HEY BFFS :D
thank u sSSSOOO much for 18k reads on the story that's genuinely insane :0 i adore each and every one of u so much
N E WAYYY this is a fun one lolz i hope u enjoy it & i'll see y'all in the comments !!
ENJOYYYY -katie <3
✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*
b r i e l l e
"No, seriously! I begged dad to let me bring him to like, show and tell or some shit, but he said no, so I brought my backpack to the beach and tried to smuggle him in."
"If it was literally anyone else telling me this story, I would not believe them." JJ tells me with a giggle as I finish my story about how I tried to bring Larry the seagull to school in the first grade. I return the laugh as we walk up the porch steps to the house and head inside.
JJ flicks on the lights and I go straight to the kitchen cabinets, grabbing our two favorite mugs and placing them on the counter for hot chocolate later. "I wonder if he's still there."
"Or maybe his ghost is there or something, like, haunting that tree you said he liked." He wiggles his fingers in front of my face and makes some funny ghost sound effects, dropping his backpack next to the mugs. I grab my camera and sunglasses from the bag and tell JJ to 'look what I did!' as I turn the camera on and click to see the photos. I look up at him when the photo I took of him earlier shows up on the screen, and his cheeks turn a bright shade of pink at the sight of himself. Either he knows he looks good in that picture, or he doesn't think navy blue is his color.
"Oh, stop it. You look cute." I can't help but laugh at the boy's reaction as I lean up and leave a short kiss on his cheek. "I'm gonna go change. Meet me in a sec, okay?"
When I get to my bedroom, I change quickly into a pair of pink and white striped pajama shorts that absolutely do not match my yellow hoodie. I redo my braid and put my hood on, grabbing my movie box from my closet. Not even a second later, I hear a quiet knock on my door as a blond head of hair peeks in. "Knock knock,"
"Enter at your own risk! It's movie decision time."
JJ comes in and sits on my bed next to me as I flip through the movies in the cardboard box that we've already seen a million and one times, but we never seem to get bored of as long as we're watching them together. I look up at him after realizing that we've been silent for a few minutes, and I'm met with his adorable smiling face that seems to light up even more when our eyes meet. "What?" I ask him with my own suspicious grin.
The boy only shakes his head and replies with a dismissive 'nothing'.
"Come on, what is it? Do I have something on my face? In my hair?" My sarcastic tone makes the two of us break into laughter, and I continue searching for tonight's movie so as not to pressure him into saying anything.
"No, no, it's nothing. You just-" I hear him swallow before he speaks again. "You look pretty."
My head snaps up from the box at his words, and I feel a huge grin appear on my face. I can't help but bury my face in my hands in an attempt to hide my smiles and giggles, but my disguise is no match for the swam of butterflies that I feel rushing through my body. JJ laughs at my giddiness and I look back up at him with flushed cheeks, letting his words get the best of me as I lean towards him and wrap my arms around his neck, causing the two of us to fall back on my bed in another fit of laughter.
With JJ's hands securely on my back, I put both of mine on the sides of his face and mirror his smile. "Thanks," I tell him quietly, knowing that my voice would crack with nerves if I spoke any louder. After planting a short kiss on his lips, I roll myself off him so that we're laying on our backs next to each other now.
"I have a question." He announces after a moment of quietness.
"What's up?"
"What's goin' on with us?"
"What do you mean?"
"Like, you and me. JJ and Brielle." We both turn our heads to look at each other now, and I have to try as hard as I can to hide my smile at the thought of what might be about to happen. "We've kinda just been like, kissing, y'know? Not that that's a bad thing, cause it's definitely not, but- I don't know."
"I dunno either," I reply truthfully, giving up the struggle and letting my smile grow larger. "I guess I haven't really given it too much thought."
"Me neither. Maybe... should- we should do something about that?"
"Do something about it?" Holy shit. Holy fucking shit.
"Yeah."
"Yeah?" Oh my god.
"Yeah."
"So...?" Oh my god.
"So...?" JJ repeats me with a nervous laugh, and I do the same. "I dunno, do you wanna like... date?" He asks me, a hopeful smile on his face. This cannot be happening right now.
"Do I wanna date? Like, date you? And you would be my b-"
"Exactly like that. And you could-"
"Be your girlfriend?"
"I mean, yeah. If you want. But if you think that w-"
"No, I- I want to. I do."
"Yeah?"
"Of course I do."
"You're sure? Cause like, if y-"
"I'm a hundred and one percent sure, JJ." I tell the nervous boy with a giggle. "Are you sure?" I genuinely cannot believe this is happening.
"Positive. Literally so positive."
"Okay," The goofiest fucking grin creeps onto my face. "Sweet." That was almost too easy.
"Sweet." JJ adopts possibly the biggest smile that I've ever seen on his face before, but he covers it up with his hands as he lets out a high pitched cheer of excitement. I can't help but laugh at his noise and the thought of everything that just happened. Wait until Sarah hears about this!
Oh shit, that reminds me. I sorta forgot about the whole thing with Kie cause I've been having such a good time with JJ. She's definitely not gonna take this information well. I decide to let it go for right now, not wanting to let that ruin my absolutely insanely good mood.
The two of us sit up on my bed after JJ's done celebrating, and I feel the blush on my cheeks burning redder than ever at the sight of my... boyfriend? Yeah, that sounds cool. Boyfriend.
"No fucking way that just happened, Brielle."
"I could be wrong, but I think it might've happened!" Please don't let me be wrong. Please tell me that wasn't all some sort of dream. We spend the next few seconds laughing the rest of our nerves away until I finally resume our movie search. Realizing that neither of us will probably be able to actually focus on whatever we put on the TV, I grab my trusty Tangled disc again and hold it up for JJ's approval. "Up for a little Rapunzel?"
"Yes ma'am. You?"
"Ooh, sorry, I actually can't." I explain in an overly disappointed tone. The equally saddened look on JJ's face breaks my heart, but I know his reaction in a few seconds will make up for it. "I have a boyfriend."
He gives me a smirk and a middle finger in return, and I take this as my cue to push my joke further. "I actually have a hot chocolate date with him in approximately..." I check the nonexistent watch on my wrist. "Now! So if you'll excuse me, I have to go." Sitting up from my bed to slide the box back into my closer, I look back at an apparently stunned JJ who looks as if Cupid snuck in and shot him right in the heart with an arrow.
I grab Jackie and my favorite fuzzy blanket from the end of my bed as JJ stands up now, his eyes absolutely glued to me as we walk out of my room and into the kitchen. "Good. Y'know, cause I have a girlfriend. I didn't even want to anyway, my friends dared me to do that." He joins in on my joke in a sarcastically deep voice, and I don't even have to look at him to know just how big his smile is. "I swear."
"You swear?" I ask him with a sarcastic grin.
He clears his throat in an attempt to stifle a laugh. "Yeah, mhm. Swear."
A comfortable silence falls over us now as I grab the kettle from the back of the stove and fill it up with water for hot chocolate. JJ sits on his usual stool at the island and I lean on my elbows with my head in my hands across from him. I just kinda admire him for a second while his attention is directed towards the rings on his fingers, and I feel my heart burst into about a billion little tiny hearts when he looks back up at me. "Hi."
"Sup?"
"Just lookin' at you." The kettle begins to whistle on the stove as I say this, and I pour the hot water into the mugs I set out earlier. Once I stir in the powder, I top each mug with a swirl of whipped cream. We like them to be as sweet and chocolaty as possible cause we only make hot chocolate for certain occasions, so I decide to throw a few marshmallows on top as well, and carefully slide JJ's across the counter to him. "Bon appétit!"
We sit in the kitchen for a few minutes enjoying our drinks, and the thought of what just happened back in my bedroom suddenly hits me like the ton of bricks that JJ keeps in his backpack. For some reason, I don't believe that any of that actually happened, so I speak up to confirm my skepticism.
"So, we're just like, dating now, aren't we? You and me?"
JJ nods his head in response as he takes a sip from his mug, leaving a spot of whipped cream on his nose as he places the cup back down onto the counter. "Pretty cool, huh?"
"Really cool."
"I'm glad you kinda caught my drift, cause I just like, started talking with no plan for how to ask you." I give the boy a gentle smile which he returns,
"Your lack of preparation was dreadfully evident!" I shout in a funny accent, making the two of us burst into simultaneous laughter. With a mouthful of hot chocolate I nod my head in the direction of the couch, suggesting that we begin our movie night now before it gets too late.
I flick a few of the kitchen lights off and situate myself next to JJ on the couch after putting the disc in, and together we finish our drinks and watch Rapunzel let down her hair for at least the tenth time this summer. Somehow it never gets old though, and I would watch Disney princess movies all day long if it meant I could spend the time right here on the couch with my boy.
Before we know it, the movie is just about over, and JJ is barely awake by now, his eyelids obviously heavy as he rests his tired head on top of mine. I gently tap his arm to let him know that the movie has ended, and we slowly stand up from the couch and make our way to my room for the night. I toss Jackie and my blanket back onto my bed and close the door behind us, and I fall asleep almost immediately in JJ's comforting embrace.
✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*
The high pitched sound of the seagulls making their appearance at the beach for the day wakes me up the next morning. You'd think that I'd be annoyed at this rude awakening, but all of my frustrations dissolve at the sight of JJ who lays awake next to me with something in his hands. Once my eyes adjust to the bright morning light, I blink a few times and see that he's reading the back of my book version of Dead Poets Society.
He looks over at me when he senses my movement, and a gentle smile comes across his face and his cheeks turn pink when he realizes that I caught him reading. I giggle quietly at his reaction and he puts the book down on my bedside table. "A little early morning philosophy? 10 AM food for thought?"
"Don't speak of it." JJ tells me with a laugh as he leans over and kisses my forehead. He gets out of bed shortly after and fixes his hair in the mirror, and I just sort of admire him quietly for a minute until he catches my eye through the mirror. I immediately cover up my face with my blanket and let out a muffled squeal, not wanting him to see me blushing.
He heads for the kitchen, and I stay in my bed for a moment longer when my gaze falls upon my Midsummers dress from a few days ago. I left it hanging on the door of my closet, and with the way that the sun catches its satin material, I wish so badly that I could feel as pretty again as I did three days ago. It feels like that party was ages ago, but with everything that's happened between JJ and I in the past few days, I can't blame myself for losing track of time. My mind floods itself with memories from that night that I would do just about anything to return to, but the daydream is promptly interrupted by a few not so pleasant thoughts from the party. I remember my creepy encounter with Rafe Cameron, and I'm also reminded that I have to get the dress back to Kie somehow, but that means we have to discuss last night before that can happen.
I shake my head to rid my brain of the flashback, and I get up before tossing my sweatshirt on the bed before I walk out, leaving me in just my tank top and shorts. My braid is messy with tons of flyaway hairs everywhere, but I just leave it, knowing that I don't have to fix myself up just for J.
I stand in the kitchen doorway for a second, rubbing my eyes and stretching, and JJ is already standing in front of the counter with two bowls of our favorite cereal and a couple of spoons. He puts one in front of where I normally sit and takes his own seat next to mine. "Are you going somewhere?" I ask him, wondering what could possibly have him rushing this early in the morning.
"I got work, remember? Every weekday till school starts." Damn.
"Oh yeah." I frown slightly when I say this, realizing that this is how every morning will be spent for the next couple of weeks.
"Only for a few hours though, then I'm yours for the rest of the day."
I reply with a quiet 'okay' and sit down next to the boy and we eat our breakfast quietly, knowing that he'll be late to Heyward's if we fall too deep in conversation.
"I think I'm gonna try to see Sarah when you're at work."
"Well, I think that's a great idea. Promise me you'll do something fun, yeah?" JJ asks me in a hopeful tone as he stands up and puts his empty bowl in the sink. I can tell he's still a little concerned after yesterday, so it will do both of us some good if I'm busy with something enjoyable today.
"Mhm. Pinky promise. With a cherry on top and everything." I smile gently at the boy as he returns to my side and we lock in my promise. He wraps his arm across my shoulders and I lean back into his touch as he kisses the top of my head.
"As long as there's a cherry on top."
"And sprinkles! Don't forget about the sprinkles." I shout as JJ makes his way to the door to tie his boots on. "Tell Pope I said hi, by the way! And Heyward."
"You know I always do." He puts his phone in his pocket and looks back at me from the door, and I extend my arm and tell him that I love him in sign language. I wish so badly that I could find the courage to say that to him out loud, but silent communication will have to suffice for now.
The boy returns the gesture with a wink and a click of his tongue, and he grabs one of his hats from the coat rack before heading out of the house towards work.
Once he leaves and the house has gone silent, I remain at my spot in the kitchen for a while longer, stabbing at the soggy cereal on the bottom of my bowl with my spoon. Eventually, I clean up from breakfast and slink back into my bedroom, falling lazily onto my bed and letting myself drift off to sleep for another hour and a half.
✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*
By the time I wake up, it's a little after noon, and the sun has since risen to the top of the sky, letting the perfect amount of natural light into my room. I grab my phone from my bedside table and check the notifications I missed from the morning, and smile slightly when I see that I got a text from John B.
from: john 🐝
to: me
morning miss bri just checking in hope ur doing okay :)
let me know when you're awake
received 10:57 AM
from: me
to: john 🐝
hi jb i'm up
<33 thank u for checkibg on me
sent 12:14 PM
from: john 🐝
to: me
feeling okay? i've been worried about u
yesterday was tough
received 12:16 PM
from: me
to: john 🐝
yeah it was but i'm okay :D slept off the anger
jj's off to work
sent 12:17 PM
from: john 🐝
to: me
that's good i'm glad
stop by 2day if u want some company
pope's coming over after his shift
received 12:20 PM
from: me
to: john 🐝
ithink i'm gonna hang with sarah for a bit
but u can expect me sometime later today !
i'll tell your girl you say hi don't even worry 🫂
sent 12:22 PM
from: john 🐝
to: me
yes plz relay the message
i'll b here be safe love u :)
received 12:23 PM
from: me
to: john 🐝
thank you jb <333
love u :D
sent 12:24 PM
After my text conversation with John B, I sit up from my laying position in bed and switch directly to my private message with Sarah.
from: me
to: sarah cameron <3
hi sarah cameron
are u around today ?? bored af
sent 12:26 PM
from: sarah cameron <3
to: me
hi lovely :p
about to bake cookies with wheezie !! plz comeo ver and hang 😋
received 12:30 PM
from: me
to: sarah cameron <3
YAS okay
getting ready now i'll b over soon :D
i miss my girl wheezie
sent 12:31 PM
Knowing that my gross feelings will vanish immediately in the presence of Sarah, I get myself out of bed and head to the bathroom to brush my hair and teeth. Then, when I'm back in my room I sort through the clothes in my closet until I find a cropped floral halter top, throwing that on with a pair of light wash denim shorts and my red high tops. I tie a white bandana around my head and put on a little bit of perfume, mascara, and lip gloss, excluding the peppermint chapstick that I would normally be wearing if it weren't for the absence of a certain blond boy.
Once I give myself a quick thumbs up in the mirror, I grab my keychain from the kitchen counter and head outside, shutting the lights off behind me. I climb into dad's old Jeep that hasn't moved from the driveway since Midsummers and drive to the Cameron residence, shuffling 2 by Mac DeMarco on my way there.
I pull into their massive driveway a few songs later and collect my keys and phone before walking up to their giant white double doors. I knock a few times and wait quietly, excited to hang out with Sarah. I don't know how she does it, but somehow that girl always manages to make literally anyone feel better.
After a few seconds, I hear someone on the other side fumbling with the doorknob, and my heart skips a beat when it opens, but not in a good way. Rafe is standing in front of me with a smirk on his face before our eyes even meet, and his expression only grows creepier when I look up at him. "Hey," He says in a supposed-to-be-hot tone. His gaze travels not so discreetly up and down my body, stopping on my chest for a few extra seconds. He only looks back at my face when I fold my arms over myself to let him know that I see what he's doing.
"Hi, Rafe." My eyes divert themselves to a decorative flower pot outside of the door to avoid looking at the Cameron boy for a second longer.
"Brielle, right? How are you?" Ten times worse than I was before I got here, thanks!
"It's Bri," I correct him, wishing that I was with the only boy who I let call me by my full name. "And I'm fine, thanks." Please just let me in so I can see Sarah.
"Nice, nice. Hey, um, how was the rest of your night? Y'know, after we talked at Mid-"
"Please, can I just come in and see Sarah, Rafe? I came here to spend time with her, not to catch up with you in the doorway." I ask the boy with a sarcastic smile. My snarky response sends a look of pure dissatisfaction across his face, and he furrows his eyebrows at me and kisses his teeth before he steps out of the way so I can walk inside.
I hear him shut the door with an unnecessary amount of force as I walk past him and into the kitchen where I can hear Sarah and Wheezie talking and laughing with each other. I knock on the door frame and poke my head into the room, announcing my presence. "Knock knock! Hug delivery for..." I check the palm of my hand as if it's a piece of paper. "Miss Sarah Elizabeth Cameron?"
"Bri!" Sarah shouts excitedly as I step fully into the kitchen. She rushes over to me and wraps me in one of her classic Sarah hugs, and I put my things quickly on the counter so I can properly return the gesture. "How're you doing? Y'alright?"
"Yeah, I'm okay." I tell the girl truthfully with a smile. I look around the kitchen at the lit candle on the counter and the ingredients for cookies spread out all over the place, and my eyes land on a certain dark haired girl who looks back at me hopefully, waiting for me to notice her.
When she catches my eye, I look back at her for a few seconds, both of us sporting huge smiles cause it's been so long since I've seen her. "Well, if it isn't Miss Wheezie Cameron!" She shuffles over to me now too, and I give her a long overdue hug, completely overjoyed with my love for the Cameron girls. Wheezie gives me a soft 'hi, Bri' and I settle in for the afternoon.
The three of us get started on our cookies, Taylor Swift accompanying us from the kitchen speaker. All is well and my brain is only thinking positive thoughts, but only until I notice Rafe looming at the kitchen table. We make uncomfortable eye contact far too many times, my gaze dropping immediately each time as I subconsciously clench my jaw at the mere sight of him. Though I'm reminded again of our frightening encounter at Midsummers, I keep my mouth shut so as not to start anything unnecessary between the two of us or with Rafe and Sarah.
Once the first batch of cookies is baking in the oven, I sit at the kitchen island and Wheezie goes into the living room to watch TV. Before Sarah joins me, she pours two cups of her favorite pink lemonade and sits across from me, sliding me a glass. "Are you really alright?" She asks me sincerely, concern plaguing her voice.
I nod in response and take a sip of lemonade. "I really am okay, yeah." As I take a deep breath, my lungs fill with a slight twinge of anger at the thought of the words Kie was screaming at me yesterday. "Had a- a... good night with JJ, so that's good." I catch myself smiling when I say this, not being able to hold it in any longer in hopes of some boy talk with my girl.
"Oh, a good night, you say?" Sarah asks me suspiciously with a giggle. My cheeks go warm as I prepare to tell her about last night, but when I see Rafe get up and walk into the kitchen out of the corner of my eye, I stop myself and hope that he'll be gone soon. I look at Sarah, my eyes widening out of annoyance for the boy in the room, and thankfully she catches on and steps in.
"Hey, Rafe, why don't you, uh, go upstairs or something? Don't you have tons of work to get done before you go back to school?" She shoots her brother an obviously fake smile that says 'that wasn't a suggestion'.
I don't even have to turn around to feel his glare tearing right through me, and I can tell he was eavesdropping in hopes of gaining some information about me and the boy I wouldn't tell him about at Midsummers. Silently, he grabs a drink from the refrigerator and slams its door shut, and I follow his movement with menacing eyes as he goes upstairs.
"So, tell me about this good night of yours!" Sarah continues once the coast is clear. All of her attention is focused on me now, and I prepare myself once more.
"Um," I begin in an attempt to stifle a smile. "Let's just say... a certain girl whose name starts with 'B' and ends in 'rielle' might, I dunno, have a boyfriend...?"
Sarah gasps excitedly at my words and her jaw hangs open while she freaks out. "Hopefully his name starts with a J? And ends with another J?" Hell yeah it does. I nod my head and smile at the girl who mirrors my expression, only hers is ten times bigger. She takes one of my hands and squeezes it out of pure happiness, and the two of us giggle at the thought of it all.
"No fucking way, Bri! I knew y'all would get together soon enough." The oven timer beeps to let us know that the first batch of cookies is done, and Sarah and I get up and set them out to cool before sliding another pan into the oven.
"I don't think anything's gonna change or anything. He was just like 'we've just been like, kissing, like what's going on with us?', y'know? And, yeah!"
Sarah audibly 'aww's and gives me a quick side hug. "Well, I'm happy for you. He loves you." I don't know about that, but I sure as hell love him.
"Don't tell anyone though! None of the boys or Kie." I stick my pinky finger in the air and Sarah wraps hers around it, and we kiss our thumbs to seal it in.
"You secret's safe with me!"
Once the topic runs dry and we've returned to our seats, Sarah brings up something I wish we could avoid, but I know we shouldn't. "You should talk to her, y'know. Figure things out so you can be friends again."
"I know."
"Better to do it soon."
"I know." I repeat. God, this fucking sucks. "Did you know?"
"Did I know what, love?"
"About Kie? That she likes me?" Do I really want to know the answer to this?
The girl simply shakes her head and for some reason, I feel relieved. "I knew that she likes girls just like, in general. But no, not you." I look down at the counter and just think for a minute, not really knowing what to say at this point.
"I guess I'll text her. See if she wants to talk."
"Good idea."
from: me
to: kiara carrera
hi
would u like to talk?? i think it would b good for us
i unerstand if you don't, but just lmk
sent 1:37 PM
Sarah and I prepare the next batch of cookies with the help of Wheezie, but my eyes keep flashing back to my phone screen as I wait for a text back. "She texted," Sarah tells me when she notices my phone light up from the counter.
from: kiara carrera
to: me
hi bri
i think we should
i have work at 5 but if u want we can go to the beach or somethign
we shouldn't do it over text
received 1:43 PM
from: me
to: kiara carrera
okay beach it is
i'll meet u at 3 or something?
sent 1:44 PM
from: kiara carrera
to: me
yeah that's good
c u
received 1:46 PM
"Meeting her at the beach at 3."
"That's good, right?" I simply nod in response, not really knowing how I should feel about talking to Kie. I mean, I want to make up and be friends again, but it's just everything she was saying and the way she talked about JJ that makes me not really want to go.
✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*
After we finished baking all of the cookies, Sarah and I brought a plate of them upstairs to her bedroom and started rewatching Gilmore Girls from the beginning on her laptop. We don't get far though, because I check my phone just as Dean tells Rory that he's been watching her and realize that it's about time for me to meet Kie at the beach.
"I should head out."
"Okay, love. You'll be good, I promise." Sarah and I get up from her bed and she hugs me goodbye, but I don't let go until she does, hoping that we can maybe just stay here for the rest of the day so I won't have to talk to Kie. "I'll text you, okay?"
I give her a quiet 'kay' and on our way downstairs, I knock a few times on Wheezie's door. "Bye pretty girl," I tell her quietly, seeing that she's reading on the seat in front of her window. "I'll come by again soon." She waves at me without losing her place in her book and I close her door on my way out, making my way back downstairs with Sarah close behind.
She hands me another cookie as we walk through the kitchen and I grab my keys from the counter before heading to the door. "Thanks for hanging with me today." Sarah pouts at my words and tells me that she loves me, and I return the sentiment before I head back outside to my car.
"Hey!" I turn around quickly at the sound of Rafe's voice, and contemplate getting in my car and driving away immediately when I see him rushing over to me with his motorcycle helmet in his hand. "Are you leaving?"
"Uh, yeah." What else would I be doing?
"Oh, uh- I was just getting ready to take my motorcycle out, if you wanted a ride? You could just hold onto me, y'know, it's totally safe."
Does he not see the car that I'm standing in front of right now? "I'm all set, Rafe, thanks. I've got my own ride." I tell him monotonously in an attempt to let him know that I'm not at all interested. "See ya."
I get in my car and lock the doors, feeling totally and completely uncomfortable after talking to him. I will admit, I do feel like kind of an asshole when I talk to him like that, but he's not gonna leave me alone otherwise. I can see him in the mirror standing behind my car as I drive off, and it takes everything in me not to flip him off on my way out.
I drive to the beach with no music playing, which is totally unlike me, but it would feel disrespectful to try to listen to Taylor while my mind is occupied with other thoughts. When I arrive, I park poorly between two of the faded lines in the lot and spot Kie sitting on the edge of the jetty, exactly where JJ and I were a few nights ago.
I approach her quietly, but she turns around at the sound of my sneakers against the rocks and greets me with a half smile. I sit down next to her and we remain silent for a moment until I decide to speak up with a kind 'hi'.
"Hey." Kie keeps her head down when she says this, swinging her legs back and forth as they hang off the jetty.
"How are you?"
"I'm okay. You?"
"I'm okay, too." An obviously troubled look plagues the girl's face, and another moment of silence goes by before we talk about what we actually came here to talk about.
"Look, I'm really sorry, Bri."
"Yeah, me too. I'm sorry."
"No, you have nothing to feel sorry for. It's all me, really." Damn.
"I mean, it was practically a screaming match, Kie, lik-"
"But I was the one who started it. I was the one who started it, and you were just defending yourself and JJ. I don't want you to feel sorry for raising your voice." Okay, but the volume of our voices isn't exactly the most important thing. It's what came out of our mouths, well, Kie's mouth, that I want to talk about. I just don't know how to.
"I just got so upset, and I don't know why. I mean, I do know why, but I shouldn't have taken it out on y'all."
"No, I understand why it happened, Kie. To be totally honest, h- nevermind, nevermind." Shit.
"No, what were you gonna say?"
I keep my head down and play with my rings to avoid eye contact with Kie, and take a deep breath before continuing. "I was just gonna say that he wasn't supposed to do that. He wasn't supposed to kiss me. No one was supposed to know yet, and if I knew how it would make you feel I would have totally made sure it didn't happen."
"It's okay, Bri. You had no way of knowing, I was too scared to tell you in the first place." I don't say anything to this, finding myself at a bit of a loss for words. It doesn't really feel like we're getting anywhere in this conversation, but at least we aren't yelling. "He's pretty bad at hiding that kinda stuff, though, isn't he?"
This makes both Kie and myself laugh quietly, and I'm totally relieved that a lot of the awkward tension between us has disappeared. "Yeah, he is." I say mid-laugh.
Our laughter dies down and we go quiet again shortly after. "I really am sorry, though. I shouldn't have gotten so upset with you. I'm just glad that you're happy, cause he really likes you." Kie shoots me a gentle smile that I return, only mine feels a bit sadder.
I giggle softly when I'm told that JJ likes me, and I don't even think before I tell kie that 'I like him, too.' I look over at her now and my sad grin returns. "I'm sorry," I tell her, letting her know that I feel bad that I our feelings don't align. I think she catches on, cause she leans towards me and wraps me in a quick side hug.
"Don't worry about it. Friends again?"
I nod happily in response and the two of us stand up and begin walking over to my car. "Yeah, friends again. I didn't like not being friends for a day."
"Me neither. So, tell me about him!"
"Tell you about him? You already know everything there is to know!"
"I just wanna hear about him."
✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*
s a r a h
from: me
to: bri 💌
hi babe hope everything is goinf well with kie
let me know when you leave the beach
come back over later if u want !! hashtag sleepover :p
sent 4:38 PM
from: bri 💌
to: me
just got home :D it went good
on good terms again
i'm gonna snooze for a bit but i'll let u knowwwowow sleepover would b fun
received 4:44 PM
from: me
to: bri 💌
i'm glad you're good :)
yes definitely text when u wake up i'm around all night
dying to see chilton rory
sent 4:46 PM
from: bri 💌
to: me
YAS me 2
i'll report back when i wake up
night night
<333
received 4:50 PM
"Hey, Sarah?" Rafe knocks on my bedroom door, announcing himself with his words instead of a knock. He pokes his head into my room and looks around a bit as if he hasn't been in here a thousand times before. "Is uh, is Brielle coming back? Sometime?"
"It's Bri," I correct him quickly. Even though Bri isn't here, it feels weird for him to be calling her that. Only JJ calls her that. "And I just asked her."
"Yeah, okay. Tonight?" My brother stays in my doorway, and I have to fight the urge to pick up my slipper and chuck it right at his face. I don't like him asking about my girl like that.
"Yeah, tonight. Y'know it's just gonna be me and her, right? Just us hanging out?"
"Yeah, no, yeah... I just, uh, just thought I'd ask." Bullshit. I know exactly why he's asking, and so does he.
"She's not interested in you, Rafe, so you better back off. You were being really weird around her earlier. It wasn't cool." I would tell him that she has a boyfriend, cause it's true, but also cause I know that'll definitely make him keep his distance, but I zip my lips about it. I wouldn't dare tell him, or anyone for that matter, about Bri and JJ until they're ready. Things are still kind of weird with Kie, and Bri and I trust each other with this kind of stuff, so I would never do anything to mess with that.
"I wasn't fuckin' doing anything to her, Sarah." I hate how calm he can be in situations like this.
"Yes you did, Rafe! She was so uncomfortable in the kitchen, that's why I told you to leave! You w-"
"Just shut the fuck up, alright? I won't do anything." Double bullshit. Thankfully, he leaves after he says this, slamming my door shut on his way out. Hopefully he'll keep his word and Bri and I can have a successful Gilmore-Girls-watching-cookie-eating night.
from: me
to: bri 💌
#night :D
sent 5:01 PM
✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*
b r i e l l e
I wake up for the third time today with zero idea of what time it is. With dad away this week for work, I've just kinda been doing whatever whenever without needing to do things at a certain time. I grab my phone and see that it's a little after 7, and I'm reminded of my plans with Sarah when I see her last text.
I really do not want to go back there tonight. I would love to hang out with Sarah and Wheezie again and watch Netflix, but something about being in the same house as Rafe Cameron all night long makes my skin crawl.
from: me
to: sarah cameron <3
just woke up feeling disoriented af
i don't think i'm gonna b able tomake it tonight ://
headache & still so tired
sometime this week let's have a sleepover defnitely
sent 7:06 PM
I feel totally shitty for bailing on Sarah like that, but at least the part about the headache is true. I also don't want to tell her that I'm not going because of Rafe, just cause I don't want to start anything between any of us. Hopefully his creepiness will blow over and we can have a normal girl's night soon enough.
I get out of bed and change into some comfier clothes, feeling completely trapped in my denim shorts that I fell asleep in. I throw on my favorite lavender colored bikini and put my tank top back on over it with a pair of white sweatshorts. After I tie my hair up in ponytail and put my sneakers back on, I put on some of that chapstick and head to the kitchen for some dinner.
from: sarah cameron <3
to: me
dw about it love
feeling better is more important !!
let's plan for this week :D
received 7:11 PM
I love Sarah Cameron. So much.
I don't really feel like making anything too complicated for dinner right now, so I quickly whip up a pot of mac and cheese and slice a few strawberries and a headache painkiller to go with it. I eat quietly at the counter and realize that I haven't heard from a certain blond boy in a while.
from: me
to: jj maybank ❤️🔥
hi j :DD
i hope work was good
what're u up to tonight ?
sent 7:17 PM
from: jj maybank ❤️🔥
to: me
Can't talk sorry my girlfriend texted
Work was good
But I got caught up at Heyward's for a while so I'm about to go to the chateau w pope
Are u with Sarah?
received 7:19 PM
from: me
to: jj maybank ❤️🔥
i was with her earlier :D so no not rn
i'll meet y'all at jb's !
if that's okay
sent 7:20 PM
from: jj maybank ❤️🔥
to: me
Hell yeah comr hang out
We'll be there in like 10
Bring a bathing suit
received 7:23 PM
from: me
to: jj maybank ❤️🔥
okay 🤨 on it
c u soon
🤟🤟🤟
sent 7:24 PM
from: jj maybank ❤️🔥
to: me
Safe travels
🤟🤟❤️🔥
received 7:24 PM
When I finish eating, I clean up the kitchen and head quickly out of the house, excited for a night with all three of my boys. I still feel kind of gross and groggy from falling asleep at 5 PM, but I'm willing to suck it up for a few hours. Just as long as Rafe isn't there, I'm good.
I walk at a slow pace to John B's house, feeling like enjoying the last bits of tonight's sunset outside instead of from my car. It's mostly dark out once I arrive at the Chateau, and John B is outside in the side yard messing around with a bunch of cords. "Uh oh, what's electrician John B doing on the premises?"
As I get closer to him and peek around the corner of the house, I see a massive hot tub in the middle of the back yard. A childlike excitement rushes through my body at the sight of it, and just as I go to share my happiness with John B, he lets out a loud 'got it!' and the jets and lights turn on in the hot tub.
"Dude, where the hell did this come from? I was just here yesterday!"
John B comes to stand next to me and puts an arm around my shoulder as we admire the colorful sight in front of us. "Ordered it a few weeks ago! Just came in today." The two of us walk closer to it and I rest my hands on the edge, looking at my reflection in the bubbling water.
"I was wondering why J told me to bring a bathing suit,"
"'The Cat's Ass', as we like to call it." John B puts his hands out and frames the hot tub with his pointer and index fingers, and together we stare at it in awe as if we're looking at the Hollywood sign.
"Who came up with that name?" I ask even though I know the answer. At the same time, John B and I both answer with an obvious 'JJ', and the boy in question comes out the back door of the house followed by Pope.
"The Cat's Ass, J? Really?" I turn around and ask the boy with a stupid grin on my face. This makes Pope chuckle and he approaches me with an outstretched hand, and I quickly give him the Pogue handshake as our usual greeting. JJ snakes his hand around my waist when he reaches me and pulls me in for a kiss.
"'Course. What else would we name it?" He looks down at me with a subtle smirk and I playfully roll my eyes at him.
"Uh, I dunno. The Brielle... inator? 3000?" Pope smacks JJ in the arm at my words, jokingly exclaiming that they should have used my name suggestion.
The three boys and I settle into the couch and chairs on the back porch of the Chateau under the dim Christmas lights hanging around the edge. JJ smokes a bit and Pope gets two waters for me and him, and John B turns on some quiet music from the speaker in the corner of the porch.
"I didn't see your car here. You didn't walk, did you?" JJ asks me after a moment, a look of concern on his face. I nod my head in response and give him a confused 'I did', and I'm met with a chorus of words from Pope, JJ, and John B, but I can't make out anything that they're saying over the other voices.
"Was I not supposed to?"
"How come you didn't take your car?"
"I just wanted to see the rest of the sunset on my way."
"Call one of us next time, yeah? It makes me nervous that you were out by yourself when it was getting dark." They really do care about me, don't they?
I can't help but laugh a bit at how protective all three of them just got, but I appreciate their concern. "Yeah, I will."
"We like you, that's all. Wouldn't want to see anything happen to you when one of us could've been there." I think my heart just exploded.
✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*
The rest of the night is spent outside listening to music, drinking waters and beers, and talking about whatever comes to our minds. Honorable mentions include my freestyle rendition of Everybody Talks by the Neon Trees with a high-on-life John B, and a few arm wrestles and rounds of hand tennis with Pope and JJ. Let's just say, a certain girl might have found their weaknesses and figured out how to beat them both every time. God, I am gonna be miserable when summer ends.
After a few hours, John B stands up from his place on the couch next to JJ. "I'm clockin' out."
Pope checks his phone for the time and stands up as well, stretching his arms above his head and yawning. "Me too. Early shift tomorrow morning."
I wave goodnight to the boys and give them both a heart made with my hands, and they head inside to sleep for the night. This leaves JJ and I alone on the porch, and I look at him for a moment with a funny smirk on my face, eyeing the empty space next to him on the couch. I get up from my chair and sit next to my boy, laying down with my head in his lap and my legs resting on the arm of the rickety furniture.
Neither of us talk for a while, enjoying each other's peaceful company with the sound of crickets and the dim lights around us. I occasionally feel his hand run through my tangled hair and our eyes meet a few times when I look up at him, feeling far more content than I've felt in a long time.
"Kay, so I know we're having a good time and all, but I would hate to go to sleep in a dry bathing suit." I say after a while, turning my head completely to the right then back up at JJ to exaggerate my proposal.
"You wanna get in?"
"Yeah, c'mon! I wanna try it out. Who would pass up a chance to be in the Cat's Ass?" I can't help but giggle at the name JJ picked out for the hot tub as the two of us stand up and stretch our stiff limbs. I step out of my shorts and pull my tank top off, leaving me in just my bikini. I wrap my ponytail up into a bun and take a now shirtless JJ's hand and drag him down the porch stairs with me towards the hot tub.
He gets in first and flicks on the colored lights before reaching out a hand for me to take as I get in. I lower myself slowly into the hot water, looking around excitedly at the jets and lights like a child. Without saying a word, JJ clicks some button on the outside and a disco ball above us lights up and begins spinning slowly.
"That's right, baby! Disco mode."
My gaze shoots up to watch as it spins around, reflecting bits of silver light on us and the trees around us. I smile as I take in all the cool features, wondering why on earth John B felt compelled to buy this but not caring enough to question it. My eyes find their way to JJ's and I feel those friendly butterflies rushing through my body at the sight of him. We just kind of smile at each other for a moment before he nods his head once and gives me a quiet 'c'mere'.
I slowly wade over to him on the other side of the hot tub, my eyes flashing quickly down to his toned body then back up to his face. I wrap my arms loosely around his neck and feel his fall into place around my waist. My smile grows larger at the close proximity of our bodies and I can't help but giggle at the sight of the multicolored lights shining on his face. "Hi."
"Sup?"
Instead of answering, I lean forward and plant a long kiss on his lips, and I see him subtly lick them when we pull apart. It's the peppermint. He loves the peppermint.
"Work was good, yeah?" The boy subconsciously reaches a hand up and brushes my wet hair out of my face as I talk. He nods his head and smiles in response, fixing my hair even after it's all pushed back behind my ears.
"And you had a good day with S- with uh, Sarah?" Though it's painfully obvious, I don't say anything when I notice JJ getting distracted from his words every time he looks down at my lips, then immediately back up to my eyes.
"Yeah," Bold of you to accuse him of getting distracted when the same thing is happening to you right now, Bri. "We had fun."
To distract myself from the urges controlling my mind right now, I take my turn at pushing JJ's hair back and out of his forehead, as it had fallen in soaked, messy curls in front of his face. He clears his throat and blinks hard a few times, and I can tell that the same thoughts are running through both of our minds. His hands are the perfect amount of cold against my skin, and I feel his touch move up as he takes his time fixing my crooked necklaces.
"How's this uh, living up to your expectations?" JJ asks me coolly, and I know he's not just asking about the hot tub.
"Y'know, could have some faster jets, the lights are lacking purple." I shrug as we both laugh at my stupidity.
We stare at each other a moment longer after catching up from the day, and every thought in my mind, good and bad, vanishes immediately as JJ's hands tighten around my waist and I'm pulled gently closer to him, if that's even possible. I instinctively place one of my hands on the back of his neck while the other is still hanging carelessly behind him, and any sense of time I had before slips away as we kiss, only pulling apart every now and then for a breath of air before connecting our lips again.
The light from the disco ball illuminates JJ's face and I stare for as long as I can between kisses at his sharp features and addicting smile. The sound of our shaky breathing is all I can hear, but I couldn't care less about it as we get totally and completely lost in the natural movement of our mouths and hands, JJ's travelling between my waist and legs and mine from his neck to his chest and back again. All I care about in this moment is the boy in front of me, and of course, that John B and Pope are sleeping soundly inside right now.
It might be a delusion that comes with a moment like this, but I think I hear JJ mutter some sort of sweet nothing 'I love you' under his breath as I take control and drive us closer into the wall of the hot tub. I feel JJ smiling into another kiss and I immediately give into it, wondering how the hell I managed to fall so in love with the stupid blond asshole I met at the Wreck at the start of summer.
✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*
no comment on the last part of this chapter
thank u for 18k <3
love u to pieces if you read this whole thing
19 coming next week xoxo