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It wasn't hard to tell that you'd been doing worse and worse as time went on. You snuck out nearly every night to go sit on the dock and watch the stars in the sky. It was hard for you to fall asleep in your house anymore, since you apparently spent too much time in there. It became your nightly routine, sneaking onto the dock and fall asleep under the stars.
John B didn't seem to notice, and if he did, he wasn't bothered by it. The dock wasn't nearly as comfy as your bed, but it was more comforting to fall asleep surrounded by the sounds of the marsh and the warm summer air.
You woke up by someone putting their arms under your legs. Your eyes snapped open, and you raised a fist to attack whoever was touching you. You were about to strike, when you saw who it was.
JJ.
He was in the middle of trying to lift you off the dock, as it was morning and he saw you once he pulled up to the chateau. He didn't want to leave you there, so he was going to pick you up and bring you inside to sleep in your own bed.
"JJ, what are you doing?" Your voice was still groggy from just being woken up.
He picked you up and your arms instinctively wrapped around his neck. "I couldn't just leave you out here, I'm taking you inside to get a night of sleep that isn't on this hard wood."
You blushed, trying to hide your face in his shoulder, closing your eyes. Sleeping on the dock was peaceful, but it didn't really make for a restful night of sleep. He carried you to the door of your room, pushing it open with his foot lightly. He set you down on your bed, but when he moved to leave, you grabbed his wrist.
He looked back at you, shocked. Your eyes pleaded, but you decided to speak. "Stay. Please." Your voice came out as more of a whisper, and was barely audible.
He nodded his head, taking off his hat and laying down beside you, careful not to touch you. "Okay," he said, positioning himself so he was on his back. You laid next to him, your knees bent and close to your chest.
After a few more minutes of listening to JJ's breathing, you broke the silence that had settled between you two.
"Did you mean it?"
He turned, his blue eyes meeting yours, still be careful to not touch you. He sighed before answering. "I didn't. I was angry that you weren't being your usual safe self. I don't know what I'd do if I lost you."
The words you had imagined coming out of his mouth many times still left you breathless. You moved closer to him, looking up at him. "What do you mean?"
He turned to lay on his side, copying your actions. You and JJ were an inch apart. "I've always had a thing for you too. I tried to bury it, tried to ignore it because I know you don't approve of me and my lifestyle. I never thought a good girl like you would ever go for a screw-up like me."
Your heart clenched at his words, and guilt racked your body. JJ Maybank didn't think he was good enough for you.
"Where did you get that idea? That I wouldn't like you because you weren't a goody goody like me?"
He smiled, inhaling slowly. "Well, for starters, I didn't think you would ever go for someone you basically had to babysit. How many times have I come over here completely out of my mind and begged you to make me a grilled cheese?"
You laughed, thinking about all the times you made him grilled cheese. "Why do you think I did it all those times? I could've just said no."
JJ smirked, knowing that you weren't as mad as you had been at him. "You? Say no? You're the most non-confrontational person I've ever met, you couldn't say no to making me a grilled cheese if I told you to."
You laughed, knowing he was right. "Yeah, yeah."
A silence filled the room. JJ cleared his throat, moving to get up off of your bed. You grabbed his arm again, wanting him to stay. "Please. Just this once, I'll never ask you to stay again."
"I just don't want John B to find me in here with you, he could have his head in the gutter."
"I don't care what he thinks. We aren't doing anything. I just can't fall asleep in here anymore. I need you to stay, please."
He laid beside you, still being careful not to touch you. You moved closer to him, nestling your face in his t shirt. He reluctantly and carefully put an arm around you, holding you close.
"I'm sorry for getting mad," you moved your head to look up at him.
He looked down at you. "I understand. I'm sorry for saying hurtful and untrue things."
You curled up, eventually falling asleep in his arms. JJ admired how pretty you looked while you were sleeping, and smiled whenever you moved to get closer to him.
John B eventually opened the door, and before he had the chance to say anything, JJ shushed him. "She's getting sleep, she hasn't had a full night of sleep in a long time. Yell at me later."
John B looked at JJ, whispering to him. "If you do anything to her I will snap your spine like a twig over my thigh."
JJ nodded, and continued to stroke your hair lightly as you slept.
John B, while reluctant to allow his sweet sister date his wild best friend, snapped a photo of the two, to use as leverage.
Although it made him worried, he knew JJ would never hurt you, and would treat you right.
