Thalassophile // JJ Maybank

Chapter 8

The next few weeks I grew very close with JJ and John B. We hung out a lot at John B's house, surfed together. I also hung out with just JJ often too.

He had definitely grown to be my best friend. Especially after the night I opened up to him about my brother. The way he understood without judging meant a lot to me.

"Frank!" JJ yells catching my attention. I open my eyes, lookin up at him from my position on the front of the HMS Pogue.

"What?" I question. He scoops me up, carrying me bridal style. He hangs me over the edge of the boat, over the water. "What! What the fuck?" I shrill. I wrap my arms around his shoulders, gripping tight.
"No no no." I giggle.

"Everyone else is in the water." JJ replies.

"No, stop!" I scream with a big smile. "No!"

"3...2...1..." JJ drops me into the water before diving in after me. I surface, laughing. JJ swims up, grabbing me by the waist, making me jump in fear.

"Oh my god." I giggle as he surfaces.

John B laughs as he swims over to us. I splash water at him as he splashes it back.

Kie jogs over to us, her phone on her hand. "Guys! There's a hurricane that's gonna hit Outer Banks in a couple days."

"Well, that explains the dark clouds." JJ speaks up.

"And the rain." I add. "When is DCS coming for you?" I ask John B.

"Same day as the hurricane." He says with a smile.

My nose scrunches as I smile. "Hell yes, John B!" I shout excitedly. "There's no way they're coming to the island for that."

~~~

I run after John B and Pope, my board in my hands, following them onto the beach. We all run onto the sun. The wind whips through my hair, the sand hits my ankles, feeling like small bee stings. "It's a double overhead out there, guys." John B points out.

"Double overhead?" Pope questions.

Rain pelts us as we reach a mound in the sand. The ocean rolls in towering waves, creating loud crashes as they reach the bottom.

"Those aren't surfable waves, bro." Pope notices.

"Sure they are." I smile widely. I take off toward the ocean. I see John B following me behind in my peripheral.

John B paddles out to a big wave. I follow next to him, reaching the top. John B turns at the top of the wave but it throws him off his board. I dive under the top of the wave, avoiding the same thing happening to me.

I come up on the other side of the wave before paddling back over to John B. I sit up on my board, looking out into the water.

"What the hell?" John B mutters. "Do you see that?"

"There's a boat." I notice.

"That's a Grady-White. Those things are extremely pricy."

"John B, we should be getting back. JJ's waiting at the chateau." I point out.

"Yeah, yeah. Let's go."

We swim back out to shore, meeting Pope. The three of us pack up John B's brown van, strapping our boards to the top. I climb into the passenger seat next to John B who sat in the drivers seat. He pulls away from the beach and heads back to the Chateau.