BRIZO | 𝐉𝐉 𝐌𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐤

SIXTEEN (II)

CHAPTER SIXTY - OFF-LIMITS

I've known JJ since we were kids. I never knew his mother, but I know Luke. He doesn't have siblings, and his aunts and uncles don't live on the Outer Banks, which means, the only family he has here is us.

Having that in mind, I never thought I'd have to go through the weird phase of meeting your boyfriend's family. Guess I was wrong.

Cousin Ricky does live in the Cut.

The man who saved my arm. Although it wasn't in much danger, apparently.

JJ's master plan requires us to have access to an ambulance and Ricky happens to have one at our disposition. JJ has been bragging about how close he and his cousin are, and how Ricky would do anything to help him.

I didn't have the guts to call him on his bullshit.

Thing is, we needed to get Ricky to help us, or John B would die in that prison cell.

After our visit, JJ drove us to his house again, and he was off the entire drive. I tried to get him to tell me what was wrong, because I wanted him to be able to talk about it. He didn't. I already knew he felt bad about what Plumb said.

It's an inside joke on our group, teasing JJ about him someday going to jail. But the joke isn't funny anymore when everyone outside the group believes it as a fact.

I think he's starting to believe that's his destiny, and there's nothing he can do about it. I think he started to let that thought sink in when he lost the money for restitution.

I've told him a thousand times, and I'll tell him a thousand more, he's not a bad person. He is not like his father, and he is not going to jail. I'm certain he doesn't believe me.

So, after trying to convince him again that he is indeed a good guy, he waved me off and took a shower. He changed his clothes again, and went from the bad boy look to the usual JJ look. A navy blue shirt with his favorite cargo shorts. And of course his hat.

I may have pouted and waved the white shirt goodbye when he threw it back in his closet. Gone, but never forgotten.

Me, knowing the rest of the plan, didn't think it was necessary to change clothes, so I stayed with what I was wearing.

We also didn't need to bike to go to Ricky's house, because it was ten minutes away. So, JJ suggested we skated there, and I said yes. That was my first mistake.

The second one, was accepting JJ's challenge to race each other up to Ricky's house.

The third one, was believing I could easily win when I haven't touched a skateboard since I was twelve.