JJ's biggest flaw was his recklessness, and his bad ideas. Honestly, that didn't seem that bad to Bexley.
Rafe's biggest flaw? Jealousy. Pure, uncontrolled jealousy.
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a/n: no Rafe/Bex interaction until next chapter
JJ would give anything for the courage to admit to Bexley that he was also a liar.
He wanted to tell her that he wasn't over that crush either.
Nowhere near it.
It's not like the lie helped with anything. It was pointless. There was awkwardness, the kind they promised each other there wouldn't be.
The rest of the night, Bexley had avoided eye contact with him, like she was scared he'd bring up the conversation again if she looked at him for too long. He didn't talk to her at all that day after their painfully awkward conversation.
The next day, it was the same. She was weird around him, still not making eye contact. She drank beer with her brother for a while, but stayed in the girl's area.
It was weird, the way they divided themselves. The boys sat inside, where the beer cooler was. While the girls, who drank a bit slower, sat outside to enjoy the sunset.
JJ attempted to go out to her, to try to talk to her, he even stood up. But Pope pulled him back down saying, "Don't go out there."
"Why?" JJ asked.
"Look how close they all are on the ground. They're talking quietly. It means they're having a girl talk. We're not allowed."
JJ looked ahead and saw the girls were lying on a blanket on the sand near the edge of Pope's lawn, just before reaching the water. He felt his nerves hitting him. "Girl talk about what?"
"Us," John B mumbled. "What else?"
"Bexley doesn't even do girl talk," JJ said. "I've never heard it from her."
Pope rolled his eyes. "She wouldn't do it with you. They do it together. Girls get all serious and moody and talk shit about the boys they like."
His heart dropped. "They what?"
"Ignore him," John B said. "He's just worried for obvious reasons. He's scared Kie is gonna tell Sarah and Bexley about their little summer romance that ignited while I was 'dead'."
Pope looked embarrassed. "I'm just saying, no way they're not talking about me."
JJ glanced out the window, and spotted the three girls lying outside. He felt just as nervous as Pope.
*****
"So, what is it about Pope?" Sarah asked Kiara.
The three girls all laid on the sand near the water on Pope's small beach. Pope's dock was secluded enough that they didn't have to worry about being seen.
Kiara smiled to herself, hands behind her head. "I don't know. He's just...sweet, you know?"
