tension//JJ Outerbanks

chapter nine

i ran and ran. i couldn't stop thinking about what jj said "maybe we shouldn't hangout... i'll start giving you some space.." those words haunted my brain. i guess i had ran pretty far cause i looked over and saw the cameron's house. their boat was gone, so i figured they went on one of those family boating days, rich people things. i walk over to their porch, the same spot me and jj had stood the other day. i leaned against the railing, the lake was still pretty in daylight. i wanted to think everything would be okay, but would it? "i'd give you the whole world if i could" the thought of these words warmed my heart, but at the same time shattered it. where was that jj. the protective, sweet, cheesy jj.

"um hello?" a soft voice said behind me. i quickly turned around scared and saw sarah. wow, john b does have good taste, she is very pretty. "i said hellooo. what are you doing here?" she asked.

"i oh, um- i," i tried you come up with an answer but failed terribly.

she took a step closer, "wait aren't you one of john bs friends? y/n?"

"um.. yeah. yeah i am"

"what are you doing here? i thought john b would be out boating all day."

"oh! um yes sorry i uh just" i paused. "just.. looking for an answer," i looked down.

she looked at me confused, "well i don't know what that means, but do you need help?"

"what do you think it means when someone tells you they would give you the whole world, but then pushes you away for your 'own good'?"

she stood beside me and leaned down on the railing, "well whoever this secret someone is, they're either pulling your leg, or they really care about you, so much that they would stop being with you," she turned to face me, "would this someone happen to be... jj?"

i could feel my face heat up, "what? no no no, jj? what? how did you-"

"well it most definitely isn't pope, i see the way he gwaks at kiara," she giggled, "and even though i don't know jj that well, it sounds like something he would say." now i definitely know why john b picked her. she's a people person, and very smart, that's good for someone like john b.
"this spot was where we almost.. kissed. you know, when we snuck into the barbecue. i thought everyone was gone on one of those family boat trips."

she laughed, "yeah, the one john b claimed to have everything under control but failed miserably? i remember," she looked at the empty spot where the boat was, "i should be out boating, but topper was coming today, so i faked sick." she didn't look sick, until she said the word topper. i don't even know them but i can tell that relationship is toxic. does it give john b the right to do what he's doing? no, but if sarah's is ever in any kind of trouble i know he'll protect her.

"hey if you wanna talk about it?"

"i-i don't know.." she said embarrassed.

i put my hand on her shoulder, "hey, relationships are hard, being a girl is harder, but we gotta stick together."

"he's just, i, i know he means well, well i mean, i think, maybe, i don't know!" she said frustrated. "he always forces me to do stuff that i don't wanna do" she slowly got quieter.

i know my eyes got wider, "he did WHAT?!" i exclaimed.

"oh no, no no not that, well i mean, he- he's tried but we didn't," she explained.

"has he hurt you? oh my god if john b finds out he'll-"

"no don't tell john b!" she interrupted. "i'll tell him, but nows not the time."

"okay, i'll wait for you to tell him, but if he IS hurting you, you have to tell someone. and when you do tell john b you better warn topper. if he thinks he's seen john b mad he better think again." we both laughed.
"you know, you're actually not so bad," i joked.

she laughed, "yeah, you're not too bad either."