𝑻𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒆 | 𝑱𝑱 𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒂𝒏𝒌

[8] Happy Tears | Pilot VIII | Tease

Carol and Mike Winslow raised me to be an honest person, to see people for who they are, and to constantly use my head. My father always told me I had a good head on my shoulders, just like my mother. I didn't want to imagine their expressions if they knew their daughter was in a high-wind boat chase with two suspicious characters.

  The colour from my face drained as I watched one of the men pull out a gun, cocking it and aiming it towards us. For  a moment, I thought I might see my parents again. Although that thought was comforting, I still wasn't ready to die. A shot rang out, making everybody duck.

"John B, get down!" JJ yelled, his voice hard over the whipping of the wind. I peeked up from where I was laying to see how close they were. I shrieked as another shot rang out. "God dammit, Winslow. Stay down!"

JJ roughly pulled me down, shielding my body with his own. Both of us cringing every time a shot fired. Involuntary whimpers escaped my mouth as we zigzagged away. JJ sat up, clenching his jaw as he held on tight to the boat. Kiara told Pope to move, crouching over him to grab an old fishing net. "Bee, help."

I stood up, beginning to untangle the net with her. Another shot fired, hitting the metal next to me. "For fuck sakes, Winslow, Kie, get down!" JJ growled.

We didn't listen though, instead moving closer to the motor. I helped her untangle the net the rest of the way, and together we tossed it over the edge, laying a trap for their boat. We watched as their boat motor made an angry sound, stopping abruptly, ending our chase.

One last shot rang out as we turned another corner, leading us away from them. Out in an unpopulated area, everyone started celebrating.

"That was insane!"

"Fuck yeah!"

"Pogue Life, man!"

I looked at the faces of my friends, my heart swelling. We could have died. Any one of us could've been hit. My body reacted to the situation on its own, tears welling in my eyes as I grabbed Kie, giving her a bone crushing hug. "Oh– Oh, Beck, are you okay?"

I let go and moved onto Pope, holding him close as a couple tears fell. Wiping my tears, I pulled back and replied, "Yeah.. I ... I don't know."

John B enveloped me in a quick hug, patting my back as I gripped the back of his shirt.

"You're crying? Why are you crying? We fucking beat death!" JJ exclaimed as I walked over to him. I looked him in the eyes, my own bloodshot ones boring into his confused ones. I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him down close to my level, taking in his scent. His arms were limp at his side, unsure of what to do. He smelled of ocean water, old spice and weed, an odd mixture, but it was JJ.

I held him close, his shaggy blonde hair tickling my face as I whispered, "Idiot. These are happy tears."

Little did I know, my tears were wasted on this moment, because there would be many more moments like this.

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As soon as we docked the boat at John B's place, we hopped out of it, all hurrying to where John B was kneeled on the ground, starting to open the bag we risked our life for.

"What do you think it is?" Kie asked as John B fumbled with the zipper. I looked at her, admiring her long, curly, wind-whipped hair.

"Gotta be money, right?" John B proposed, jiggling the bag in frustration.

"That or a couple of keys with street value to low to mid mils," JJ blurted, a lopsided boyish grin on his face. Excitement radiated from his body as he leaned over, desperate to see what was inside.