MARLBORO NIGHTS [JJ MAYBANK]

skipping and surfing

THE NEXT DAY, JJ let Karolina sleep in until 9:30, then he pronounced that they were skipping school to go surfing. Nothing could have made her happier than that sentence, besides the kiss he pressed to her lips as soon as her eyes opened.

She hurriedly slipped on the black bikini that was JJ's favorite, over it a pair of denim shorts and her knockoff sandals. Her hair was tossed into a messy knot, and she met JJ out on his motorbike. He smiled when he saw her. "Gorgeous."

Karolina's stomach fluttered, as it always did. "Right back atcha," she said, eyes running after his lack of shirt and the minimal purple marks she'd left on his neck, winking as she swung a leg over the seat, sliding her arms around his middle. "Let's go," she whined, "I haven't been surfing in forever."

JJ grinned and set the bike in motion and they zoomed off, kicking up dust behind them at the Chateau. When they reached their favorite strip of beach, JJ parked the bike, watching amorously as his girlfriend ran to the spot where the Pogues alway stowed their boards- a spot between the trees- pulling both of theirs out to meet him further down the shore.

No one was out that morning, so it was just her and her boyfriend and the waves. It brought back memories of the first time she'd been surfing, when JJ was the one to teach her. She'd been terrified of the ocean at that point- of sharks especially. He helped her realize that the ocean was fun and beautiful, until finally she was able to get on the board.

She remembered it like it was yesterday.

"Okay, now just... chill," said fourteen-year-old JJ, his eyes watching her carefully. Karolina's knees wobbled atop the surfboard. She had yet to turn fourteen, so she was still getting used to her new long legs gifted by puberty. The waves were gentle that day, however, and the water was barely up to JJ's knees where he stood next to her as she wobbled, her hand wound tightly around his. "Oh my God," she breathed, nearly tumbling off, "Oh my God, JJ-" The board slipped out from underneath her as another wave rolled past, and she fell into the water with a great splash. His hands went to her waist, steadying her on her feet in the water. "This is horrible— I'm horrible at this!" she exclaimed angrily, throwing her hands down on the water. Karolina was the type of person to quit something if she wasn't immediately good at it. "This is why John B didn't want to teach me— I suck!"

"You don't suck," he laughed, "You just gotta get used to it." Karolina huffed, crossing her arms in front of her chest. It wasn't that JB didn't want to teach her- JJ had volunteered. He felt like he owed her a lesson, considering he was always the one to make fun of her for not knowing how. "Come on, give it one more try in the deep end."

Karolina sighed. "Fine." Together, they moved deeper into the waves until her feet no longer touched the sand, and she had to tread water. JJ could still reach the ground, so he helped her onto the board carefully, the water only up to his chest. "You got it?" he asked, as she got to her knees on the surf board. "You got this."

Her legs still wobbled, her hand clutched tightly on his, and she had to let go as she stood completely. "Okay, here comes the wave," JJ said, so focused on making sure she didn't fall off that he didn't think to back away more than a foot or so to the left of the board. "You got this, princess."

Karolina's breath was stolen from her as the wave lifted the board, and her knees continued to shake- but with her arms spread out for balance, she managed to ride the wave a little towards the shore. "Yes! Shit- yes! JJ- JJ look, I'm doin' it—!"

JJ cheered, pumping a fist in the air as he ran after her, towards the shore. "Whoo! Yeah!"

Karolina was so happy, she turned over her shoulder to beam at him, which was her first mistake. She was approaching the shore steadily, and her balance was thrown off. The board slipped from under her feet and she gasped, "Whoa—"