Junie - JJ Maybank

7

Summer before sixth grade... no ones POV

"Why aren't you out there surfing?" Emery asks JJ, "you love to surf."

JJ shrugs, "nobody deserves to sit alone." He tells her.

Emery, JJ, John B, Kiara, and Pope are all hanging out on the beach. Emery hurt her ankle a few days before so she can't surf and JJ refuses to leave her side.

"You should go surf, JJ," Emery tells him.

He shakes his head "not happening, Ems."

Emery sighs as she watches her brother and best friends do what she loves to do. She wishes she could surf, but if she does, her ankle won't heal.

"Let's play a game," JJ tells Emery.

She looks at him witch a confused face, "I can't play a game, JJ," she motions to her ankle, "I can barely walk on my own."

He laughs, "not that kind of game... let's play truth or dare, but no dare."

She gives him a weird look, "that's called truth, Jay."

"Okay, let's play truth."

Emery sighs and turns her body to face JJ, "you go first," she tells him.

JJ thinks for a second then bounces up like he just got an idea, "who do you like?" He asks Emery.

Emery chokes up, she likes JJ, but she could never tell him that.

"Carson Phillips," she tells him, lying.

"Carson Phillips?" JJ asks, unamused, "why would you like Carson Phillips? The guys an ass." He tells her.

She shrugs, "I don't know... he has his charm."

JJ shakes his head, "whatever."

Emery scoffs and lightly elbows him, "who do you like?"

JJ lets out a puff of air before speaking, "Emery Jones."

Emery snaps her head at him, she is the only Emery in Kildare.

"Do you mean Emily Jones's?" Emery asks.

"That's what I said." JJ tells her.

Emery shakes her head, "no... you said Emery Jones."

JJ gets all flustered as he speaks, "n-no I didn't. I am sure I said Emily."

Emery rolls her eyes, "it's your turn to ask question."

JJ thinks for a second before speaking again, "why does your dad call you Emery June?" He asks.

Emery shrugs, "He always has... June is my middle name and my dad always told me that since John B is John B, I get Emery June."

"Why doesn't he just call you Emery J?" He asks.

"I don't know," she starts, "it sounds weird, and it's too similar to JJ."

JJ nods, "okay... what's your favorite nickname?" He asks.

She laughs, "it's my turn to ask a question." She says to him.

He cocks his head to the side, "just answer the question."

She thinks for a second before speaking, "I don't know... I don't really have one." She tells him.

JJ nods, "I'll give you a favorite."

Emery raises her eyebrows, "okay Jay, what will it be?" She asks.

He squints his eyes at her, "Junie."
"Okay."

"But only I can call you it."

She gives him confused look, "why?"

"Because if everyone calls you it, then it won't be your favorite. And it means more when it is just a nickname for me." He explains to her.

Emery nods, "okay."

JJ smirks, "great, Junie."

Little did young Emery know, Junie would end up being her favorite nickname.