Where currents Collide

word count: 1.1k

content warning: Alcohol use, light flirtation, mild sexual innuendo, visible tattoos, emotional tension, and interpersonal drama.

trigger warning:  Implied conflict

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I pulled off my shirt, revealing a colorful tropical bikini top with a floral design. The triangle cut exposed the tattoo of a shark near my rib cage. As I took off my jean shorts, I ran toward the water and dove in, the cool rush of it surrounding me as I broke through the surface.

John B watches me dive in, his brow furrowing. "What was that about?" he asks, clearly confused.

Jj grins and adds, "I don't know but.. I liked it... a lot."

John B glares at him, his expression full of disgust, like he just stepped in something gross. "Seriously, dude?" he snaps.

Jj shrugs, still smirking. "What can I say? I like what I see." He says it with a flirtatious edge, completely unbothered by John B's reaction.

I surfaced from the water, still catching my breath after the jump, and climbed back into the boat, letting everyone take in the sight of my lean, sun-kissed body. "Sorry, guys, got a little too hot," I said with a playful grin, making my way to the bow. I lifted myself up and pushed my wet hair back, the sun warming my skin.

Jj raised an eyebrow, a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Hot, huh?" he teased, his eyes briefly scanning me before meeting my gaze.

I shot him a teasing grin. "Yeah, it is," I said, playfully mocking him.

He raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Oh, yeah, for sure."

John B and Pope exchanged a look, both visibly grossed out. John B rolled his eyes, muttering, "Seriously?" Pope let out a dramatic sigh, then deadpanned, "Guys, get a room."

After our playful banter, Jj, making his way over to where I was sitting, where he was sitting at the stern. Without warning, he dropped down beside me, pulling me in and wrapping his arm around my shoulders like it was the most natural thing in the world. I didn't pull away—hell, I didn't want to. The warmth of his arm around me felt good, comforting even, after all the tension.

Pope and John B, clearly over the whole thing, had already started up their own conversation, drifting into their own world. I could hear them talking, but I wasn't paying much attention. Instead, I grabbed the Bluetooth speaker from the floor of the boat, flicking it on with a grin. The music we always kept on hand started filling the air, loud enough to drown out the rest of the world.

I leaned back against Jj, letting the music and the steady hum of the boat's engine settle me into the moment. Everything felt right again—just the four of us, the sun on our skin, and the water stretching out ahead.

༄ ༄ ༄

None of us realized how long we had been out on the water until the sun started setting. But honestly, no one cared. We were all still soaking in the good vibes, the sound of the waves, and the warm breeze.

Jj's arm, solid and steady, was still wrapped around me when he looked over at John B with a mischievous grin. "John B, beer," he demanded playfully.

John B rolled his eyes but tossed the beer bottle over without hesitation. Jj caught it easily, cracking it open and taking a sip. Moments later, when he went for another, I snatched the bottle out of his hand and took a long gulp. He just smiled, like he knew it was coming, and I passed it back to him.

We all fell into a comfortable group conversation, drifting between random topics—laughing, teasing, and just enjoying the moment together.

Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted the yacht that Topper owned. On board were Rafe, Kelce, and a couple of random girls, practically throwing themselves all over them. Rafe was shirtless, his abs being the only thing that I fixated on, bringing me back to the night before, and the butterflies started up again.

Rafe caught my eye, and for a moment, I swore he was checking me out. He flashed me a quick look that seemed to say I looked good, but then, just as quickly, his gaze shifted to Jj, and his face twisted into an annoyed expression. It struck me as odd, though. Kooks like them never came this far out—this side was usually ours. Did rafe want to see me?

As we all started heading in opposite directions, Pope caught the look Rafe had thrown at me and Jj—just the two of us. His brow furrowed, clearly puzzled. He looked between us, then asked, "What was that about?"

Pope glanced at Jj, his eyes silently asking the same question. They both shared a look, as if to say I don't know what that was about. But Jj just shrugged it off, clearly not bothered enough to care, and that was enough to make Pope drop it.

While I was still leaning on Jj, I felt my phone vibrate in my bag. Reaching over to grab it, Jj dropped his arm to let me go. The number was unfamiliar, which immediately made me uneasy—I didn't get calls like that often. I answered, my stomach tightening with a mix of confusion and worry.

As soon as the voice came through, I recognized it, Rafe Cameron. "I didn't think you were like those other pogues, Vivia."

Before I could respond, the line went dead. I stood there, phone still in hand, staring at the yacht as it drifted farther away. A wave of guilt washed over me, the kind that comes when you realize you've found yourself in a situation you shouldn't be in.

I put my phone down, the case facing up, and glanced back toward the yacht, having to manoeuvre my whole body to see if it was still in sight. Suddenly, I felt Jj's hand reach over and grab the phone—not sneakily, but perplexed. I didn't stop him. The shock had me frozen in place, just standing there, staring into nothingness.

Jj glanced at the screen, then looked up at me, a question in his eyes. "What was that about?"

I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. Only a soft, quiet, "I don't... know..." slipped from my lips.

Leaving everyone in question, my mood shifted. I moved to my side of the boat, not saying a word, letting the silence settle over me. The others kept talking among themselves, laughing and chatting like usual, but the change in me did not go unnoticed. Pope, more observant than the rest, glanced over at me several times, his brow furrowing as he picked up on the shift in my energy.

He didn't say anything, though. He just watched, sensing something was off, but respecting the quiet I had fallen into. The rest of the evening carried on, with everyone else talking and joking, but I stayed silent, lost in my thoughts.