"Was that you or me?" John B mumbled to her, unable to take his eyes off of the plate of fried fish that a woman was taking the most envious bite over. He placed his palm over his stomach to settle the noises that unfortunately, were most definitely coming from Collins.
Meanwhile, Kie stood next to her father with a hopeful look on her face. "Would it be a bad time to ask for free food for me and my friends?"
Kie's dad sighed before standing with his hands on his hips and nodding towards the group. "Look at them. They're greedy pelicans." His comment was more directed at the boys who could barely hold their drool in and not blatantly stare at diners like they were dogs begging for a bone. "Who's the girl with them, haven't seen her before?" 
"That's Collins, Charlie Jacobson's sister. You know, the one who works for Heyward from time to time?"
"Yeah, good kid, I'm guessing she is, too. So what's she doing with those buffoons? I thought I told you to stop hanging around them." He said with a stern look.
"Dad, these are my friends." Kie told him with a gentle voice before she glanced over at them with an affectionate look in her eyes. She turned back to her dad and silently pleaded once again.
As a father, it goes without saying that when your daughter gives you the puppy dogs eyes, even when she doesn't know it, you're practically destined to fall for it every single time. You'll try to hold off as best as you can, but only to end up surrendering anyhow, so there was no point in ever even fighting it. "I gotta throw it out." Kie's dad said, finally relenting. "Might as well take it."
A smile broke out across Kie's face and she threw her arms around her father to hug him before turning excitedly towards her friends. "Sit down."
"Yes!" The three boys hissed cheerfully before scrambling to take a seat at the big lunch table in the middle of the room.
Collins slid into the chair and threw her hair back into a ponytail, almost too tired to eat because she felt like her head was going to hit the counter at any minute, but the excitement of food was enough to keep her awake.
"Sorry we didn't have time to read today." JJ spoke from beside her as he slipped into the seat next to her while John B and Pope sat out of earshot, further down on opposite sides of the table. He leaned over the wood surface and turned his body towards her, which not to mention, was fairly close to her considering how much room they had on the long bench.
Shrugging her shoulders, Collins waved it off. "It's okay. Like you said, why read about a treasure hunt when you can live one?"
"I still wanna know what happens next though, what goes on after they get to the island and all. And your pirate voice, too, that would be fun to hear again."
"JJ, if I didn't know any better, I'd think you're attracted to my old man voice." Collins was embarrassed the moment the words left her mouth. They had sounded more flirtatious than she had intended them to be, and so she was left waiting in nail biting anticipation to hear JJ's response. 
"I'm sorry to tell you this, but I draw the line there, even for you. Besides, I was more attracted to the look Kie gave you during her little pep talk." He tugged on her t-shirt that was wrinkled from the knot Kie had tied it in, which Collins had taken out after their escape. She was also slightly grateful that he'd reacted pleasantly to her former statement, and not with disgust or rejection like she'd sort of thought he could've. 
But she was back to her old self, and she tried her best to hide the flash of hurt she felt now knowing that JJ liked that version better. The one that showed off her skin and looked and acted completely unlike her. Of course, that was the sort of girl that she wanted to be, it wasn't her but maybe it was just going to take some time? It was someone she could be, but it just wasn't her yet. And when that day came, it wouldn't be for JJ's sake, it would be for hers.