Seawater Cowboy ✸ Outer Banks

lying to her friends, lying to herself

CHAPTER 5. lying to her friends, lying to herself

TW: mentions of ED, throwing up.

When Mirabel woke, the first thing she noticed were her light mint walls. Various photographs showing herself with her beloved friends decorating the otherwise bare space, fairy lights illuminating the room in a soft comforting light.

She slowly blinked and carefully brought a hand to her forehead, hissing when it came in contact with the bruise already forming there.

"Careful."

Mirabel Rhodes was familiar with seeing JJ Maybank in her bed even before they had started the weird relationship meant to occupy their minds with each other's bodies and forget everything else in the universe. She was always grateful whenever she awoke and saw his blue eyes, staring down at her with so much love and appreciation that she almost wanted to drown and sink into them, forever etched in his soul where no one could harm her.

That soothing emotion that usually accompanied when he gazed at her seemed to overwhelm her senses when she remembered the last thing Mirabel had heard before fading away. JJ brought a hand towards her temple and carefully caressed it with his thumb and she let out a tiny whimper when she felt a sting of pain.

"Fuck. I'm sorry, baby."

She closed her eyes tightly before supporting her weight on her elbows as she looked at him. She could see he was worried, a bloodied white small towel on her nightstand, sweat on his eyebrows, eyes fully taking her in, bloodied knuckles and dirty clothes.

He was mesmerizing. To her, he was.

"What happened?" Her throat hurt when she spoke.

"Fucking Topper, that's what happened." His anger was palpable.

"No, I mean, how did I get here?"

He gulped and took her hand, pressing a soft kiss on her own bloodied knuckles. "I carried you here. There was chaos after the fight and I thought it would be a good idea for you to sleep in a comfortable bed for once."

Her eyes glistened. "Thank you." She whispered.

Her gaze moved through her room as she sat up. "What about my mom?"

"I checked, she isn't here." He pressed another kiss to her forehead and forced her to lay down. He rested his arm on her hips and held her tight as they breathed in silence.

"What was that shot?" She was talking in a gentle low voice despite the two of them being alone in her big house. "I heard a few shots before blacking out."

JJ swallowed harshly and caressed her bare hip with his thumb. "You can't freak out, okay?"

His voice shook. "Promise me."

She turned around and looked at him, after a few seconds, she gave in. "I promise."

"I shot the gun."

"What?!"

"You promised!"

She sat up and looked at the boy who followed her movements and put his arms in front of his face when she gently slapped his arm. "What were you thinking, JJ?" She looked worried. "They can arrest you for that!"

"I was thinking of you!" He almost shouted.

She blinked. "What?"

"You were out. You had been beaten up! And for what? Because he was already drowning John B? And you tried to stop it!" His breath was out of control, chest moving rapidly. "And instead of stopping and moving to their fucking side of the island, he had to hurt you, because he wasn't having enough fun trying to kill one of us."