smooth seas//john b

fourteen

Back at Tannyhill I sneak into my dad's office. I go through the drawers and find the plat map John B needs.

I jump when I hear my dad's voice, "What are you doin'?"

"I... just wanted a copy of one of the old plat maps." I pull the map from the drawer and stand up.

"A plat map." Dad laughs. "Of Tannyhill."

I smile. "Yeah." I put the folder on the desk.

"You never wanted to look at those when I tried to show 'em to you," Dad reminds me.

"Well, since then, I have become so appreciative of this beautiful property that we call home, and they're so beautiful, I thought maybe I could get them framed and hung in my room," I tell him.

Dad gives me a look. "Okay, come on, Maisie, seriously. What is this, a school thing?"

I pull the right map from the pile. "No, it's July."

"A Topper thing?" Dad asks.

I sigh as I fold up the map. "It's not a Topper thing. But it is a boy thing."

"A boy thing," Dad repeats.

"He's a real go-getter. I think you'll like him," I tell him with a smile.

"Hey, who is this mystery history buff? Is he a cartographer or somethin'?" Dad asks.

"Well, I could tell you, but then he wouldn't be a mystery, would he?" I smile as I open the door.

"Hey!" Dad calls after me.

I peek my head back into the room. "Yes?"

"Make good choices," Dad tells me.

I nod. "I will."

"Be careful with that," Dad warns.

"Promise." I kiss the map. "Thank you. You're the best."

I head to the Hawk's nest waiting for John B to show up. Thunder rumbles and a storm is rolling in. I smile when I see John B walking towards me. "Hi. I got the map. Do you wanna see?"

John B takes the map from me. "Oh, shit." He laughs. "Holy hell."

I giggle. "Yeah." I look at John B. "Did you tell the crew you were here with me?"

John B laughs. "Yeah. They thought you bringing me the map was code for us getting it on."

I laugh. "I'm breaking up with Topper."

"Really?" John B asks.

"Yeah. What, you don't think that's a good idea?" I ask.

"No, no, no, um, it's... it's, uh..." John B smiles. "Yeah. Yeah. Yeah."

There is a huge crack of thunder and I jump. "Oh my god!"

John B laughs. "You okay?"

I smack him in the chest. "I'm fine. What are we even doing up here?"

"I have no idea. You wanna go down?" John B asks.

I shake my head. "No."

John B smiles. "Neither do I."

He pulls me towards him and places his lips on mine. He wraps his arms around my waist as I put my hand on his cheek.

Suddenly I hear Topper behind John B, "I knew it, Maisie. I knew you were lying to me."

I pull away from John B and look at him confused. "Topper!"

"You're a stupid, lying whore. You know that?" Topper tells me.

"So first I'm a prude and now I'm a whore," I state.

"Yeah, you are," Topper tells me.

John B tries to shove Topper away. "Topper, stop, man."

"You stop, man. You don't wanna do this right now," Topper warns.

"Hey. Hey," John B says.

Topper looks at me. "Tell him to back off, 'cause I'm about to beat your fucking ass..."

John B gets in Topper's face. "Walk, man. Go home. Go home."

"You know what I'm gonna do? I'm about to drown you like your old man," Topper threatens.

"Quit it," John B says as he pushes Topper.

"Get out!" I shout.

"Tell your little bitch boyfriend, back off!" Topper yells.

"Go home!" John B shouts.

"Maisie, let's talk," Topper tells me.

"She doesn't want to!" John B yells.

"What did I tell you man!" Topper yells. He shoves John B and John B falls through the railing landing on the ground. "Shit. What the... Maisie..." I look down at John B on the ground and gasp. "Maisie, the railing must have been rotten. I hardly touched him, okay? I barely... He lost his bal... Maisie!"

I run down the stairs and towards John B. I can hear him groaning. "No! John B! John B!" I let out a sob as I kneel down next to him. "Shh. Oh... oh, my God." I put my hands on his face. "Hey, can you open your eyes, please? Someone help!" I don't know what else to do but keep yelling. "Please, somebody help!" I turn to look at John B and all he does is groan. I cradle his head in my arms. "It's okay. It's okay, I'm with you."

I hear footsteps and see JJ, Pope, and Kie running towards us.

"Mai! What happened?" Pope asks.

I let out a sob. "I don't know what to do. He needs help. Topper shoved him."

"Where the hell is he?" JJ asks.

"I don't know. Oh, please, please, please get help. I don't care who. Just call someone," I state.

"Go. Go!" JJ tells Pope.

"Help, please," I beg.

"Pope, hurry!" Kie yells.

"John B, stay with me." I kiss him. "Please don't leave me. John B?"

"Pope! Come on!" JJ yells.

I don't leave John B's side as he is in the hospital. This was all my fault. I was the reason Topper was there. I was the reason John B could have died.

I smile as John B wakes up. "Hi."

"Hi." John B looks around. "Where am I?"

"St. Olive's. You fell from the Hawk's Nest. You have a concussion and a broken wrist," I explain.

John B looks down at his black cast. "Whoa."

"Pretty cool," I tell him.

"I need to get outta here." John B groans as he sits up slightly. "DCS is gonna find me..."

Ward walks into the room. "Hang on there, kid. Hang on." John B sighs. "Maisie told me everything. About your little adventure, about you running from the DCS, about how you were protecting her in the tower." I smile at John B and he smiles back. "John, I believe I owe you an apology. You were honest with me about a small indiscretion, and I went ahead and fired you anyway. And I shouldn't have. Unfortunately, from time to time, I have a bit of a... short fuse." Dad gestures to me with his head. "Ask her."

I nod my head. "It's true."

"I'd like to make up for it, if you'll let me. I spoke with Sheriff Peterkin, and... I've offered to be your legal guardian, if you'll have me," Dad informs him.

John B chuckles. "What?"

"It'd mean a roof over your head and no more runnin' from the DCS," Dad explains.

John B looks at me and I nod slightly. "Sure, yeah. Uh... sounds good," John B replies.

"Okay, then, it's settled." Dad puts his hand on John B's shoulder. "Welcome to the family."