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As Lacy's sadness and confusion deepened, she couldn't shake the feeling of awkwardness that settled between her and JJ like an invisible barrier.
She found herself instinctively wanting to pull away from JJ, a reflex born out of the pain and betrayal she felt. It was as if her heart sought to shield itself from further hurt by putting distance between them, even though every fiber of her being longed for his comfort and reassurance.
He reached out to her. Calls, texts, anything he could do to gain his best friend's attention. Yet, all he got in return was radio silence. But JJ, oblivious to the turmoil raging within the kind girl, couldn't understand the sudden shift in their dynamic. The feeling in his gut was something he had never experienced before. He felt as if a piece of him was missing. A piece that made him feel whole, and without her he couldn't be put back together.
The sun hung low in the sky, casting a warm golden glow over the Outer Banks as JJ had found Lacy sitting at their usual spot, feet hung low in the water. It had been days since the accidental phone call, days filled with awkward silences and lingering tension that neither knew how to address.
JJ, ever the optimist, tried to dispel the heaviness in the air with his usual charm and banter. "Hey there, sunshine," he greeted Lacy with a bright smile, his blue eyes twinkling with mischief. "Miss me?"
Lacy forced a small smile in return, her heart aching at the sight of JJ's familiar grin. "Of course I did, JJ," she replied softly, her voice lacking its usual warmth. "How could I not?"
JJ's smile faltered slightly at the subdued tone of her voice, but he brushed it off with a playful wink. "Well, lucky for you, I'm here to provide all the entertainment you could ever need," he quipped, nudging her playfully with his elbow.
As they settled onto the wooden planks of the dock, the familiar sounds of the water filled the air, a comforting backdrop to their strained conversation. JJ launched into a series of exaggerated stories from events over the past days she'd missed, each one more outlandish than the last, in an attempt to draw a laugh from Lacy.
But try as he might, Lacy couldn't muster more than a half-hearted chuckle, her mind weighed down by the weight of their unspoken tension. She wanted to tell JJ about the phone call, about everything she heard, about the way it had shattered her world and left her feeling lost and alone. But the words caught in her throat, suffocated by fear and uncertainty.
Instead, she forced herself to play along, to pretend that everything was normal, even as her heart screamed for release. "You're ridiculous! How could you get into that much trouble already, it's only been two days," she spoke with a playful eye roll, forcing a smile onto her lips.
JJ grinned triumphantly, oblivious to the turmoil raging beneath the surface. "That's why I need you, Lacy Grace, you make me better," he replied, reaching out to ruffle her hair affectionately.
