friends close, enemies closer: part 2
A/N: expect weekly updates!
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Summary: When your parents unexpectedly become wealthy from good investments, you're forced to leave your old life in the Cut and move to Figure Eight. Right when you finally start to move on (thanks to the help of your best friend, Sarah Cameron), your old friends are suddenly forced into your life again. Getting comfortable with them means discovering their new lives and making amends for the past. And just when things couldn't possibly get any more complicated, you have to deal with your lingering feelings with a certain hot-headed blond.
word count: 2.6k
warnings: swearing, that's basically it
“Doesn’t look like you have chicken pox to me,” Sarah stated, searching your body for any red pox marks. “Or a shark bite either.” She looked around suspiciously. “Wait- were you lying to me?” She feigned shock and held her forehead in one hand while she leaned her body onto her white jeep.
“Oh, the horror.” You deadpanned, dragging your feet across the front gravel to get to your driveway. “Plus, you knew I was lying. You wouldn’t have come if you thought I was actually sick.”
She lifted her body back upright and scrunched her nose in thought. She nodded. “Yeah. Probably not.” She chuckled at the look of you, face miserable while you hauled a much-too-big beach bag over your shoulder. “You pack for the apocalypse?”
“Haha.” You looked at her with frustration and walked past her to put your shit in her trunk.
It was much too hot for the first Saturday of June. The air felt sticky, which wasn’t a new sensation on your skin, but definitely one that you didn't enjoy. Your hair would frizz up, sweat would bead and drop down off your forehead, and the odor of low tide was worse than ever.
“I packed all my bathing suits. I’m tan, but not summer tan, so I don't know which one will look the best. Plus, I don't know if they’ll still fit like I want them to.”
Sarah helped you shove the shit in the back before she looked over her shoulder. “Is this concern over making a good second impression? Or looking good for a certain blond?” She replies as she sees you almost tumble out of the passenger seat.
“It’s not! Can a girl not want to look good for the new tourists?”
Sarah giggled again, making sure you had your seatbelt on, and then started the minute drive to her house. You promised last week that you would hang out with them soon, and so you were here.
“I’m nervous!” Sarah groaned, gripping the steering wheel tighter and turning her head to look at you. “What if they think I’m stuck-up? Or a bitch because of what I did to Kie? Or, oh my god, what if they think I’m ugly?”
She looked petrified. The idea of anyone thinking of Sarah as ugly was unfathomable. She was undoubtedly stunning. She had the perfect face and ideal frame, not to mention that she had matured into the kindest woman you had ever met.
“Sarah.” You looked at her with gentle eyes. “You are the furthest thing in the world from ugly. I’m being serious. They may think you're stuck-up and a bitch, but that's why you hang out with them. You can show them the reason why John B likes you. Not as a rich Kook who wears a uniform to school every day.”
She smiled back, but she didn't seem convinced.
“Plus, if it makes you feel any better, if they gonna make fun of someone, it’ll probably be me.”
When you hit a red light, she finally turned back to see you. “Maybe. But at least we have each other.” You flicked her shoulder jokingly as the light turned green again.
“Ugh, that's even worse.”
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When you finally finished your makeup and picked your outfit, you felt like you were going to be sick. The nerves had kicked in, if they were excited or anxious butterflies you couldn't tell. This could be the start of something new for you. A reconnection with people who you treated like home at one point.
You had a basic tee shirt and blue jean shorts on, rather than the cover-up dress that Sarah told you to wear. Although it had been a couple of years, you knew that they would mock you if you came to chill with a dress on.
Plus, you wanted to look familiar to them. Maybe, if you dressed the way you used to, it would be like a white flag. You nonverbally telling them that you were willing to just go back to the way things were, rather than pretend like nothing ever happened at all.
“They’re here!” Sarah yelled, racing out of her bathroom while sinking an earring through her ear. You followed her into the sunroom and watched her lace up her new black converse, embroidered with purple butterflies.
You ran over to the lace curtains and slowly peeked out from behind them. You saw the Twinkie, the gangs busted minivan, waiting in front of Sarah’s horseshoe driveway. You had to bite your lip to stop yourself from laughing out loud. The minivan looked so….out of place. Is this how your family looked the first year you moved?
“Ready?” Sarah asked, hand on the doorknob as you strode away from the window.
“Ready as I’ll ever be.”
Sarah opened the door and ran out to meet John B. She found her way into his arms, and you watched from afar as they laughed about something. She gestured to her Jeep, and they both started to walk toward the connected garage. You went to follow them, but John B saw you.
“Oh, we don’t need help, do we Sarah? It’s too hot. You can just go and find a seat in the Twinkie. Hope you don’t mind being a little squished.”
You smiled politely and turned away, heading in the direction of the car. You could already hear the music coming from the speakers, and you swear to god that the car shook from the intensity of the bass. You walked up to the handle, and opened it slowly, trying to focus on anything other than the fact that you were going to vomit.
As soon as you opened the door, the talking ceased. Three pairs of eyes all focused on you, all displaying different emotions. Kie looked giddy, excited about whatever they were talking about before you came into the car. Pope had the same look of confusion that you remembered from your childhood. He made you feel like you were the stupidest person ever with just one look. You would call it a superpower if it hadn't offended you so much.
And of course, sitting in the chair by himself, was JJ. He looked irritated, cheeks puffed out and arms crossed over his chest. When his eyes met yours, they hardened before he quickly looked away. You could tell he was mad at you. You just hoped it wouldn't be too awkward.
“Hey girl!” Kie chirped, giving you an awkward hug as you tried to maneuver through the car and to your seat.
“Hi, babe. Uh, hey Pope. Hey JJ.” You mumbled, putting on your seatbelt as you looked up to see them.
“What? Don’t trust John B to drive you now? Too used to your personal driver?” JJ mused, moving his legs farther from yours as he pulled out a joint from his pocket. You looked at him with unhappy eyes, but you knew this was just part of the process. Of course, they would be hurt. You were too.
“That's not it-” You tried to interject, but Pope cut you off.
“Ignore that, Y/N. JJ’s on his period today.” He lifted himself further off the seat and turned towards you. “JJ, watch this,” he reached his hand towards you. “Hey, Y/N. Long time no see! How’ve you been?” You shook his hand firmly, keeping eye contact as a smile spread across your face.
“I’ve been good! Just doing my thing. How have you been?”
“As good as one can expect from a dirty Pogue.” He looked at you with his eyebrows raised. You gaped back in shock, mouth starting to drop open before he spoke again. “I’m just kidding. I’ve been good!” He laughed, and you let go of the breath that you were holding.
“Good to know that you’re still cracking jokes.” You breathed out, listening to your heartbeat in your ears. You knew that you were gonna be the butt of the joke for a little while, but you genuinely thought you were gonna have a heart attack by the end of the trip.
Pope and JJ started to fight over who was going to get more leg space, and Kie looked over at you, bothered. “Sorry about them. They’re idiots.”
You bit back a laugh as you spotted John B strolling back to the car with Sarah, him struggling to hold both you and Sarah's bags. “So what your telling me is nothing has changed?”
She giggled again, throwing her head back and sighing as she grinned at you. “Yes and no.”
You heard Sarah pop open the trunk, and shifted yourself in your seat to make eye contact with her. You tried to signal something with your eyes, but she just looked at you smiling. You wanted to leave. The Twinkie was too full of not only people, but memories.
You watch silently as John B and Sarah slipped into the front, sending flirty glances to each other over the center console. You rolled your eyes to yourself, knowing that watching them flirt was going to be your own personal hell.
As you started to drive, you noticed that it was much too quiet. You looked over at JJ, who was mouthing something to Pope. He grinned while he talked, his tongue-in-cheek and eyebrows raised. When he caught your eye, he instantly stopped and made the 'kill sign' to Pope. You glanced over at Pope, but you couldn't tell what they were talking about.
“Secret secrets are no fun, unless shared with everyone.” You sing-songed, tutting as you shook your head at them. Pope shyly smiled at your comment, but JJ just scoffed.
His lips set into a thin line. “Wouldn’t have been a secret if you actually talked to us.”
You walked into that one. You instantly shut your mouth and turned back around. Kie rubbed your shoulder gently, and you could feel JJ’s eyes burning a hole through your face. The fact that he was, at one point, your best friend shocked you. He seems like he couldn't be more of a stranger.
“Kie, why are you consoling her?” JJ sputtered, shaking his head in disbelief. His attitude had never changed. When he started mumbling at the window, the whole car groaned in protest.
“Oh, of course, I’m the bad guy.” JJ muttered, eyes looking far out of the car.
“C’mon, man. Remember what I said.” John B urged, tapping the steering wheel in rhythm with the radio.
You feel your phone buzz in your pocket, and you use it as a way to ignore everyone else.
SAR-BEAR:
wtf
why is he being like that
you:
it’s JJ so idek
SAR-BEAR:
when i got in the car i was like
hot damn
maybe i picked the wrong one
but then he opened his mouth…
such an ick.
You laugh out loud at her text, quickly putting your hand over your mouth to muffle the noise. Sarah's head whipped back instantly, eyes wide open as she stared you down.
“Did you just fucking SNORT?” Sarah yells, disbelief wrapping her features. You try to deny it, but everyone in the car erupts.
“You most certainly did!”
“Don’t lie!”
“Is there a baby dinosaur in the car with us?”
“You still do that?”
You look over at JJ, his features softer than you’ve seen them all day. He looks like a kid, like he just learned something new for the first time.
“Yeah. I guess some things never change.” You look away quickly, eyes darting anywhere but his face as you feel a blush start to light your cheeks.
You wish you could say that JJ wasn’t attractive to you anymore, but he was. His skin was still tan, and a light sunburn brushed across his cheeks. His face was more chiseled than you remember, and he looked much more built than he did only 3 years before.
The car ride passed with quiet conversation, all friendly and polite. You mainly talked to Kie, catching up with each other about family issues and Kook events. It was nice to be back and just hanging out with them again.
When you finally got to the beach, you all spilled out of the side door and stretched your limbs. As many memories you had in the Twinkie, you couldn't lie and say that you were glad you were back in it. The air conditioning was broken, the seats were worn, and the general smell made you glad for your “new car” air freshener.
You didn’t bring your board, which you regretted when you saw all of the Pogues with theirs. You knew Sarah didn't have one, but John B would probably let her use his board. You picked your bag from the trunk and turned back to Sarah and Kie.
The girls were chatting quietly, and there didn't appear to be much tension. It wasn't a beautiful reunion, but no one was bleeding, which you took as a win.
“You didn’t bring your board?” JJ asked, tousing his hair with the hand not holding his belongings.
“No, I thought we were gonna go on JB’s boat. No biggie though, I’ll just tan or something.” You responded, looking into his eyes and shielding the sun with your hand.
“Oh. Well, if you get bored or something, you can, just like-” he glanced over his shoulder at Pope, who was observing your interaction intently. “swim around us, I guess.” He shrugged his shoulders slightly, cheeks reddening faintly. You knew he was just getting hot, but you secretly wished it was more.
“Oh. Thanks, Jay. I’ll think about it.” You smiled shyly. You watched him leave with a quick nod, and you went to go catch up with Sarah.
You spent the first part of the day on the sand, watching as the group fucked around in the sea. Because it was broiling today, you were sure that your towel was probably wet from the sweat pouring off you. When you got tired of pitying yourself, you got up and started to wade into the water.
Talking and hanging out with everyone felt normal. With Sarah in the group, there was an even amount of crazy and kooky. There was never a dull moment, and everyone seemed more at ease than you had remembered.
When you finally were dropped off at your house, your back was a faint pink and your hair was filled with salt. Taking a shower hurt like a bitch, but your mother always said showering with hot water after getting a burn helped the day after.
When you got into your bed, your phone suddenly beeped. You saw a notification from a new group chat that had everyone from today's rendezvous, including JJ. You couldn't help but smile at your phone, seeing what John B was typing.
JB:
Hey Y/N
Welcome back to Pougelandia
Kie:
YAYYYY
Prettiest Pogue EVER!!!
Pope:
ok
rude
*SAR-BEAR liked a message.*
you:
hiya
whats going on
John B:
NEW GC!!!!
Sorry
That was Sarah
SAR-BEAR:
we need one if we're all going to hang out again!
JJ:
Welcome back.
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