Entanglement | jj maybank

meet me in the hallway

Because I'm such a rational and mature person, I basically ignore JJ over the next couple days. It's surprisingly easy, as John B stays home the next handful of nights because Sarah's family is in town and she's spending time with them. Since there's no chance to be alone with JJ, I work on forgetting about the minuscule crush I've developed.

John B seems happy with the fact that I've laid off the heavy flirting, Pope doesn't seem to notice anything is amiss, and Kiara calls me out on it whenever we're alone.

"You're being a little bitch about this, Dylann," she comments one day at lunch while we sit by ourselves. Pope and John B were in the library doing last minute preparations for a group presentation in social studies later this afternoon, and JJ was serving lunch detention for getting caught trying to sneak off campus yesterday. "And you're hurting his feelings."

I look up from my tray. "Hurting his feelings? How?"

"He knows you're avoiding him and he can't figure out why," she says. "Of course, I didn't tell him. I made up something about Mercury being in retrograde, and he didn't question it."

"Because he doesn't understand your astrology stuff. Why didn't he just say something to me?"

"He said he hasn't had a chance. John B has been home and you just hole up in your room all evening."

"I'm trying to get over this stupid crush. I thought it would be easier if I wasn't around him. He's easier to avoid when John B is home, I don't feel as bad."

"And how is 'getting over it' going?" she asks.

"Not well," I admit.

"Didn't think so."

I sigh. "What am I gonna do?"

"Stop avoiding him, number one." She gives me a look. The bell sounds, indicating the end of our lunch period. "Just go back to normal at least. If you're too chicken shit to tell him you like him, at least pretend like everything is fine. I'll see you in English?"

"Yeah, later babes."

**********************************************
That evening, I force myself not to retreat to my room. JJ seems surprised that I actually spend the evening with him and John B, even though I keep my distance by sitting on the opposite couch. John B seems all but oblivious to the change, droning on about how he misses his new girlfriend.

"Like, I get she has to have family time while her cousins and stuff are in town, but every night? It seems excessive," he says dramatically.

"Buddy, it's been like four days, give it a rest," I say, rolling my eyes at his desperation. "You act like you're in love with her."

"Maybe I am."

"Oh Christ on a cracker, John B, you are not. You've literally been dating her a week and a half. Do you hear yourself? Back me up, JJ," I say, directly addressing him for the first time in days.

His eyebrows shoot up in surprise at my calling on him for back up. "She's not wrong, man," he says, looking up at my brother pacing the living room.

"What do you know? You've never even had a girlfriend," John B retorts.

"John B, chill. You get to see her Friday night," I remind him.

"That's two days away," he whines.

"You're insufferable," I tell him.

My brother eventually stops his moaning and the three of us fall into a comfortable silence as we watch tv. Every now and then I sneak a look over at JJ, but every time, he's focused on the screen. I think about what Kie had suggested earlier, but it would seem out of place to make a random flirty comment now. I settle my gaze back on the tv, absorbing the mindless sitcoms playing in front of me, and before I know it, John B is making a remark about the time, and we decide it's time for bed, since our 6:00 AM alarm is a son of a bitch.