still unconscious due to the medication. The wounds were unfortunately pretty deep, so we had to administrate a blood transfusion which might make a little dizzy once he wakes up." With the nods he receives, the doctor continues.

"He should be waking up soon from anesthesia that he was given during the surgery. He was stitched up quite heavily and will have to be stuck with limited movement for a little while following today. If you guys wouldn't mind following me, I can lead you to his room" John B nods jerkily and takes first in line once the doctor turns around.

Just a little ways down the hallway, theres a door that opens to a large room that houses their one and only JJ. They run over and crowd around him, taking in his pale features. JJ was lying on a pristine white bed with gauze and bandages wrapped tightly around his shirtless chest, covering the damage. His left arm was restrained in a sling that restricted all movement of that arm, likely because they didn't want JJ pulling his stitches. The mask from earlier was replaced with whiskers that rested under his nose. An IV with pain meds and another with nutrients were in his wrist and elbow, making John B feel even more sympathetic because of JJ's blatant hatred towards needles.

They all take seats, including the Heywards, around the bed and wait for their friend to wake up.

...

Just over an hour later, is the first sign of life. A slight twitch in his fingers and a barely audible groan as JJ attempts to move. John B jerks out of his uncomfortable plastic chair and takes the hand that twitched into his and stands over JJ. "Hey bubba you awake?" He asks softly. Gesturing for Kie to get some ice chips for JJ's likely dry throat.

Another groan is produced out of their friend's scratchy throat and his eyes squeeze shut. "Are you in any pain Jay?" Mrs. Heyward questions from standing behind her son. "holy shit" are the only audible words from the mix of gibberish. His blue eyes, that look dull against the stark hospital light, open slowly and blink a few times before regaining the ability to focus. "wha'appened?" He slurs, trying to roll over and take in his surroundings. A gentle hand on his shoulder stops him, especially as the dull pain spikes with his movement and he winces harshly.

"Dude you were attacked by a shark." Pope says bluntly. John B snorts a laugh at the delivery and Kiara smiles while Sarah just gapes at him, not yet used to their way of functioning. JJ nods slowly as memories of the incident flash through his brain.

"How do you feel son?" Mr. Heyward buts in. "Like I was hit by a bus." JJ says blatantly. His voice starts sounding better as he awakes more. "When do I get outta here, I can't afford this and I gotta leave 'fore my dad gets here." Whatever drugs he's on makes him say that and the children wince and kind of awkwardly wait for what JJ said to sink into the Heywards.

"Oh son." Mrs. Heyward says kindly. "You're welcome to stay with us as long as you need for your recovery, and longer afterwards."

JJ flushes in embarrassment, kind of confused by the offer yet willing to take it.

Just then a doctor comes in, going against JJ leaving, but allowing it because he understood the payment problems. Once forms are signed and everything is sorted out, JJ is helped out of bed. The light blue hospital are all he has on, so John B lends him the hoodie that Kie brought for her when they stopped at the Chateau. It was slightly big on JJ and made the kid look even smaller and pitiful.

It took a couple of tries to get the hoodie over his head and over the bulky sling. But it ended with his right arm through it and his left still resting against his chest underneath the fabric. With shaky legs and help from everyone, they lowered JJ until he was seated in the black chair. He grumbled at the idea of having to get wheeled around but knew it was only for now, so he put up with it.

As they exited the hospital, it was just before midnight as they crowded into the Heyward's car and the Twinkie. Mr. Heyward allowed all of them to sleep over tonight but after that, only restricting it to JJ. It was fair and they were all thankful for him allowing them at least one night.

JJ pushed himself up and swayed as blood rushed back to his brain. John B rolled up to his side and helped support his weight through the Heyward's front door and too the couch that had already bee pulled out. Hardly 10 minutes after JJ was lowered onto the cushion, he was asleep. The other laid on the floor around him, even Pope who had his own room upstairs.

Mrs. Heyward smiles fondly at her son and his friends before she goes back to he room with her husband.

...

The following day as the bandages were being changed in order to make the wounds heal right, John B caught sight of the multiple inch-wide gouges that wrapped around JJ's body. Black thread was holding most of them together. "Jeez dude, that's gonna scar." John B says with a sympathetic wince.

"The chicks are gonna love it." JJ says with a chuckle, puling a small smiles onto Heyward's lips as he works.

...

A week after the hospital visit, the stitches were removed, professionally of course, by Mr. Heyward with a pair of tweezers and scissors in the bathroom. And JJ was left to roam. He still spent days at the Heywards to thank them for their hospitality, but he helped Mr. Heyward deliver and Mrs. Heyward cook meals. But really, he was just trying to avoid facing his dad, especially if he acknowledged the hospital bill. But it seemed like a problem for another day. The Heywards said that they could pitch in some to help and while JJ was grateful for the offer, he declined it because they had already done so much for him already.

Not even three weeks after the accident, JJ is back to surfing. While it might take a while for him to get back to being as comfortable in the water as he used to be, especially on a private beach, he stuck with public beaches and low shark populations.

JJ and John B were returning from the water, boards held in one hand and the water that were dripping down their bodies reflected the sun. The pink scars were stark against JJ's tan skin. It made Kie's heart ache as she thought about how he'd hold those marks the rest of his life. When she mentioned it to him he just shrugged, with a wince cause he's an idiot and already forgot about the injury, and said "What's another scar? At least this one I got doing the thing I love."

"Surfing" She scoffed with an eye-roll

"Nope, hanging out with you guys." JJ laughed, throwing his head back.

Since then, he affection towards him had grown quite a bit.

Oh

My

God.

It's so long.