loving ain't easy [jj maybank]

chapter 2

"i gotta get home there's a hurricane coming." pope says to us.
"me too, i'll drive you home." kie says.
"i'm stayin." i say.
"alright cool, the more the merrier." john b shrugs. i raise my eyebrows and he puts his hands up.
"i'm gonna crash here too." jj says, looking at me.
the three of us hangout on the porch, sharing a joint, vaping and drinking pbr until we see the clouds rolling in. the loud crack of thunder makes me jump like a foot in the air.
"jeez kath calm down." jj jokes, slinging his arm around me. i begin to blush profusely.
"guys i have an idea!" john b says suddenly.
"if you're thinking what i'm thinking, then it's a not from me." i say, moving jj's arm away, before my cheeks turned as red as a tomato.
"nah, let's go surf the surge." john b says.
"yeah sure!" jj jumps up from the chair.
the three of us know it's a horrible idea, but we decide to do it anyways because, i mean really. you only live once right? i throw on my bikini and then we get into the van. john b drives, i sit up front beside him and jj sits in the back. i can feel his eyes burning into the back of my head. we get to the beach, and the waves are massive.
"holy shit." i marvel as jj passes my board and wetsuit to me. john b runs out as soon as he pulls his shirt off, while jj helps me with my suit.
"here, zip me." i say turning around, lifting my hair. he does, and my heart is doing somersaults in my chest. 'i don't know if it's nerves or if it's because of jj...' i think to myself.
"see ya out there." jj grabs his board and gives me a wink. i grab my board and run after him.
as i'm surfing the surge i can see a boat as i reach the top of the wave. 'who the hell would be out in this weather? maybe it's dad!' i immediately think.
"dad!" i yell, as the boat disappears, and my thoughts wonder.

*jj maybank*
when she asked me to zip her up, I almost died. the last two weeks i've been getting so many feelings for kath. whenever i see her, my heart starts racing, i stumble over my words, i get butterflies, it's like i'm falling for her. i quickly shake my head, and grab my board.
"see ya out there." i wink and jog towards the water, her following behind.
i surf a couple huge waves, then i head to shore, exhausted. john b comes in right after me, and we watch kath do her thing while we dry off. she reaches the top of a huge wave and my anxiety spikes. even though she's so far away from me, her whole body tenses.
"what is she doing?" john b asks.
"dude i don't know." i say, concerned. that's when she turns herself around and comes toward the shore, and as soon as I watch her feet hit the sand she starts yelling at us.
"guys! guys! the boat! john b maybe it's our dads! maybe it's them! maybe they need help!" she says wildly, taking a huge breath between each phrase. john b just looks at her with a few small tears in his eyes, and pulls her into a hug. she starts to sob.
"come on, let's go back to the chateau." i suggest. she nods, trying to quiet herself.
i put our boards up on top of the van while john b helps her take her wetsuit off. she wraps herself in her towel and climbs into the back. by this point the wind is raging, and they rain hitting my back feels like knives. john b gets in the drivers side and he gives me the little nod to try and calm kath down. i close the sliding door of the van. john b starts up the engine, and i crawl back toward kath in an attempt to help her. i've never seen her like this. even after her dad died.
"jj?" she looks at me with red, puffy eyes.
"mhm?" i question.
she tries to stifle a cry but she collapsed into my chest, which nearly breaks my heart. i wrap my arms around her, rubbing her back in small circles. john b looks at me, through the mirror and i just know he's thinking the same thing as me.
by the time we reach the chateau, kath is half asleep and hiccuping, so john b parks close to the house and i carry her inside, with john b following shortly behind me. i sit kath down on the bed.
"i think i'm gonna go have a shower." she says quietly. john b goes to his room and brings her a pair of clean shorts and a tshirt of his that's too small and she thanks him. once him and i know she's in the shower, i look at him.
"bro what happened?" i say flat-out.
"maybe she cracked? maybe this whole time she's just been holding it in?" john b questions.
"if that is the case, why does she feel like she can't talk to us?" i stand up.
"maybe she wasn't ready to. maybe she didn't want us to make fun of her. who knows? really only she does." john b opens a pbr and grabs an apple from the fridge. i take a hit from my vape, the nicotine calming me down somewhat.
"also. i see the way you look at her. dude it's like puppy love." he points at me. i scoff.
"yeah okay." i roll my eyes, denying any and all feelings.
"whatever you say j. she looks at you the exact same way." he shrugs.
kath comes out of the bathroom wearing john b's clothes and a towel hat on. she grabs the hairbrush sitting on the table, then disappears into the spare bedroom.
"hurricane agatha is a bitch." kath grumbles, plopping down on the couch beside me.
"hopefully the pogue is still there in the morning." i counter.
that's when the lights turn out suddenly. kath jumps, and i can feel her tense beside me.
"oh for fucks sake!" john b gets up, turning his phone flashlight on. kath and i help him get a couple candles and a lantern, and we decide to play uno.
"i'm exhausted, so i'll see you two in the morning." john b says after a couple rounds.
"okay, goodnight!" kath gives john b a hug, and he ruffles her hair. he gives me a subtle look, and i know what he wants. he wants me to talk to kath.
"so uh kath..." i start.
"no jj, i'm sorry i don't know what happened back there. it was so awkward and embarrassing." she laughs, grabbing a bottle of whiskey and some string out of her bag.
"no, i want you to talk to me. okay? i just want to know what's going on inside that blond head of yours." i say, chuckling a little bit at the last part.

a/n! we have some supportive jj in this chapter :)) this chapter is a bit longer, about 1.2k words, so i hope you guys like it! plot twist: i actually haven't even finished watching the show, so i'm writing as i watch so that i try not to forget any important details! lots of love💗