Lust // John B // Outer banks

Chapter 8

John B's POV

I threw a shirt that I thought would look good at her, and she just giggled. I can't explain the amount of guilt I feel right now, even though she said we're good. It's just one of those things that I feel like an apology can't fix. Maybe time will fix it? I don't know though, but I hope so.

She stands up with the top, and grabs a pair of short jean shorts out of a drawer, and takes the box of lingerie into the bathroom. Still can't believe that I had to open that, and I'm still embarrassed about it. I probably shouldn't be, but I am.

I twiddle my thumbs while she's in the bathroom, looking around her room. It's cute and somewhat suits her, or what I know about her. I plan on getting to know her better. The only thing I don't like about it is that she of course is a kook, by association. She can't really help it but I don't like it. It's highly looked down upon when a kook is seen around with a pouge.

She comes out of the bathroom dressed in the sleeveless top I picked out for her, with lacy bra straps coming up from it and around the back of her neck. She does a little spin around and a bow. If I'm being completely honest, she looks hot. I would say something about it but I don't wanna come off as a fuckboy, so I settle with a soft smile.

She puts all of the clothes that we've dumped on her bed into a few drawers, and pushes the rest of the unopened boxes to the side. I guess we're done with those for now. Without a word she walks out of the room, and naturally I get up to follow her.

I can't really put my finger on it but she seems so damn mysterious. There's just something about her, y'know? It's her vibe. Like, I know that there's more to her, but she's secretive. She's reserved, to put it in that perspective. I like it. She's not one of those basic bitches who leaves everything about themselves out in the open for everybody.

We both end up in the kitchen, while she brings the dog into the living room to clip his leash on. I follow her out the front door, and onto the sidewalks in front of her house. We jog around without exchanging any words, but her company is enough to keep me happy.

We jog for a good 20 minutes with the dog until I hear a voice call Laila's name off in the distance, sounding rather annoyed. First, I turn around to look at who it was, then Laila turns to look at them. If I'm not mistaken, it's Rafe Cameron out in the playground area of the neighborhood with Topper, Sarah's boyfriend.

"Yeah, what's up?" Laila yells from across the park, while Rafe walks towards me and her. I watch as her body tenses up while he walks towards her, and it makes me want to do anything I can to protect her at all costs. Now that I'm here, I'm not going to let another soul hurt her. Not after hearing what she's been through. Nobody deserves that shit. She's precious.

"What're you doing with him? Does Payton know?" He asks her as he comes within arms distance of her. Me and Rafe have extreme issues, and I'd rock his shit if I could. But fortunately for him, I can't. I work for his dad, that wouldn't end well.

Laila hesitates and anxiously glances at me, before answering him. "I was just running with the dog and he joined me.", she manages to say. He glares at me, and steps between us.

"You know better John b, get lost before we have a serious issue." He says, turning around to face Laila and pulling her away towards Topper. I open my mouth to argue, and I see Topper stand up. Before he can come my way, I back off. I know they're not stupid enough to hurt her, but I don't really want her around them. It's not that I'm jealous, well maybe, but they're just not good people.

Laila's POV

A million things were running through my head as I followed him. I don't even remember his name, he's one of the neighbors though. He has a loose grip on my wrist, leading me towards Topper, Sarah's boyfriend, I think. "That's not a guy you need to be anywhere near, your dad would throw a fit if he knew you've been anywhere near him.", The boy said to me.

When we reach where Topper's standing I can feel AND see him eye me from head to toe, and it disgusts me. He looks like an absolute fuckboy, and he seems like the type to definitely cheat. If I'm being honest, I don't even know him and he's already making me super uncomfortable.

"I've gotta get going, thanks for warning me though." I tell them both, removing my wrist from his grip and jogging away as quickly as I can. Fortunately, they don't follow me. I run straight back home with Diego, coming back in the front door and locking it behind me.

Situations like that make me beyond anxious, and now all I want to do is lay down and cry. A slight shuffle down the hall makes me realize that John B came back here. Weirdo, but a good one. I keep replaying the small situation over and over in my head, and it makes me wanna cry.

I might just be overdramatic, but the things my dad has put me through makes me think the worst of most guys. They easily could've hurt me or done something to me if I hadn't gotten out of there in time. The way Topper was eying me shook me so much that I could literally feel him undressing me in his brain.

I take Diego's leash off and walk up to my room, praying John B doesn't follow me. I shut my door behind me and stand in front of the mirror on one of my dressers, looking at myself. I start to feel disgusting in the outfit I'm wearing, and pick out some sweatpants and a regular pink T shirt.

After putting those on, I started to cry without realizing it. I wipe at the tears with a shirt I had laying on my bed, accidentally smearing a little bit of mascara.

And of course at that very second, there was a knock on my bedroom door.