'she's kook fuckin' royalty, man.'
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a lot of things go unnoticed in the outer banks. things like missing millions in gold, underage drinking, and the bruises that litter the skin of the kook princess.
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( protect my friends )
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FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A LONG TIME, LUCY DIDN'T CARE WHAT OTHER PEOPLE WERE THINKING. The only thing she cared about was the feeling of JJ's hand around hers. He hadn't let go yet.
Neither had she.
Lucy followed him blindly through the corridors of the country club. The only thing she could hear was the blood rushing in her ears, the unsteady thump of her heartbeat reminding her she was still alive.
Before she could really register what was happening, they stopped moving, and the sandy-haired boy pulled her closer to him. A sheet of heavy fabric cocooning them into their own world, eclipsing the warm lights of the club's interior. JJ had hidden them behind a curtain. Lucy opened her mouth to protest, but no words came out.
"Lucy." He spoke her name like a prayer. "Tell me that's the only time he's ever done something like this. Tell me."
In that moment, Lucy needed to lie. She needed to placate him, to sweep it under the rug, to let the familiar ruse slip from her lips. Her throat closed up, and Lucy realised something dangerous. She didn't want to lie.
So she said nothing.
"Fuck." The curse was no louder than a breath, maybe meant for JJ's ears alone. In the dim light, she watched him run a hand through his hair. She took a shaky breath, noticing that he still had not relinquished her hand. A wave of heat flooded her cheeks, and she was grateful for the darkness. "Does anybody know?"
Wordlessly, she nodded. JJ's grip on her hand tightened. A flash of understanding passed across his face.
"Who?"
"Sarah," Lucy whispered, "Ward. My parents." The list was quite small, she realised. She had been bearing the burden of this secret almost alone for quite some time. Lucy knew from what she had seen at the station that he couldn't judge her for this.
He sighed, the noise loud in the confined space.
"Please don't tell anyone." Again, Lucy didn't like begging. Her mind was flooded with images of what could happen if JJ told the Pogues, told the police, told anyone. It would change everything. Lucy wasn't ready for that to happen yet. She didn't know if she ever would be. JJ shook his head, hair falling back in front of his eyes.
The warm grip around her hand vanished, replaced with a pair of hands on her shoulder, the heat spreading easily through the thin material of his dress shirt.
She took that as confirmation that he would heed her request, even if he didn't like it.
"What are you doing here, JJ?" Here could mean a million different things. Why was he at the party, why was he inside the club, why was he here with her. Lucy didn't know which question she wanted answered most.
