Ocean and Alcohol ✘JJ Maybank✘

Electric Love

It was almost summer. Once summer started, your dad was much more relaxed than during school time. That meant you might be able to actually leave the house to do more than go to work.

You'd seen JJ a few times on the way to or from work, but it wasn't more than a passing glance. When he drove past you with the rest of his pogue friends or when you looked out the window of your work to see him zooming down the marsh on John B's boat. You really tried not to think of him, tried not to feel his lips against your neck, but between the mindless monotony of work, the hours of endless school, and the long and restless nights, sometimes it felt like there was nothing else to think about.

Before JJ swept into your life like a tidal wave, your mind went into autopilot as you went about your day. You could just do your tasks without thinking, but now it seemed that all you could do was think. A part of you wondered if he was intentionally avoiding you. He did say he had a habit of pushing people away.

The other part of you knew that part of you was an idiot because the only time you weren't at home was when you were at work and the restaurant you worked at wasn't a place JJ was likely to visit. Besides, you never told him where you worked. You were being paranoid, you told yourself.

You also tried to tell yourself that it didn't matter if JJ was intentionally ignoring you because there was no way Dad would ever, in a million years, let you so much as hang out with someone like JJ. Your dad wanted you to hang with people like Rafe, which you very plainly told him was never going to happen. Still, since your dad had every intention of making your life a living hell, he invited the Camerons over to your house one day.

You might have screamed when he told you.

He told you to dress your best and you almost threw on a hoodie and sweatpants, even if it was getting hotter with every day. Sweating for hours would have been worth it if Dad would never invite the Camerons over again. Unfortunately, Dad and Ward Cameron worked together, Kid had a crush on Wheezie, and you actually liked Sarah, so you decided to at least brush your hair and do everyone the decency of wearing something other than sweat pants.

You came downstairs in a summer dress that fell just above your knees. When you looked in the mirror and realized that spaghetti straps probably weren't the best formal attire, you threw a t-shirt on underneath and hoped it was good enough to get out of a beating tonight.

You helped your dad make dinner (mostly with the things that didn't require cooking). Kid set the table and for a moment, it almost felt like you were apart of a normal family. Your dad had been especially nice since he and Kid came back from the mainland, which was surprising. You were hoping to stay on his good side so you could maybe ask to go out sometimes during the summertime. But she would have to wait and see how dinner went.

You plastered on a smile when the Camerons first walked in the door. You gave Sarah and Wheezie hugs and shook Rafe's hand amicably, smiling despite how hard he squeezed your hand. You gave Rose a hug as well and Ward planted a kiss on top of your head. Ward was a pretty cool guy and, as far as you were concerned, a pretty good dad. Sometimes you wished he was your own father, that way, you wouldn't wake up in fear every morning. But, that was life.

Your two families joined at dinner, which went pretty well, until the second course.

"Rafe my boy, is that a bruise under your eye?" Your dad asked. You froze halfway through spooning some garlic mashed potatoes into your mouth.

"Oh, yes," Rafe said after clearing his throat.

"Whatever happened?" You wished your dad would stop asking questions. Still, you tried to look engaged in the conversation as to not give yourself away.