Taste ≫ outer banks

03

hazel woke in an unusual room. she hadn't seen it before and there were no pictures on the walls or dresser to show her who's room she was in. she had remembered getting a little drunk, but that was about it. she didn't remember getting off the boat or bringing millie home or-- she froze, millie! she leaped out of the bed and walked out of the room, seeing john b and jj sleeping on the pull out couch. she must've been at the chateau...but where was millie?

she walked over to john b and shook the boy lightly. "john." she whispered, trying not to wake jj.

he groaned, rolling over to look at the girl. "what?"

"where's millie?" she asked, taking notice to the pounding in her head.

"i took her home last night." he yawned, looking at his phone. "holy shit, hazel. it's fucking four thirty. go back to sleep."

"i need to get home." she said, looking around for her keys. "where are my keys?"

"you're hungover, hazel. just pop some medicine and take a breather." jj mumbled from next to john b. "you can't drive feeling the way you feel. you'll definitely pass out or crash or something."

"i'm fine, jj." she scoffed. "i need to go home. my parents are probably freaking out."

"millie covered for you." john b stated. "i mean, she'll practically do anything i say, so yeah, she told your parents you were staying at a friend's house."

"okay." she sighed, running her fingers through her hair. "where's the advil?" she asked.

"in the bathroom cabinet." john b yawned again before falling back asleep.

"i'll help you find it." jj mumbled, climbing off the couch. he led the girl to the bathroom and opened the cabinet, pulling out the advil. as he turned to hand it to her he knocked into her since she had been standing so close to him. "sorry." he mumbled.

"it's fine." she sighed. "i need a cup."

he led her out into the kitchen and handed her a cup from one of the cabinets. "there, you're all set."

"thanks." she filled the cup up in the sink and swallowed a few pills before placing the cup on the counter. she made her way into the living room again and smiled at the two boys passed out on the pull out couch. they looked peaceful. she went back to the bedroom she had previously been in, figuring it was john b's. she laid on the bed and tried to get a few more hours of sleep.

after what felt like forever she let a sigh escape her lips and rubbed at her temples. her headache still hadn't gone away and she wasn't able to fall back asleep. it was nearly nine and she could hear commotion in the living room. she got off the bed and fixed her shirt before exiting the room. jj and john b were tossing a football back and forth in the living room and the girl furrowed her eyebrows.

"why the hell aren't you doing that outside?" she asked, continuing to rub at her temples.

"head still hurt?" jj asked, approaching the girl. he pressed a hand to her forehead and frowned. "you're really warm." he looked at john b. "do you have a thermometer?"

john b nodded, tossing the football to the couch before he made his way into the bathroom to get the thermometer. once he returned with it he stuck it in the girl's mouth and waited until it beeped before he pulled it out. "one hundred point two." he read and the girl sighed.

"why the hell am i sick? i feel fine! my head just hurts." she frowned.

"come on, i'll take you home." jj said, placing a hand on the girl's back. "jb, follow behind me so you can pick me up."

"you don't know where i live." she mumbled before looking at john b. "you don't know where i live." she repeated, louder. "how did you get millie home last night?"

"she might only be eight, but she's pretty smart." john b chuckled. "she gave me directions."

"oh," the blonde frowned. "okay." she followed the two boys out the door and john b tossed jj her keys, making the girl roll her eyes. "did you think i was going to drive home drunk or something?"

john b shrugged his shoulders. "or something."

hazel flipped him off before climbing in the passenger seat of her car. jj climbed in the driver's seat and started the car. he pulled out of the chateau and headed in the direction that hazel instructed.

"thanks for coming out on the boat with us yesterday." jj smiled as he turned down the street hazel pointed to.

"it was fun." she smiled, looking over at the boy. "i'm glad john b allowed millie and i to go."

"millie's a cutie." jj commented.

"she is." hazel smiled. "and she has this weird obsession with john b. it's so weird." the girl chuckled.

"i think it's cute." he smiled. "i wish i had a fan."

"hey," hazel lightly shoved the boy, trying not to make him swerve off the road. "i'm your fan."

"cool." he smiled. "i'm a fan of yours too."

"cool." she mocked, sitting back in her seat. the rest of the ride was silent and when they reached hazel's house she noticed her parents were gone, which meant millie was probably with them. "do you guys want to come in for a minute?" she asked as they both climbed out of the car.

"sure." jj nodded. "let me just ask john b." he walked over to john's van and hazel watched as the boys spoke quietly before john b nodded and got out of the van once it was shut off. he shoved his keys in his pocket and smiled at the blonde.

"shall we?"

"we shall." she bowed to them and led the way into her house.

"this is amazing." jj said as they entered the foyer.

"it's pretty cool." hazel smiled. "i don't like to brag, but it's pretty awesome here."

"have you ever had a party here?" john b asked.

"no." the girl chuckled. "my parents would never let me."

"strict parents?" jj asked and the girl shook her head.

"not necessarily, but they'd definitely have a problem with a bunch of underage drinking in their house. my dad follows the rules around here." she explained.

"lame." jj scoffed. "i guess more parties at the boneyard and the chateau."

"works for me." hazel smiled. "i'm totally game now."

"you should probably get some rest right now." john b chuckled, feeling the girl's forehead. she was still warm and she led them to her room. thankfully, it was clean and she sat on the edge of her bed.

"thanks for bringing me home." she smiled.

"no problem." jj shoved his hands in his shorts pockets. "it's the least we could do."

"i'll see you guys at school tomorrow." she yawned, laying on her bed.

"get some sleep, haze." jj whispered, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "goodnight."

"night, guys." she sighed, pulling her covers up over her shoulders and to her chin. both boys waved at her before heading out, leaving the girl in her thoughts. jj just kissed her forehead and john b looked angry. it was weird, but she shook the thought away and quickly fell asleep.