HELLOOOO HOW ARE WE ?!?!? chapter ten is hereeeee and it's a fun one :D
a little check in: as of now are y'all on team jj or team kie :o
THANK U SO MCH FOR ALMOST 7k READS ON THE STORY I'm GONNA CCRY i love y'all SO much & i'll never be able to thank u enough for all the love :( ANYWAYYYY I HOPE U LOVE THIS CHAPTER!!!!! xoxoxoxo
editing katie again: i know i said last time that this chapter would be funnn but it ended up being a bit slower and not as interesting :( next chapter is gonna be the fun one i PROMISE so if y'all can get through this one your present will be chapter 11 by the weekend ;)
ENJOY! -katie <33
✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*
k i a r a
Well, this fucking sucks.
Not only did John B just call out whatever the hell's going on between Bri and J, but neither of them bothered to deny it. Not that I was expecting them to, but I sorta kinda wish they still hated each other so I could have more of a chance with Bri. But after this, I know for sure that the probability of that chance is so far below zero. Like, in hell.
I felt like I had to just go along with JB's joke and laugh it off so no one suspected anything, especially Bri. If one of the boys found out about how I feel, I'd have all three of them up my ass about it until I made a move. They're all for me finding a girl to date and shit, but it would suck ten times more ass this time than any other time, cause J and Bri are totally into each other, and I'm totally into Bri. I would hate to ruin whatever they have, cause I love both of them individually, just not really together.
I mean, I absolutely adore JJ Maybank with all my heart and I always will. How could you not? I want him to be happy and safe at all times, so in a sense I would be kinda stoked if he got with Bri. He could even take her on that surf trip he won't stop talking about. I can't really be mad at anyone though, cause feelings are feelings and sometimes they just don't align directly with yours, but man does this whole thing fucking suck.
I didn't really feel like talking much when we got to The Wreck, so I went directly to dad to tell him that we're here for breakfast. He usually knows what to have made for us depending on what time of day it is, so right now I'm just kinda hanging around behind the counter until I'm ready to go back to the table. Glancing back at everyone sitting together, I find that my eyes are immediately drawn to Bri. I can't help but smile myself when she smiles at whatever the boys said to her, cause she really is just so pretty.
I feel like the longer I stay over here the more suspicious they'll get, so I thank dad for putting our food in and head back to the booth. Taking my usual seat next to J and across from Bri, I pull out my phone and start scrolling aimlessly to give myself an excuse as to why I'm not really talking.
from: sarah cameron!
to: me
hi babe r y'all around to hang todau? miss u
received 10:26 AM
"Sarah texted!" I look up from my screen and feel myself smiling when Bri and I make eye contact. I was mostly directing my statement towards her anyway cause of our conversation last night about Sarah. "She wants to meet up with us today." So much for not talking.
John B leans out past J and looks at me with those puppy dog eyes that he gets whenever Sarah's name is mentioned. "Sarah?" Kinda cute how much he likes her. If he would just admit it, we could work some magic and actually get the two of them together.
"Yes, John B. The Sarah Cameron!" I shake my head and laugh at the boy who immediately blushes and pulls himself back into his seat. JJ pats him on the back as his way of saying 'I love you man, but you deserved that sass'. "Cool if I tell her she can hang with us?" I know the answer to my question will be yes, but I always ask. We kinda love Sarah around here. The two of us used to be like, enemies, but now that we're past that I like hanging out with her. Most times we ask her to hang with us, she can't cause her dad doesn't like her being around us 'dirty pogues', but she always has the best time whenever she can get away from Tanneyhill for us. My bad, whenever she can get away from Tanneyhill for John B. She won't admit that she likes him either!
"Yeah, I wanna meet her!" Bri answers my question with a gentle nod. I don't wait for any of the boys to answer before I respond to Sarah's text.
to: sarah cameron!
from: me
yesss totally please meet up with us
we have a new friend lolz her name is bri you'll lovr her!!!!
sent 10:28 AM
from: sarah cameron!
to: me
OMG fun i want to meet her
are all of u guys hanging out today?
received 10:29 AM
"Good news, Bri! Sarah wants to meet you." I begin, excited to introduce my two girl best friends to each other. "I told her you're with us now. She seems excited!" Okay, I guess I'm over my bad mood from earlier. This will be a fun day.
"Aw, really?" Bri replies with an adorably happy pout. "That's sweet! I wanna talk to her about Taylor." She shoots me a huge smile that shows all of her teeth. To my misfortune though, I notice her eyes shift over slightly to J, and I'm just gonna tell myself that I didn't see her smile get bigger when he looked up at her. Why can't they still be enemies?
"Ah yes," Pope finally says, taking an audible deep breath and looking to his right to see me and Bri. "Taylor Swift. The key to Sarah Cameron's heart. John B's definitely the other key, but that's besides the point." This makes four out of the five of us laugh as I hear John B's sneaker make intense contact with Pope's shin under the table.
"Yeah, that is besides the point! Asshole." John B crosses his arms after kicking Pope and leans his head back on the wall with closed eyes. I lean out past J a bit to see him and notice that a teeny tiny little smile is on his face now, and I don't hesitate another second to text Sarah back.
to: sarah cameron!
from: me
yes ma'am me bri anf the boys
we're at breakfast rn but after that we're just doing whatever
sent 10:32 AM
from: sarah cameron!
to: me
is john b included in you bri and the boys ?
received 10:33 AM
"Aww, John B!" This is the perfect opportunity for me to make fun of this little mutual crush between JB and Sarah, and there's no way in hell I'm gonna pass it up. I lean out again and show the boy my phone with Sarah's text on it and watch his face light up as he reads it. I show the text to J before leaning back next to him and look up at a confused Pope and Bri. "Sarah asked if John B would be there." I explain in a funny accent.
"Dude, she totally likes you!" J elbows John B in the arm as he says this. "When're you gonna swoop on that, man?" Good man, that JJ. Always asking the questions we want to know answers to but are too afraid to ask.
"I- I don't know, man! Okay? I dunno. What if she doesn't even actually like me or some shit?" John B gets this totally daydream-y look on his face that only a boy who's in love with Sarah Cameron would get.
"John B," Bri joins in on the conversation, looking at him with a face that says 'seriously?'. "I haven't even met this girl yet, and I know she's totally head over heels for you!" She giggles as she says this and looks to her left at Pope who nods in agreement. I don't know what emotion rushes over me when I see John B open his mouth, likely to make another joke about Bri and J. Luckily, he closes his mouth when JJ speaks up, but it takes a second for me to recover from the feeling.
"Okay look," J begins just as dad comes over to the table with his arms full of plates. The boy pauses while we get our food and dad says he'll be back shortly, followed by an echo of 'thank you' as he goes back to the kitchen. Everyone starts picking from the plates and eating immediately, all of us super hungry from the night before.
JJ continues with his mouth full of food. Gross. "I'm just sayin', like this is totally hypothellical," The word is hypothetical, love. Good try though! "But say the four of us happen to have somewhere to be when Sarah gets here. We dip and let y'all hang out alone for a sec, and she confesses her love for you, bro! She's all like," He puts his hand on JB's shoulder and shakes him back and forth while doing a shitty Sarah Cameron impression. "'Oh, John B! I love you, John B! Why don't you just gimme that John D already!'" He cracks up at his own joke as John B swats his hand off his shoulder. J looks at me, Pope, and Bri for approval and I cannot believe I am actually friends with this boy. Pope reaches his hand out for a high five and I look to Bri, who has yet to react to the joke.
She takes a bite of her breakfast and looks at John B with raised eyebrows and a distorted mid-bite smile. "It could work, you never know!" This makes JJ laugh even harder than before, and I catch myself chuckling too at Bri's additional comment. I hear J give Bri a quiet 'good one!' and she pulls those sunglasses he had to give her back onto her face and nods coolly at his compliment. God, they are too fucking perfect for each other.
The conversation has died down now as everyone eats their breakfast, and not long into the meal I realize I haven't answered Sarah's text.
to: sarah cameron!
from: me
as always!!! i'll make sure he's there just for u ;)
sent 10:38 AM
from: sarah cameron!
to: me
NOHGSJD ITS OKAY IF HES NOT HTERE!!!!
I WAS Just checking you don't have to make sure he's there
received 10:40 AM
I chuckle quietly to myself at Sarah's text, and instead of showing John B and riling him up again, I tap Bri's plate with my fork for her attention and show her my phone. Just like I did with JB, I watch her face as she reads the texts and and she smiles gently before shaking her head and resuming her meal. It doesn't happen often, but it's nice when we can all do something together quietly for once.
to: sarah cameron!
from: me
he's gonna be there don't even worry
i'll text u when we're leavibg breakfast!!! idk what time it will be but ill lyk so we can meet up
sent 10:41 AM
from: sarah cameron!
to: me
okkkk can't wait to see y'all :D
enjoy breakfast love u
received 10:43 AM
The five of us finish up breakfast at The Wreck without saying much, but I appreciate that the second half of our meal was spent peacefully. Dad comes over to check on us, and this is when I'm reminded that Bri hasn't actually been part of our group forever. "How do we want to split the check?" She asks the table, pulling out her wallet to pay for breakfast.
"Oh, y'all are part of my employee-family discount thingy! You don't have to pay." I explain to Bri. She looks up at dad who stands at the head of the table and he nods at her kindly to confirm my explanation.
"Oh, well thank you Kie!" Bri looks to me with a gentle smile, and she looks up at dad now to thank him as well. He begins picking up our plates and stacks them all in his arms before telling us to 'be safe wherever you go, have fun, and don't stay out too late'. I tell him that I love him and turn to face the group again.
"Where to next?"
"All my surf and skate shit is at the Chateau, so we could start there?" J proposes, looking at JB for approval so that we can stop at his place. John B nods and everyone takes that as their sign to stand up and get ready to leave, and I'm excited to meet up with Sarah and hang out for the day.
✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*
b r i e l l e
"The Chateau?" I ask John B as we stand up out of the booth and head towards the door. "What's that?"
"Oh, that's my place. We're kinda in and out of there all the time, so you're always welcome once you know the way." John B answers me with a wide closed-mouth grin and a pair of squinted eyes. He is so sweet, oh my god.
When we reach the door, JJ holds it open with a 'ding!' as we all walk out into the bright sun. As I go past him though, he flicks my, or his, sunglasses back down onto my face from their place on top of my head. I shoot him a couple of those 'rock-and-roll' hands and stick out my tongue in the process, and laugh to myself as I wait for John B to make his way out so we can continue our conversation. I catch JJ giggling too as he lets the door close behind Pope and himself.
"So, everyone just keeps all their stuff there?" I ask even though I don't have any stuff to keep there in the first place. I don't have a skateboard or a surfboard or any of that so I'll have to borrow someone's until I can get my own or something. I really hope that this isn't the time when they all get annoyed with me and don't want me in the group anymore cause I can't surf or do any of that cool shit like they can. I feel like I'll just hold them up from doing what they usually do. We'll just have to wait and see, I guess.
"Yeah, basically!" John B replies, snapping me out of my trance of 'what-if's'. "That's where J and I crash most nights, so like I said, you're always welcome to join us, even if I'm not there. It's kinda like our home base, we all share it." Hm. He should become a tour guide! He's awfully good at explaining things like this.
"Kay, sweet!" At this point I don't know where we are on the island cause we've exited the realm of places that I'm familiar with, so I'm just trusting the group and going with whatever they want.
After a minute of silence between John B and I, a funny smirk crawls onto my face as I think of what to say next. "So... you and Sarah?" Without waiting for any sort of response, I run away from John B and catch up with JJ, Kie, and Pope who got ahead of us during our conversation. I hear him shout 'JJ and Brielleee!' in a singsong-y tone and Blondie and I immediately turn around and each give John B one of our middle fingers. I wonder if JJ noticed that we did that at the same time.
John B makes his way up to the rest of us after a moment and the five of us kick rocks around to each other, and I listen as the boys shout out cute 'hi!'s to people we walk past that they know. Kie has her phone out again, so I would assume that she's texting Sarah. I'm really excited to meet her! I hope she has a little more substance to her than just Taylor Swift, but either way I'm just looking forward to making another friend on the island.
After another two minutes of quiet walking, John B announces our arrival in his best tour guide voice. I'll have to bring that up to him as a possible career. "And, we have arrived! Welcome to the Chateau. Kind of a shithole, but super cozy." He pulls open the screen door that leads up to the porch, and the five of us fill in before he does the same to the door connected to the actual house. Pope makes room for me to step inside first, and I do just that while lifting my shades back up to my head.
I mean, he wasn't entirely wrong about this place being a shithole, but I've seen way worse. It's kinda cute actually. It certainly looks lived in, and John B also got the cozy aspect right. JJ flings himself onto the pull-out couch and stretches his arms out behind his head.
"J, we came here for you, love." Kie tells him in a gentle tone of voice. "The sooner you grab your shit, the sooner we can go exploring!"
JJ lets out an annoyed groan, even though Kie was right. He reaches his arm out to be assisted in standing up, but it took me a second to realize that he was reaching out to me. I look around awkwardly for a moment, but I find that all eyes are on me to help the boy up. I reach my own arm out towards JJ and he grabs my hand as I pull him up off the couch so he can grab his boards. He clicks his tongue and shoots me a subtle wink as he walks into the hall towards the left.
"C'mon, all our stuff is on the porch." Kie motions towards the door with her head and the four of us walk out while JJ collects his things inside. John B, Pope, and Kie all pick up their own surfboard and skateboard, and I feel totally awkward just standing here with empty hands. "Oh, have this!" Kie reaches around the corner and hands me a bright pink skateboard with blue wheels. "My old penny board. It's yours!"
"Oh, sweet! Thanks!" I take the board and inspect it excitedly before stashing it under my arm. "I dunno how to use it, but I'm willing to learn if one of y'all is willing to teach me."
"I'll teach you," JJ chimes in, kicking the door open with his giant black boot to make room for himself to exit the Chateau with his boards. John B lets out an excited gasp at JJ's proposal and I glare at him with a smile on my face. "What're we waiting for?" JJ asks impatiently.
"Nothing! We should load up the Twinkie so we can find somewhere good to explore." Tour Guide John B replies, leading the way to a giant brown van covered in stickers. I follow everyone down the few stairs into the yard.
Load up the what? "The Twinkie?"
"Yeah, the Twinkie!" Pope confirms with a laugh. "Our van." Everyone takes turns passing their surfboards to John B who secures them to the top of the van, and we begin to climb in with our skateboards.
"Shotgun!" JJ shouts, throwing his finger up into the air. He gets in the passenger seat next to John B who pulls a key out of his back pocket and sticks it into the Twinkie's ignition. Kie slides open the back door and crawls in, sitting herself down on the cushioned bench that lines the interior. Pope sits next to her and I take my seat next to him, and struggle to slide the rusty door shut behind us.
I've decided that it's best to just go with the flow and avoid asking questions, so I just let John B drive wherever he thinks we should go without interjecting. I look around at the trinkets of girls in hula skirts and more stickers that cover the ceiling of the van, and I conclude that this vehicle is so fitting for this group of people. JJ cranks the volume up on the radio, and some even more fitting reggae song plays through the Twinkie's shitty speakers. He rolls the front windows down and both John B and himself stick their arms out into the breeze.
I look over at Pope and Kie with a look of total amazement on my face, not realizing that vans like this actually existed in real life. They reciprocate my excitement cause they probably haven't had anyone new in the Twinkie in a while. Kie shoots me a wink and a smile, and I have to look forward so she doesn't see me blush. I glance into the front mirror of the van and catch JJ's eye now, and I see them squint as a smile forms on his face. I smile back at him and nod my head once to let his sunglasses fall onto my face one more time, and I see him chuckle to himself before looking out the window at the water below us.
Damn. I could get used to this.