PSYCHO ― John B. Routledge ✓

15. Beat Him To It

"John B, just go back to that weird, laid-back surfer dude-bro, and Rocky, go be your pretentious rich self, but stop fighting and sticking your tongues out at each other like you're twelve," the girl sighed, but she was clearly trying to hide a laugh, "You guys are totally ridiculous. If it wasn't so idiotic it would be cute. But instead, turns out you two are idiots and you're on some paternal jihad.

Norman pretended not to notice how she looked straight at John B when she said that. He couldn't be jealous mainly because he didn't want John B to be right. He was stupid and childish, yes. Not to mention incredibly stubborn.

John B shrugged, "I'm just trying to get this letter translated."

Norman wasn't sure if this was some form of flirting judging by how close Sarah was trying to lean into him as he spoke, but Norman couldn't watch. Sarah had a boyfriend, he had to remind himself. Maybe that could be his saving grace at the moment, remembering that she was definitely off the market. However, knowing Sarah's history with boys, he wasn't so secure.

"Hey, to breaking expectations," Sarah cheered, raising their cheap gas station sodas they had bought before their journey. Being up all night called for incredibly cheap caffeine in copious amounts. Norman looked at this interaction before shaking his head softly and turning to step towards the railing, leaning on it and looking out at the ocean. He barely overheard John B asking about how things were going to be when they got back, but Norman tuned it out. A world in which Sarah and John B were friends or something more was not one Norman wanted to be a part of.

With a sigh, he checked his phone and to his dismay, he had almost no texts from his friends. Just one from Alicia letting him know that she had stayed the night at his house regardless of his presence. He didn't mind that, he just wished he had been there with her instead of on this stupid mission. It had done him absolutely no good -- only proven Norman's belief that something between a Kook like Norman and a Pogue like John B would never be built to last; Friendship or otherwise.

By the time the island they called home was in sight, it was raining again. Norman huddled under the cover next to Sarah and John B, but he remained quiet and brooding as he had been for the brunt of the trip. He was exhausted and tired of being the third wheel to whatever the fuck was going on with John B and Sarah. He hated it. John B could deny anything he wanted, but Norman had been right. He was tossed aside the moment something better came along. He was a fool to think otherwise.

"Okay," Sarah began as the three of them walked onto the dock, "Now that we have returned to the motherland, we must revert to our real identities. Bruno, it was good working with you."

"Yeah, yeah," Norman mumbled, "See ya at Midsummer, Val."

"Au revoir," she mused with a giggle as he shot her a salute before turning and walking off into the rain without so much as a word to John B. That boy deserved nothing from him. He walked slowly, almost as if he hoped John B would call him back and say something, but nothing came.

He was an idiot and he knew it. This whole thing had been stupid, he should have just ran out of the shop the moment he met John B's eyes and he would have never had to feel like this. He wanted so badly to turn around and scream at John B until his face turned blue but the absolute worst part of that was that none of that would change the fact that he never stopped wanting to kiss him. He laughed to himself, probably looking crazy as the rain poured and soaked through his skin, chilling him to the bone. He was a fool.

For just a moment he stopped, thinking he could turn around and change the way things had been left. There was something between him and John B, something worth saving, but he was scared. He was terrified. He wanted to turn around and kiss him in the pouring rain like some lovesick idiot and he didn't care if Sarah was there.