༄ 𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗉𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝖿𝗈𝗎𝗋𝗍𝖾𝖾𝗇 ༄

THE NEXT MORNING, Thalia had a hazy memory of telling the Pogues she would meet them at John B's to test the drone. So, she hauled herself out of bed and changed out of her weed-smelling clothes, pulling on a crop top, athletic shorts and a zip-up sweatshirt. Thalia tugged on socks and left her hair in its french braid, going downstairs after she brushed her teeth.

        "You're up early." Ward commented, standing in the kitchen.

        Thalia shrugged, tossing a banana into her backpack. "Yeah, I guess." she muttered, rubbing at her eyes.

        Ward was relieved to see that the cut on her eye was starting to heal. "Any plans for today?" he questioned, drinking from a mug of coffee.

        "Not really. I'm going to my friend's house." Thalia answered, the hood of her sweatshirt over her head.

        "Who's this friend? Anyone I know?" Ward questioned with a smile, happy to see that Thalia was becoming social again. Thalia pulled on old sneakers, tying the laces tightly.

        "Nope. I'll be back later." Thalia answered, grabbing her skateboard and leaving the house, traveling down the quiet streets of Figure Eight.

        The island was peaceful in the mornings, but Thalia still despised waking up before noon. She was making an exception, because she actually liked hanging out with the Pogues. Thalia skated through the cut, arriving at John B's house. It was empty inside so she walked with her skateboard into the backyard, finding the four on the dock. Kie and John B had just gotten into the water, holding the drone. "Look who finally showed up." JJ said, noticing Thalia first.

        Thalia rolled her eyes, walking down the dock to Pope and JJ. "Bite me, blondie." she found Pope typing away on a computer connected to the drone and decided not to bother him, instead lying down on the dock with someone's sweatshirt under her head. Thalia stuck a joint between her lips, JJ lighting it for her.

        Pope looked down at her, confused. "It's a little early for that, isn't it?" he said cautiously, John B and Kiara listening into the conversation from the water.

        Thalia took another hit, looking up at Pope. "I was up until four in the morning. Am I allowed to relax?" she said, and Pope swallowed thickly, looking back at the drone as Thalia continued smoking. She didn't know why Pope cared so much.

        John B and Kiara submerged themselves under the water with the drone, doing weird faces that popped up on the screen Pope was tying on. "What's this right here?" JJ leant over Pope's shoulder, messing around with the technology.

        "Don't touch that," Pope said quickly, swatting JJ away. "I'm trying to work out this thing." Pope drove the drone though the water, intensely focused.

        "God bless geeks, Pope. Truly, man. What would we do without you to control the drones?" JJ stepped away from Pope, standing near Thalia's head. She offered him her joint and he took a few hits appreciatively.

        "Technically, it's not a drone. It's an ROV–" Pope began.

        JJ practically convulsed. "Shut up. Shut up. It's too early for that right now." he gave Thalia her joint back. JJ made a mental note to ask her where she got her weed because it was much better than the stuff he had.

        John B and Kie came up from the water. "Hey, once we get footage of the wreck, we'll bring it to a lawyer in town and file a formal claim." the boy explained, floating near the drone.

        "It's such bullsit. Why do we have to do that?" JJ questioned. Thalia sat up, her power nap finished.

        "Well, there is maritime salvage law. You can't just go to the ocean floor and scoop a bunch of stuff up." Pope spoke, standing and reaching JJ's side as Thalia pushed herself to her feet, stray pieces of her red hair framing her face.

        "Lawyers aren't cheap." she reminded the group, chin hidden by her sweatshirt.

        But John B had thought of that. "As soon as they see the footage, they'll work for a comp." he spoke with confidence.

        Kie floated in the murky water. "How do you know all of that?" she wondered curiously.

        "'Cause my dad said it, like, a million times." John B explained as Kie started swimming towards the ladder.

        "This tether is, like, really long. In the wrong weather, it could get pushed around." Pope said, glancing at Thalia, who was staring into the water so she didn't have to look anywhere else.

        "Then we'll go at dead calm." John B decided as thunder rumbled in the distance.

        Kie clung to the ladder attached to the dock. "At slack tide?"

        Pope nodded. "So now, we just gotta wait around for the right weather." he said, disappointed.

        Thalia's eyes trailed to the oncoming storm. "Today is not that day." she mentioned, looking up at the sky. Thalia liked the rain more than a lot of people did. It was calming to her, and it washed everything away, so she was brand new again.

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