stevie | outer banks | JJxOC

47- There was a rule!

Her smile hadn't left her face from the moment they ran out of that alley. The whole boast journey will be filled with smiles and laughter. A huge moment of relief in between life's stress. In that moment, surrounded by her best friends, Stevie didn't think about the night John B 'died', or the gold, or the fact that John B was wanted. For the few hours they were on the boat they were just teens, telling stories and smiling. Her favourite thing was just smiling.

"What's this?" John B gestured at the red on her face.

"Ahh just a little fight," Stevie smiled, taking John B in her arms and filling her heart with the warmest hug she had ever gotten. They held each other in silence for a minute not wanting reality to crash down until John B spoke.

"I'm really sorry, Steve, you know that right?" He kissed her on the forehead before moving away.

"It's fine," Stevie said with a sad smile, not wanting him to know the extent to which it ruined her. She didn't want him to worry when he'd have other things on his mind. She didn't want him to feel any more guilty than he did.

"New necklace?" John B gestured to the shell necklace JJ had given her about a week ago with the etching 'j x' on the back. Her heart dropped all of a sudden. Remembering she kept a huge, friendship-destroying secret from him. Words failed her, she couldn't think of a thing to say.

Yes, it is John B. While you were dead, your best JJ gave it to me and surprise, he's actually my boyfriend now.

So instead she just nodded, trying to hide the bewilderment in her eyes, "It's nice." he smiled, making her heart drop further.

"We're gonna have to tell him," JJ whispered once John B went back towards Kie and Pope.

"But everything's perfect right now," Stevie looked up into JJ's eyes and smiled.

"I don't want to do the shady, behind-closed-doors thing," JJ sighed, knowing it was hard for her but deep down all he wanted was to be able to unapologetically love her in front of everyone, with no drama.

"Neither do I, you know that," Stevie's eyes pleaded, "I just give me some time–"

"What are you two yapping about?" John B called them out, both of their faces turning red as Kie made eye contact with the two, knowing the secret they were holding.

"I was just telling him I'm hungry," Stevie smiled at her brother, desperately trying to change the subject.

"What happened to you hating each other?" John B chuckled light-heartedly, not knowing the true reason

"Anybody else starving?" He asked, taking the conversation away from them, "We need to grab some sort of breakfast"

They tied the boat up and Kie and Sarah volunteered to look for something to eat. They offered the other girl to come but declined, her ribs still hurting from the punches and not up for running around anymore. However, she did not stay out of their conversion.

"Am I crazy or are JJ and Stevie like seriously in love?" Sarah asked the other girl whilst both tucking into half a watermelon.

"What makes you say that?" Kie tried to deflect the question with another question. Kie didn't like having to keep secrets from the other girl and wanted nothing more than to gossip and poke fun at them but she had also promised. And Stevie was right, she should be the one to tell John B before everything explodes.

"They just look at each other like they're looking at the world." Sarah smiled, finding it cute, "JJ looks happier when he's with her, or looking at her than when we found the gold"