Nothing is hidden under the sunlight // JJ

Chapter 27

She turned to pull back from his hug but immediately understood that he didn't want her to do that, after feeling the resistance from his hands on her back. She decided to stay there and he moved her so she could sit between his legs.

"How do you know that the cops are not after Rafe?" Sophie turned her head to face him

"Well, I just know I guess..." JJ replied looking at the sea.

"Come on! That's not fair. I told you everything..." The girl said like she was offended by his answer

"There's this small difference between those two things. You were sad and you had to share it with someone while I'm just stating a fact."

"I'll give it to you this time..." The last thing she wanted was him getting mad at her and leaving so she preferred to shut her mouth.

There was this voice inside her head telling her to do something, like resting her head on his shoulder or something like it just to see his reaction. Instead of following the voice she decided to ask something. Classic Sophie. She would never do something like that. Not because she was afraid of rejection but she didn't feel like it. In contrast to some of her old friends -now some kind of enemies- who would die to be in her position.

"Soooo, you were coming at my house to tell me some good news." JJ shook his head in agreement "would you mind telling me?"

"Sarah's alive" it was just a single phrase. Only three words, one verb, one name and one adjective. Yet those three words made Sophie the happiest person in the world for a couple of seconds.

She had turned her whole body to face him. JJ looked at her expression she was shining. Maybe he was wrong about his thoughts earlier. He had cheer her up just by mentioning that.

"You're not kidding me right?" JJ shook his head and smiled at her, but she didn't notice his smile. She hugged at him again whispering thank you in his ear. And then she kissed him on the cheek. 

The last time someone had done this to him was a lot of time ago. He smiled again. He wasn't this emotional usually but maybe for one night wouldn't hurt him show his true feelings.

Sophie pulled back to face him still shining from joy. "Come let's drink!" He laughed with her. "What's so funny? I'm happy! Now I can drink!"

"I hope you're not getting drunk easily..." The girl looked at him. "Okay okay don't look at me like I just said that the earth is flat."

"Wait what?" She paused trying to keep her serious yet surprised expression "Isn't the earth flat?" JJ decided to keep playing her game.

"No... Unbelievable right? I just learned it too."

"Unbelievable, let's see what else they're going to say just to make money..." She rolled her eyes and looked at the sky pretending to be frustrated but ended up laughing along with JJ.

The girl took the bottle of vodka next to her and brought it to JJ's lips. "Drink first. Let's hope that this time no one is going to come." She said taking her usual, smiling, expression.

He took a sip not breaking the eye contact. "Don't look at me like that JJ. People are going to assume things."

JJ chocked on his drink, spraying the liquid out on the sand next to him, coughing out a little laugh and covering his mouth with the back of his hand. "Oh my god are you okay?" Sophie asked laughing.

"Don't say things like that out of the sudden"

"I feel terrible for the drink..."

JJ looked at her. He knew only two people who would day that. Well three actually but he wouldn't count himself. His father, and her. With the difference that Sophie was telling it for a joke. At least that's what he wanted to believe.

"Why did you turn all that serious? Is something I said? I was just joking!" She said as soon as he saw his smile fading away from his face.

"No, no I'm fine. It's fine! Nothing to worry about" he sat quietly for a second. She was going to learn about his father anyway. Sooner or later  he wouldn't be able to hide it. And everyone on Outer Banks knew. It would be better hearing it from him. Even though he didn't want to speak about it.

"Well, actually... You asked me if I knew how it felt like wanting to help someone but knowing that I'm not able to do so. And I replied that I know. Well it's not as serious as your case but for me  this thing has marked my whole life." Sophie sat on the sand more comfortably waiting him to finish. She didn't say a single word. She just waited for him to finish.

"My father is an alcoholic and he's into drugs. And that's ever since my mother left us when I was about 4 years old. Anyway I can't help him with that." He wasn't going to tell her anything more. He wasn't. He couldn't.

Sophie stood there processing what she had just being told. When she remembered her dialogue with Heyward some days ago.

"Didn't you saw JJ? He was beaten up to death!"

"My girl JJ is used to this kind of stuff so it came to no surprise..."

She didn't know what to do. On the one hand she wanted to hug him and tell him that she was there for him -they knew eachother for a week but anyway. And on the other hand she didn't want to show that she felt sorry for him. If she was on his position she wouldn't want the others to pitty her.

She took a breath "Look I know that we know eachother for almost a week, but if you need anything I want you to know that I'll be here for you..." And she smiled at him reassuringly.

If it was Kie the one who had told it too she would hug him and tell him that everything was going to be okay. Like she did last year. But he really hoped that this was not going to be Sophie's reaction. So when she just said that he was overwhelmed with relief. He smiled a little and tried to change the subject.

"Well, you know, now that Sarah's alive. Would you like to meet the rest of the Pogues too?"

"I don't think it's a good idea. I'm a kook. I'm even surprised that you're talking to me. Now really, why are you talking to me?"

"Yeah, I've been asking myself the same question for the past week..." He said smirking

Sophie widened her eyes "What? Seriously now?" The boy just nodded "Go fuck yourself JJ..." She said turning him her back, but resting her head on his shoulder.

He hugged her from the behind and they sat there untill the girl fell asleep on his arms.

~~ 

Sophie felt like she had just been lied onto a soft surface. She opened her eyes. She didn't remembered herself returning home.

Everything was dark, when she spotted a figure moving towards the exit "JJ?" The figure moved closer to her. "You can stay if you want to..." She said half asleep half awake.

The next thing she knew was someone lying next to her. Butterflies appeared on her stomach all of a sudden. Please don't let this turn out like the others. She thought. She closed her eyes again. "Goodnight"

JJ looked at her. When he was thinking of sleeping with her that was the last thing he would've imagined. He could kiss her goodnight or hug her, again. But he thought that this would be too straight forward. He didn't even know what did she felt about him. Maybe another time. "Goodnight"