On Top//Topper Thornton

twenty eight

"Anybody else starving? We need to grab some sort of breakfast," JJ states.

John B pulls the boat over next to a little dock.

"We're gonna find some food," Sarah tells the guys.

We get off the boat and walk down a small pier that leads into a backyard. It's not our best idea to be stealing from someone's garden but we haven't eaten in hours.

"Ugh!" Kie holds a watermelon up over her head. "Jackpot!"

We split open two watermelons and sit down to eat them. Sarah starts to tell us all about her and John B's little adventure.

"Okay, so you really got married?" I ask her.

"It wasn't exactly legal, but..." Sarah smiles. "Yeah." She laughs lightly. "Am I crazy, Kie, or is there definitely something going on between you and Pope?"

Kie shrugs her shoulders. "Maybe."

"That's not a no," Sarah says.

Kie smiles slightly. "It's not a no."

"Girl," Sarah teases. Kie laughs. "And you and Topper?"

I smile. "I think I've officially brought him over to the pogue side."

Sarah laughs. "It's about time."

We grab a few more watermelons and head back to the boat.

"Hi," Sarah greets. "What y'all talking about?"

"Uh... fishing," John B tells her.

"Dropping lures," JJ says. "That's that, you know?"

"Okay," Sarah says.

JJ looks at me. "Need help?"

I hand him the watermelon. "Thanks."

"Goodness gracious," JJ jokes.

"You gotta share with Top," I tell him.

"What's that now?" Pope asks.

Kie hands him a watermelon. "I got breakfast."

We settle back on the boat for the rest of the ride back home. It isn't long before we're pulling up to the dock at John B's.

"There she is," John B says.

"Bet it is good to see her old bones right," JJ remarks.

"Welcome home, guys," I tell John B and Sarah.

We start up to the dock.

"You know, I gotta be honest. Not exactly looking forward to a check-in at home," Kie confesses. "My parents probably already arranged my funeral."

"I predict unpleasantries at the Heyward household after I left the truck in Charleston," Pope states.

"No one knows we're here, right?" I ask. "And you two aren't gonna get into any more trouble for showing up 12 hours later." I smile. "Am I right, or am I right?"

"You're not wrong," Pope tells me.

I smile widely. "So that means we have 12 hours to do whatever we want. Huh? A little Pogue fellowship. How does that sound?"

John B smiles. "Let the shit hit the fan tomorrow. Come on."

JJ laughs. "Yeah!"

"The cops could be looking for us. It could be really stupid," Sarah offers.

"Sarah Cameron, you've heard of my philosophy, right?" JJ asks.

Sarah shakes her head. "No."

"Stupid things have good outcomes all the time," JJ tells her.