‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾ REMEMBER ME LIKE THIS — RISKY BUSINESS ☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙
MONTHS LATER...

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     Days off for Esme were rare, and it was even rarer that she spends them dicking around with her friend group, but today was different.  It was a gorgeous day in the Outer Banks, warm and breezy.  It would be a shame to spend it inside.  "That's what, a three-story fall to the deck?  I give you about a one-in-three chance of survival." Pope said.

     "Hm.  Should I do it?"

     "Yeah, jump," Pope said.  Esme rolled her eyes as Claire laughed.  "I'll shoot you on the way down."

     "You'll shoot me?" John B asked, almost offended as he had trouble standing up straight.  It was obvious the boys were far gone as the girls sat around the rest of the unbuilt house and soaked up the afternoon sun.

     "Yep.  Pow!"

     "They're gonna have Japanese toilets with towel warmers," Kie walked back out with a look of disgust on her face.

     "Of course.  Why wouldn't they?" JJ said, not really caring.

     "This used to be a turtle habitat, but who cares about the turtles, I guess?"

     "I can't have cold towels."

     Claire turned to Kie.  "You'll have many chances to save many turtles in your life, babe."

     "Yeah, and literally everyone cares about the turtles, Kie," Esme added, nodding as she started to feel a little warm like she might need to slow down on the alcohol and weed consumption when she was around these people.  More specifically, JJ.

     Kiara nodded before turning her attention to John B standing on the roof.  "Can you please not kill yourself?" Kiara leaned her body against the ledge where Claire was sitting.

     Claire knew she shouldn't feel jealous over Kiara's growing favouritism of John B, his dad, after all, was still missing, and it was obvious he was getting worried.  With that, John B's attitude and mood swings were rubbing off on the group and creating buddy anxiety within their circle.  Claire knew Kiara was just doing her best to care for him without smothering him, but sometimes she felt like it wasn't fair and she missed Kiara.  Or at least, Kiara before this summer.

     "Don't spill that beer.  I'm not giving you another one," JJ said.

     "He can have mine," Esme groaned.

     JJ frowned.  "What's wrong, S?  Not good enough for your majesty?"  he teased, a smile tugging on his face as he tried not to cave into the girl sitting across the patio from him.  She rolled her eyes, and he had to stick his tongue in cheek before saying something else.

     "Whoa!" On cue, John B lost balance and the can of beer slipped from his hand.  "Oh, shit."

     "Of course you did. Smooth." the boys groaned.  "A-plus."

     Kiara shook her head.  "Dumbass."

     Esme giggled in agreement as Claire looked down at the driveway below her.  "Guys, security's here," she groaned, shifting her body so she could get off the ledge easier.

     "Let's wrap it up," JJ bounced up like he had just done a line of cocaine.  He must have, Esme wondered.  "Boys are early today.  Humpty Dumpty, let's roll!"

     "Yeah, let's go, boys," Kiara said.

     "Gary, is that you?" JJ squinted his eyes as everyone else started to flee.  Esme had nothing with her except her phone in her hand, a hot pink phone case in true Esme fashion, and a hot pink bikini set to match.  Lace booty shorts hung on the sides of her hips, exposing the straps of her cheeky bikini bottoms.  It was the perfect weather for see-through beach outfits, honestly.

     "Get down!" Kiara rushed Claire as the two parted from the rest of the group, speeding down the set of stairs in the house faster than the rest.  That happened often, and if they didn't meet up at the van, they meet up at John B's house or somewhere on Claire and Esme's street.

     "It's me!" JJ waved as Esme pulled at his sleeve.  "Gary, good to see you, man!"

     "I could literally kill you right now," Esme gritted her teeth, her heart pounding as JJ turned to face her quickly, looking into her eyes with his own fiery glint of evil.

     "Don't worry, princess, I'll get you outta here," he placed a hand on her lower back, the skin on skin contact sending a warm chill throughout her spine.  She however had no time to think about it, her body literally overheating as she began sprinting as her life depended on it, with JJ close behind.

     Their steps echoed as they hurried through the frame of the house, evidently splitting up.  Just when Esme thought they might have lost them, she heard Gary yell out, "You're asking for it...JJ!" 

     Now JJ might not be Gary's favourite, but Gary was definitely JJ's favourite security around these parts.  "I got him!" One of the guards exclaimed as they tackled JJ. 

     "Oh, no you don't," Esme gritted as she turned and grabbed JJ's bracelet clad hand, digging the heels of her sandals into the dirt on the lot.  Her eyes shut tight as she mustered all her energy into yanking on JJ.  In turn, JJ held onto her wrist, and clamped his other hand around hers, holding onto her like she was his only chance of survival.

     "We need him!" the guard struggled to keep JJ contained.

     "Not as much as I do!" she strained, and with JJ's help, they successfully freed him from the guard's grasp and were able to keep running — but not without Esme tripping over herself.

     "Not much of a hugger!" JJ called out, the two running hand in hand as they laid eyes on John B's infamous van.

     "They're going out front!"

     Esme's heart warmed when she spotted Pope making a run for the same van, which was already on the move.  "Peep!" Esme yelled out, alerting Pope that she was behind him.

     "Go, Pope! Go! Go, go, go, go, go, go!" JJ helped push his friend into the van, ultimately letting go of Esme and leaving her to run for herself.  "Get up, Pope, fatso's coming," JJ said.

     "Hey!  Come here, you little pricks!"

     John B honked the horn.  "Bus is leaving!" John B called out.

     "Come on, boys!" Kiara exclaimed as Pope grunted.  She laughed as Pope groaned, mustering up whatever energy he had to lift himself in the van, collapsing onto his seat, where a disgruntled Claire was sitting.

     Gary still made a sprint for the van, Esme closer to him and in his reach.  "Um, hello?!" Esme called out.

     "Think I forgot about you, babydoll?" JJ held himself in the doorway of the van with his right arm as he extended his left for the Latina.  She had zero time to think of any other reaction than grabbing for it.  Thanks to JJ's adrenaline and possible codeine high, he was able to lift her up and into the van, toppling on top of her as her back hit the ground.  Ignoring the scent of weed and saltwater, Esme began gasping for air, unsure how their adventures almost always lead to run-ins with the law.  JJ panted as he watched Esme regain herself, unsure when his hand had started supporting her or when they had gotten so close.  He ran his thumb across her cheek softly.  "You good, S?"

     With a simple hum from the girl, JJ nodded, gently removing her from his grasp.  Esme shut her eyes, not having to be awake to know JJ was going to taunt Gary as they sped away from him.  She sighed, tired.

     "Ok, Bonnie and Clyde," Claire rolled her eyes.  She was sitting atop Pope in his designated seat as they held onto each other, Pope having a good grip on the seat as well as the road was bumpy and John B had a tendency to drive like a bat out of hell.  He nodded in agreement.  Kiara watched the duo for a moment, forcing herself to tear her eyes away from them in an attempt to settle the nerves in her stomach.

     Maybe you're just a little out of shape, she tried telling herself.  She was convinced there was no way she could like Pope in that way.  There's no way.

     "Check out Gary, gunnin' for a raise," JJ ignored her.  "Come on, Gary!  Wait. Slow down."

     "Hey! You little pricks!"

     "You're gonna give him a heart attack," Esme said, sitting up.

     "You're so close!" JJ egged him on.  "You can do it.  There you go.  They don't pay you enough, bro."

     "JJ, stop," Claire said, running out of laughs.  "Stop."

     "Oh, come on.  That sort of initiative is just begging to be punished," he said as he slammed the sliding door closed shut and they rode off.  Esme scooted over, trying to make room for him.  For a good portion of the ride back home, they sat in silence with their backs against the door.

      While the rest of the group celebrated their latest adventure, JJ turned to Esme with a softer, almost puppy-eyed look.  "So.... you need me."

     "Not as much as you need me, apparently," she retorted.  "You're the one who grabbed me and ran.  You could've left me there."

     JJ simply shook his head, scoffing.  "Yeah.  Right."

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#JJ— i suck at writing slow burns these days and updating in general i'm so sorry