𝐋𝐔𝐃𝐈𝐂𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐒. ᵒᵘᵗᵉʳ ᵇᵃⁿᵏˢ ¹

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 12.

━  𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘀.

𝐉𝐎𝐇𝐍 𝐁 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐃 𝐃𝐎𝐖𝐍 for his red cup on the ground, bringing the rim up to his lips.

We were sitting side by side on the fallen palm tree, facing the water and the setting sun. The top of my shoulder brushed against the side of his arm, as I placed my hands on the tree to hold up, and while he tilted his head back to swallow the liquid— his SnapBack hat almost falling off into the sand.

There was no one close to us. Everyone else stood and talked amongst one another, some dancing, some not, some girls wearing bathing suits and others wearing sundresses, each with a red cup in hand. The music playing was low, but still audible, over the people talking and shouting. It was not what I had expected.

"So," John B broke the silence that was about to consume us, after swallowing his sip, "What do you wanna know first," he asked, unsurprisingly casual.

I looked at him, slightly turning my body. "I have a question," I stated, my eyes softly narrowing.

He placed his cup on the space beside him, "Shoot."

"What's it like living on your own?" I asked, trying my best to stay kind. I'd been thinking about him since Caroline mentioned he lost both of his parents. But the second the words fell past my lips, I regretted saying them.

He looked down at his hands. "Straight shooter," a small laugh. "Who told you that?" He then asked, with a normal tone.

"My grandma knew your parents a while ago," I said, keeping my eyes on his side profile. "Sorry, I should've worded that better— that was rude,"

"Nah, it's okay," he let out a small laugh, genuine. "But you asked about me?" A smirk pulled at the corner of his mouth, while he turned his head, making eye contact.

"I wanted to know," I replied, keeping my composure, "If that's what you're implying."

"Didn't know you were such a fan of me," he smiled, cockily.

"If we keep running into each other like this, I'm gonna have to know eventually, don't you think?" I smiled back innocently at him.

"I'm not homeless," he let out another small laugh, "For starters. What else do you know about me, Cherry Cola?"

"The basics," I shrugged, annoyed at the nickname he wouldn't drop.

"And what's that?" The small smile still lay over his lips.

"Oh, you know," I hummed casually, dangling my feet back and forth. "Your family stuff."

"What'd you ask for," he laughed out loud, "My whole life report,"

I felt a smile trickle up to my lips, and I laughed too, but looked down at my feet. "My grandma likes to talk, John B. She kept going,"

"So, I'm assuming you know everything about me now," he placed his hands on the trunk beside his legs, almost touching mine, and leaned forward.

    "I don't know everything about you," I corrected, putting a finger up.

   "So, it's my turn to learn everything about you." he continued.

I felt my stomach tighten, not used to ever talking about myself to someone else.

"There's not much to know," I formed my lips into a tight-lined smile, shrugging my shoulders upwards. "I'm not that interesting."