Ocean Eyes

Chapter 25

Sarah said" When I went back to Tannyhill, Rafe was on the phone with Ward, and he just kept saying, my thing, this is my thing. He had to be talking about the cross."
Pope said" Absolutely."
" And he's coming into Wilmington tonight at eight o'clock. It's being shipped by train to Raleigh from there, but this is our chance to get it back."
" You get any other information?"
Kie said" Uh, Sarah got the cargo number."
" Okay, well, that's a start."
" Yeah."
JJ said" They're definitely fencing that shit off as we speak. So we should probably get a move on."
Pope said" Sarah, you hear from John B?"
Sarah said" No, I mean, he's probably off somewhere with his dad. But the problem is they have the twinkie."
" Our transportation. I could ask Heyward for the truck."
JJ said" Uh, what? Yeah, that's gonna go well."
I said" You want to be dead like me?"
" I know, but we have no other options."
" I-I can... I can ask my parents to borrow their truck..."
JJ said" Mermaid, it took you three years to convince them to get you an ATV..." I dropped my head,
" Yeah, I know, but... but this is just borrowing, and we'll be-be back by morning."
" Yeah, that's gonna go well."
" Not helping..."
" Sorry."

Mom said" Baby, I'm listening. I'm just having a hard time. So I need you to walk me through it one more time." I sighed,
I said" The cross of santo domingo that we found."
" Right."
" We thought it was gone forever. We just find out it's... it's gonna be in Wilmington tonight."
" Okay. And the cross is Pope's family-"
" Pope's family heirloom."
" Okay."
" Priceless historical artifact. Priceless."
" Which you're telling me that you found?"
" We found it, and then Rafe and Ward stole it from us." Nick was watching me from the kitchen counter, I was without backup... Kie needed it more honestly... and by backup, I mean JJ.
Dad said" Wait, wait, do you know how insane you sound? Ward is dead."
" He's not dead. We've been over this part a million times!"
Mom said" You understand that this is a little hard to follow, right? I mean, we had a funeral for the man."
" I get how it sounds, but he's alive. I wish he wasn't, but he is. Why would I lie? He's alive. Nick, can you help me out here?"
Nick said" Oh, no, no, no, I'm not getting into this one."
Dad said" This is all because of your friends, right?"
I said" No, no-"
" I always suspected they were bad news, I mean, Pope or Kiara, not so much, but that John B and JJ, especially... that boy's a liar and a thief."
" Don't talk about him." I shook my head, my breathing picked up,
" All the trouble you've ever been in, one of those boys ain't far behind."
" That's not-"
" He's just like his father."
I screamed" He's nothing like his dad! And if you guys knew anything about me, you'd know they're usually following my lead!"
Mom said" Honey, calm down, you'll cause yourself a panic attack."
" And-And funnily enough, the boys you say are bad news, JJ and John B, yeah, they're the only ones that have ever been able to pull me back from a panic episode! Everything I do, I do for myself, I jumped on that boat with John B, not because he wanted me to, because I wanted to! I went with my best friends onto a cargo ship and almost died multiple times because I wanted to go with them!"
Dad said" You're being ridiculous!"
" I'm going to meet my friends, I'll be back when I get back! I'll be safe!" I walked out, my entire body basically vibrating.

I walked to my ATV, Nick grabbed my shoulder and turned me around,
He said" Here, this is all the cash I got on me. Take it." He gave me a money clip," They're pissed, man, hell's gonna rain on you when you come home."
I said" I-I-I..." I gulped," I'm aware."
" Should you be driving?"
" I-I... I'll be fine." JJ and Kie drove past us, slowing down," I gotta go." Nick hugged me and kissed the side of my head,
" Be safe, alright?" I nodded, and got onto my ATV, speeding up to catch up with JJ and Kie, my brain faltered and pressed on the gas more, JJ sped up,
He said" Hey! Kai!" My mind went blank-

I groaned as I slammed into something, I blinked and saw I hit a stump,
Kie said" Holy shit! Kai!" I breathed heavily, and took my hands off the steering,
JJ said" Kai! Kai?!" I heard the bike skid to a stop and both running to me," Hey, hey, hey!" Then he was next to me," Kai!" I jumped, and turned to him," Geez, you're a freakin' maraca, dude." He held my sides and pulled me off the seat, Kie turned it off," Kai, dude, you here?" He put me against it,
I mumbled" Wh-What'd I... What happened?"
Kie said" You ran off the road, Kai. Hit a stump, I thought you were gonna flip off." I gulped,
" Sorry." JJ stood up and checked my ride,
He said" Still good, Kie, can you..."
Kie said" Yeah, I'm not letting him on that thing." He pulled it off the stump and inspected it,
" Yeah, it's still good. Scratched to hell, though."
" Is he okay?"
" He's not bleeding. Not crying." I stood up, I wobbled," Bad feels, dude?" I nodded quickly, he sighed," Come on, let's go." He led me to his bike and got on, I got on behind him, holding onto his waist. Kie cranked her up, and it actually worked, she drove it around and looked at us." Let's go." Then my hand was grabbed," Don't even think about doing anything impulsive." I just laid my head on his back, not able to process what I just did.