just a girl

walls

"hey man, I'm not gonna force you to trust me. But if you're gonna come at me like that after I gave you food and let you crash at my house, you can get the hell out of it. "

JJ's eyebrows shoot up and Pope immediately goes to tell him to calm down.

Then there's laughter.

boisterous, open-mouthed laughter.

"Okay, so she can stand her ground!" He's being sarcastic and snippy. I don't like that. "listen, princess," he starts and I can feel my eyes burning from the effort not to roll them, "We understand that you don't usually have to fight for what you want, or work particularly hard but we-" he gestures to everyone else in the room, "- do. And we're used to it. so if you want us out just say so-"

"JJ stop." Kiara steps in, visibly upset. "Just stop. She is totally sticking her neck out for us and you're being an ungrateful ass. quit." That did not please her little blonde friend, as he stood up and started pacing. he opened his mouth to say- scratch that, yell- when I stopped him.

"Can I show you something?" I ask, and he quickly fixes me with a suspicious glare. "I promise you'll like it and I want to talk to you." 

JJ quickly looks around, and with Kiara shooing him in my direction, and Pope nodding his head vigorously, I grab his wrist and he sighs and follows me.

I started to walk him out of the room, but I forgot to get the remote from its hiding place under the couch, where it was left after the police ran in.

I go back in with jj in tow, and hand Pope the remote.

"here, turn on something y'all wanna watch and we'll be back in a sec."

I get up but lock eyes with someone on the way.

John B. he looks a little pissed, or maybe tired? "And you stay awake. it may not be a concussion, but you hit your head pretty hard, in about an hour or so, ill get you some more pain meds."

I take him down the hall that leads to the garage but turn and open a different door.

"Why are you taking me down all these weird hallways? And what do you need to show me so ba- oh damn."

I lead him inside and he looks exactly like a kid in a candy shop, eyes lit up and mouth wide open.

I speak up, "I saw that you had some dried  wax on your shoes earlier and you have some bruises and callouses and I thought either you really like making candles or you love to surf so I kind of guessed between the two."

At that, he starts to laugh and looks around, "The vintage collectors and signed ones are towards the back but all these," I gesture with my hands, "These are mine to use as I wish. And any other person that shares my love of surfing if they decide to ask."

He looks at me, then says, "You are very different than I thought you'd be. You're pretty cool."

"Thank you."

"for a kook."

"Jesus, man."

He chuckles as we make our way back to the main area.

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By the time everything had slowed and settled down, two movies had passed and it was just passed midnight.

everybody else was asleep but I decided to get another brownie from the pan.

or what was left anyway.

"Jesus, how much can these guys eat?" I say as I scrounge around for leftover snacks. I really don't want to heat anything up right now.

"A lot, trust me." A voice says as I startle backward.

"God John B don't jump out on me like that."

"hey crazy lady, I didn't jump out on anyone. In fact, my footsteps are very loud." As he walks past I get a nose full of alcohol and ocean. He reaches over me and grabs the chips from off the counter.

"Say what you want but clearly they aren't loud enough for me to hear you. And don't just reach over people. ask for stuff." he raises his hands in a mock salute and I roll my eyes. 

"so princess-," he starts "- Princess? what the hell dude." "yes. princess. rich, kind, all that shit."

he grabs guac out of the fridge. my fridge.

"Anyway, what did you show the JJ Maybank to make him cool with you within a week of learning your name?"

"Do you wanna see?" I say, a little sheepish, which makes no sense because I had no problem showing JJ my surfboard collection. He nods, unaware of my... shyness? no. reluctance? sure. 

So I take him by the hand and down the hallway.

"So you're not gonna kill me or anything, right?" he says, always with the jokes.

"Not if you keep quiet, surfer boy." He seems surprised, "How did you-" "JJ told me."

"Oh. Okay then." He suddenly got a little stiffer. Not too much, but enough for me to notice. wonder why?

"Here it is," I smile as I open the door. "I didn't have a lot of friends to show these to, especially people who surf so it's nice that the people here do."

"so is it a surfboar- oh damn."

"do you like them?"

"like doesn't even begin-"he trails off, almost in a trance.

"I've been surfing since I could remember. swimming even longer. But no one really cares out where there's no water and the ones who occasionally are impressed are swim coaches for the school team. but out here..." I smile "Out here the water is so nearby. I can hear it from my room, sometimes."

I look over, and JB is staring at me almost exactly like he was in the living room. I huff a little, "what? do all 'kooks' treat you all like trash? why are you and JJ so surprised that I'm a decent human?"

"You are defenantly better than they are. you're different from most people I've met."

"Is that so? I'll take that as high praise coming from the pouge's alleged leader."

were close now, almost chest to chest. 

not in a challenge. in comfort. maybe. I don't really know but I enjoy being this close to him.

he smells nice. not like overbearing perfume like topper, and not like vape smoke like most of the boys at my old school. he smells like ocean and board wax, though that may just be the room. I hope it's not just the room.

"We should probably head back."

"yeah, after you."

"Such a gentleman."

"shut up."

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sooooo

I got my braces off after forever

there's a wedding I'm in thats happening soon and school is alr making me want to rip my hair out.

But I'm back!!

don't forget to drink water and eat

ty for reading ML <3