Phone number: You and JJ have a competition to see who can get the most tourons phone numbers during spring break.
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The six of us laughed as John B drove us to the Boneyard, the four of us in the back were already passing out drinks while John B and Sarah decided to wait until we got there.
"It's touron season," I found myself laughing at my words. Touron season is me and JJ's favorite, we loved picking on the tourists who thought they could handle an Outer Banks beach party. We usually challenged them to every drinking game and watched as they continued to come back even after they lost, "You know what that means."
JJ clinked his beer with mine and scooted next to me on the van floor, "Keg stand or flip cup tonight?" He asked and I thought about it for a moment. We did and won the same challenges every time. This touron season I wanted to spice things up, bring some heat.
"I'm thinking of something different this time." I replied, looking to him with a smirk as I took a sip of my beer.
"It's never good when Y/n is thinking." Kie gave me a playful closed-mouth smirk and I laughed.
"Whoever gets the most tourons phone numbers gets to claim the spare bed tonight. Loser sleeps on the couch," I raised an eyebrow at JJ, holding my hand out for him to shake if he chose to accept the challenge.
"I don't know, Y/n, I think you're biting off more than you can chew." JB commented from the drivers seat. As I turned to give him an 'oh really?' look in the rear view mirror I felt JJ slip his hand into mine, shaking to seal the deal.
"You guys can't just have one night where something isn't a competition, can you?" Pope asked. Both JJ and I shrugged and seconds later shook our heads no.
"You should know them by now." Sarah added in with a laugh. The entire group knew how much JJ and I loved touron season, an entire group of fresh meat for us to mess with. It was so easy. JJ made every girl on the beach fall for him and I made every guy swoon over me like a toddler in a candy store. It was fun, something entertaining for us to enjoy.
The van came to a halt as John B parked and JJ crouched forward to open the door for all of us that were in the back seat, "Hope you're ready to lose, cupcake." He commented as he closed the van door behind me.
I smirked at him, "Whatever you say, pretty boy." Taking the last sip of my beer I threw it into a nearby trash can and walked away from the group and into the already drunk beach party. This is going to be too easy.
"Excuse me." I said quietly as I placed my hands onto the arm of an obvious touron.
"Oh, sorry, yeah." He looked at me and froze for a moment, his jaw opened slightly. I took my fingers and pushed his jaw closed.
"You're going to catch flies." I joked with him, leaving my hand on his arm, "You have really pretty eyes."
"Y-you too." He stuttered, "I like your smile." He complimented. I saw the pogues still standing by the van in a circle from my peripheral as they watched me work my magic.
"You're too sweet," I blushed and looked down, "Not too be straight forward or anything but maybe I could get your number?" The guys smile widened as he quickly nodded his head yes. I pulled my phone from my back pocket and went to my contacts so he could add himself.
Once he was distracted I looked up towards JJ, mouthing the words 'game on'. I saw his jaw clench and couldn't quite put my finger on why, was he upset he was going to lose?
>>>
The night went on as I continued my harmless fake flirting with the touron guys, earning their numbers as I did. I haven't seen JJ in awhile so I figured maybe he had gotten too into the game and slipped away with some girl. The thought of that bothered me a little but I shrugged it off. He's not mine and I'm not his.
"I'll text you later." I lied towards the brunette with a flirty smile on my lips. We said our goodbyes and parted ways. My eyes wondered the crowd, looking for the familiar head of blonde hair. When I finally saw him he was up by the van, leaning against the door with his arms crossed in front of his chest. He looked annoyed, almost as if he was ready to go home so I made my way through the sea of people and to him.
"So, how many numbers have you gotten?" I asked with a proud smile on my face, "Just got my seventeenth." I bragged.
"Uh, none, actually." His voice was low and his eyes looked away from me and to the ground.
"Looks like I get the bed tonight, have fun on the couch." I smiled and did a little victory dance before leaning next to him onto the metal door to the Twinkie.
"Have it." JJ deadpanned and kicked a rock away with his foot. Something was wrong. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, did he get rejected? I started to feel slightly bad for snatching the bed he was so used to sleeping in away from him.
"It's just a game, J, you can have the bed." I offered, I didn't want him to be upset with me and honestly I didn't mind sleeping on the couch. I tried resting my hand on his arm but he scooted away from me, now I knew something was definitely wrong.
"Don't want it." He replied, still refusing to look up at me and I saw him beginning to bite at the inside of his cheek, "Not unless you're in it too."
"Okay, then we share. Sleepover just like the old days." I exhaled a small laugh remembering all the times JJ and I used to have movies nights. Those used to be my favorite, then suddenly they stopped. JJ got all distant and began letting me have the bed while he opted for the couch, to this day I still don't know why.
"You really don't see it, do you, Y/n?" JJ asked and finally granted me eye contact. I shifted a little and now rested my arm against the van as I leaned against it, "I couldn't get myself to ask for a single girls number, couldn't even get myself to look at them."
"Damn, off your game tonight?" I asked, attempting to joke with him to lighten the mood. I never liked when JJ was tense or upset, whenever he was it meant I was too. It's like his emotions affected me and I was never sure why.
"Y'know what? Forget it, act like I never said anything." He gritted his teeth and began walking away but I grabbed his arm before he could. As his body spun around to meet mine he looked up, once again avoiding my gaze. What is up with him tonight?
"I'm done with the jokes, alright? What's wrong?" I looked up at him and he slid his arm away from me, shoving both of his hands into his front pockets, "You can tell me, we're best friends—"
"Yeah, best friends," He chuckled and leaned back into his heels before landing flat foot again, "I didn't get any phone numbers tonight because I've already got yours, why would I need anyone else's?" His words suddenly made me feel guilty, did I take this challenge too far? No, it was harmless, he's the one upset over nothing.
"What are you trying to say?" I questioned and stepped closer, begging for him to look down at me, "Look at me."
"This challenge thing was dumb, but congrats on the win, best friend." He began waking away backwards and held his hand to his forehead, saluting me before turning and walking away. What the hell did I do?
"JJ!" I called out. Once I saw he wasn't stopping I tried again, "Are you avoiding me or your emotions!?" He froze in his spot. I could tell he was mentally battling with himself over something. I stood in anxious silence for a moment before he turned around and took a few quick strides towards me. Before I knew it his hands were placed on either side of my face as my hands instinctively went to his torso, looking up at him.
"The only girl I want to text is you, the only girl I want to look at is you and I don't want to share the damn bed for a sleepover. If I'm going to share a bed with you I want to do it as your boyfriend, not your best friend." I never thought I'd see the day where JJ Maybank lays his emotions out in the open.
"Okay." Is all I could get myself to say. My heart was going to explode out of my chest as adrenaline coursed through my veins.
"Okay?" He asked, slipping his thumbs under my chin so he could make sure I didn't look away from him. It wasn't in a rough, controlling way, it was soft, intimate even.
"Okay..." I whispered, trailing my words off to prepare for what I was about to say, "Share the bed with me as my boyfriend then."
I wasted no time getting up onto the tips of my toes and smashing my lips against his. His hands tugged at my hair as he pulled me closer and I pulled at his t-shirt to close the space between us. When we pulled away both of us has smiles on our faces.
"Delete those guys' numbers off your phone." He commented and looked down to my pocket where my phone was. Little does he know....
"I wasn't even saving them." I assured, only to see his smile grow wider and his cheeks blush. When he hands slipped down my arms he grabbed my hand in his.
We came to this party as best friends and we'd be leaving as much more than that.
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