CHAPTER EIGHT
( ! fantasy or reality ! )

MARLEY FOUND HERSELF sitting at the kitchen island in her house when she heard the door open. The girl set down the cereal she had been pouring into her bowl to see Sarah Cameron walking in, lightly smiling. Marley got up, slowly walking over to her cousin. The last time she'd seen the girl, her boyfriend was trying to drown John B it wasn't exactly the best thing to come back from. "Hey," Marley spoke.

Sarah's smile turned awkward, and she nodded toward her cousin. "Hey, Marley Jeen. I'm just here to grab Wheezie. Uh, your dad said I could walk in." Marley nodded, turning her head toward the staircase. Berkley! Sarah's here to pick up Wheezie!" She heard an "Okay!" as she looked back at Sarah.

"She'll come down in a bit," Marley spoke, moving to sit back at the island again. Sarah awkwardly nodded, moving between the heels and balls of her feet. "So, uh... How have you been?" Sarah wondered, looking to open the door to some kind of conversation. "Since the last time we crossed paths, or..." Marley replied, making her stance on the situation clear.

Sarah frowned, crossing her arms over her chest. "You know, John B started that fight. Topper was defending himself." Marley shook her head lightly, not saying a word. "I mean-- Yeah, he took it too far, but... He was trying to defend me." Sarah continued. 

"Whatever you say, Sarah," Marley replied, only wanting Berkley and Wheezie to hurry up more and more. Sarah took in a breath, sighing after a moment. "Look, Marley Jeen--" 

"Just call me Marley. No one calls me Marley Jeen anymore besides my dad, so..." Marley cut off, facing the other girl. "Look, I don't want any bad blood between us. I mean, we're family. We should have each other's backs." Sarah spoke. "Right..." Marley nodded, not knowing what game her cousin was playing. She made it pretty known back in Freshman year that their being family didn't change anything. Sarah said it herself: she wanted Marley to leave her alone, so that was exactly what she was doing.

"Just... let me know if you ever want to talk. I'm around." Sarah finished, and Wheezie and Berkley quickly ran down the stairs a moment later. "Are you ready?" Sarah smiled at her sister as Berkley moved beside Marley, taking her bowl and the cereal box before pouring it into the bowl. 

"Yup." Wheezie nodded. "Good, 'cause Dad wanted us home five minutes ago. Bye, guys." Sarah spoke, waving toward her cousins before leaving with her sister. Berkley waved back before turning around and digging into the cereal. "I'm glad the breakfast I didn't have the chance to make yet is good." Marley laughed, shaking her head lightly. "First come, first served." Berkley shrugged. 

"Sure." Marley smiled, messing her sister's hair up before leaving the kitchen and heading into her room to change. She quickly put on a bikini, a shirt that was way too big for her (since she stole it from JJ), some jean shorts, and flip-flops. Marley then returned to the front door and looked at her sister. " If Dad asks, tell him I've left and won't be back till late." Berkley just nodded to the older girl as she headed out of the house and walked toward Kie's parents' restaurant.

Marley took around 25 minutes to get to the restaurant from her dad's house, but she enjoyed the quiet. Once inside, she smiled when she saw Kie making food. Marley quickly sat down and tried her best British accent: " Excuse me, madam, but I read that you serve alligator at this establishment. Is that correct?"

Kie turned around, confused, and saw it was Marley. She laughed and answered in her own accent, "Well, you see, ma'am, if I told you, I'd have to kill you." Marley just pouted, rolling her eyes slightly. "No fair, your British accent is way better than mine."

Both girls laughed at that before Kie's dad came toward them. "Kie, get back to work, and Marley, if you'll be here, please help." Kie sighed, "Dad, our friends are picking us up in a few minutes." Her dad looked at her as Marley stood up and put gloves on to help. "What are we cooking?" Marley wondered, watching as Kie turned to her, "Alligator." Marley's eyes went wide as she looked at her friend, shocked, "I was just kidding when I asked earlier—"

Kie laughed at the girl, "I'm joking. It's just your average seafood." Marley nodded in return, and the girls began to cook.

After a bit, JJ came running into the restaurant and looked around until his eyes landed on the two girls. He snuck up behind them, placing a hand on each of their shoulders. The two girls quickly turned around, ready to fight someone off with their ladles, before they saw it was just JJ.

Marley looked at the boy with a frown, "You scared the shit out of me." He laughed before replying, "That's the point of sneaking up on you." Marley and Kie set their ladles down, and Kie yelled to her dad, "We're leaving!" She began to walk out, Marley following behind and JJ trailing after her.

They got outside to the dock to find John B and Pope smiling at them. John B laughed, "We were worried you weren't coming." Marley laughed, "When have you known us to pass up a chance to adventure?" Pope helped both girls safely get on the boat, and JJ jumped on, making the whole thing rock a bit. "Jesus, JJ." Marley gasped, sending the boy a look.

John B started driving them as the girls took off their clothes to reveal their bikinis, and the boys took off their shirts. Marley set her shirt down, and JJ picked it up. "I've been looking for this shirt for weeks!" she just laughed at the boy before grabbing it. You let me have it like a year ago, J. At this point, it belongs to me." He looked at her confused, obviously not remembering that information, making the girl laugh more.

They continued down the water when JJ whistled, "You guys see that? That's the Malibu 24-MXZ, the world's finest wakesetter. It's number one in luxury, quality, and performance. 200k, easy." Marley smirked lightly, eyes moving toward the boy. "I think we've finally found something JJ truly loves."

"You try to hurt me with your words, Mar, but it won't work." JJ joked back, smiling. Pope sighed, still looking at the boat. "We picked the wrong parents." Kie rolled her eyes, frowning. "I hate to break it to you guys, but that's Topper and his girlfriend." The boat got closer, and it was, in fact, Topper and Sarah. "Great." Marley frowned.

As the two rode past the Pogues, Sarah lifted her sunglasses and looked the group up and down before they steered off. "You don't have to act like you don't see us, bitch." Kie spoke loudly, her head following the two. Marley just shook her head, wanting to be a family her ass.

The group continued the boat ride until they reached John B's house, and everyone put their clothes back on before they headed toward the Twinkie. The ride to a cafe with actual internet was quick; the group made it there easily.

When they pulled up to the cafe, Pope sighed, "Remind me why we can't just go to your dad's house, Marley? " The girls sighed, "Sorry, Pope. My dad thinks a backup generator is a waste of money and, therefore, would rather spend it on getting the step-monster a new anything."

The boy nodded, and John B sighed, "All right, keep a lookout." JJ nodded in agreement, continuing what John B said: " We're behind enemy lines." JJ grabbed the gun, and John B groaned, "Yo, come on, man. Just put it back."

Marley sighed, leaning up between the two, and looked at JJ. " JJ, put it away." He looked back at the girl and countered, "We can never be too careful." Marley rolled her eyes, hopping out of the van, and Pope went up next to JJ. "Hey, I predict that bringing a weapon into a four-star hotel will likely cause more problems than they solve."

"Thank you, Pope." John B nodded as Kie went in between JJ and John B. "I swear to God, I'm gonna throw that thing in the ocean, JJ. Put it back." Kie quickly exited the van as John B. grabbed the gun and put it away. "There you go," Pope cheered as JJ sighed, shaking his head. "You can't grab a gun like that. You can't forget my badge."

JJ then opened the door, and Pope shut it behind him. JJ quickly added, "Professional busboy."

The group began to walk towards the hotel as Pope questioned, "So, where are we going?" JJ quickly responded, "We're getting on the internet because only rich people have electricity right now." He continued forward, ushering the group behind him, "This way!"

JJ brought them through the hotel kitchen when he yelled out, "Andrew! " He looked around until he saw Andrew and nodded at the guy, "What's up, bro?" The group followed him as JJ went to grab shrimp off a plate. " Mama L, good to see you!" A woman, Mama L, swatted the boy away. "Hey, no! JJ! " She quickly slapped JJ's hand with a spoon as John B's eyes lit up at the food.

They walked out of the kitchen. "See, they got the backup generators going? Kooks don't miss a beat." JJ spoke bitterly. JJ quickly snuck them into the room with a bunch of computers as Pope's eyes lit up, the boy running to the computers. "Sweet lord, the internet! I've missed you."

"Let me get in there. I have to check out my Instagram models," JJ said, and Kie sighed. "We don't have time for that." JJ smirked, shrugging, "Okay, I guess I'll just have to stare as Miss Marley Jean instead."

Marley rolled her eyes at the boy with a laugh, pushing his face away from her. She turned her attention back to Pope, watching the boy work silently. "Hey, hey, hey. I got the map!" John B whispered, looking at Pope as he placed the map beside him. John B just turned to Pope slightly, Pope looking up, "Coordinates, please?"

"34° 57' 30" North. 75° 55' 42" West," John B replied as Pope typed what he said into the computer. "Boom, continental shelf right there, " John B nodded. Pope sighed, "Okay, well, if it's off the deep end, it's not gonna be much of a treasure hunt, is it?"

Pope started to bring the screen closer to the points as JJ sighed, "Come on, baby." Pope continued to zoom in as John B frowned. "Shit, it's on the high side. It's only nine hundred feet." Pope looked at John B like he was insane, and JJ quickly added, "That's not too deep." Kie looked at the boy, "Is that doable or something?"

"Yeah, totally doable." JJ nodded. "Yeah, sure, sure." Marley nodded, not entertaining the boy one bit. Pope was quick to sass back, looking at JJ, " Okay, will we be taking your personal submarine?" John B sighed, looking at JJ as well, " Yeah, how do you know this, Mr. Divemaster?"

"The salvage yard. They have a drone that can drop one thousand. It has a 360 camera and everything. It's for deep dives and other stuff. It's exactly what we need." JJ explained. John B just shook his head. "And can your dad get his grimy little hands on that?"

"Well, my dads' grimy little hands got his ass fired. I guess the salvage captain frowns on showing up shitfaced, it turns out. but the drone's there. It's in the impound yard out back." JJ explained. "How much did you say was on the Royal Merchant again?" Kie wondered. John B looked her way. "Uh, four hundred million."

"Four hundred million?" Kie repeated, double-checking. John B nodded, "Yup." Marley raised her brows, "For that much money, I'll do anything." JJ looked at the girl and smirked. "Anything?" She rolled her eyes, lightly pushing him away from her. "Ew, that's gross, JJ."

JJ lifted his arms up in surrender with a laugh, "I didn't say anything, Mar. What were you thinking?" Marley only rolled her eyes at the boy before turning around to look at what Pope was doing. Kie went toward him as he shook his head, "No. Absolutely not. No! " Kie pushed the boy's arm down, "Pope! Move." 

Pope just tried to block them from leaving; not a fan of JJ's idea. "Guys, that's too--"

JJ and Marley followed Kie out as Pope sighed, "Can't we do anything legal for money?" Marley began walking backward, watching Pope and John B follow them with a smirk, "Where's the fun in that?"

Marley quickly turned around when she bumped into a plant, making JJ laugh before grabbing the girl's arm and pulling her with him. "We don't speak of that again." Marley decided, embarrassed as JJ laughed. "Speak of what again?" Marley smiled. "Great, that's exactly—yes."

THE TEENS WERE sitting in the van on their way to the junkyard. Pope had been freaking out about stealing the drone, very opposed to the idea. John B sighed, "Pope, we're not stealing the drone. We're borrowing it." Marley nodded, smiling lightly. "Exactly." Pope just shook his head. "Humans are the only animals that can't tell fantasy from reality." Marley sent the boy a look, turning her attention away from him as she watched JJ roll a blunt.

"Wait, did you come up with that?" John B wondered. Pope just shook his head no. "Albert Bernstein came up with it, but it applies to this whole treasure-hunting thing," Pope explained. "Oh." John B replied.

"So, which is it? Fantasy or reality?" Pope wondered. JJ sighed, "Why are you so weird, Pope?" Kie ignored JJ, looking at Pope. "It's fantasy, but possible reality." John B turned to the boy as well. "Reality." Marley watched Kie and John B smile at each other, JJ unhelpfully adding, "Virtual reality."

"Mar?" Kie wondered, smiling at the girl. "A future reality." Marley decided. 

JJ then lit the blunt before the Pope took it out of his mouth: "Keep the signal clear." Pope then tossed the blunt, leaving it to go to waste. Marley frowned, groaning. "Lame, I was excited about that."

"All the more reason to get rid of it. We need both of you to be sober for this," Pope shot back, and Marley crossed her arms over her chest as a form of pouting. JJ just shut his lighter as he glared at Pope.

The group came up to the junkyard. John B parked quickly while Marley and Kie began to get out of the van. Kie shut the front door, and Marley kept the sliding door open to watch what was happening between Pope and JJ. "You know what your problem is?" JJ wondered, looking at the other boy. "You?" Pope questioned in response. JJ frowned, "No! It's that you need to relax, man. You're always so tense!"

Marley shut the door after Kie glanced her way, and the girls moved to the other side of the van. "I'm not too tense!" Pope replied instantly. 

John B stuck his head out the window and looked toward the girls, ignoring the other two guys for the girl's part of the plan. "Hey, don't worry. You girls got this." Kie looked at JJ and Pope before looking back at John B, "It's not us that I'm worried about." Marley nodded, laughing slightly. "Have fun with them." The girls began to walk off as Marley sighed, looking at Kie, "What we're about to do is setting women back."

Kie just laughed, shaking her head slightly as the two walked into Kies' car and brought it closer to the junkyard. Kie then took some air out of one of her tires, hoping the two could distract the guard with the flat long enough for the boys to get in and out.

"Hello?" Kie asked the man in the booth as she waved her hand. Marley joined in the waving. "Excuse us?" The man came out of the booth and looked at the two teens behind the fence. "Can I help you girls?"

Both girls smiled brightly as Kie nodded, "Hi! Um, we actually have a flat tire. I was wondering if maybe you could help us out?" They smiled again at the man before he looked them up and down, quickly replying, "Yeah."

"Yeah." Kie smiled. "Thanks," Marley added sweetly. He quickly opened the gate, Kie turning to Marley with a roll of her eyes, "It's too easy." Marley nodded as the man returned to the gate with something in his hand, opening the gate.

The girls began to walk towards Kies' car as the man followed. Marley quickly spoke, "We really appreciate you willing to help us." He smiled her way, nodding. "It's just this back one right here. I mean, it must have been a slow leak or something." Kie explained.

"Probably just been sitting in the yard too long?" the man asked, and Kie smiled, "Yeah."

"Yeah, I got this," the man smiled. The girls smiled back, each exchanging a thank you as they watched the boys run past them on the other side of the now-closed gate. Kie and Marley were looking around when the man suddenly looked up at them. Kie smiled, "Got it?" He nodded before he went back to work.

A dog barking then hit all their ears as the man looked up at the girls. " Do you hear that?" Kie looked at him, confused. "Hear what?" Marley shrugged. "I don't hear anything." He stood up as the barking continued, "Oh, Tebow got somethin'." Kie instantly tried to brush it off, "It's probably just a raccoon, maybe. You know? Nothin' to worry about."

"Yeah," the man replied, returning to work as Kie smiled." Marley turned to Kie before whispering, "Buy us some time." The girl nodded, heading towards the other side of her car. Marley smiled at the man before they heard a hissing noise; he looked at the girl, confused, before noticing it was only her. "Where'd your friend go?"

The man began to get up, and Marley's eyes widened, "She just went to check the other tires, no big deal—Oh, you're still walking, okay." They moved to the other side, and Kie quickly moved her hairpin away from the tire as the man asked, "What are you doing?"

"This one looks a little low, too," Kie frowned, and the barking started again. The man quickly ran away towards the barking, and the girls tried to stop him. "Wait! Wait!" Kie yelled out. "Shit!" Marley cursed, running the opposite way back into Kie's car. Marley asked Kie, "How much air did you let out of your other tire?" Kie just shrugged at the girl as she drove them back to where the Twinkie was parked to wait for the boys.

The girls got back to the van only to see Pope by himself. Marley hopped out of Kie's car and looked at the boy, "Pope? Where are John B and JJ?" Pope only shrugged as Marley gave Kie a worried look.

The three began pacing outside the van when they heard a voice: "Guys! I got the drone!" Marley turned her head and smiled when she saw John B with the equipment, only to frown when she didn't see JJ. "John B, where's JJ?" He looked at the girl, confused. "I thought he'd already be here." Marley ran her hand through her hair as she began pacing again.

After a bit, JJ finally came back to the group, and Marley immediately wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. "Hey, I'm okay, Mar," the boy smiled as he wrapped his arms around the girl. "I thought you got caught, dumbass." Marley frowned, only holding on tighter. "Nah, I'm way too slick to get caught," JJ replied with a smile. Marley laughed, Kie, John B, and Pope joining the two in the hug.

"Okay, I love the friendship, but let's go boys and girls," JJ said as he released himself from Marley and everyone else. Marley quickly looked at the boy's face in confusion, frowning. "Why were you crying? Your face is all red and puffy."

"I just had to trick Bobby," JJ explained. "You sure?" Marley checked, watching him closely. "Scouts honor," JJ promised. He wrapped his arm around the girl and guided her into the van. Everyone else quickly got in as well before John B took off.

Marley looked toward JJ after a moment, lightly nudging him with her foot. "Don't ever scare me like that again, okay?" He just nodded, smiling lightly. "Yes, Ma'am."

IT WAS LATE by the time the group made it to Kie's parents' restaurant, and they were all starving. They only hoped her dad had leftovers. "Stealing drones makes you hungry," Kie noted. Marley nodded in agreement instantly. "What I would do to a beer and shrimp and grits right now," JJ added.

"It would not be pretty," Pope agreed, shutting the door behind Marley. She linked her arm through Kies, and the group headed into the restaurant. "Hey, Dad," Kie smiled towards her father, or Mr. C, as the others called him, as he replied, "Hey."

Marley unattached herself from Kie as she waved at the man. "How'd we do?" Kie wondered, her dad sighing, "Didn't turn over once." Kie frowned, hugging her dad. "It's probably just bad luck because of the storm." Marley smiled lightly. While she hated to admit it, she wished she had the type of relationship Kie and her father had with her own father.

She'd had it once, but that was a long time ago.

JJ almost seemed to be able to sense the girl's mood change, wrapping his arm around her before leading her toward where John B. and Pope were waiting. Marley smiled lightly, leaning into him gratefully.

"Yeah, I'll be sure to tell the banks that, " Mr. C replied; Kie then looked at him with a small smile. "I guess now is not the best time to ask for free food for me and my friends?" Mr. C sighed, turning towards the four, who were staring at a customer's food longingly. "Look at them. They're greedy pelicans. I thought I told you to stop hanging around them."

"Well, everybody at the Kook Academy hates me, Dad," Kie replied. Her dad frowned, "Because you didn't give them a chance. And besides, one person from the academy likes you, and she's over there with the rest of the pelicans." Kie sighed, "I did give them a chance. They got stuck up. They care more about shoes than surfing. And you're right, one is with my friends, so the only person who doesn't hate me from Kook Academy is part of the group you don't like. What am I supposed to do with that?"

Mr. C sighed as Kie turned towards her friends. "These are my friends." John B and Pope looked up and awkwardly waved at the father-daughter duo before Marley joined in. She looked over to see JJ still eyeing the food and quickly hit him, making him look up and give a peace sign toward the two.

Mr. C chuckled, and Kie smiled at her friends, "Look—well, I—I got—I gotta throw it out. Might as well take it." Kie was quick to bring her dad into a hug, "Thank you!" Mr. C smiled back. "You're welcome."

Kie turned back to her friends, who were all staring at her, and said, "Sit down." The boys each did individual celebrations as Marley clapped her hands together, pleased. They all took their seats, and JJ and Marley had to go around another table to get to theirs as they waited. When the food came out, they quickly dug in and enjoyed every bite.

The rest of the customers left, and the kids had the place to themselves. John B threw a fry towards JJ, who tried to catch it in his mouth but failed, making Marley laugh as she continued to eat. Kie grabbed some water from the back before going towards JJ, pushing his feet off the table, and filling his cup.

She then pointed toward Marley, indicating that the girl should move toward her. Marley put her hand to her chest with a questioning look as Kie nodded, jokingly asking if the other girl was serious. Marley got up and went over to the girl as they began to dance, the three boys watching, amused.

After a bit, JJ and John B both got up, each grabbing one of the girls' hands before dancing with them. John B twirled Kie around as JJ rested his hands on Marley's waist. She swayed a bit as she rested her hands on his shoulders.

Marley bit her lip, smiling, when JJ began spinning the girl around by twisting her hips so she had to spin. Once she was super dizzy, Marley had to grab onto JJ's shoulders to stop herself from falling. This made JJ laugh at the girl before he grabbed her hands in his own and brought her in and out as they laughed.

Marley soon noticed Pope just sitting there, staring longingly at Kie and John B. She frowned. "Hey, Pope? Wanna join?" She twirled JJ around to show Pope what he could be a part of, but he shook his head no at the girl as he ate his food.

She nodded her head before turning back to JJ. He leaned towards the girl before his lips touched her ear. "Hey, don't worry you much about him. He's just jealous because he has a boner for Kie." Marley laughed a bit before the song changed to a slower-paced one. Kie and John B stopped dancing and decided to go outside, Pope quickly following. JJ turned to Marley and held his hand out while bowing, "May I have this dance?"

The girl smiled before curtsying and putting her hand in his, "Why, of course."

The two began to slow dance, Marley putting her head on JJ's chest and swaying to the music. She felt like she could stay in that position for hours without needing to move. All she needed was the boy by her side, and she was set.

Once the song ended, the two just looked at each other, smiling before Marley saw JJ's glance move toward her lips before coming back up as if his eyes never left hers. Marley continued to look at the boy when she noticed he was slowly coming towards her. She began moving closer to him as well, and right before their lips touched, a voice broke them apart.

"Marley?" 

Marley quickly pulled away from JJ, cheeks as rosy as they'd ever get. She looked at Kie, who was looking between the two with wide eyes. "Uh, sorry, I was just gonna ask if you still want a ride home, but I can wait," Kie rambled. She could tell what was about to happen. Marley only smiled, pulling away from the boy, before nodding, "Uh, yeah, I'll take the ride."

Kie nodded her head, "I'll be outside." Marley nodded to the girl as she looked at JJ, who looked just as embarrassed. He rubbed the back of his neck as he stuttered out, "Um, uh, well-- I--"

Marley lightly smiled, trying to ease the tension, "I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yeah! Yeah—uh, tomorrow." JJ replied, nodding. She nodded at the boy's response before quickly kissing his cheek and heading towards the door and then Kie's car. Once Marley entered the car, she turned to look at her best friend, who looked back at her, "So, uh, you and JJ almost...?"

"Let's just not talk about it." Marley decided, figuring it was just the boy getting caught up in the moment. She didn't want to get her hopes up.

"Right. Yeah, yup. Okay," Kie nodded, driving Marley to her dad's house.

AUTHORS NOTE!
haha my first authors note! i wanted to add some cute jj and marley stuff so i tried to do that through out the chapter and wanted to set up the almost kiss 🤭

hope you enjoyed this chapter! please leave a comment about anything!