Outer Banks// Lover of Mine

23

TALIA's POV

Days had passed and no one had heard from JJ. I can't believe he would pick her. After everything he said at the fire, he still picked her. Even if he hates me and never wants to see me again, the rest of the group doesn't deserve to be punished for our relationship breaking up.

It's unbelievable that he would ghost us for so long. After all the shit he did, he left us for her. A mean girl who he's known for what, a month? It honestly hurt, a lot. When he said that he would always pick me, I actually believed him.

"He's being his usual asshole self." Kiara scoffed opening a beer.
"I'm not surprised, he makes stupid decisions all the time," I answered.

"Yeah but he picked her. He picked that crazy crack bitch instead of us. We've been with him for ever." JB sighed. I felt bad, they were all clearly hurt.

I couldn't help but feel like this was my fault, but I didn't want to say that. This wasn't about me, it was about JJ.

"No, JJ- She screwed him over and tricked all of us. Like what the hell," JB said getting worked up.

"It's fine. He'll come around, I mean he always does," I tried to cool him down. I put my hand on his arm but he flinched away not wanting to be touched.

"John B isn't wrong. He ditched us for Sandy. Talia how are you not more pissed about this?" Pope scoffed.

"I am believe me. I've just been pissed about this for weeks now. I don't have any more energy to waist on her." I sighed. It went quiet for just a moment.

"It's not fair," Sarah spoke softly. I think Sarah was just more disappointed at the situation. She was risking more then we knew just to hangout with us, and JJ left.

JJ and Sarah were never close but they were still family. We all were. At least before everything went down.

"I say we call him out. Go to his house and ask him face to face." John B sat up.

"I agree. Get it out of him then and there. We deserve an explanation." Kiara said. The others agreed and we left.

I wasn't totally against the plan, but at the same time I didnt want to see him. He hurt me and the group so much, but we deserved an answer.
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John B practically jumped out of the car with rage. He was fully ready to loose his mind on JJ, and at this point everyone else was too.

Sarah stayed back a little because she didn't know what to do in this situation. John B and I stood at his front door banging on it.

"No one's home," I mumbled.
"Where the hell is he," Pope asked to no one specifically.
I looked quickly around the property and I saw him pulling up on his bike.

"He's over there," I sighed knowing something was gonna go down. The group walked over to him, and he looked like he knew what was to come.

"What the hell dude," John B pushed him back. JJ just took the hit letting everyone be mad with him.

I stayed quiet. I didn't want to be yell at him. I wanted an explanation. I had no reason to yell, I'm sick of yelling at him.

"What the hell, JJ?"
"We didn't do anything,"
"How could you pick her after everything we've all been through"

The group yelled and cussed him out.

"Guys stop. Let him talk," I spoke up. JJ looked at me, his face white.

"I uh," He stuttered. "I haven't talked to Sandy since that night."

"What?" Kie asked, clearly eating her words.
"I dumped her after I found out what she did to Talia. I didn't pick her, I was just too embarrassed to face you." He spoke to the group, but looking at me.

I stood behind Pope, who held onto my shoulder. I stepped closer to him not breaking eye contact with JJ.

"I didn't know what to do so I dipped. I've been crashing anywhere I can. I'm sorry, I really am, I just didn't know how to fix this." He sighed. JJ played with his hands as he spoke which was something he never did.

"You were scared," John B sighed.
"I was terrified because I thought I lost everyone. So I ditched because I didn't want to hear you all say you hated me."

"We could never hate you," Kiara spoke. She looked like she was about to cry, which made me even sadder.

"We get it. It was a different head space." Pope smiled trying to reassure him. JJ smiled a little, adjusting his feet.

John B walked over and embraced him on a hug. It was nice seeing the two of them back. We could all hear them quietly weeping to each other which made me so happy.

This felt like a turning point for us. We had spent so long dwelling on stupid shit, that we didn't realize what we had. And that was family. We just lost sight of it.

By this point Sarah and Kiara were hugging, and Pope comforted them. I stood alone not want to bother anyone, when I glanced to John B and JJ.

JB looked to me and opened their hug for me to join. I walked over to them as we all welled up.

"I love you guys," I whispered. JJ kissed the top of my head as John B tightened his grip around us.

I haven't felt this way in so long. It felt normal, like how it used to be. These were my people. I didn't realize how much I missed this until I had it back.

We had all been together before but not like this. No one cared about anything that had happened, we were just happy we had the group back.
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Soon we all separated and walked to the fire pit in JJ's yard, knowing his dad wouldn't be back for ages. Pope and Kie walked in front hand in hand, and JB and Sarah did the same.

JJ and I were in the back of the group walking in silence. I could sense he was going to say some or wanted to.

"I really am sorry Talia." He mumbled.
"I know," I smiled.

"I know that I can't make up for everything that happened, but if your willing to listen I want to actually explain what happened that night." He sighed slowing down.

"Honestly JJ, I don't care what happened. I know you fucked up and that your sorry. That's all that really matters to me. At least for right now." He grabbed onto my arm.

"I just want things to go back to normal." He sighed stopping us.

"Ok, then can I ask you something?" I asked calmly.
"Yeah."
"What is our normal," I asked. He looked down at me confused as we both stopped walking.
"Normal used to be us being like brother and sister, and then normal was us having a crush on one another, the us dating, then us hating each other and not being able to be in the same room. Which of those things do you want to go back to?"

"Talia I," He stuttered.

"Plus, I'm still with Tyler. That doesn't even matter now, I- I guess I just want to know where we stand." I spoke.

He stood staring at the ground.
"I don't, I- I don't know . I just know I can't loose you again." He muttered. That broke my heart.

I stood there for a moment, watching his head hang down. I grabbed his arm that held onto my hand and pulled him into a hug.

"I can't loose you either." I whispered.
"Promise me that this, you and me will be our normal?" He asked looking at me.

"I promise."
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A/N

LOLOL i'm emotionally drained from the chapter. i'm team JJ personally but lmk in the comments. hope you enjoyed.

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