Chapter 2
The next day I was still unpacking and cleaning things around the guest house. I was surprised she never kept this cleaned. I left the door open to throw out the boxes.
"So, you're the one moving in. We thought someone was brave enough to marry Marissa." I heard behind me. I turned around and saw Kiara.
"No one is that brave. Stupid maybe but they would only be doing it for the money." I said shrugging.
"Why are you living with the she-witch?" She asked.
"She's my aunt. She really didn't have a choice in me living with her. Even though we both would've been fine with me not being here." I told her.
"She really that bad?" She asked.
"Yup. She cares for no one else but herself. So why are you here? Gonna run and tell your friends that I live with the she-bitch?" I said opening a box.
"My mom and dad came over. She told them you were out here. Dads trying to convince her to take you in Midsummers." She said.
"No. I don't know what that is but it's a no." I told her. I put out my pictures.
"These your folks?" She asked pointing to my parents' picture. I nodded.
"Yup. The last picture I have of them." I told her.
"Who's this?" She asked. I looked at the picture of me and Hardy.
"My best friend Hardy. He's been with me since Kindergarten." I said.
"He's cute." She said. I nodded and we talked as we unpacked. She stayed for awhile until we got hungry. I showered and changed and we went to the wreck to grab lunch.
"What happened with your parents?" She asked.
"Another story for another time." I said clearing my throat. She nodded and ate. Kiara's dad walked up and nodded to us.
"I'm sorry, Christina." He said. I nodded and shrugged.
"I'm fine. Doesn't hurt my feelings one bit." I told him. He walked off. I looked around at the place.
"Do you want to come to the Chateau with us? I think John B will like to have you." She said smirking. I looked down at my plate.
"I don't know. Things seemed off yesterday morning when he dropped me off. So, I'll just stay back." I told her.
"You sure?" She asked. I nodded.
"Yeah. I'm sure." I said. We finished up and went our separate ways. I was only at the guest house an hour when someone started knocking. I sighed and opened the door. It was John B.
"Come on." He said nodding out the door.
"For what?" I asked crossing my arms.
"You're hanging out with us today. Come on." He said.
"I have unpacking I need to do." I said motioning behind me. He sighed.
"Those can wait. Come on before your aunt sees us." He said grabbing my bag. He walked away. I groaned and grabbed my shoes and phone. I went out and saw everyone in the Twinkie.
"Christina! Get in the car, woman!" JJ called out. I hopped in and we took off. My phone started ringing. I pulled it out and saw Hardy's name.
"Hey." I said answering it.
"Hey you. How's southeast treating my girl?" He asked.
"Pretty damn great. Already went to my first party and I've been in town less than 48 hours." I said laughing.
"Making friends too?" He asked. I looked around the car at everyone.
"None that tops you, bubba." I told him.
"That's what I like to hear. We miss you." He said. I bit my lip and looked down.
"I miss you too. Maybe I can find a ride to drive home and stay. She beast doesn't keep tabs on me or anything so." I told him.
"You know what Danny said." He told me.
"Who cares what Danny says. We don't listen to him anyways." I said huffing.
"I know but if we don't listen. What happens?" He said.
"Juvi." I said sighing.
"Pretty girls like you don't belong in juvi. Remember that. Overall, how are you really?" He said.
"I'm fine." I told him. The real reason for me leaving Tennessee was cause of a car accident with my parents. They died and I survived. It was a hit and run, according to the cops. My parents and I weren't the white picket fence family. I hung out with the wrong crowd; my parents were drug dealers behind their façade of being a car salesman and a store manager.
"It will pass. I promise." He said. I nodded and sighed.
"Yeah. I hear you." I said.
"Alright. Steven and I have a run to do, I'll call you in two days, okay?" He said nodding.
"Tell Steven he needs to keep an eye on you, or he has to deal with me." I told him.
"No trust sweetness!" I heard in the background. I laughed.
"Two days, jackass." I said.
"Two days." He said. We hung up and I sighed again.
"Boyfriend calling in?" JJ asked me.
"More so best friend." I told him.
"Girls don't have guy best friends." He argued. I looked at Kiara and around at them.
"Really? Girl, three guys best friends sitting right here? Want to tell me that again?" I asked him. He turned back around in his seat. We were headed back to the cut.
"So, we just chilling out here today?" I asked when we pulled up to John B's.
"Yeah. Come on." Pope said hopping out. We all talked, built a fire, drank. John B tried showing me how to balance on a surfboard before getting on one in the water.
"So, when the storm came through before you got here, it knocked all the power out, water, everything. Only the kooks got all that." JJ said as we sat around.
"You got a car battery and jumper cables that you don't use?" I asked.
"Somewhere. Why?" John B asked.
"Where's your box?" I asked standing up. JJ went to grab the battery and cables while he showed me the power box. I opened it and handed John B my phone to use the flashlight.
"Steven, a friend of mine, taught me how to Jimmy power whenever I would need it." I said. JJ came over with both. I rigged it up and the lights came on.
"There you go." I said stepping back.
"I've changed my mind. You are cool." JJ said.
"I was cool before I met you." I said scoffing.
"She might give you a run, JJ." John B teased. I laughed and walked off.
"John B definitely likes you." Kiara whispered to me. I looked at her then over at John B. Him and JJ were play wrestling.
"He's cute, I'll give him that." I said nodding.
"But?" She asked.
"No buts. I'm not sure how to start the dating process. Hook up process most definitely but dating." I said shaking my head.
"You've never dated anyone?" She asked.
"Just the hook up and he would keep me close by whenever we went out together. Cody once put a guy in the hospital for just whistling at me." I scoffed.
"Where is he now?" She asked. I took a long drink of my beer.
"Jail. Charges were pressed and he was arrested. He got life. The guy he beat up. Senators' son." I said nodding.
"Jeez." She said sighing. I nodded again.
"Yeah." I said sighing.
"Where's the bathroom?" I asked her.
"Outside or inside, second door on the left." She told me. I nodded and walked inside. I looked at the photos on the wall before going into the bathroom. After my routine I walked out and ran into John B.
"We've got to stop meeting like this." I chuckled. He laughed and nodded.
"Kie said you came inside, just wanted to check on you." He said biting his lip.
"I'm good. Bathroom break." I said nodding.
"Want another beer?" He asked.
"If you're offering then yes, please." I said. He went to the fridge and grabbed two beers. I walked over and leaned against the counter.
"So that phone call earlier." He said opening a beer. He handed it to me.
"Like I said, he's my best friend. Hardy and I have been friends since kindergarten. I use to beat him up." I said laughing.
"So you grew up together?" He asked. I nodded. I pulled out my phone and pulled up a picture of me and him.
"You beat him up?" He scoffed. I laughed. Hardy was tall and muscled now.
"Take my word, he was a scrawny little guy when we were younger." I said laughing. He took my phone and scrolled through my pictures.
"You need some new pictures." He told me.
"Like selfies of me? All alone." I gasped dramatically. He chuckled.
"Or. Your new group of friends. Come on." He said. He slid his arm around me and we smiled at my camera. He looked down at me. I bit my lip as I looked up at him. He went to lean down when Pope came singing in. We jumped apart and I took my phone back. I giggled and snapped photos of Pope. I took pictures of everyone. We decided to crash about two hours later.
"So, you can sleep on the couch again if you uh want." John B said nodding.
"Thank you. For today and letting me crash again." I said.
"It's what we're here for." He said. He walked to his room and shut the door. Kiara and I shared the couch. The next three days flew by fast. I was patiently waiting for a phone call from Hardy. I was staying the night at John B's again. I was cleaning up the dinner/breakfast mess from last night and this morning.
"So, I was thinking, you, me and a surfboard, today." John B standing beside me.
"You're still on about teaching me to surf?" I asked. He nodded.
"Yes. I'm serious, if you're going to hang with us, you need to know how to surf." He said chuckling.
"Well, then I guess I need to find different people to hang out with." I said teasingly.
"Oh? Oh yeah?" He asked.
"Yeah." I said nodding. He hummed and nodded. Next thing I know, I was being thrown onto his shoulder.
"Hey! Woah! John B!" I said laughing.
"Say you're sorry and I'll put you down." He said laughing.
"No. I will not apologize." I said hitting his back. He started walking outside. I saw the dock under his feet.
"Say you're sorry or you're going in the water." He told me.
"Never!" I told him.
"Okay." He said. He threw me in. I gasped when I surfaced and he stood there with his arms crossed.
"Are you going to apologize now?" He asked smirking.
"Yes. Fine. Just help me out please?" I asked him. He nodded and held his hand out. I grabbed it and yanked him in. I laughed and splashed him when he surfaced.
"Oh, you're definitely paying for it now." He said swimming over. We swam around for a while until we got out. He went inside the house and grabbed some towels.
"I'll get you some dry clothes." He said wrapping me in a towel.
"Okay." I said nodding. He cleared his throat and went back inside. I walked to the doorway, and he was walking out of his room. He handed me a T-shirt and shorts. I walked to the bathroom and changed quickly. He took my clothes and went to hang them up outside.
"So, surfing tomorrow then?" He asked coming back inside.
"If I must. If I get to keep my group of friends." I said sighing dramatically.
"Definite must." He said nodding. I laughed and leaned against the doorway. I looked out at the water.
"I'll admit. Moving here has had its perks." I told him.
"Really?" He asked.
"Yeah, it has. I'm not sure how would I feel if I got a chance to go home to my friends if it comes to it." I told him.
"You'd probably jump at the chance." He said. I looked at him.
"You sure about that?" I asked.
"Yeah." He said shoving his hands in pockets. He looked down then out the door. He looked hurt. I ran my hands through my wet hair and sighed. I went to say something when we heard a car revving up out in the driveway. We walked off the porch and saw a black Chevelle.
"Who's that?" I asked.
"No idea." He said nervously. He grabbed my hand as he started backing away.
"John B?" I asked.
"When I say run, run, okay?" He told me. I nodded. The doors opened and two guys stepped out.
"So, this is your new digs, Chrissy? I figured you would be on the higher side of the island." I heard. I grabbed John B's arm and stopped him from running.
"Hardy?" I asked. The passenger took off his shades and smiled.
"No love, Chrissy?" He asked. I laughed and ran to him. I jumped in his arms and he spun us around. He hugged me back tighter.
"Oh! I've missed you." He told me. He sat me down and I was picked up again. I laughed and spun around.
"Keep spinning me and I'm gonna throw up." I told Steven. He laughed and sat me down. I looked over at John B. I ran over to him and grabbed his hand.
"Come meet Hardy and Steven." I told him. He nodded and followed me.
"Guys this is John B, John B this is Hardy and Steven." I said smiling at them all.
"You've been treating our girl right?" Hardy asked holding out his hand. John B took it.
"Yeah. I have." John B said. He flinched. Hardy must've tightened his grip.
"You better. We'd hate to have straighten you up." He told him.
"Hardy." I snapped. He chuckled. John B released his hand and nodded at Steven.
"What's up man?" He said to Steven. Steven just nodded to him. I glared at him. I sighed and looked at the car.
"So, who's ride is this?" I asked walking over to it.
"You like it?" Hardy asked. I looked over at him and crossed my arms.
"Please tell me you didn't?" I asked.
"We didn't. Davis was selling it and I bought it." He said shrugging.
"Davis couldn't even walk a straight line. Where did you get this car?" I said walking up to him.
"We won it off Georgie and Frank." He told me. I shook my head and scoffed.
"Get this car out of here! We don't need anything on us!" I snapped at him. I walked over and grabbed John B's arm. I pulled him to the house.
"How did they find you?" He asked. I stopped and looked at him then at the guys.
"Danny probably. Danny's Hardy's brother. He's the cop." I said sighing.
"A criminal and a cop as brothers. That's funny." He said nodding. I shrugged and looked at Hardy as he walked up.
"We're going to find some tanker to take the car. We'll be back if it's okay with you?" He said looking at John B.
"Uh sure." He said nodding. Hardy kissed my cheek and headed to the car.
"Be safe!" I called out. They waved and left.
"Wow. Nice friends you have there." John B said. I rolled my eyes and walked inside the house.
"What's a tanker?" He asked following me. I grabbed the beer bottles off the table.
"A sucker. They're going to take the car pawn it off to some guy looking for a fast ride for some fast cash and let them deal with it." I said cleaning up.
"Why didn't you want it here?" He asked. I leaned against the sink as I turned to him.
"Georgie and Frank aren't people who just give up cars willingly. If they do, then the car is hot." I explained to him.
"Hot?" He asked. I cleared my throat.
"Stolen." I said.
"Stolen? Your friends brought a stolen car to my house! Christina!" He snapped.
"That's why I told them to take it away! You don't need that sort of heat on you! No one does!" I snapped back.
"No, we don't." He said. He walked out of the house. I sighed and turned to the sink. I cleaned up some more, grabbed my bag and went onto the porch. John B was down at the pier. I grabbed my clothes off the line and shoved them in my bag. I walked down to the pier.
"I'm going to get out of here. I'll call Hardy and Steven when I hit the 8 and tell them not to come back here. I'll umm. I'll send your clothes back through Kie." I told John B. He didn't answer me. I nodded and turned around. I walked up and was halfway up the yard when he ran up.
"Why are you leaving?" He asked. I turned to him.
"You don't want my friends here and I get that. Especially after what you just witnessed. And I'm going to be straight up honest with you John B, it probably won't be the last illegal thing that they do while they're here. But I will promise you that they will not bring it here. So, I'm taking myself out of the equation. I won't be around while they're here." I told him.
"So, you're just going to up and leave?" He asked.
"What do you want me to do, John B? I'm not sure what you have going on with you because we haven't talked about it, but I don't want this mess around you guys! I'm okay with the heat being on me, but not you and the others!" I snapped at him.
"Look around! I'm already in a mess! My dad is missing because he went on a treasure hunt! I'm so close to being in Foster Care it's not even funny! But I can't lose you, not right now." He said. I dropped my bag and walked up to him. I wrapped my arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. His arms wrapped around me and his face buried in my neck.
"Hey. Hey. I'm here." I said running my fingers through his hair. He pulled back slightly. I touched his cheek.
"Don't go." He said.
"But." I said.
"No. It'll be okay. We'll handle it." He said nodding. I nodded but we didn't pull away. He placed his forehead against mine and went to lean in.
"Woo! Wee! John B! Christina! You two here?" We heard JJ. We pulled away and he rubbed his neck. I picked up my bag and went back inside. I dropped my bag on the couch and ran my fingers through my hair. I wanted to kiss him. I wanted to kiss him badly. I groaned and sat down on the couch. Hours later, Kie and Pope were here. Kie and I were sitting by the fire when a truck pulled up. I looked at John B and JJ as they stood up.
"Uh oh." JJ said grabbing a steel rod.
"Who is that?" Kie asked standing up. I looked back at the truck as the doors opened.
"Chrissy! Come help unload this beast!" I heard Hardy yell. I laughed and stood up.
"A please would be nice." I called back.
"Please! I will make you a triple cheeseburger!" Steven called out.
"Extra pickles?" I asked smirking.
"Just help us unload!" Hardy yelled. I handed John B my beer and headed to the truck.