#luney writes

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the fire was spitting gold and orange into the night, eating at the air.

JJ's jacket was heavy around my shoulders, still warm from him. He smelled like smoke, and the ocean.

Sarah was laughing—loud, carefree—spinning around in the sand as John B tried to keep up. Kie and Pope were perched on the edge of a cooler, half-flirting, half-arguing about who cheated during game night last week.

I was pressed up against JJ, his hand curled tight around my waist, his thumb brushing the hem of my shirt like he couldn't quite help himself.

He was looking at me like I hung the moon and stars, like I was the moon and the stars. He leaned in, voice low and teasing, "You look better in my jacket than I do," I laughed against his mouth as he got closer and closer.

His lips were soft but insistent, tasting like mint and cheap beer. His hand held on to my jaw, pulling me closer until my heart was banging against his chest.

"Get a room!" Kie snorted, tossing a chip at JJ. "Yeah, before I throw you in the ocean myself." Pope called out, JJ flipped them off without even looking, still kissing me, smiling like he couldn't help himself.

It was a perfect night, until it wasn't.

Three sets of headlights, three cars.

I knew those cars. The glossy black one. The SUV with the church bumper sticker. The silver Lexus.

The music died, someone kicked sand on the fire, and JJ muttered under his breath, "aw, hell."

Kiara's mom was out first—arms crossed, radiating pure anger.

Then Sarah's dad, Ward, tight-lipped, already calling Sarah's name, and behind all of them, my parents, my sister fighting with the sand trying to keep up.

I make eye contact with her, "I'm sorry." she mouths.

"What the hell is this?" my mom's voice made me jump to look at her.

She looked at JJ, then at me, then at bottle by my feet. "This is what you've been doing? sneaking off with them?"

"mom—" "don't!" she snapped. "these are pogues, they're criminals, they're dangerous! what do you think you're doing—ruining your life for some boy with no future?"

JJ stiffened as he stood next to me.

my mother's face cut to him, all hard lines. "you, you're going to drag her down with you." my anger snapped, sudden and hot.

I pulled JJ's jacket tighter around my shoulders like armor and stepped between my mom and him. "you don't get to talk to him like that," I said, louder than I meant to. "he didn't do anything to you."

My mom's eyes went hard on me. "Don't be naive. He's a distraction. A phase. You're throwing away your reputation, your..—dignity!"

Dad finally spoke, voice low but firm. "JJ, I think it's time you all go home, son."

JJ's mouth twitched, like he wanted to argue, but he softened just enough, he shifted his weight, still staying close to me, still refusing to back down completely.

I was angry, shaking, humiliated, sad. "You can't control everything I do." I told my mom with as much calmness as I could muster. "I'm not your trophy, I'm not you."

Her face changed then, not anger, hurt. But it only lasted a second before it twisted back into something cruel. "You've lost your mind, you're acting like a.. like a slut!" she said quietly. "you think this boy loves you? this isn't love! It's lust. he only wants to ruin you—"

"—yeah? well he already did!" I said before I could stop myself.

Her hand hit my face so fast and hard I didn't even see it coming.

The sound of her slapping me cracked through the air so loud, it silenced everything and everyone.

I heard Sarah's gasp somewhere behind me, and my sister cried out, "mom!" followed by my dad calling out my mother's name.

JJ moved to stand between my mother and I, pulling me behind him, eyes going wide, anger flooding his face. "The hell's your problem?!?" he barked at my mother, who was frozen with her hand slowly lowering back.

I grabbed his arm. "Don't," I whispered, voice trembling. "please, she'll only make it worse."

He was breathing hard, chest rising and falling like he might explode, but when he looked down at me, saw the tears in my eyes, he backed off.

My mom was shaking, "We're leaving." she said flatly. My dad stepped forward, touching my shoulder, gentle, and guiding me toward the car.

JJ's hand brushed mine, just once.

My sister ran to my side, pulling my hair back to look at the red stain building in my face.

As I climbed into the backseat, I saw him standing there, jaw clenched, fists at his sides.

My mom slammed her door shut, and I looked away from JJ to see Sarah and Kie also being led into cars by their parent's.

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The fight with my mom was still echoing through my brain, sharp and ugly.

She slapped me. My mom. She'd never done that before.

I could still feel the sting and the shame mixing into something that made me want to crawl out of my skin.

Dad had tried to stop her from arguing with me again in the car—"Elena that's enough, she's a teenager, for God's sake." but mom was trembling, eyes glossy and furious, yelling about "those boys" and "that island trash" and how I was "throwing my future away" I wanted to scream that JJ wasn't trash, that he was the only thing that felt real in a world where everything else was plastic.

But instead, the minute we got home, I ran to my bedroom and slammed the door shut.

"You're grounded for a month!" Mom had yelled behind me before storming into her own office.

no phone, no friends, nothing.

I curled up on my bed, knees to my chest, JJ's jacket tightly wrapped around me, the sting on my cheek still pulsing like it had its own heartbeat.

My pillow was damp from my tears.

There was a soft knock on my door and the sound of it opening.

"hey..." mads said, stepping inside, voice careful, almost trembling. My little sister crawled into my bed, laying down next to me.

"mom stormed into my room like three hours ago, she made me tell her where you were, Kie's mom called first, said they needed her back home, and then—well, she found out all of you were lying about a sleepover, including Sarah, she made me tell her—I swear I didn't want to but she said she'd take Charlie back to an orphanage or something! You know I love my cat more than life I would have never done it—"

"Mads" I interrupted her, "it's okay, really. I forgive you."

her face lit up a little, relief softening her features.

She moved closer to me, wrapping her arms around me as best as she could. "Do you love him? JJ?"

I felt my cheeks heat up. "Yeah," I admitted, whispering, my voice breaking a little. "I do."

She grinned, half teasing, half sincere. "Good. I mean.. he's hot, And you deserve someone who y'know, makes you feel alive."

"Thanks, mads." I smiled at her, and she gave me a quick kiss on the cheek before she left with a victorious smile, shutting the door softly behind her.

The room went back to quiet, I pressed my face into the pillow again, trying to stop crying, listening to the hum of the AC and the distinct clink of glasses downstairs.

I figured mom had already passed out from wine, and my dad was probably asleep.

The landline in my room rang, the landline?

My heart jolted, skipping beats like a record stuck on a fast track.

No one ever used it unless it was grandma, who even got the number for it?

I ran to it before anyone could hear it ringing.

"Hello?" my voice cracked halfway through, sniffles catching in the middle.

"Baby? You okay?" His voice, soft and warm, carrying across the line like a tether. JJ.

"JJ?" I whispered. "Yeah baby, are you crying?" he said, quiet, but gentle enough to make my chest squeeze.

I swallowed. "Maybe a little."

"I hate hearing you like this, so sad." I blinked, swallowing hard again, still clutching his jacket around me.

I bit my lip, trying to stop the fresh tears. "JJ... i'm sorry about my mom.. she—" "baby," he cut in, sharp but tender, like a hand on my shoulder through the phone. "don't, don't apologize for her, or anyone, I want none of that. You didn't do anything wrong. You're my girl. You hear me?"

I nodded, even though he couldn't see me. "I... okay."

"Good." He took a deep breath, softer now, teasing just slightly. "Now look out your window,"

I hesitated, dumb-founded, then almost ran to my window and peeked. There he was, standing under the soft glow of the streetlight across the street from my house, jeans dark, jacket zipped halfway, a small grin pulling at his lips, as he held his phone up to his ear.

His hair was messy, eyes bright and gentle. The blue of his bike gleamed faintly in front of him.

"so.. you're gonna come down, or I'll climp up there and comfort my sad girl myself." I let out a shaky laugh, the sound uneven but relieved. "JJ..."

"Baby," he said, voice firm but loving. "your choice. Five minutes. I'd choose fast because your sister is covering for us and I'm sure she'll get inpatient and want to sneak out herself."

I smiled, unable to contain my happiness, "okay, five minutes."

He smiled, and I hung up.

I ran to the bathroom, grabbed my face, and splashed cold water on it.

The shock made me shiver, but it help the redness of my face.

I pulled on a long-sleeve dark blue shirt, and threw on some jean shorts. JJ's jacket wrapped around my shoulders yet again.

I only put on socks, planning to grab some shoes from the front door before heading out.

Tiptoeing down the stairs, I froze when my dad rounded the corner, making a loud noise as I stopped on a bad step.

His face was calm, tired, but his eyes softened when they found mine. "Honey?" Came my mother's voice from somewhere in the house, "Go back to sleep, Elena." My dad told her.

He gave me a small, knowing smile and a gentle nod.

My chest tightened with something like gratitude, almost tears, and I leaned forward, pressing a quick kiss to his cheek. "Thank you." I whispered.

I put on my shoes at the door, and then I was out, running down the street.

JJ was waiting, arms open. I collapsed into him, letting my tears spill freely, burying my face against his chest.

"Shh.. I've got you, baby," he murmured, rocking me gently, his lips brushing my hairline. His hands cradled my face, thumbs brushing across my cheeks, tracing the wet paths of my tears as if he could erase all of it, and he could, just by being here.

I could feel the steady rise and fall of his chest against my own, anchoring me to him.

I lifted my face slowly, eyes still shining with tears, and pressed my lips to his.

Soft, tentative at first, then deeper, desperate but tender.

His mouth moved with mine, patient and grounding, coaxing me into the safety of him.

Every brush of his lips spoke of something he didn't say aloud, a quiet devotion, a fierce protectiveness that made my chest ache with love for him.

I pressed closer, letting him hold all the sadness and anger I'd been carrying, letting him be my harbor in the storm.

He pulled back just slightly, enough to nuzzle his nose with mine, his hands never leaving my face, his thumbs stroking, his gaze soft and grounding.

The corners of his mouth tipped into a grin. "Helmet?" he asked, voice soft.

I nodded, letting him gently slide the matte black helmet over my head, clicking it snug under my chin.

"Ready to go?" He whispered, and I nodded once again.

He swung a leg over his bike, then reached his hand out for me. I got on behind him, my arms wrapped around his waist, resting against the warmth of his chest.

"Hold on tight, baby." he murmured, voice low, affectionate, a tremor of care beneath the rough edges of his usual confidence. His hands tightened slightly on the handles.

The engine rumbled to life, and the world became wind and motion, but I didn't feel scared. I felt like I belonged here, pressed against him.

The night blurred past, the streetlights streaking gold and white, and for the first time since the bondfire, I felt weightless, safe, and alive.

I buried my face in the crook of his neck, letting the wind whip at my hair.

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The bike slowed to a hum, then stilled. The night air pressed close as JJ cut the engine, the silence wrapping around us, thick and yet not that silent.

He swung off the bike, the gravel crunching under his boots, and held his hand out for me like it was the most natural thing in the world, because it was, for us at least.

His fingers were warm when they closed around mine, grounding me as he helped me off.

The building ahead was half-swallowed by shadows, it's windows blacked out, the sign above the door barely visible.

JJ tucked me close, shaking me out of my thoughts, his voice a soft whisper against my ear. "Stay here, baby. I'll be right back."

My heart thudded as I nodded. The night felt too big the second he stepped away. His jacked was heavy on my shoulders, smelling like salt and him, but it didn't stop the nerves from crawling up my spine.

I heard a click, metal against metal—another click—and a door creaked open somewhere in the dark.

My throat tightened, what if it wasn't JJ? What if it was some security guard, or worse—some random creep wandering around this late? My fingers clenched around the hem of the jacket, breath held tight in my chest.

"JJ?" I whispered, voice trembling just a little.

I heard footsteps, then light—and there he was, grinning at me.

"M' back," he said, so casually. He leaned in to me when he was close enough and pressed a quick kiss to my lips at the sight of my still scared face. His smirk tugged at the corner of his lips, "Baby, I got you. Always."

before I could answer, he stepped behind me, his palms warm against my eyes. "No peeking."

I laughed, even as my nerves fluttered. "JJ, where—"

"Trust me," he murmured, voice low and teasing near my ear. His chest brushed my back as he guided me forward, slow, careful.

I could smell chlorine now—sharp and clean—and I could hear faint music playing, echoing.

Slowly, we came to a stop. "Okay," he said, breath brushing my cheek. "open."

I blinked into the light, and a small gasp left my lips.

Candles flickered along the tiled floor, their reflections dancing on pool water that shimmered pale blue. A blanket was spread out by the edge, soft pillows piled like clouds, and a tray of food sat between two cups of soda.

It was quiet, except for the hum of music from a little speaker nearby.

"JJ.." I breathed.

He shrugged, hands sliding into his pockets, suddenly nervous. "It's not much but, I wanted to cheer you up."

I turned my whole body toward him, and his face softened into something gentle, eyes soft, lips parted just slightly. I reached up, brushed my thumb along his jaw, and he leaned down to kiss me.

The kiss was slow, and warm, and so full of emotion.

We sank onto the blanket, the candles glowing gold against the blue pool light. He passed me a sandwich, and we ate, knees bumping as we place only our feet inside the water, laughter slid between us.

When silence started to settle, he looked at me for a long moment before speaking.

"You know...what you mom said?" he started, his voice low, and words premeditated. "—about this being just lust—about us not being worth shit."

I swallowed, my eyes flicking up to his.

He smiled, soft but sure. "Yeah, she's wrong. 'Cause sure, I want you—I'm not blind, baby, I got eyes. But it's not just that. It's just a bonus." He chuckled under his breath, rubbing the back of his neck. "What I feel for you—it's...bigger. Scarier too. I think about you all the time, even when I don't wanna. You make me wanna be good. Like, actually good. And I don't give a damn what she, or anyone, thinks about that. About us."

His hand finds my cheek, fingers gentle, thumb tracing under my eye. "I love you. Every stubborn, loud, beautiful part of you. Even the ones you don't love, I'll never leave you, no matter how much they want me too, the second I part from you will be because you asked me to."

My throat tightened, tears burning my lashes. Gosh, I love this man.

"JJ," I whispered, voice small. "I would never ask you that. I love you, and I don't care what they say, not my mom, not anyone. It's you. It will always be you."

He grinned through the kind of look that resonated so deeply in me, it brought fresh tears to my eyes—he looked at me like he didn't know what to do with how much he felt.

He leaned in, and kissed me slow, deep, full of warmth and promise, and love. His hand slid into my hair, pulling me closer until there was no air, no fear, nothing left between us—it was just us here, and the sounds of our hearts crashing into each other.

The world could be burning down outside this place, and we wouldn't even notice.

Our kiss faded into a smile, then a laugh, then JJ tugged me up by the wrists with that trouble sparkle in his eyes.

"C'mon," he whispered, already peeling off his shirt. "pool's looking lonely."

I didn't even get a full second to protest before he scooped me up and launched us both into the water. We hit the surface with a splash that echoed through the whole place, cold and bright and perfect.

I came up gasping, hair plastered to my face—and he was right there, grinning like he'd just stolen the moon.

I laughed, uncontrollably, and we swam. We swam until our fingers wrinkled, until he pulled me to him again and again—kissing me breathless, kissing me quiet, kissing me like the night was his gift to give.

Time got weird, and slow, and soft.

His hands on my waist, my legs hooked around him, laughter echoing off tile, the whole world held inside that blue water.

When the first lighter blue smear of dawn slipped through the high windows, his forehead pressed to mine. "Baby... we gotta go."

My stomach sank, and the magic cracked a little at the edges, but he kissed me once more—gentle, lingering, like he wanted to memorize me before the sun stole me back.

We climbed out, dripping and shivering, stealing glances to avoid the goodbye neither of us wanted to say.

He put his dry shirt over me, his fingers brushing my face.

The ride back was colder, sadder.

And when we finally pulled In front of my house, the sky was pink, the air too still, and my heart hurt in that sweet, awful way.

I know our goodbye's aren't forever, and as long as I don't say the words, they never will be.

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NOT SPELL CHECKED YET, WROTE THIS AT HIGH SLEEP DEPRIVATION HOURS