~PRESENT~
"I'm going over to John B's tonight if you want to come. I don't want to go and leave you here all by yourself." Sarah said, as she stood in front of Amelia, pulling on a comfy pair of gray sweatpants. "Unless you'd rather stay here and hang out with Rafe." She shot Amelia a devilish smirk.
Amelia rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out playfully at Sarah. "I'll go. On one condition."
Sarah rolled her eyes as she gathered her hair up into a ponytail on top of her head, using the black hair tie on her wrist to tie all of the strands together. "JJ isn't going to be there. I already know that's what you're going to say."
Amelia shifted on Sarah's bed, standing up and heading over to her bag that was sitting on the floor. She unzipped it, pulling out a navy blue romper. This was one of her favorite outfits to wear. The material was soft cotton, with long pants and pockets and straps that were spaghetti strap. It was one of the best things to wear when you just wanted to lay in bed and relax. She quickly pulled off her clothes, before sliding the romper onto her body. "Did John B tell you himself that JJ isn't going to be there?"
Sarah reached over and gave Amelia a playful shove. "He's not. John B asked me to go over just to hang out. We're going to go grab something for dinner and then just stay in and watch movies." Amelia could sense the hint of annoyance in her voice. "When John B asks me to stay in, he means just him and I."
Amelia narrowed her eyes at her, trying to read her face to tell whether she was lying or not. She felt slightly suspicious that Sarah wasn't telling the truth in order to get Amelia and JJ face to face again. "Fine. I'll go."
"I keep telling you this. You can't avoid him forever."
Amelia slid on her shoes and grabbed an extra hair tie off of Sarah's vanity, tying her hair back into a messy bun low on the back of her head. Sarah grabbed the spare key to Ward's truck off of her dresser, and Amelia followed her out of the bedroom door and down the stairs. Ward and Rafe were sitting in the living room, no one else around. They were watching a football game on the TV. Sarah and Amelia were able to sneak right past them and out the front door.
Sarah started the truck and began backing out of the driveway. "I wonder what we're going to order for dinner. I'm starving."
"Me too." Amelia replied, feeling her stomach growling at the thought of food.
"I'll ask John B right now." Sarah said, reaching into the pocket of her sweatpants to grab her phone. "Shit, my phone is dead." She threw it down on the seat next to her, shrugging as she leaned forward and spun the dial of the radio, turning the volume up. Amelia and Sarah had the radio cranked the whole way up, singing song after song together at the top of their lungs until they pulled into John B's driveway.
Amelia took in the sight of John B's house, still looking the same as she remembered it from last summer. She was excited to see John B. She really did miss him while she was back home.
She climbed out of the truck before Sarah even turned it off. She was anxious to get inside and see John B. She needed more time with her best friend than what she got at the bonfire.
As she reached the doorstep, her fist reached up to knock on the door, waiting for John B to pull it open. Being that this was her first time back at his house since last summer, she didn't want to just barge in.
She felt the smile form on her face as she saw the door pulling open, and faded instantly as her eyes met those familiar blue ones.
"Mel?"
~ONE YEAR AGO~
Amelia laid sprawled out across her bed, watching the ceiling fan spin around above her head when she suddenly heard a sound coming from her balcony door. Her eyebrows furrowed together, sitting up and staring over to the glass window of the door. Her body jumped slightly as the sound clanked again, and she crawled quickly off of her bed and proceeded cautiously to the door. She could feel the nerves building up inside of her at the unknown sound echoing through her room.
Her now trembling hand reached to the handle of the door, pushing the lever out and the door slowly creaked opened, revealing JJ standing at the bottom. He shot her a smile with a wave.
"What the hell are you doing down there? You can't be here!" She shouted down, her voice almost a whisper.
She had no idea why JJ was here, but it was late and she knew that her father would throw a fit if he heard a boy sneaking in through her window. Especially a certain blonde boy.
"Is the coast clear?" JJ whisper shouted back up at her. "I'm coming up!"
JJ began climbing his way up the pillar below her, using all of the strength that he had in his arms, and Amelia couldn't help but admire his muscles that were flexed below her. JJ finally reached the highest he could go, swinging his leg over onto her balcony once he finally reached the top. He shot Amelia a huge grin once he was finally standing on the balcony with her, and Amelia looked back at him completely shocked at what he just did, thankful that he didn't hurt himself in the process.
"Hey, Mel." He panted, letting a small chuckle escape from his mouth.
Amelia peered down over the balcony, and quickly looked at her door behind her, making sure that the coast was still clear. She grabbed JJ's hand, pulling him swiftly into her bedroom behind her, closing the door as quietly as she could. She bolted over to her bedroom door, flicking the lock, still trying to be quiet.
She turned herself around, running directly into JJ, not realizing that he had followed closely behind her. He peered down at her from his tall height, smirking. Her hands found her hips, looking up at him with an annoyed yet amused expression on her face. "Now answer my question. What are you doing here?" She stepped from in front of JJ, swinging herself around him before sitting down on the edge of her bed.
"We wanted to see you." He said, turning and flopping himself down on her bed next to her. "Will you come with me?" He asked, eyes hopeful.
"We?" Amelia asked, eyebrows furrowing.
"Yeah, your favorite Pogue friends. We are headed somewhere fun and wanted you to come."
"Where? I can't leave. It's almost midnight."
Amelia sucked her bottom lip between her teeth, chewing gently as she looked at JJ. Her head knew that she absolutely should not sneak out of the house, and if she did and her dad found out, she would be so grounded. But her heart was telling her to live on the edge and take this time with her new group of friends. "I don't know, JJ."
"We'll be quiet, I swear. They'll never hear us leave. And they'll never know I was even here." He rose to his feet, making his way over to the balcony door, his hand reaching for the handle and pushing it open once more.
"JJ, you're insane."
JJ perched himself against the railing of the balcony, arms crossed, staring in Amelia's direction, just waiting for her to follow him outside.
"Get away from there before you fall over it." Amelia said, taking a step closer to him.
A devilish smile spread across his face as he titled himself back a bit further. "Oh, scared, huh? Don't want me to be JJ scramble?"
"Alright, alright. I get it." She sighed. "I'll come with you." Amelia said, grabbing her sandals and sliding them onto her feet before checking one more time that her bedroom door was locked.
Amelia stepped out onto the balcony with JJ, pulling the door quietly shut behind her. She watched as JJ swung his leg back over the railing, wrapping himself around the pillar before scooting his way back down it, feet landing firmly in the grass. "Let's go, Rapunzel."
Amelia looked down at him, taking a deep breath, completely unsure of what she was about to do. She had never snuck out of the house before, and she never imagined that she would be climbing over a balcony and down a pillar to do so.
She followed JJ's movements, swinging her leg over the railing and held on tightly as she wrapped her body around the pillar the same way that JJ did. "Just slide down now!" He called up to her.
"Okay, okay." She said, moving her feet slowly down the pillar before moving her hands down in pursuit. She sighed a breath of relief as she reached the grass below her finally, and she turned to JJ who had his hand outstretched for her to take. "Ready for an adventure?"
