BETRAYAL | JJ Maybank Fanfic [outer banks]

THIRTY

It had been a week since JJ told me to my face that he didn't love me. Since then he kept his word, whatever we had was over forever and we went back to the beginning of our relationship. Well... much worse, because before we at least talked to each other to insult each other, now he didn't even talk to me, we only coincided when we met with others to talk about the Royal Merchant.

There were multiple times I tried to talk to him the day after our conversation, but by the third snort I gave up. However, something in my heart broke when I heard those words. If anyone had ever brought up to me that JJ Maybank, my arch nemesis, was going to get that deep into me I would laugh in their face.

The store bell rang as the door opened. I smiled to welcome a new customer until I saw John B walk through the door with a gift in hand. The smile was instantly wiped away.

"Happy birthday Ginevra!" excitedly he headed for the counter. "Happyy birrhdaaaay to uuuu, happyy birthhhdayyy toooo youuuuu..." he began to sing making some customers turn to look at us. I'm sure I was already redder than a tomato.

"John B shut up for God's sake!" I whispered somewhat loudly. "You're going to get me fired!" I doubted it, but I had to threaten him with something.

"Not until you talk to me again." he whispered back. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR GINEVRA!"

"Okay, okay! But stop." I covered his mouth with one of my hands and looked at him defiantly. "I just can't believe you agreed to let Mr. Cameron be your tutor."

"We talked about this Gina, the closer I am to the enemy the better." he winked at me and held the gift in front of me. "Open it come on!"

"You just don't understand, that man is dangerous and Sarah..." this time John B was the one who covered my mouth with his hand.

"Gina it's your fucking birthday, don't waste it with this nonsense now and open the precious present your bestest friend brought you." I took a deep breath and relaxed, although I wouldn't have minded throwing a piece of scuba gear at his head either.

"Okay, bring it." I took the gift and shook it, it was medium sized and solid.

Like a little girl at Christmas, I started tearing the paper from all sides to discover what was inside. When I opened it, I found a picture of me and my mother on a hiking day. I thought I would never have anything related to my mother again. When we moved to the Outerbanks the box with all of my mother's moments was lost in the move, which I cried for three weeks.

"John B... how? I thought all my memories with her were gone, how did you get...?"

"Let's just say I wanted your 16th gift to be special, so... I asked your father for help at the time." I smiled looking at the photo wistfully. That day my dad took us skiing for the first time. I remember how my mother and I were constantly falling down trying to keep up with him. I kept analyzing the photo until I could notice a small cut.

"Wait a minute...this picture also had my dad in it if I remember correctly."

"Oh, he cropped it so the memory would be fully with your mother. He told me you had a really hard time when all the moving stuff got lost." John B stroked one of my hands gently and I smiled sadly at him. I loved my father, I really did.

"How stubborn." I laughed as I imagined his face when he saw the gift.

That John B had this nice touch for me despite how strained our relationship had been lately made me feel really good, like nothing had changed and we were still the same two teenagers we were two years ago.

"Well, I have to go, we're meeting later with everyone at the Chateau I have news." John B gave me a kiss on the cheek and started heading for the door. "No skipping!" he pointed at me menacingly before leaving and I rolled my eyes in response.