Taste ≫ outer banks

06

hazel, her mom, millie, and john b made their way to the mainland to shop for the boy's tux. the three girls sat on one of the comfy couches while waiting for john b to emerge from the dressing room. "i bet he's gonna look hot." millie whispered with a slight giggle and it made hazel roll her eyes as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"millie," her mom scoffed. "you're eight years old. you shouldn't be calling boys hot." hazel laughed at that.

john b came out of the dressing room and a smile appeared on hazel's face as she slowly uncrossed her arms and sat up. "i don't know how to work a bowtie." he blushed and the girl's mom stood up, tying the red bowtie that matched the color of hazel's dress. he fixed his jacket before looking in the mirror. hazel watched as he shook his head and turned to the blonde. "i look like an idiot."

"you look amazing!" millie complimented, running over to the boy to hug him.

"thanks, mill." john b chuckled, rubbing the girl's back. he glanced over at hazel and smiled at the girl. hazel returned it while her mom said she would be back, dragging millie along with her.

hazel rose from the couch and approached the boy, a smile on her face. "you look good, rutledge."

he smirked. "are you really gonna make me wait until saturday to see your dress?"

she nodded, straightening his bowtie. "yes, i am."

"that's not fair." john b pouted his bottom lip and hazel giggled, loving the face he was making. "you get to see me in my suit." he gestured to the suit, doing a little dance before making guns with his fingers and blew at them before shoving them into his pockets. hazel laughed again and he stepped back into the dressing room to change.

her mom and millie returned with a worker and john b came out of the dressing room. the worker grabbed the suit and brought it up to the counter, everyone following behind her. she rang up the suit and hazel's mother paid for it before they left the shop. they headed back to the ferry and rode back to the cut to drop john off at the chateau.

when they reached his place he turned around to look at hazel. (hazel had let him have the front seat.) "would you maybe wanna hang out for a little? the group is coming over and we were gonna watch a movie. i'll bring you home later."

"i don't know." hazel frowned, looking at her mom. "it's already eight and i'm sure my mom doesn't want me staying out to la--"

"go for it, hazel." her mom cut her off. "have a good time. just be home before midnight." she smiled at her daughter. hazel smiled at her mom before climbing out of the car with john b, hearing the protests of millie in the back seat. "shush, millie. you're too young to be out so late." hazel let out a laugh as she closed the door and followed the boy into his house.

she helped him get some snacks ready before the group showed up and greeted hazel with smiles. "hey, hazel." kiara smiled, sitting next to the girl on the couch. "how was tux shopping?"

"tux shopping?" jj questioned, sitting on the other side of hazel. 

"yeah, you didn't hear?" kiara leaned forward to look at jj. "hazel asked john b to prom."

hazel was confused as to why she saw a frown appear on his face. "Oh."

she went to ask what was up, but john b entered the room with a selection of movies and a smile on his face. "what are we watching?" once they decided on a movie, john b and pope sat on the floor, leaning against the couch. john b's body was positioned between hazel's legs and she found herself playing with his hair halfway through the movie.

he didn't seem to mind as he didn't say anything to the girl and by the time the movie was over jj and kiara were passed out on both sides of her. "i'm gonna head home." pope announced as he rose from the floor. hazel removed her hands from john b's hair and the boy let out a sigh as he rose to his feet also.

"alright, we'll see you tomorrow." john b smiled, doing his little handshake with the boy before he left. john b turned to hazel with a smile. "want me to bring you home?"

"sure." hazel nodded.

the two headed out to the van and climbed in, hazel having to use the sliding door because the passenger door didn't open. they listened to music on the ride to hazel's house and when they arrived hazel turned to face john b.

"thank you for saying yes to prom." she said, sincerely. "it's gonna be fun now that you're coming."

"yeah." he nodded, a smile growing on his face. "let's hope the kooks don't roast me because that tux looks ridiculous on me."

"shut up." she lightly pushed his shoulder and he laughed.

"you should get inside." he looked at the time on the radio. she still had a little over a half hour before she actually "had to be home", but he figured getting her home earlier would give him good creds.

"thanks for driving me home." she smiled, leaning over to press a kiss to his cheek before she climbed into the back and slid open the door, climbing out. she gave him one last wave before turning to head inside when she heard his car door open and close.

"wait," he rushed over to her and held up the girl's wallet. "you seem to leave this with me quite a bit. maybe it's a sign i should keep it." he smirked and she rolled her eyes as she snatched it away from him.

"thanks, jb." she smiled at him. he stepped closer to her, brushing a strand of hair away from her face and leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to her cheek.

"goodnight, hazel."

she smiled at him, "goodnight, john b."

she made her way inside and looked out the window, waiting for him to pull away from the house before she made her way to her room where millie was passed out on the bed. she let out a sigh and changed into a pair of sweats and a tee shirt before gently sliding millie over and climbed in the bed. the little girl immediately curled into her and hazel smiled, pressing a kiss to her forehead before she closed her eyes, letting sleep take over.