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╚════════*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*════════╝
FOUR YEARS AGO
"That's not funny, Letty!" JJ claimed with a pout. She had playfully nabbed his last bag of chips and hid them. She was doing him a favor in the end.
"JJ, ketchup-flavored potato chips? Who even eats those?" She replied with a wince. JJ paused as he let his gaze linger on her, his chips wholly forgotten. Her nose scrunched up in disgust, and he couldn't help but want to coo at the cuteness of it. It wasn't a secret that he was madly in love with her, even at twelve. His heart was pounding so hard that he feared she would see it; he quickly pulled his hat off to squeeze it in his hands.
She noticed the action and sent him a beautiful smile that engulfed his entire being with pure warmth. It was his favorite feature on her; he kept a mental diary of each smile she had, documenting them all to memory. He wasn't embarrassed to admit that he spent most of his time watching her, observing her as she danced around the fire with Kiara or when she bickered with Pope about anime. She was a goddess he wanted never to stop worshiping; he hoped his unconditional devotion to her imaginary temple would help her flourish.
"I love you."
Oh, god. He ruined it.
"That's sweet, JJ. Now, repeat it without looking like you're going to puke." She said with a reassuring smile as she gently pried his hands from the squashed hat. She tossed it onto John B's couch and played with the blonde boy's fingers; his breath stuttered as the words got caught in his throat. Feeling their fingers intertwine anchored him a bit as he gulped in fear.
"I-I love you, Letty." He stuttered nervously as he rubbed circles onto the back of her hand. He refused to meet her dark eyes as he awaited the inevitable rejection. Maybe his dad was right. Why would someone as perfect love him back?
"I love you too, JJ," Scarlett whispered back and moved a hand to guide his chin up, his eyes slowly meeting hers. He shivered when her thumb caressed his bottom lip. "Kiss me?" And just like that, his entire world crumbled into nothing and everything. The impossibility of her loving him back wasn't something he expected or anticipated. He raised his hand to cradle her jaw. She gazed at him with pure adoration, and he trembled.
She must have sensed his nervousness and taken matters into her own hands, so she moved in to kiss him softly. The two smiled into the kiss with a sense of giddiness. JJ pulled away as he rested his forehead against hers with a grin. His lips tingled and tasted like her cherry lipgloss, his new favorite flavor. She closed her eyes as she relaxed into the boy she'd loved for years, his thumb caressing her cheekbone lightly.
