Sweet Revenge
John B sat alone in a chair outside looking over the map again and reviewing the coordinates on a tablet from the ROV equipment, not wanting to miss anything. With the case of bad weather, JJ had left with Pope to help his dad at the store while Kie left to help at her family's restaurant.
"It's your turn," He was broken out of his deep focus by an unwelcome voice. Sarah Cameron had somehow snuck up on him.
"Uh, for what" he asked her confused, curiosity beating out his agitation.
She crossed in front of him and came to stand by a chair across the table from home. "To ask me what I'm doing here," she replied flippantly.
"What are-what are you doing here?" John B asked but his tone said stop playing games and get on with it.
"I realized I didn't get a chance to respond the other day," she began with an attitude and a touch of bitterness, "after you spat in my face and yelled at me, and stormed off like a child." The attitude died off as she continued, "So, first of all, I'm not a liar. I don't know how Ward found out about the scuba gear but I swear it was not me. I'm not the reason you got fired."
John B hated to admit it, but she sounded and looked sincere. He want going to apologize though and he still didn't trust her. He just shrugged, "okay."
She seemed to realize she wouldn't get an apology or anything. She's not really sure what she was hoping for. "That's all. Good talk," she began to leave, disappointed. About a foot away she remembered her peace offering. "Oh!" She pulled a bag of skinny popcorn and threw it to a surprised John B who still managed to catch it. "Your favorite. Good catch." She then proceeded to continue walking away.
John B stared after her, bewildered by the whole conversation and the popcorn gift. "What the hell?" He muttered to himself, not sure what to make of Sarah Cameron. She was very confusing. Thank god JJ and Kie didn't give him this much whiplash. His mind whirled with thoughts of JJ and he let his mind wander into daydreams of their morning together. He knew they needed to talk about a lot of things, but for now he's content in the new direction their friendship had taken and just enjoying the present. They had plenty of time to talk about what it all means later.
Meanwhile JJ and Pope are standing in Hayward's boat while Hayward handed groceries over to them from the dock. "You kids get these groceries over to Figure Eight. Get straight back here when you're done. No fishing. I promised delivery by this afternoon. Rich folks don't wanna wait for you lazy sons of.." Hayward paused in his instructions as JJ held her arms out for him to pass her more groceries as Pope set the last load off to the side interior of the boat. "..Oh JJ, thank you." Then he continued his last thought with "Bitches."
"Right," Pope nodded to his dad as he headed back into the restaurant, instructions given and groceries all loaded. Pope and JJ walked under the overhang of the boat and Pope sat at the wheel, starting the engine. They headed off to Figure Eight.
JJ played with a knife she found in a console and twirled it around in her fingers.
"Doesn't even look like the storm hit there," Pope complained as they drove along the shore of Figure Eight territory.
"That's because they have generators, bro. Get used to it," JJ said bitterly, "And then they said the juice will be put all summer at the cut."
"It's nice to be a kook," Pope resigned.
"Lucky bastards," JJ agreed.
Pope pulled up along the a dock and JJ tied off the boat. They loaded their arms full with groceries and split the list of dropoffs to cover more ground. JJ headed west and Pope headed east.
About 3 hours later, JJ had just dropped finished her last drop and was running back to the dock, excitement spurring her on faster.
"Pope!" She laughed as she raced down the length of the dock towards the boat, spotting her friend already standing inside the boat waiting. "Dude, you are not going to believe what just happened to me man! Whoo! That was the best 100 bucks I've ever made! When I say count me in on all these grocery deliveries, Pope I mean it." She came to stand by Pope at the wheel but he didn't even respond to her. He stared straight ahead. Something was wrong.
"What's up with you bro, you good?" She asked, concerned. She tried to move where she could see his face better but then she grew angry when she saw the shape it was in. "Yo, what happened to your face, dude?"
Pope didn't respond so she started to lift his hat to get a better look, but Pope angrily pulled his hat back down, still quiet. She still saw it though, "Jesus!" she yelled out angrily.
"What happened?!" JJ demanded.
"Rafe and Topper jumped me," Pope gritted out, "They said no pogues on their side of the island."
JJ was angry and was itching to go defend her friend, but the look on Pope's face made her stop. She'd never seen him so angry in her life. "What are you gonna do?"
He didn't say anything as he thought about it. He got up and walked out to the side, JJ following. He stared at another boat that JJ recognized as Topper's and she thought she knew where this was going. She felt excitement and Adrenalin build, not caring that John B and Kie would not approve.
"2020 Malibu 24-MXC," Pope said with slight admiration, "The world's finest wakesetter. number one in quality, luxury, and performance."
"This is war Pope," JJ egged him on, hoping he wouldn't change his mind. It's about time he stood up for himself. "They hit us, we hit them."
JJ pulled a bandana around her face and pulled her shades over her eyes while Pope took his hat off.
"Let's do it," JJ said, eager for revenge. Pope hopped off the side of the boat and swam towards Topper's boat. JJ watched, ready to jump in if needed, but this is Pope's moment so she's content to be the getaway driver for once.
JJ watched Pope pull himself up onto the other boat and she untied their boat from the dock. She watched Pope bend down briefly then jumped back into the water and swam back to their boat. He started his climb up the ladder and held a plug up for her to see with a smile on his face. She never felt more proud of him.
"Wow, you did it," she beamed at him as she removed her bandana and shades from her face "I'm so proud of you right now. Holy crap."
Pope climbed the rest of the way into the boat and looked at her smugly but seriously. "JJ?"
"Yeah?" She smirked.
"You can't tell anybody," he told her.
"Oh no, yeah. Totally dude," she assured him.
"No, I'm serious JJ. Not Kie, not John B, nobody," he insisted.
"Yup my lips sealed," JJ swore, slightly disappointed she couldn't tell John B, but also glad to avoid a lecture at the same time. She saw Pope still holding the plug. "Gimme that, gimme that," she uttered as she took the plug from him and threw it out into the ocean.
Pope ran over to the wheel.
"Okay, let's get out of here!" JJ called back to Pope after she heard the splash. They needed to be as far away from the area as possible before anyone found the quickly sinking boat. She joined Pope at the wheel and the boat sped quickly away.
