"The doubters are just dreamers
With broken hearts"
--
After our escape from his house this morning, JJ had hurried away to his busboy shift at the country club, muttering frantically something about being late again and getting fired before roaring off on his dirt bike.
Having a free day, I'd wandered around by myself, not really going anywhere or doing anything in particular. I just walked, letting my thoughts out. That was always how I processed things, how I cleared my head ever since I'd been little.
Eventually that evening I found myself at Pope's store to see what he was up to since it was close by. Hayward had him out doing some errands, but I'd run into Kiara in the parking lot, who'd just picked up some beers (god knows who she'd bribed into buying them for her underage self).
I'd hopped in her car, glad to have a ride to John B's house. I'd been walking all day and my feet were starting to hurt.
She was silent in the car for a few minutes, but I stayed oblivious as I turned up the radio, humming along to Suicide Saturday by Hippo Campus, one of my favorite bands.
"JJ told me what happened" she said softly, looking at me sympathetically. I was wearing a hoodie, so the bruises on my neck were mostly covered, but I hadn't done much to hide them otherwise, hoping it would go unnoticed or that I'd be able to explain it away.
"What?" I feigned.
"With the druggie coming to your house, Athena".
I looked at sideways at her, shrugging. "I'm fine Kie", I snapped. Inwardly I felt like I'd been stabbed in the chest. It wasn't like I'd specifically asked him not to after being interrupted by his dad coming home, but I was hoping JJ wouldn't tell anyone and I couldn't help but feel betrayed.
"Ok", she said softly. I didn't look up. I didn't want to see the pity that would be in her eyes as she stared back at me. "I just want you to know that I'm here for you Ti. You can always come crash at my house if you need to, you know that right?"
"Thanks Kie". Suddenly I felt bad for snapping at her earlier. Even though she would never truly understand, being a kook herself, she meant well. I looked at her, letting a smile grace my lips. "I guess we could have a little sleepover, huh?"
She smiled. "Been a while since we had one of those". I nodded.
We finally arrived at the Chateau, Kie stopping behind a tree to park her shiny kook car. She always parked it in a more covered spot a little farther off so as not to arouse suspicion. "Fuck". she let out, seeing something on her phone.
"I have to go to the Wreck, I forgot I told my dad I'd help him out tonight, two of the servers called out."
"Oh. I could come with you, I mean, I know your dad doesn't love me but I do have waitressing experience and I don't mind helping out?"
"Nah don't worry about it" she smiled. "Here, take this". She handed me the 12 pack of Miller Lights. "I'll come pick you up from your house after, alright? I'm making it a girl's weekend so bring a few nights worth of stuff at least". She winked.
"Will do!" I blew her a kiss, getting out of her car. "Have a beautiful shift my friend!"
I'd just barely left Kie behind and started walking towards the Chateau when I felt a hand over my mouth and a hard body behind me. Panicking, I tried to use the beers I was holding to wack my attacker, but he just cursed, keeping his grip on me tight.
"Shhh" a familiar voice whispered in my ear, "it's me, it's me, calm down!".
I relaxed, ripping out of JJ's grip to turn around and hit him in the chest. "You scared me asshole!". He was breathing hard and I was suddenly aware of how much our bodies were pressed up against each other just moments before.
My heart fluttered a bit.
John B was a little ways behind him, making an exasperated shushing motion to me and JJ.
"They're watching us" JJ whispered to me in explanation, pointing at the grey SUV sheltered in the Chateau's backyard, almost out of sight. I nodded in understanding as it dawned on me, following their lead and ducking behind the bushes to sneak into the HMS Pogues undetected by whoever was watching John B's house.
We made it to the marsh, wading in. The boys put their backpacks on their heads and I put the beer on mine. I laughed inwardly at how stupid we must look, but soon enough we'd made it to the docks and the old boat.
JJ and John B lifted themselves up, JJ turning around to haul me up over the side while John B started it. We were all covered in the brown muddy marsh water from head to toe.
"Look at her, she protected those beers with her life" he whispered, gesturing to the pack of beers I'd set down, that somehow was the only thing not completely covered in the foul-smelling marsh water. He turned around to John B appreciatively, a goofy grin on his lips. "My girl".
My heart did another flutter, stronger this time, but I willed myself not to act flustered. My girl. He'd called me his girl. Why was it having this effect on me?
"Got my priorities straight" I whispered back jokingly, hitting him on the arm.
"Guys shut up".
We stayed low and silent for as long as we could, finally making it out into open water without being seen.
When John B finally docked the boat on a little hidden cove, we all let out whoops of success, grabbing the beers to celebrate and sitting on tree stumps to catch up.
"First I get nearly strangled to death by kooks, now I'm on the hook for 30 grand!" JJ was explaining to John B, who'd missed out on the previous day's events during his little escapade.
Before I could ask where, in fact, John B had been, JJ's voice interrupted me. "We should just dip", he blurted.
"Okay, where do you wanna go, hmmm?" John B looked at him as if he was a little kid.
JJ looked out at the ocean and I saw that he was being completely serious for once. He looked worse for wear, with the right side of his face covered in cuts and bruises, raggedy green baseball cap perched on his greasy blond mop of hair. "Yucatan" he said, finally.
John B scoffed, "Yucatan?" looking at me in exasperation, no doubt waiting for me to back him up.
"I'm dead serious right now. We could surf all day, and then we can just eat lobsters we catch with our bare hands" The blond boy continued.
"Doesn't sound so bad to me", I let out. JJ looked up at me pitifully, and I couldn't quite read the look in his eyes as he stared at me for a little bit too long before looking away again.
"You just wanna leave cause you got your ass beat?" John B made a frustrated gesture at his friend.
"Hey!" I interrupted, thinking right away he'd gone too far. Did he know that it was his father that had beat JJ like that? Even if JJ had given some excuse like he always did John B had to know that's what had happened. How could he be so harsh?
"You didn't see the photos" JJ retorted, ignoring both of us and referencing the photos of the dead square groupers he'd been apparently shown at the police station. "Have you lost your mind?" he yelled, putting his hands on his head in frustration. "Think about it. They're willing to kill, whoever they are!".
I stepped in between them, knowing things were about to get heated.
"Guys don't fight." I groaned, putting a hand on each of their heaving chests. They both just stared each other down, unmoving. Like two idiotic young bulls ready to charge.
"I'm gonna go to the museum to see what I can find." John B finally said, more calm. "You guys coming or what?" he turned around , heading to his van.
My eyes met JJ's blue ones. In them I saw the possibility of a new life, far away from here. Far away from Barry, far away from his dad. But he turned around, nodding and following his friend. I followed, sighing.
---
"I have to grab some stuff from home I'm staying at Kie's tonight" I said, getting up and swaying a bit.
The three of us had sat in the back of the van, going through all the clues John B could think of until dusk had settled, but had come up with nothing to show for it. JJ and I had ended up finishing the beers and since neither of us had eaten I think we were both significantly tipsy.
JJ got up. "I'll walk you home m'lady", he gestured dramatically ahead of us.
John B barely spared us a glance as he continued pouring over the piles and piles of his father's research he had scattered on the floor all around him.
I groaned inwardly at the thought of the walk home with the blond boy in front of me. I would have rather avoided the alone time together, since I liked to run away from my problems rather than face them.
We walked home in silence, the awkwardness in the air a new unwelcome addition to our common ritual.
He just stared at his feet, staying in step beside me as I walked briskly, focusing on putting my feet in front of each other in a straight line.
"Alright, what's up" he let out finally. "I can tell somethings wrong, I'm not stupid".
"You are stupid".
He sighed, looking up at the sky and shoving his hands in his pockets.
"Is this about me telling Kie?"he asked. I looked at him in exasperation, but he continued, "I was just worried about you okay? You showed up to my house with that on your neck and I just, I don't think its safe at your house okay? Maybe you can stay at Kie's house for a while."
I bit my lip in frustration. "God, JJ, do you even hear yourself? You're one to talk!"
"What is that supposed to mean?" He retorted, stopping to look at me.
"Oh come on look at your face! Your dad, that's what I mean, JJ." my hands were gesturing wildly at him of their own accord. "I just thought you, of all people, would understand."
"I can take care of myself!" he yelled, throwing his fist at the air in front of him angrily.
"And I can't?" I asked indignantly, letting the dark feeling that was bubbling inside my chest spill into my words. He just clenched his jaw stubbornly, not responding.
"Whatever. It's fine." I turned around, starting to walk again but stumbling on the uneven dirt path in the process. Before I even came close to hitting the ground however a firm grip caught my waist.
JJ's firm grip. JJ's hands.
I'd never felt this feeling before. It's like his hands were burning me with their heat, but in a good way. My chest constricted, and I think for a few seconds too many I completely forgot to breathe. Maybe that's why my head was spinning and everything else around us faded out.
He let out a breath, huffing. I felt it fan on my face. I could almost taste his breath, we were so close.
So close. All it would have taken for our lips to touch was a tiny movement of my head forward.
I think he had the same thought, because his gaze flickered to my lips too, pausing there as both of us breathed in and out heavily. He tore his blue orbs away, only allowing them to linger there for a split second. The tension was palpable.
And just like all moments, it ended.
"I should get you home then", he breathed, looking down.
Did I just imagine that whole thing or did we almost kiss?
"Yeah". I replied, confused and unsure what had just happened, but reluctantly following him once again on the path.
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Word count: 2103
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BAM BET YA DIDNT THINK THAT WAS GONNA HAPPEN DID YA HEHE :)
Wrote an extra long chapter for y'all, to be honest I really liked this one it just flowed and was really easy to type. Let me know what you guys think!
Goodnight!!