‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾ REMEMBER ME LIKE THIS — AGATHA'S A BITCH  ☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙
EPISODE ONE

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     "Agatha did some work, huh?" JJ asked, no one in particular, but Esme nodded anyways.

     John B also gave a short nod in agreement.  "Yeah, she did."

     JJ then burped, earning a harmonious grunt from John B and Esme, which then caused them to look each other in the eye, staring in silence for a brief moment.

     "What are you looking at, loser?" Esme said.  She had settled for one of JJ's old wife beaters laying around the chateau, and a pair of jean shorts slash jean cutoffs that she found in John B's room.  She was ninety-eight percent sure that they were hers, but she didn't say anything just in case, 'cause you know... she didn't want to know.

     "You look like shit," John B replied bluntly, JJ turning around in confusion at John B's words.  He was used to the two talking to each other so harshly ⎯ they were after all like brother and sister ⎯ but it never failed to amaze him.  Not when Esme was the hottest girl on The Cut and everyone knew it.

     "Right back at you," Esme replied just as quick, giving John B a quick lookup and down.

     "Guys!" JJ cut in, earning the attention back to him.  "What you thinkin'?"

     "I'm thinkin' that storm surge pushed all the crabs out on the marsh maze.  All those drum are gonna chase the crab," John B said, deep in thought as Esme and JJ looked to their mutual friend for answers.

     "What about the DCS?  Wasn't that today?" JJ asked, Esme nodding gently.

     "Nah, they're not gettin' on a ferry," John B said, Esme making a face as if she were saying 'Uh, I don't think so'.  "Come on, think about it.  It's God tellin' us to fish."

     "Yeah," JJ nodded.  Esme stomped her foot into the wet ground softly, of course, JJ would take John B's side.

     "Ugh, fine," Esme rolled her eyes, John B walking in front of the two.  "I think my hair's a little flat, but do you think I look like shit?  Should I change?" Esme turned to JJ, who was still standing beside her.

     "Babe, don't listen to him, you look absolutely gorgeous," JJ winked, earning a wide grin from Esme, and the two then set off to follow their comrade.

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      "Uh... Good mornin'!"

     "Sure hope Guffy's boat didn't sink," JJ said, turning to Esme, who was sitting in the back of the boat, hair now in a ponytail.  She sat and watched JJ, mentally wishing she had brought her sunglasses.  Still, this image of JJ standing on the boat was pretty hard to miss, and she was living for his goofy ass actually being a little chill this morning.  "He doesn't have insurance."

     "Yeah," John B agreed.

     "Hi, Miss Amy!  You guys get through it?"

     "Still here," Amy replied.

     "Still here!" Esme mimicked her quietly as they passed by so Amy wouldn't hear.

     "She totally looked at me," JJ turned and smiled at his buddy.

     John B gave JJ a single solid nod.  "I saw it."

     Esme rolled her eyes, which caught JJ's attention rather quickly.  "Hey, I was joking," JJ said, too much sincerity laced in his tone for her liking.  He walked to the back of the boat and sat next to her.  "You know you're my number one girl."

     "You're such a horndog," Esme lowered her voice, leaning into JJ's figure as she spoke.  "And you kind of smell."

     "Yeah?  Well, you smell just like me," JJ sent a wink her way, before whistling, his eyes already trailed on the next thing.  Esme sighed, completely used to his ADHD traits by now.  "Dude, look at this place.  Agatha, what did you do?"

     "She is a crazy lady," John B said, sucking his teeth as they took in the sights that they passed by.  Destroyed properties, pieces of wood drifting in the water.

     "Hard-core.  Phew."

     "Good lord," Esme breathed hard.

     "Hurricane surge.  Yeah," JJ thought aloud.  "We'll be cleaning this all summer."

     "That is my nightmare," John B said, slowly the boat down just a tad as they neared familiar residence.

     "Well, look who we have here," JJ whooped, moving to stand in front of Esme and behind John B, the three staring at their friend who was standing on the dock with his dad.

     John B cupped his hands around his mouth, mimicking static.  "We have a safety meeting.  Attendance mandatory."

     "I can't," Pope said, voice laced with disappointment.  "My pop's got me on lockdown."

     "Come on, man," JJ whined, before cupping his hand around his mouth to mimic static just like John B did.  "Your dad's a pussy.  Over."

     "Oh, I heard that, you little bastard," Mr Heyward came over.

     "Hola, Mr H," Esme said, waving her fingers from where she sat comfortably.  "Sorry to tell you this, but we need your son.  Come on, we'll take good care of him," Esme pursed her lips, eyes gleaming with mischief as she spoke to the older man.  While Mr Heyward definitely wasn't going to put up with Esme's bullshit, the blonde guy next to her might as well have been making love to her with his eyes.

     JJ nodded, even though he was a little confused by Esme's almost flirting motives with Mr Heyward.  "Yeah, and island rules.  Day after a hurricane's a free day."

     "Who made that up?" he questioned.

     "Uh... Pentagon, I think.  We have security clearance.  I have a card," JJ said.

     "Think I'm stupid?"

     "He'll be back before you know it, Mr Heyward, come on!  Let him come," Esme said, getting up from where she sat in the back and joining the boys in convincing Pope to come on board their small boat.

     "I'll do it tomorrow.  I promise.  Tomorrow," Pope said to his dad.

     "You think... No, no.  Hell no.  You doin' it right now."

     Pope turned to his friends, specifically John B, who whispered, "Get in the boat."

     "Make a run for it," JJ added.

     "Boy, if you get in that boat..."

     Man, Esme felt bad for how they always seemed to badly influence Pope, but a smile crept on her face as she thought about how much fun they could be having with him.  She liked Pope, as weird as he was, she considered him to be a good friend of hers.  "Do it!" she yelled, which encouraged Pope to drop what he was doing and jump into the boat with his friends.

     "How does that feel?" JJ put a hand on Pope's back as Esme clapped in satisfaction.  "Go, go, go."

     "Bring your ass back up here," Mr Heyward called after his son.

     "I promise I'll do it tomorrow, Dad.  Whoo!"

     "You gonna clean shrimp, clean fish," Mr Heyward said, watching his son leave the docks with his friends. 

     "Love you, Pops," Pope said, earning a loving sigh from Esme as she watched the two.  She knew they pissed off Pope's dad, but at the end of the day — every day — he loved his son.  She never had that with her dad.  It's not even that she wanted it, but it was nice seeing at least one semi-caring father left on this island.

     "You'll clean your dirty-ass room!"

     "We'll bring him back in one piece," John B said.

     "Promise!" Esme giggled.  JJ turned to smile at the raven-haired girl in disbelief at how happy she was at this moment.

     "And I don't like your friends!"

     They kept going until they entered territory near Kiara's house and workplace, low and behold The Wreck.  They didn't even need to come to a full stop for her, Kiara was already waiting with a basket and her curls kept back with a clip.

     "Buenos Dias!" Esme said, reaching her hand out for Kiara.  She took it with a smile, hands clasping together like magnets.

     "Wait for me!" a slightly distressed Claire yelled from somewhere behind, the blonde running to reach John B's boat in time. 

     "Oh, top o' the mornin' to ya," JJ said to her, reaching his own hand out for her.

     "Good morning," Claire smiled at JJ, the blonde duo getting closer over the years and known by Esme to be the trouble starters.  Esme had always wondered if they were going to eventually hook up — or if they even already had — but she trusted Claire, who always made a face of disgust at the suggestion.

     "Morning," John B replied blankly.

     "Whatcha got?" Pope asked.  "You got some juice boxes?"

     Kiara nodded.  "You know, just some yogurts and carrot sticks.  A bag of apples for Esme for when she gets seasick in a bit."  Kiara turned to Esme, almost laughing at the idea of a seasick Esme, but the truth was that Esme hardly never got seasick.  Kiara was playing favourites for once, favouring her gal pal over the boys.  She didn't pay attention to Claire, who sat with a huff.

     "Thanks, Kie," Esme smiled, her heartwarming at the idea of her friend remembering how she liked the apples they cut up and served at The Wreck.  She helped Kie move the picnic basket to the floor of the boat and get situated.

     "How about my kind of juice box?" JJ asked.

     "Yeah," Kiara said.

     "Absolutely not, it's like ten in the morning," Esme turned to look at JJ, heart skipping a beat when she saw him already staring at her.  Kiara laughed, yet handed JJ a beer anyways.  She would probably be hearing about that later.  "Enabler," Esme said to Kiara.  "Alcoholic," she said to JJ.

     "Brace for impact," John B said after a while.  They came to a slow and started to indulge in snacks and things of the like, a new usual for Esme that she was getting used to.  The dicking-around-custom she called it.

     "Salud," John B held up his own beer.

     "Skoal," JJ said.

     "Hey bae," Esme sat closer to Claire at the front of the boat.

     "Hey cutie," Claire replied, the blonde scooching closer to Esme.  "I miss you, where have you been?"

      "Hmm, well I had a deal day before last that took longer than fucking expected because like this dude thought he was going to have the money by that day but he didn't, and then he tried to fucking pay in sex?  And so of course I told him no that's not the way that it works," Esme explained, Claire nodding along as she listened.  "But whatever, his buddy came through and paid the rest, so we all went home happy.  And then the hurricane hit and I got stuck with mister horndog over there, so I spent the night at the chateau.  You?"

     "Well, mine's not that exciting," Claire crossed her leg over the other as she bounced it slightly.  "Pretty much Kie and I have been eating leftovers from The Wreck and getting crossfaded.  It's been lit."

     "So you guys were hungover," Esme realized.  "That's why we all didn't meet up yesterday."

     "Yeah, and I'm pretty sure mister "can't hold a job" over there was dealing with some stuff with CPS.  I think they're trying to take him from his home, honestly.  But I'm not sure, so don't say anything," Claire said.

     Esme leaned in closer to the blonde.  "Of course not."

     "Hey, Pope.  Can you go a little faster?" JJ asked loudly.

     "Don't tell him yes," Claire brought her hand up to her nose, pinching it slightly.  Esme laughed, her slight dimples coming out as she did, taking in the image.

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#JJ— sorry for such a long filler, i promise things r kicking up 🤞 this was almost 2,000 words exactly without this note so if any more action happened my brain would've died and you wouldn't died and it would be terrible. probably.