𝐑𝐈𝐏𝐓𝐈𝐃𝐄 , 𝐣. 𝐦𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐤 ⁽¹⁾

𝟏𝟔. 𝐏𝐔𝐍𝐂𝐇𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐄 𝐃𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐘

Elle and John B jumped off the boat. They weren't far out, they just went for a small drive to test out the drone. Once it was under, the two tapped on the screen and stood in-front as their friends watched from above.

The blonde girl pulled her head out of the water, and her voice cracked as she started to speak. "How is it? Quality good?"

Pope smiled proudly. "Good enough."

"Hell yeah." JJ said, grabbing Elle's hand to pull her out of the water. He kissed her when she got up, as Pope and Kie groaned.

Kie rolled her eyes in disgust as John B popped up. "Get a room, will ya?" She asked, running her hands through her hair.

The blonde girl playfully pushed her before sitting down, ringing her hair out. "Want one too, Kie?"

JJ quickly sat next to her and wrapped his arms around Elle protectively. "Yeah, hell no."

The group laughed as John B climbed onto the boat, plopping his hat onto his head of wet, dark brown hair.

Pope collected the gear from the drone as Kie started up the boat, slowly driving away from their previous spot.

"So, when the weathers right, we use the drone, get footage of the wreck, get a lawyer, and make a bunch of money?" Elle said, making sure she was correct on their plan.

The short-haired boy nodded. "Yep. We gotta' wait around for the right weather." He sighed, looking up at the sky. "And today is not that day."

Elle nodded, satisfied with Pope's answer.

—————-

"You boys get these groceries over to Figure Eight. Get straight back here when you're done. No fishing." Heyward said, handing Pope and JJ grocery bags.

Elle stepped forward to help, as Heyward plopped a few bags in her arms. He made sure that he didn't push her limits, due to her new medical restrictions. "Thank you, Bug." He said as he nodded towards her. Heyward wasn't one to smile, but when he did, it was usually towards Elle. He thought that she was always a good influence on Pope.

"Of course." She said, smiling kindly at him. She stepped back again, as JJ and Pope loaded more. Once all the bags were loaded onto the boat, the three took off.

They strolled through Figure Eight as the teens looked in envy at the large houses.

Pope groaned as he looked out the window of the boat. "It doesn't even look like the storm hit there!" He complained.

"That's because they got generators, bro. Get used to it. And then they say the juice will be out all summer at the cut." JJ replied, squeezing Elle's hand as she looked admiringly out the window.

The short-haired boy turned to face forward. "Must be nice to be a Kook."

Elle nodded. "Definitely wouldn't be the worst."

"Lucky bastards." JJ agreed.

————

Pope and Elle walked up to the golf course, holding cases of beer in each of their arms.

"Need help, Elle? I can carry that if you want." Pope said, trying to assist the girl.

She rolled her eyes, making it clear that she was tired of being babied by everyone. Just because she was weaker now, doesn't mean she couldn't do anything on her own.

Still, Elle was too kind to say anything. "I'm fine." She smiled reassuringly at him.

They continued to walk down the dirt path, before two blonde men in polo shirts and sunglasses walked over too confidently for Elle's liking.