hannah's pov
i was currently cuddled up against jj's side as we shared the same hammock in the backyard of the chateau.
it was a beautiful day outside and we were waiting on pope and ki once again, who always seemed to be late whenever we were hanging out as a group.
"what are you thinking about," jj said, bringing me out of my peaceful daze.
"oh nothing," i sighed.
"i can see that little crease in between your brows," he began, "i know you're thinking about something."
"okay okay fine." i smiled, appreciating the little things he had been starting to notice about me. i rolled onto my stomach, overlapping my hands onto his chest and resting my chin on them. "can i ask you something?"
"thinking about me again? you really gotta stop that or i'm gonna start thinking you're obsessed with me," he chuckled, earning a scoff and a light smack on the chest from me. "i'm just kidding, ask away."
i took a deep breath and looked him in the eyes. "do you remember that time the cops came to your house after i slept here the night of the party?"
"i do remember that."
"why were they looking for you?" i asked softly.
"you don't think i'm like a criminal or anything, do you?" he questioned, quirking his brow and smiling.
i shook my head and grinned," no."
"well then to answer your question," he started, "they probably came because this isn't my house and i've been living in it for about the past year now."
he looked down at me for a moment before continuing, "it's john b's house which i think you've already assumed."
i nodded my head as i had come to that conclusion a couple weeks back.
"the sheriff likes to come around a couple times a month to try and get me to go back home," he muttered. "i can usually escape through the back while they're knocking or if they do find me then i just tell them some kind of sap story, ya know?"
i nodded again in indication for him to continue.
"i basically lived here with uh- with john b.. " he faltered.
"you don't have to tell me if you don't want to," i said.
"no it's fine," he assured. "i never really had a good family life, mom left when i was young and dad is.. well.. an absolute piece of shit to put it nicely."
i brushed a piece of his hair out of his face gently and gave him a reassuring smile. i wasn't exactly sure what to say to the boy as i knew this was hard for him to talk about, but i felt like my presence was enough to show that i was listening and that i cared.
i think he appreciated and realized this as he continued on, "you said your mom left your family too right?"
"yeah i did," i confirmed, remembering back to when i told him that first night i was at the chateau.
"have you ever blamed yourself for her leaving?" he asked.
"all the time."
"me too," he sighed.
i drew circles with my thumb on his chest as a way to comfort him and i felt his lungs fill with air before he began to talk again.
"you know when you told me about the reason you moved.." he began and my breath hitched at his statement, "it kind of made me feel connected to you in some way."
"w-why's that," i gulped, trying my best to hide my nerves.
"i don't know its like.." he paused for a moment. "it's like your dad was blaming you for something that you didn't mean to cause harm out of and he forced you out. in some odd way that's kind of how i feel with my dad. like he blames me for all of his problems. and his constant reminders of that forced me to need to leave."
i looked up to meet his eyes that were already looking at me. i was such a horrible person for lying to him. i didn't know how much it would have meant to him and i never would have expected us to end up in the place we were right now.
"i don't know.. is that stupid?" jj asked.
"no, n-not at all," i stuttered.
there was a pit in my stomach and my thoughts felt like they were spinning in my mind at a hundred miles per hour. i needed to tell him the truth but i couldn't at the same time and i was slowly losing my mind.
"jj i need to-" i began to say before being cut off.
"hey do you remember that day when the cops came and you... and you lied to them by saying you were my girlfriend?" jj said.
i nodded my head, gulping down what i was just about to say and trying to focus on the blonde boy's words.
"do you want to.. you know.. actually be my uh.. my girlfriend?" he blurted.
i sat up from my position on the hammock looking into his eyes, i couldn't help the cheesy grin that spread across my face or the blush that crept up my cheeks. i watched him nervously look at me as he scratched the back of his neck.
"listen you can say no if you want to, i'm really not sure if this is like too early to ask or like whatever, i don't- i've never-"
"yes jj, i'll be your girlfriend" i interrupted his rambling, letting out a small giggle. he let out a sigh of relief.
"well shit, i have a girlfriend," he breathed out jokingly, smiling back at me. just as i leaned down to connect my lips with his we heard a car door slam and instantly jumped away from each other.
"sorry to interrupt this.. whatever this is," pope began as he approached us, "but ki's stuck at the wreck and she needs hannah to help out."
i got up onto my feet and walked over to the boy who had just arrived, "why didn't she just call me?"
"too busy, but she said she'd give us free food once she closes and then we can hang out there for the night," pope explained.
"free food? i'm in," jj said getting up and beginning to stride over to the van.
"hold on let me just go grab my jacket from inside," i called before entering the house.
as i was coming back out i heard pope and jj whispering to each other.
"called it," pope teased.
"shut it," jj retorted.
"your totally macking her."
"whatever," the blonde rolled his eyes and turned to see me coming out of the house. "ready to go?"
"yup," i said, smiling to myself.
and we all piled into the van to head to the wreck.