Heartstrings | Johnny Lawrence x (y/n) | 1984 |

| 26 | Pictures

The Saturday morning sunlight seeped through your curtains, casting soft patterns across your room. Johnny lay sprawled across your bed, one arm tucked under his head, eyes half-closed as he breathed in the familiar scent of your pillow. He looked utterly at ease, his usual cocky grin softened by the comfort he felt in your space.

Meanwhile, you had been sorting through an old cardboard box you'd found tucked away at the back of your closet, covered in a thin layer of dust. As you lifted the lid, memories spilled out in the form of scattered Polaroids, postcards, and tiny trinkets. You took a few of the photos in your hands, smiling to yourself as you recognized them—moments from childhood you'd almost forgotten.

"Hey, Johnny," you called, holding up one of the pictures. "Remember this?"

He leaned up on his elbows, his expression curious as he looked over. You handed him the photo, and he let out a low laugh. It was a snapshot of you two at the beach, both drenched from head to toe with victorious, mischievous smiles. "That was the summer you dared me to jump off the pier. Almost broke my leg doing it," he chuckled, shaking his head. "Good times."

You sifted through a few more photos, each one bringing back moments of laughter, scraped knees, and countless days spent together—two kids who had been inseparable for as long as you could remember. Your heart felt warm, seeing these pieces of your shared history.

Then, you stumbled upon a particular photo that made you stop in your tracks. You and Johnny were beaming at the camera, each holding up medals from some summer camp competition. He had a gold medal around his neck for first place, and you had a silver one for second. But what caught your eye was the little girl standing beside you two, just off to the side.

"Johnny..." You whispered, a strange, uneasy feeling creeping into your voice. "Look at this."

He leaned closer, squinting at the photograph. "Is that...?" His face shifted as recognition dawned on him. "No way. That's Emily?"

Your eyes widened as you both took in the familiar blonde hair, the sharp green eyes, and that small smirk that you recognized all too well now. It was the same girl who'd shown up recently, stirring up trouble, somehow entangling herself back into your lives after all these years. "I... I don't believe it. That was her? I'd completely forgotten," you murmured, shaking your head in disbelief.

Johnny's brow furrowed, a mix of frustration and confusion crossing his face. "I remember her now. She was the girl who used to follow us around at camp, always trying to tag along. But she wasn't like... like this." He gestured vaguely, his expression twisting as he recalled Emily's recent behavior.

You nodded, the memories coming back now, hazy but still there. "She was always a little... intense, even back then. But I never thought she'd come back into our lives like this." You let out a deep sigh, feeling a pang of unease settle over you.

Johnny leaned closer, his hand reaching out to cover yours, his gaze steady and warm. "Hey, forget about her," he said softly, his thumb brushing over your knuckles. "Whatever she's trying to pull now... she's not going to come between us. She didn't back then, and she won't now."

You looked up at him, feeling reassured by his words. But a part of you couldn't shake the strangeness of it all. "It's just... weird, isn't it? That she'd show up out of nowhere like this, causing all this drama."

Johnny's eyes narrowed, a determined look on his face. "Yeah, it's weird. But whatever she's trying to do, we'll handle it together." He pulled you closer, his voice steady as he added, "She can bring her best game. I'm not letting her mess with what we have."

You took a deep breath, giving him a small smile. "You're right. We've been through too much for some old camp friend to ruin it."

Johnny nodded, his voice filled with warmth. "Exactly. Besides," he added with a grin, "we were always a team. She was just... an extra."

You chuckled, rolling your eyes. "An extra, huh?"

He shrugged, his smile widening. "What? I'm just saying the truth."

Johnny's gaze softened, and he let out a small chuckle as he brushed a stray strand of hair from your face, his fingers lingering on your cheek. There was something about the way he looked at you in that moment— gentle yet intense, as though he were memorizing every detail. Slowly, his hand traced a path down from your cheek to your jaw, his touch both familiar and electrifying.

Without a word, he leaned in, his lips brushing softly against yours. The kiss started slow, almost hesitant, as if both of you were savoring this rare, quiet moment between you. But then, as his hand slid around the back of your neck, pulling you closer, something shifted. The kiss deepened, growing more fervent, each second charged with an intensity that left you breathless.

His hands traveled down to your waist, pulling you even closer as you leaned into him, your fingers tangling in his hair. The warmth of his body pressed against yours, every touch, every kiss igniting a familiar spark. The world seemed to disappear, leaving just the two of you and the unspoken connection that had been building over years.

"God, you drive me crazy," Johnny whispered

against your lips, his voice thick with emotion as his hand rested on the small of your back. You could feel the intensity in his gaze as he pulled back just enough to look at you, his eyes dark with a mix of adoration and desire.

Before you could respond, his lips found yours again, more insistent this time, his kiss filled with a passion that was almost overwhelming. Every worry, every thought about Emily or anyone else faded into nothingness, replaced by the feeling of being so close to him, as though nothing and no one could ever come between you.

Just then, a knock echoed through the door. Both of you pulled back quickly, wide-eyed and trying to catch your breath as Johnny's mom, Laura, called from the hallway.

"Just bringing up some snacks for you two!" she said cheerfully.

You exchanged a look with Johnny, both of you trying to stifle your laughter as he quickly ran a hand through his hair, attempting to act casual. When Laura opened the door, you could tell she sensed something was up. She looked at the two of you, one eyebrow raised, but thankfully, she didn't ask any questions. Instead, she just gave a knowing smile and set the snacks on the dresser before heading back downstairs.

As soon as she was out of sight, Johnny let out a relieved laugh, shaking his head.