My Lover Boy| JJ Maybank

Chapter 12

The outdoor movie event was one of the few times locals and vacationers hung out together. The air buzzed with quiet anticipation as people settled in, the flickering light of the projector dancing across the large white screen.

Kiara walked along the grass to their spot, grinning with satisfaction at having dragged the group along.

"I'm so glad they're still doing this," she said, gesturing to the screen as if she'd been the one to organize the whole thing. "Keep calm, carry on, right? Back to OBX life."

The loudspeaker crackled, and the announcer welcomed everyone to the summer movie series. Evelyn, adjusting her chair, stole a glance at JJ, who was lazily reclining with a satisfied grin on his face, clearly thinking of their earlier, more private moment on the couch. She stifled a quiet laugh when he caught her gaze.

Kiara, always the social one, leaned over, nudging Pope. "Aren't you glad I made you come?"

"Ecstatic," Pope deadpanned, clearly unenthused.

JJ stretched, still giving Evelyn that same smug look. "I gotta be real with you, Kiara. My couch was pretty comfy." He flashed a sideways grin at Evelyn, who gave him a quick eye-roll but couldn't hide her amused smile.

"I'm agreeing with JJ on this one," she said softly.

The group finally settled in as Kiara jumped up to grab drinks for everyone. They set their blankets down next to each other, surrounded by the low hum of the gathering crowd, the sound of the ocean faint in the background. But as soon as Kiara was out of earshot, Pope leaned in toward JJ, his voice dropping to a nervous whisper.

"We're out of the green zone, man," he muttered, eyeing the well-dressed crowd around them. "I don't like being here. This is the last place I wanted to be."

"Dude, tranquilo, okay?" JJ waved him off, keeping his gaze fixed on the screen, but tension began to creep into his posture.

Pope wasn't letting it go. "We're in the middle of kooklandia, bro."

"Shut up," JJ hissed.

Evelyn, sensing the rising anxiety in the air, leaned over, her voice soothing. "They shouldn't bother you, okay? Not here. They don't want to get in trouble either."

Just then, Kiara returned, balancing a tray of drinks, her expression more serious than before. "Hey, I just saw Rafe, and he said, and I quote, 'Tell your boy we know what he did.' What is that?"

The group fell silent, the air thickening as her words sank in. Evelyn's stomach tightened, and she shot a glance at JJ, whose face had hardened.

"Where is he?" JJ asked, his voice low and dangerous.

Kiara gestured behind her. "Right there."

Pope grimaced, shifting uncomfortably. "Great. The whole death squad."

JJ caught him staring at Rafe and his friends and quickly turned his head back toward the screen. "Don't stare, bro. Jesus."

Evelyn's eyes flicked between the group of Kooks and her friends. She knew things could get out of hand fast with JJ's temper and Pope's nerves. Without thinking twice, she stood up. "I'll go talk to them."

"What?" JJ's eyes widened in alarm, but before he could protest, Evelyn was already weaving her way through the crowd.

She approached Rafe and Topper, their smug expressions barely concealed as they leaned against the side of a truck. Rafe's eyes flicked to her, a smirk already curling at the corner of his mouth.

"What do you want, Rafe?" she asked, keeping her voice steady despite the unease crawling up her spine.

"Oh, nothing," he said casually. "Just making sure you guys know... we know."