HOPE FEELS EXCITED.
And she can feel the rush surging through her body ever since she left the house and got into the car to the party. She even getting ready with Sarah, she sneaked the blonde into the house so they can do each other make up.
Kelce can see the excitement from the girl, he can tell because how her face beamed with a smile through the ride. The both of them sitting at the back of the car while Topper and Sarah at the front.
"Someone is excited" Kelce teased, nudging her side lightly. His voice drowned by the loud music from the radio but she can hear him perfectly fine
"I finally redeemed my freedom and don't have to sneak around anymore. I'm not excited, I'm thrilled" Hope announced, the smile still lingering on her.
Kelce keep chuckling at the excitement, he ruffled her hair but Hope swatted his hand almost immediately.
"You're going to ruin my hair, you idiot" Hope complained, attempt to fix her hair "I spend hours to make them perfect"
"Nah, I think I make it better" Kelce shrugged, keep going to touch her hair but Hope quickly jumps away from him.
"You touch me, I swear I'm going to kick you out" she already lift up her leg, ready to strike him out from the car.
Kelce is still trying to assault her, ignoring the warned. He hold out his hands trying to reach out for her but Hope kick him away. They then start to slap each other hands, keeping them away from touching each other.
"Hey, hey, can you two knock it off?" Topper scolds them, glancing through the rear view mirror.
The movements coming from the back causing the car shook a little. Sarah turns to look at them but she is just chuckling, not giving any nags just like Topper did and she's looking back to front.
Hope pushed Kelce away, giving him one last glare as a warning if he ever touched her again she's totally going to kick him out from the car.
Kelce laughs once again but he eventually giving up, putting up both of his hands as a truce. Hope gives him a smug smile and they are back to sit next to each other again without any urges to kick one another.
Once Topper pulled up at the beach, people already start roaming all over the place. The four of them walking out from the car and start walking towards the scene, she can hear the music blasting loudly and the chatters coming from all the people.
She didn't know whose party this belong to and she's still can catch any of the faces here yet but she's trying not to think about it.
She's having her freedom and she's going to use it properly. Who cares about who's the person that throwing the party? As long as it's a party. Hope starts to walk away from the group but Topper grabs her hand before she can go any far. Pulling her back to him, she glances at the boy
"Remember about our deal, okay?" Topper reminds her, just to make sure.
Hope wants to roll her eyes but she just simply nods at him "Yes, dear brother. Don't worry" she assured him, giving a soft smile.
"Don't stay too far from us" he said again "If anything happened, you scream"
Sarah had enough with her boyfriend, he pulls the boy away from Hope "Okay that's enough" she said "Go have fun, Hope" she said, sending wink.
Topper seems like he wants to protest agai but Sarah quickly pulls him and starts to walk to the other direction dragging him away. Hope can't help but to laugh, sending a small wave at them. Topper still struggling against Sarah but he eventually giving up and just follows the blonde girl.
Kelce gives her a pat at the small back of her body, also giving her a wink before he goes along to the same direction as Sarah and Topper, giving her all the space and freedom.
She smiles to herself, she's been waiting for this day to come for years and she finally got it. Without wasting much time, she turns away and walks towards the biggest crowds. Maybe she can make new friends here.
"What are you doing here?" Someone asked her forcing her to automatically turns her head only to find Kiara standing there with judgy and annoyed face at her.
Hope pursed her lips, she never really had anything against the girl since nothing happened between them. But Kiara seems to despise her because she's close to Sarah.
"Partying?" She shrugged, not taking her disturbing at her presence here.
"Don't you have somewhere more fancy to go? Thought y'all hate being at this side of the island?"
"I mean, party is party, Kiara. Don't be so uptight, I'm not here to pick a fight" Hope calmly told her, because she is not trying to cause any scene here. She never did, not even once.
It kind of bugging her because Kiara holds something against her while she's literally did nothing to her, but she's not going to talk about it.
That was between her and Sarah, for whatever it is.
Kiara gives her another dirty look before she walks away, leaving her alone without saying anything. Hope pursed her lips and shook her head, she slowly walking again. She doesn't know if they have something other than beer but she wants something to drink, the heat makes her feels thirsty. Hoping that maybe she can find a Cola for her.
JJ Maybank caught the strands of her fiery red hair as soon as she's walking into the beach, the ray of sun that shining on her making the colour of her hair more vibrant. Making she looks more---well prettier than she already did.
JJ never said it before but he found the colour of her hair is so beautiful. He knows someone who is redhead, but not until he talked to Hope, he thinks redheads are the prettiest.
After their conversations yesterday, he feels like he drawn to know more about her. Of course he knows Hope, he knows her for most of his life. She's the Kook princess other than Sarah Cameron, living her royal life at the figure eight along with her rich friends.
Topper is an annoying bastard and always trying to pick up any fight with the Pogues at any chances he had and JJ hates him. But he never really has a personal opinion about Hope, she never really getting involved with anything that her brother pulled at him and his friends.
Plus, she looks like she's been protect very well from the world outside than her Kook's life. Because she's always around Topper and Sarah, never once he saw Hope is all alone by herself wander around the outer banks. He never saw her at the Cuts and he totally get it, why would she wants to be around the Cut?
Except for yesterday, she was alone yesterday at the Cut while casually bought her own groceries.
And she's so nice, nothing like he ever thought about her. JJ imagines she's going to be like those spoiled and rich chicks, being rude to anyone around her especially to the Pogues since they're basically her mortal enemy but she didn't. Hope being so nice to Heyward and Pope told him that she's laughing at his joke. Most people don't find Pope's sense of humour as funny but she did
JJ suddenly feels intrigued to know more about Hope Thornton, he wants to know her personally without all the influence from her brother and his rich friends, without the sceptic thing for her being a Kook. He wants to know her for her, as Hope only.
And that is why he's approaching her now, excusing herself from the girls that practically throwing themselves to him. Usually, he would be so thrills over it, he's going to pick one of them to bring home to have some fun for the night. Not until he saw Hope
"Hey, Red" JJ said, greeting her that looks a little lost. He saw Topper, Sarah, and Kelce at the other side of the beach. Hope startles a little at the sudden appearance from him but she's calming down when it's only JJ.
"Hey, JJ" she greets him back, a genuine smile plaster on her lips. She unconsciously fixing her hair, regretting not to check out herself before walked out here.
She looks around, cautiously scanning the boneyard in case Topper is around and currently watching her by now but he's still occupied with Sarah. She doesn't want him caught talking with JJ because that's going to ruin everything here and it's not even started yet.
"You doing good? You look a little confused over here" JJ asked, he has the red solo cup on his hand.
Hope blushed a little when the boy caught the obvious from her "Yeah, I am" she nods, hiding the embarrassment "It just, I don't really know anyone here so I don't really know what to do" she admits.
"It's surprised to see you without Ken" JJ said and Hope snorts at the references, remembered about their conversations yesterday.
"Hey, I told you don't ruin Ken like that" she laughs.
JJ grins at the blossoming laughs from Hope, Pope is right when he said she's got a nice laugh.
"I'm trying not to but it kinda stuck in my mind"
Hope laughs again, she's totally can't see Ken the same way after this. Though she kinda needs to admit that her brother DID looks like that the doll. Mostly because he's a blonde.
"It's kinda ruin the image, you know? Because I used to have a crush on Ken when I was a little and now I totally need to get rid any feelings I had when you said that" Hope tells him.
"Why am I not surprised that you actually had a crush on Ken?" JJ sarcastically said, giving her a look.
"Don't be mean. I was 7 and I'm pretty sure he was like every girls first crush"
"That's fine though" JJ states, causing Hope to look at him with curiosity "Why with that?" she asked, furrowing her brows
"Then, I'll know that you're into blondes" he said, winking at her causing Hope to froze a little at the gestures from him.
She can feel her cheeks heating up and her heart beating faster, Hope knows she's all red now. JJ smirks when he caught the flusters from Hope, he casually sipping his beer without breaking the eye contact
"I--I'm not into blondes" Hope deny it, stutter a little.
"Oh yeah?" JJ pulls away his lips from the cup, his smirk still lingering on him. He's totally likes it when she's all red because of him, who knows the Kook's princess is easy to fluster?
"Yeah"
"What are you into then?" he asked, suddenly curious to know about her types.
Hope flushed again at the thought of talking about what types of boy she's actually into, especially with JJ. She doesn't even know why she feels so vulnerable around the boy, he wasn't the first guy that ever flirts with her. She had many of encountered with boys, but she just simply turned them down without any problems.
But why would she feels all fluster and shy with this one boy?
"I don't think I have a specific requirement for it" Hope concluded.
That's not really a lie, she didn't think she has one. Probably because she never really letting herself to think about it, she never really into dating. She never dates anyone and that doesn't seem like a problem to her because she never wants to.
And now JJ mentioned about it, she's totally going to think about it
"That's means you can go for blondes, right?" JJ flirted again, nudging her shoulder a little. Hope still not over the flustering earlier and this gestures from JJ totally makes her want to splash buckets of water on her face
"That's not exactly what I am saying, JJ. I just don't think about it" Hope told him, trying to explain herself while trying to get away from this situation.
JJ smiles again when Hope gets redder at his action and he kinda enjoy it now. He totally going to use it against her next time, if they will ever get this chance again, of course.
"Come on, you want a drink? I can get one for you" JJ changes the subject, putting the good distance between them.
As much as he enjoyed teasing the girl, he doesn't want to make her feel uncomfortable. They just knew each other, he doesn't want to ruin his plans to be friends with her.
"Oh, that's fine. I don't drink" Hope politely declines it, that causing JJ to frown a little.
"Why? It's not fancy enough for you?"
"No, it's not like that" Hope shook her head "I just don't drink any alcohol in general"
"Why not?" JJ asked, he feels intrigued instead of curious "If I am a kook and have an excess to all the fancy wine and shits, I would be drunk 24/7 no doubts. I don't plan to stay sober if I'm rich" he continues, sipping into his drink once again.
Hope chuckling at his blunt talking. She adores his optimism , he looks so comfortable with his status as a Pogue. He looks proud with it, though people sees it as an insult and disappointment.
Hope wishes that she can feel the same for herself. She loves her life and she always grateful with all the things she had without the need to struggle to get it, but she didn't think she likes being a Kook. Like how some people would parade about it like it an honourable title of something. It makes her feel so different from people around her.
Because they would treat her so nicely, like she's a person to worship or something when she's just a normal human being. Just like them. She's only lucky to be born to a family who has money and titles. But then, it's all her father's and her mother's. None of them are hers.
"I don't know. I just don't like the taste, I guess" Hope shrugged, she has no personal issues against alcohol. She just simply didn't want to drink it, not for fun at least "But I think because I hate the inability to not have control over myself, I like to have control over myself. Because pretty much my whole life people has a control over me, telling me what to do. I have no choices than to follow, I think I want to keep something that I can control, you know?"
JJ is dumbstruck for a while when Hope suddenly pouring it out at him, because he kinda can't see it coming. He just asking for fun and now he feels like it's something more serious than that. Because she looks so sad while talking about it. Maybe living as the royalty not as fun as he thinks. Being princess of Kook might come with a lot of things.
"Wow, that's um--well, a lot" JJ blurts out, he kinda don't know what to respond.
He gives a pity look at her. Hope caught the look from him and she feels regrets for everything she said, why would she say that to him? It's not like he's going to care or something. They barely knew each other.
"Never mind. Just-forget about it, okay? It's nothing" Hope quickly said, brushing it away and pull her sweetest smile once again.
With that, JJ can't see any trace of sadness from her at all, like nothing ever happened. That made him wonder if she's really enjoyed her life or she's just that good of hiding her emotions. Because it's kinda obvious that she's very good with hiding it.
"So, no beer?" JJ drops the conversations immediately. Not wanting to make her feel uncomfortable. "No. I'm sorry, though" Hope shook her head.
"Why would you feel sorry for not drinking? It's fine though, it's good for you" JJ cooed, trying to make her feels better.
"Really?" She beamed and JJ nods.
"Yeah. You shouldn't apologize for having your own opinion or stand up for yourselves. That's good, not everyone has that in them" JJ continues, praising her "Don't let people make you feel like you owed them or something. Just keep being you, stay that way"
JJ has no idea how much she appreciates everything that comes out from him, because she never heard that. No one around her told her that, just to stand up for herself. They only command her, telling her what to do or not to. She never really has much choices to choose for herself, mostly picks by her family. Even until now.
"Yow, JJ. Come over here" they both turn their head at the calling out for JJ, seeing John B standing there waving his hand at him, gestures for the blonde to get to him.
Hope feels disappointed a little, she's totally doesn't want JJ to go yet. She's having a good time with him, he's really a good company.
"Well, I guess that's my cue" JJ said. He also doesn't want to leave, but his friend needs him. Hope nods, rubbing her exposed arm lightly "Yeah" she agreed with him.
"It's nice talking to you" Hope said, giving JJ a soft smile and she meant it. She likes talking to him and she wants to keep talking to him if she can. JJ returns the smile back at the girl
"It's nice talking to you too" JJ admits, making her to beam even more "Never change, okay? You stay like that" he said again, just like he told her yesterday.
With that, he walks away and Hope keeps his words to her heart.