Chapter Sixteen

I had woken up from the sleep I had needed. I looked out the window and noticed that the sun was coming up and half-smile. I got a decent amount of sleep, then. I rolled over and checked my phone that I haven't checked in a million years.

I had snapchats from all my old Kook's friends that were delivered days ago, I've never opened them. I've had about 20 miss calls from Wheezie, 50 miss calls from Dad, a few facetime misses calls from Topper and more. I don't bother calling back any of these people.

They were once in my life, but they're not anymore. I let out another tired yawn and deiced to watch some YouTube videos with the unlimited data plan I have—I think Dad must've forgotten to unsubscribe me or something, but I didn't care.

I really needed to catch up on the outside world. A lot has happened since I last checked my phone.

I looked to my side to see JJ still sleeping. I glanced down at his bruises again, feeling sorry for him. I can't believe his Dad would beat him like that. He's only a child.

I had locked my phone and put it away. This made JJ stir awake.

"Hey, beautiful." He murmured in his sleep. He hasn't even opened up his eyes yet and I smiled. I shuffled back down in bed and got closer to him. He finally opens his eyes, the sheets draped over us.

"Hey, sleeping beauty," I smiled. "How's the hangover?"

"Not too bad," JJ had told me and bringing me closer to him so that we cuddled. "I just want to sleep all day and forget about the world. With you."

"I'm sorry, my love, but I'm going food shopping with Sarah today," I told him softly. "There's no food in the fridge, or the cubed. Do you want anything?"

"Just you." He murmured, flipping me over so that we're spooning each other. He's the big spoon, I'm the little.

"I've got until midday to do that, anyways." I told him. "I'll go with Sarah then."

He kisses the back of my neck, sending chills down my body. "Sounds good, Stormy," In a few seconds, he was back to sleep.

✫✫✫

I'm in the shopping trolly telling Sarah what to put in the trolly.

"Flour, salt, eggs," I stared at the eggs in the isle. "Um, milk!" She stirs me to the milk section, she couldn't stop smiling. I narrowed my eyes at my sister. "Why do you look so happy?"

She frowned. "Can't a girl be happy?"

"Something happened?" I asked, putting in Froot Loops as we walked down the cereal isle.

"Yeah, you're very own credit card," she hands me the card. "I saw it in Dad's office. He's worried about you, Storm. So, he secretly wants you take the credit card until you can start taking care of your own."

I nodded, hesitantly taking it from her. Sarah began humming again and I stared at the grey credit card. "I'm going to find a job." I told her. "Maybe I'll ask Kie if her parents need help, or Pope. I won't be needing this card forever, you know."

"Have I ever told you how proud I am of you?" Sarah questioned. "You're really doing this. I—I could never do this, but you... I always knew you were the more independent twin."

"Thanks, Sarah." I smiled. "But you can't change the topic forever. Was it John B?" She blushes, looking away. "So it is John B."

"Shut up." She mumbled then finally confessed. "I lost my V-Card to him."

I grinned widely, happy for her. "I'm so proud!"

"Ew, Stormy, that's kind of gross to be proud of." Sarah told me, pushing the cart down the isle.

"Ooh! Put those Oreos in, they're JJ's favourite." I pointed to the original Oreos. "Double stuffed, please."

"Speaking of," Sarah puts the crackers into the trolly. "So you guys are official now?"

I bite my lower. "Yeah, I guess." I said, shrugging. "I mean he hasn't properly asked me, but for the first time last night, he said I was his girlfriend though."

"I'm so happy for you." Sarah smiled. "I can tell he really likes you."

"Uh..." I looked away from her.

"Uh-oh, what is it?" Sarah asked.

"He also confessed he loved me last night." I admitted. "In front of Kie and Pope. While drunk."

She beamed. "That's a good thing, right?"

"I don't know," tears sprung to my eyes again, thinking about last night. "Sissy, he had bruises all over himself. His Dad beats him and he had a mental break down over it. And I don't know what to do about it."

Sarah's face fell. "Oh, my God."

My shoulder fell. "Yeah."

"But you do love him, right?" Sarah questioned.

"Of course, I love him," I admitted. "It's crazy, cause I've only known him for a few months. Months, Sarah."

"I've known John B only a few weeks before I lost my V-Card to him." Sarah reminded me. "Me and Topper had been going out for two years and I never had sex with him. You're not moving too fast, if that's what you're saying. And to be fair, the guy's been in love with you since the 8th grade. Can't blame him for waiting any longer."

I blushed, avoiding eye contact with her. "I can't believe you lost your V-Card before me."

"I'm still shocked by that, too." Sarah nods in agreement. "I really thought Ethan would've been your first."

I scoffed. "JJ was the reason why he broke up with me." Sarah gave me a disbelief look. "Yeah, yeah. He threaten him."

"Funny, ain't it?" She smiled. "That's kind of adorable, actually,"

"No, because I really liked Ethan at the time." I pouted. "I was heart broken for months."

"Don't need to remind me, I was there." Sarah puts a few more items into the trolly.

"And the fact that he calls me Hollywood," I blurted out.

"I think that's cute, too." Sarah grinned. "John B calls me Princess, but that's kind of a basic nickname, if you ask me. And he says it more in a teasing way, like 'it's the Kook's Princess'."

"So, do you love John B?" I questioned and she looked at me, surprise.

"Um..." She pursed her lips together. "I think I do. You see, I thought I loved Topper, but he's nothing compared to what I feel for John B."

"I mean, the only relationship I can compare is Ethan and that was three years ago." I shrugged. "But, yeah, I guess in some ways, I can agree."

Sarah smiled and stopped the trolly, looking at me. "Look at us, becoming Pogues."

I smiled widely. "And I wouldn't have it any other way."

✫✫✫

I had returned back home, leaving Sarah to go back to Tannyhill. JJ had greeted me, wrapping me up in a hug as soon as I placed down the food onto the bench of the kitchen.

"You were gone too long." JJ had told me, softly kissing my neck which sent exciting chills down my body.

"Sorry," I had said. JJ clung onto me while I tried to put things away. "Sarah and I ended up chatting for a long time."

"About me?" I could hear the grin in his voice.

I rolled my eyes. "You wish."

"Now, what shall we do while we have this time to ourselves?" JJ murmured, slowly trailing kisses down my neck.

I turned around and gave him the milk. "You can put the milk away, love," I told him and he groaned.

"Mood killer." He stuck his tongue out and went to the fridge. I let out a giggle.

JJ had helped me unpack the food and I didn't question anything about last night, I could tell he felt uncomfortable about the entire situation.

Pope and Kie had come around. Kie was now swinging in a barrel from a tree.

"How's it feeling?" Pope asked her. We were testing out the plan for later.

"Feel's good." Kie replied. I stood on the outside of the spa while JJ had dipped his feet in, sitting on the edge.

"Taking you down," Pope called as he lowers Kie to the ground.

"John B pulling a Houndini." JJ had called out.

"Yeah, where is it?" I questioned, frowning. I knew he was out with my father, but he shouldn't be out that long.

"I got my scholarship interview tomorrow morning." Pope had said. "We gotta get this done!"

"Speak of the devil." In come John B, ignoring all of us. "Hey!" JJ had called. "Dude, I set up the entire winch to pull the gold and everything."

"No, he did not." Pope quickly denied. "I did that."

John B ignored us and I frowned. "Hey," I had called over, concerned for him. He didn't even acknowledge me and stormed right into the house. We all looked at each other, confused.

"Okay, that's it?" JJ questioned.

"Uh... What was that all about?" Pope asked as he and Kie walked over to us.

"I was gonna ask you the same thing." JJ had told Pope. He climbed out of the spa and grabbed my hand, pulling me inside with the others.

We entered the house and John B goes through items on a cluttered table. "You all right, man?" Pope questioned behind him. "What's up?"

"What are you looking for?" Kie asked.

He doesn't say anything. "Bro, what's going on?" JJ frowned.

John B doesn't anything again. "John B, would you just talk to us?" I asked, quiet annoyed that he's ignoring us.

He pulls the gun out from underneath the couch cushions. "John B, what do you need a gun for?" JJ had stepped forward.

"No—" Kie tried.

"Talk to us!" JJ had demanded and John B shoves him onto the bed.

"John B, chill!" I had yelled. "What are you doing?"

"What are you, JJ now?" Pope questioned and he shoved Pope aside into the table.

"Shit, are you okay?" Kie asked him.

I ran after John B. "John B, what the hell are you doing?" I asked, running after him.

John B gets on the dirt bike and the others come up behind me. "John B, what the hell?" Kie yelled.

"Ward knows about the gold." John B had yelled over the engine. He looked back at us. "He killed my Dad."

My world froze and John B rides away. "No..." I shake my head, looking at JJ. "He—He couldn't have killed his Dad..."

"John B!" Kie had yelled, trying to chase after him by the dirt bike was too fast for us.

"Shit." I mumble, grabbing onto my hair. "Holy shit. My Dad... He's a killer." That felt awful to say, I felt vomit coming up my throat. I gagged, turning away from them, tears brimming in my eyes.

I felt a hand on my back. I knew it was JJ and I hugged him tightly, almost collapsing him into him.

JJ rubs my back gently. "It's okay, Storm." He told me sweet things and I cried into him.

"I knew my Dad was a tad crazy, but shit," my heart beats fast. "And John B is gonna kill him! Shit, Dad's gonna kill John B!"

✫✫✫

It was a little while later and John B had returned home. Pope, Kie, and JJ had went looking out for John B while I stayed at home in case he returned. "Pope? Kie?" He had called out, I was waiting on the couch. "Hello?"

"John B." I called out. He sounded stress.

"Storm." He called back, the house completely dark. I had gotten up from the couch and walked over to John B who was in his room.

"John B." I said again and he turned around, tears brimming in his eyes as he looked at me. I gulped. "Did you... Did you kill him?"

John B shakes his head. "No, I didn't."

"Oh, John B..."

"Sarah, she doesn't believe me." John B's face crumples. "She doesn't believe me."

"She's stubborn like that." I had uttered. "She hasn't seen the ugly side of Dad yet." I thought of an idea. "Do you wanna give your Dad a funeral?"

John B looked at me, tears in his eyes. "What?"

"Let's give your Dad a funeral and then you can grieve properly," I told him gently and he nods. He glanced over to a picture on the wall.

Now, John B and I stand in the dark on the dock. John B lights a candle on the photo inside a raft John B and I had made.

He lifts the raft and turns the photo to face him. John B was sitting down and I squat down next to him.

"Goodbye, Dad." Was all John B had said. He lowers the raft down in the water and together, we watch it float away. I placed a comforting hand on John B's shoulder, he turns to me.

"He's gonna be up in Heaven, John B, looking down at you." I smiled kindly. "He's gonna be with my Mum."

John B nods, tears falling down his cheeks. He then leans in and kisses me. I froze, I was in complete shock and John B pulled away, regret instantly filled his eyes.

"Fuck, sorry, Storm, I didn't—"

"It's okay," I told him gently, nodding my head. "It's okay, you were upset, I get that." Tears continued to fall down his cheeks and I wipe them. "Hey, hey, listen to me, it's gonna be fine."

"Fuck, JJ's gonna kill me." John B shakily said, worried filled his face. "And Sarah—Oh, shit."

"John B, it's fine," I tried to reassured him, he was completely freaking out and I held his hands firmly and he stopped freaking out. "It's fine because that kiss meant absolutely nothing to me. Okay? I love JJ. And you love Sarah."

John B nods, my hands falling to my waist. He runs his hands over his face. "We can just... Not tell anyone about that? I would love to forget it."

"Me too." I nodded. "And, for the record, I wasn't gonna tell anyone. If I were to tell someone, she'd hate me, so..."

John B nods, the both of us understanding

✫✫✫

John B and I had woken up at the end of the dock. My back was aching as I was leaning against a post, John B had rest his head on life vests. John B sits up and eyes me as I wake up.

"Morning." John B told me and I gave him a half-smile. John B sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I'm sorry about—"

"Hey," I raised a finger to my lips, shushing him. "We don't need to talk about it."

John B nods. "I'm gonna go check on Crain's house." John B told me. "I'll be right back." I nodded and ended up falling back asleep, not bothering to go with him.

I had woken up later that day with someone nudging it. I looked up and saw that it was JJ, he frowns, concern on his face.

"Why're you sleeping out here?" JJ asked me gently. I noticed that he docked the boat.

"I was giving a funeral with John B." I answered as he helped me up.

"John B was here?" JJ questioned.

"Hm-hm." I nodded sleepily, leaning into JJ.

"Okay, that's good, then." JJ sighed and ran a hand through my hair gently. "How are you?"

"You're asking me how I am?" I grinned up at him, wrapping my arms around him. "I'm great, now that you're here."

"You're so corny," JJ grinned, kissing my lips softly. "Pope and JJ had a fight."

"Oh," I responded softly. "About?"

"John B." He sighed. "Kie thinks Pope is more worried about his scholarship interview than John B."

"She knows that's not true." I frowned.

"Yeah, but you know how Kie gets..." JJ wrapped his arms around me.

"Yeah..."

A/N

More JJ and Stormy cute moments <3
And John B and Stormy kissed... OOPS.