On Top//Topper Thornton

ten

JJ and I stand with Pope on the dock. John B and Kie are in the water with the drone. On the screen I see John B rubbing his finger along his teeth.

JJ points at a button. "What's this right here?"

Pope smacks his hand away. "Don't touch that. I'm trying to work out this thing."

I grab Pope's face and squeeze it lightly. "God bless geeks, Pope. What would we do without you to control the drones?" I tease.

Pope smacks my hand away from his face. "Technically it's not a drone. It's an ROV."

"Shut up. Shut up. It's too early for that right now," JJ remarks.

"Hey look, once we get footage of the wreck, we'll bring it to a lawyer in town and file a formal claim," John B tells us.

"See it's bullshit why we have to do that," JJ says,

"Well, there is maritime salvage law. You can't just go to the ocean floor and scoop a bunch of stuff up," Pope reasons.

"I know. I know. It's just lawyers aren't cheap, bro," JJ offers.

"As soon as they see the footage, they'll work for a comp," John B assures.

"How do you know all of that?" Kie asks.

"'Cause my dad said it, like, a million times," John B says.

"Yeah, that's fair," Kiara reasons.

"This tether is, like, really long. In the wrong weather, it could get pushed around," Pope warns.

"Then we'll go at dead calm," John B says.

Thunder rumbles overhead.

"At slack tide?" I ask.

"So now, we just gotta wait around for the right weather. And today is not that day," Pope states.

A storm is rolling in. The clouds are dark and I can already hear the thunder.

Kie I head inside while John B does who knows what out back. I lay on the couch as Kie sits in a chair.

"Do you really think we're gonna find this treasure?" I ask.

Kie thinks for a moment. "Stranger things have happened." Kie smiles. "Like you dating a Kook."

I smile sheepishly. "I still haven't talked to him about last night."

"It's only been a day," Kie reminds me.

I nod my head. "I know. I know. But I feel bad."

"You feel bad?" Kie asks.

"I didn't really explain what my issue was. I just kind of panicked and fumbled over my words," I explain.

"You weren't ready, Ash. If Topper really cares about you he'll get over it," Kie assures me. I bite my lip. "Do you still want to be with him?"

I nod my head. "Yeah. I do. That's the thing. I didn't push him away because I didn't want him. I guess. I don't know... Maybe I wanted him too much."

Kie laughs. "You, Ashlynn Cameron, are the only person I know who would push a boy away because you want him too much."

I laugh. "I'm glad my very real boy struggles are making you laugh."

After JJ and Pope get back we head out to the beach. We spend a few hours surfing. Trying to upstage one another. It's times like this that our real world troubles seem to disappear. When I'm in the water with my friends my dad doesn't exist, Kooks and Pogues live in harmony, and no one is trying to kill us.