ELEVEN RUNNER

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James had left Norman's house that night with the truth. He didn't know everything, but he knew enough. It felt strangely weird to tell someone. James had hugged him for the first time in probably years and things felt different. Norman had expected something crazy, maybe another punch in the face, but instead the boy had only shrugged.

"I think Lila's gay, too, so," James had said.

Now, James was gone. The morning had come quickly, but it wasn't like Norman had slept a wink. Did he come out? Did it count as coming out if he didn't even know what he was coming out as? This was too complicated for his exhausted brain. He groaned as he rubbed his eyes, rolling over in bed to grab his phone off of the nightstand, checking the time. To his surprise, it was past noon and he had a few missed texts from John B. He still couldn't stand the contact name Alisha had given him, but he didn't feel like changing it. The one text that set off the most panic in his heart was the latest one that read, "lol John's driving but we're on our way so wake the fuck up!! - kie :)"

It was sent five minutes ago, so he cursed to himself before rolling out of bed. He caught a glimpse of himself in the bathroom mirror as he walked past the open door. Norman looked like an absolute mess, but that could be dealt with later. What he needed right now was to not be shirtless and bleary-eyed when he heard John B pull up out front. God, he really needed to start setting some alarms so he was more mentally prepared for this.

As he got dressed and jogged down the stairs, his mother was leaning against their kitchen island, checking her phone. Once she saw him, she straightened up and glowered at him which was unexpected.

"Where have you been these last few days?" she asked, tucking her phone into her back pocket and crossing her arms, "You've been leaving the moment you wake up and coming back way late, your friends keep coming in looking for you, so I know you're not with them. Alisha lied to save you once, but you know that girl cannot lie to save her life. Who are these new people you're hanging out with? You're not getting into drugs, are you, sweetheart?"

He laughed, shaking his head, "No, no drugs. I've been hanging out with Mr. Carrera's daughter, Kiara. The one you met at the thing last year, the benefit, or whatever."

"Oh!" he hated how much his mother's face lit up at that, "So like, hanging out or hanging out?"

"Mom!" he exclaimed, shaking his head, "We're friends, speaking of, I'm pretty sure she's here. Bye!"

The woman shook her head with a laugh as she bid him goodbye and he ran through the front door just as John B was pulling up in the van. He took his place in the back and sighed with relief.

"Good morning," he greeted everyone with a smile.

"It's noon!" John B countered with a confused expression as he drove off towards the docks.

Norman simply shrugged, "Yeah, and? I said what I said. Anyway, what poor people shenanigans are you guys dragging me into today?"

"Dude!" Pope yelled, causing the boy to snicker to himself, "I want to like you, but it gets harder every time you say that shit."

"I was kidding!" Norman gasped, trying to hold back the laugh bubbling past his lips, "No one even answered my question!"

"We're taking the drone to get pictures of the wreck to see if the gold is on board, but today we're just testing it," JJ explained as he lit up a blunt. "A drone, how's that for poor people shenanigans?"

"JJ, we stole the drone," Kie reminded from the passenger seat as they made it to the docks. Pope began to work on setting it up while Norman sat with his legs hanging off the dock. While they were waiting to see if they could get the camera working, John B came up behind him. Before Norman even knew what was happening, he was being shoved in the water.

"Dude, seriously?" Norman asked from the water as he came up for air, "Fully clothed man, fully clothed!"

With a sigh, he pulled himself onto the docks, now dripping, before kicking off his shoes and practically peeling off his wet shirt. He pretended not to notice the way John B's eyes were practically glued to him, but he was certainly planning on making fun of him for it sometime when they were alone. His mind flashed back to the conversation they had last night, but he wanted to block that out for just a moment. He decided to take advantage of John B being distracted by him being shirtless, grabbing him by the wrist and yanking them into the water together. Kie laughed from the docks, jumping into the water as well while JJ and Pope observed the drone. The three of them continued to mess around as JJ dropped the camera in the water and Pope was working something out over on the computer.

John B dove underwater and tapped on the camera, before coming up for air to explain, "Hey, once we get footage of the wreck, we'll bring it to a lawyer in town and file a formal claim."

"That's bullshit, why do we have to do that?" JJ complained from the docks, leaning against the railing.

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

"I know, I know, it's just lawyers aren't cheap, bro," the blond sighed.

Norman laughed, "That's what I'm here for, dude! Isn't that why you guys keep me around?"

Once he said this, John B shook his head and splashed water at him to which Norman gasped and retaliated the same way. It reminded him very much of that morning a couple of days ago when him and John B had thrown each other off of the boat and ended up laughing and splashing each other like old friends. It was crazy to think of how much had happened in those two days alone. The past week itself had been utterly insane and incomprehensible.

"No!" John B exclaimed, "We don't need to worry about that. Once they see the footage they'll work for a comp."

"How do you know all that?" Kie asked.

The boy shrugged, "'Cause my dad said it like a million times."

"Yeah, that's fair," the girl sighed as she swam over to the ladder.

Pope frowned at the drone before saying, "The cord is really long, it could get pushed around too much."

"Then we'll go at dead calm."

As if on cue, there was the sound of thunder that could be heard loud and clear. Kie suggested, "At slack tide?"

The dark-skinned boy looked around at the sky, leaning against the railing on the dock, "So, now we just sit around and wait for the right weather. And today is not that day."

"Ugh!" Norman groaned, "What am I supposed to do then? My life is so boring."

The boys on the dock just laughed as John B and Norman slowly began to get out of the water. Pope just shrugged as he leaned down and offered a helping hand, saying, "I don't know, man, but I know JJ and I are helping my dad with delivering groceries. So, basically, you guys are on your own."

"I have to work a shift for my dad, sorry," Kie sighed, "But I'll hitch a ride with you guys."

"All right, but you guys help us pack up the drone before you head out on the boat," John B instructed and Pope nodded and the three boys started undoing the work they had just finished. While they were working, John B turned to Norman and asked, "If you want you can come back to mine and help me figure out where we have to actually take this thing."

Norman probably wasn't trusted to be alone with John B, not after the things that had been said last night. Still, he was bored as all hell and he had heard nothing from any of his other friends about anything to do. So, it was either put up with John B or sit alone on his phone on the beach all day. He was going to take his chances with his self-control.

He nodded, "Yeah, sounds good."

So, they loaded up, dropped Kiara off at The Wreck, and then it was just them. Just them seemed to be a recipe for disaster as of late, but Norman wasn't sure he minded such a thing. Maybe he and John B could be friends -- without the biting remarks and the kisses they kept ignoring. Setting up on a table by the porch, John B pulled out the map and the drone, hoping they would be able to pinpoint the location of the wreck before they actually headed out onto the water.

"Why do you guys keep inviting me out with you even if we're not doing anything? I mean, testing the drone took all of ten minutes but you still came by and picked me up," Norman asked, leaning back casually in his chair.

John B shrugged, "I mean, you're kind of in this now. You know about everything, it's only fair to include you. Also, I kinda like having you around. Reminds me how terrible rich people are."

"Fuck off!" Norman exclaimed with a gasp, smacking the boy loosely on the arm. The movement was retaliated by John B reaching up and messing up Norman's hair much worse than it already as. "Oh, my God! Do you know what you've done? You messed up my perfect hair, how are you gonna survive?"

"I take it back, feel free to walk home," John B instructed, pointing to the street.

Just as Norman was about to respond, he noticed someone approaching them. Weirdly enough, it was Sarah Cameron. What the hell was she doing over here? Norman always thought she would rather be dead than be caught around poor people.

"It's your turn," she called out as she approached, "Rocky?"

"Hey, Sarah," Norman waved awkwardly, still curious as to what she could possibly be doing here.

John B furrowed his brow in confusion as he looked up at the girl, "Uh, for what?"

"To ask me what I'm doing here."

The boy shrugged, shooting Norman a confused look before turning back to Sarah and asking, "What are you doing here?"

"I didn't get the chance to respond the other day after you spat in my face and yelled at me and you stormed off like a child," Norman held in a laugh at this, but the girl continued, "So, first of all, I'm not a liar. I don't know how Ward found out about the scuba gear, but I swear it was not me. I'm not the reason you got fired."

"Okay," John B said with a small shrug and a nonchalant expression on his face. Norman was incredibly confused as to what was happening here, but he wasn't sure he liked it. Then again, he never really cared for Sarah that much.

"That's all, good talk," Sarah smiled, "Rocky, tell Alisha I said hi. Also, you could probably afford to hang out with a... better crowd."

Norman gave her a mock salute saying, "Will do and yeah because Topper is a much better crowd."

She rolled her eyes, but a grin danced at the corner of her lips as she shook her head, reaching into her back to pull something out of her bag, throwing it at John B, "Oh. Your favorite. Good catch."

As soon as she walked away, Norman finally let out the laughter he had been holding in, "What the fuck was that? Why is Sarah Cameron coming all the way over here just to tell you she didn't get you fired? Is there... something going on between you two or something because if so, wow."

However, John B didn't seem to think it was a laughing matter as he looked over at Norman with a disdainful expression. Norman tilted his head in confusion, but it began to make sense when John B said, "You're the only other person that knew I had taken the gear. So, if she didn't tell..."

Immediately, Norman raised his hands in surrender, defending, "Woah, woah, dude, no! I didn't even see Ward that day, I went straight from your boat to James's and I didn't come back until we ran into each other on the docks. I swear to you I was out on the water all day!"

"Then how the fuck did he find out?" John B asked, his voice getting increasingly louder as both boys stood from their seats. "Why should I trust you?"

"Why should you trust her?" Norman yelled back, unable to believe the audacity the boy had in such an accusation, "That's Sarah fucking Cameron! She would smile as the Cut burned to the ground, how do you know she's not lying to save her ass? I've been here these past few days, getting along with your friends, helping you guys with this stupid fucking treasure hunt, comforting you! What has she done? Bring you some fucking chips while looking good in a bikini? You're so fucking transparent, John B."

"What are you trying to say?" the boy yelled, shoving Norman gently by the chest as he got in his face. Here was where Norman loved being taller because it was harder for John B to shove him around. He may not like violence, but he sure as hell knew how to stand his ground.

Norman sighed, "You think Sarah Cameron is hot so whatever she tells you, you're gonna believe. Why believe me, am I right? I'm just a fucking Kook, oh, but wait! So is she. So..."

The other boy stepped back with a groan, "It's not just that, I mean, I think you're hot, too, so, you've lost your argument there."

He stopped, not expecting that to come from him. John B wasn't exactly the type to just admit something like that. He stepped forward, raising an eyebrow and asking, "Oh, really?"

They had to stop meeting like this. As soon as those words left Norman's mouth, they reached for each other with a way they were already too comfortable with and their lips met in the middle. This one was different than before -- the first (well, technically second) time had been purely experimental, but this was in the heat of the moment and felt real. It was utterly terrifying. It was terrifying how well they fit together. This could not be happening right now. In a panic, Norman shoved him away, breathing heavily and out of control.

"Norman, I --" John B started, but Norman shook his head.

"That, that wasn't... no. You, you kissed me!"

"It's not the first time!" John B reasoned, but he had to know it was more than that.

"Yeah, but that was the first time that wasn't a dare or something stupid like that," Norman spoke wildly, avoiding the boy's eyes, "I-I, you like me? Like, what the hell was that?"

John B shrugged, still panting, "I don't know! It just felt... right." Norman hated how much he agreed.

Still, he couldn't deal with this right now. Dealing with any feelings for John B was so much easier when Norman could say it was all in his head, but that had just disproved that which was going to be detrimental for him.

"I-I have to go," he exclaimed, but by the time John B could say anything he was already gone.

One day Norman would stop running from his problems. Today was not going to be that day.

u guys can have a lil kiss... as a treat. however, this shit ain't gon last so be mentally prepared