The Pogue Life || JJ Maybank

Highs and lows

"Well, what did you two expect? You swam right into a man 'o' war school?"

"You could have warned us," I point out, collapsing on the deck of the boat and finally examining my leg.

It looks a lot like Sarah's, like claw marks with a huge swollen red background. It feels like I've been struck with a metal whip and then slapped as hard as physically possible on top of a sunburn. It might be one of the worst things I've experienced. Sarah and I are both sitting on the deck of the boat, sounding incredibly sorry for ourselves. To be fair though, I'd probably still take on the jellyfish had it successfully got me away from Kiara.

"Does it hurt?" Kiara asks sarcastically.

I glare at her, "I thought you said you were gonna drown yourself. Now would be a great time. I can push you overboard if you're nervous."

"Oh shove it," she responds, "I have a better idea that might make us all feel better."

"I don't know, throwing you overboard would make me feel pretty fucking good," I say as she goes into the cabin of the boat.

"Ditto," Sarah mumbles.

I share a look with Sarah, and she looks as bad as I feel. I can't tell if she's broken a sweat or if it's just the water still drying. Either way, I don't feel very good. The pair of us drag our sorry asses off the ground and migrate into the shade, where Kiara joins us with the blunt I caught JJ rolling earlier.

"For the pain," Kiara says, opening the container and pulling it and the lighter out.

"JJ, bless," Sarah pants.

"Don't praise that little shit. Next time I see him I'm gonna cut his nuts off for this. Children be damned," I growl, snatching the blunt and the lighter.

I take a few hits before passing it over to Sarah, blatantly ignoring Kiara outstretched and expectant hand. I try to warn her that it's strong stuff thanks to it coming from JJ's cousin, but she still sucks down too much and nearly hacks up a lung. I stifle a laugh but glare at Kiara when she lets one slip before snatching the blunt and taking a hit of her own.

We sit in silence as the sun sets, desperately waiting for the weed to kick in and take the edge off. Eventually, when the sky is pitch black and Sarah is having some hilarious ideas about nipples and eyes and eyes and nipples, Kiara finally asks the question. She launches into an accusation, painting Sarah as evil (as per usual), crying about how she doesn't understand why Sarah ghosted her.

"You liked me," Sarah finally admits, "when people get close to me, I fell trapped, and... I bail. And then I blame them for it."

Well, she failed to mention that earlier. Kiara was still unnecessarily bitchy though, so I don't plan on taking back the stuff I said.

"I'm really sorry," Sarah continues, "and I miss you."

We sit in silence for a while, no one really sure how to continue from here. I can't help but be disappointed that my high is now a low thanks to this depressing ass conversation.

"Do you think there's a chance we could be okay again?"

"Honestly, I don't know," Kiara answers.

"Oh for christ sakes," I finally say, "you're sorry, she's sorry, everybody is freaking sorry. How about we all grow up and pull our exceptionally pretty heads out of our asses and focus our bitchiness on the boys instead of each other? Because I still wanna cut JJ's balls off, I don't care how good this weed was."

Kiara laughs a little, "it's complicated."

"What would take more time and energy; holding a grudge over a stupid party or getting over it and if not being friends, at least being nice?" I ask.