┗━•❃°•°❀°•°❃•━┛

The red and black boat shone in the sunlight making it seem like it was made out of millions of glimmering diamonds. Perfectly polished, the boat reflected the water's surface as it stood anchored to the dock.

"2020 Malibu 24-MXC. World's finest wake setter. Number one in quality, luxury, and performance." Pope said, his eyes narrowed at the boat.

Annabelle huffed. She probably couldn't even afford the steering wheel on that thing. She sure as hell couldn't afford to get caught for what they were about to do. Her eyes traveled away from the boat and up at the two boys next to her.

"This is so stupid. Let's just go." Annabelle said making the two boys turn to her.

"Have you seen Pope's face?" JJ asked.

Annabelle's gaze shifted to Pope and the dark bruise that traced up the side of his face. She bit the inside of her lip to stop her from saying anything else. This was an awful idea and so uncharacteristic of Pope but she also knew that there was no use in trying to change JJ's mind about this. Letting out a deep breath the girl turned back to face the boat.

"This is war," JJ said. "They hit us, we hit them." The boy dragged a bandana over his head, pulling it down to cover half his face.

Pope peeled his shirt off his body and threw it into a pile on the floor along with his cap. Annabelle opened her mouth hoping to stop him but the boy had already dived into the water. Annabelle and JJ stared as Pope swam over to the boat and began climbing inside it. Annabelle couldn't see what it was that he did but after the boy had jumped out, the boat slowly sank. It looked like the water was swallowing the shiny boat in one piece, with only a few bubbles on the surface to indicate that it had ever been there.

Pope swam back and Annabelle was quick to lower the small ladder for the boy who panted as he threw himself into the boat. Annabelle's heart raced and her eyes scanned the area. Not that it mattered. Topper and his family probably had enough cameras to capture every single angle of the crime they just committed.

"I'm so proud of you right now." JJ chuckled as Pope got into the boat.

"Guys. We can't tell anybody." Pope said in a serious tone.

"Oh yeah totally." JJ shrugged.

"No, I'm serious dude. Not Kie, not John B. Nobody." Pope said.

"My lips are sealed." JJ nodded before taking the nob that Pope had taken off Topper's boat and threw it as far into the ocean as he possibly could.

Annabelle stared at the boat as it submerged until there was nothing left. Not even the bubbles remained on the surface. Like it had never even been there. Soon the three teens took off, leaving like they had never even been there.

•❃°•°❀°•°❃•

One text from Kiara about wanting to go surfing and they were all inside the car with their surfboards within a minute.

Pope, JJ, and Annabelle made it to the beach where John B and Kiara were already riding on the waves. Annabelle didn't waste a second before pulling her clothes off, leaving her in her bikini.

"Hey! Save some waves for us!" She shouted as she ran into the water. Pope and JJ were just a few steps behind her, JJ's eyes sneakily traveling up and down her body.

Annabelle threw herself onto her board and paddled out a bit before getting up on it. It didn't take long before the first wave came. She gracefully, surfed over it, landing perfectly and steadily.

The waves kept coming. Annabelle rolled over them peacefully, eventually doing a few tricks here and there. All five friends rode the waves to the music from their speaker on the beach and the calming sound of the waves splashing. Laughing as Pope fell in the most ridiculous and dramatic way and giggling as JJ joked about it for the rest of their time at the beach.

Annabelle caught JJ staring a few times and she looked back. She couldn't deny that he looked good on top of his board with his hair wet and bare upper body dripping.

The warm summer breeze hit their bodies as they danced over the waves that progressively got bigger and bigger. The sky slowly dimmed and the air got colder along with the water.

•❃°•°❀°•°❃•

The group of friends got out of the water, exhausted but amused. With salt water in their hair and sand between every toe, they headed up to the chateau. The sky had darkened and day had turned into night when the friends gathered in the hammocks in John B's backyard.

Annabelle leaned her head back and closed her eyes feeling the crisp air. JJ's gaze seemed to have permanently attached itself to her. His eyes traveled over her hair, face, and body which was illuminated by the small rays of moonlight.

"You really think it's out there?" Pope broke the silence. "Like, no bullshit?"

"My father thought it was." John B said.

"But, do you?" Pope asked.

"After hearing his voice on that tape, I think I do." John B answered.

"Only one way to find out." The two boys did their signature handshake, chuckling under their breath.

"Look, we're gonna find it, you know?" Kiara spoke up. "Even JJ believes."

"Oh my God, JJ do you really believe?" John B asked sarcastically.

"Totally." The boy tore his gaze from Annabelle who now seemed to have fallen asleep. "Wait are we talking about four mil?"

"Four hundred mil." Pope and Kiara corrected him in unison. 

"Jinx," Kiara said under her breath.

JJ looked back to Annabelle who lay peacefully in their shared hammock. A smile touched his lips. "I'm gonna dream about shipwrecks."

Kiara chuckled at his comment.

"Good night, Bird!" JJ called out.

"Good night, bird shit." John B said back making JJ chuckle humorlessly before sending the boy the middle finger.

"Is Annabelle already dead asleep?" Kiara chuckled.

"Let's put her hand in water and see if she pisses herself." John B whispered making the group giggle.

The laughter soon died out, replaced with a soft stillness in the air. Crickets were the only noise in the background as the group slowly fell asleep in their hammocks.

𝟏𝟎𝟔𝟗 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬
┗━•❃°•°❀°•°❃•━┛

𝐀/𝐍
this is just a short meh but sweet chapter!