The Ocean Remembers | JJ Maybank

C H A P T E R 3

THE CHATEAU

"𝐇𝐄𝐘 𝐆𝐔𝐘𝐒, I brought you someone," Kiara spoke as we made our way in the small house and I looked all around me.

First of all, there was no doubt it was a boys house, not to sound stereotypical but it was a little messy, I could see pictures of John B and who I assumed to be his father, everywhere.

The two boys looked in our direction and Pope smiled at me, walking to us. "Sam! it's so good to see you!"

"What were you two doing under that storm?" John B asked, opening a beer can, shirtless.

"We-"

As I was starting to wonder where he was, I saw JJ walking to us, running his hand through his messy hair. He looked up at Kie, then his eyes laid on me and his dumb but pretty smile disappeared. "What is she doing here?" he asked, getting closer.

"Hey, nice to see you too, JJ," I faked a smile as Kiara and I sat on the couch.

He rolled his eyes at me as everyone sat down, Pope and him on a chair and John B on the floor. As we were all gathered, I could feel my heart beating faster and faster, as if they were going to come at me for giving up on them on the previous night, even though they probably didn't give a fuck. "No but I'm being serious"

"We were surfing and it started to rain on us, what did you expect me to do? just let her walk under the rain?" Kiara ironically asked.

"Sam don't tell me you tried the waves and you didn't even tell me?" Pope faked being hurt and I bit my lip, smiling.

"Sorry Pope, I didn't want to bother you"

"Guys, she's the best surfer of the island, I can tell you, she fucking surfed the surge!" she exaggerated and it made me stifle a giggle.

"That's amazing!" John B high-fived me and I smiled proudly.

"Thanks," I softly voiced as JJ shook his head, smirking. What was so wrong with me being here? I mean, I had done nothing wrong to him, so that meant he hated me so much just because I lived on Figure Eight?

Pope handed Kie and I each a beer and and we opened it. I grabbed my phone to call my mom and tell her I was okay but no signal appeared on it. I gave up and looked up, sharing a very weird eye contact with JJ, I would've preferred avoiding.

"Tell us, what brings you here, in the Outer Banks?" John B asked.

"I used to live in Hawaii, with my mom," I took a sip of my beer and kept going. "But she lost her job and found a new one here, so here I am now"

"Why do I have the feeling you're not saying the truth?" JJ asked and I frowned.

"What? Why?" I asked, taken aback.

"Well, if your mom lost her job, I don't understand how you two could afford a house on Figure Eight, it makes no sense to me," he slyly spoke, not knowing his words were hurtful. And actually, it made no sense to me either.

"I thought you didn't want to get to know me? you seem pretty interested," I talked back.

"Yeah, tell me, did daddy die and left you his money?" he voiced.

"Oh fuck you JJ," I responded, because he had went too far.

Good for him it wasn't true, because I couldn't imagine how mean his words would've been then. He threw me a threatening gaze as his fists and teeth clenched suddenly, letting me know he wasn't used to being disrespected by other teenagers, but I didn't care. "JJ be nice," Pope asked.