‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾ REMEMBER ME LIKE THIS — FLEETING MOMENTS ☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙
EPISODE ONE

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     Esme knew the feeling of stress better than anyone.  She hasn't exactly been stuck in "life or death" situations, per se, but she had been stuck in between J.R. introducing himself to her grandmother — which was something she absolutely could not have.  While Esme told J.R. time after time that she didn't want her grandmother knowing anything about her side job, it all seemed to go in one ear and out the other with that guy.

     "Are you crazy?" Esme exclaimed in a hushed voice, pushing J.R. away from her.  She closed the screen door of her house behind her as she stepped into the sunlight.  The last thing she expected that morning was J.R. at the front door when she was telling her grandma she was heading out for a while.  "What did I fucking tell you?"

     J.R. smiled, his pearly white teeth gleaming as he looked down at the shorter girl.  "Damn, alright, princess.   So it's like that."

     "Yeah, you know it's like that.  And stop calling me that," Esme crossed her arms, creasing the strap of her favourite tote bag ( — it read 'Save the Turtles' on the side ).  "And don't ever come to my house again.  I bought a phone for a reason.  Call it sometime."

     The two stood in silence for a moment, until J.R. looked Esme up and down, noticing her outfit.  She wasn't decked out in the usual makeup and nice outfit with paired heels that he was used to seeing her in.  Instead, she wore a navy blue bikini set with an oversized white tee shirt over it. "Going somewhere?"

     "Just out with friends," Esme shrugged.  "Why?"

     "Nothing," J.R. shook his head, stepping backwards and farther away from the Mendoza residence, to Esme's pleasure.  "Be sure to be back by nightfall, I got a job for you."

     "Business or pleasure?" she asked.

     "Isn't pleasure your business?" J.R. retorted.

     Esme's left brow twitched.  "Well, when you put it like that."

     J.R. laughed, his smile widening.  He nodded, beginning to back away from her house slowly.   "You should probably put a pair of shorts over that," he raised his eyebrows, not having to explicitly explain what he meant.  Her ass cheeks were out.  Esme rolled her eyes.  Was he stupid? she thought as he got into his car, still smiling.  She sighed as he sped away, opening her tote bag and reaching for her backup shorts.

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     "He's not answering!" JJ yelled into Esme's ear, the girl bringing her hand up to cover her ear as best as she could, becoming irritated with JJ's behaviour.  The wind was picking up very nasty and she was having a hard enough time hearing Adonis through the phone.

     "But she's there with you?" Esme ignored JJ, instead pressing her phone harder into her face, as if that would make things better.  "Okay, okay, I will.  I'm with JJ," she glanced over at her friend, who seemed to calm down a little once Esme looked at him.  He was frantically trying to get a hold of John B, but when he tried calling, he kept getting his voicemail.  "Okay, love you," Esme said before hanging up with her cousin.  "Jay, the storm's picking up, we need to go."

     "Where?" JJ asked, waving his arms around.  He was shirtless, his shark tooth necklace swinging from his neck as he moved.  The wind was picking up more and more the more they stood around.  The two had met up while waiting for the guys and ended up eating before hitting the beach, but the incoming hurricane was putting a dent in their plans for the rest of the day.

     "Anywhere!" Esme said, waving her own arms around.  Wind trickled through her oversized shirt, cleavage poking out in true Esme fashion, but she didn't care.  Her shorts and leftover snacks from their lil brunch date had been placed away in her save the turtles tote, along with her phone.  She clutched onto the tote on her shoulder as her natural curls flew around.

     "You know, you look, like, really pretty," JJ couldn't help but annotate.

     "Aw, thanks, JJ.  Maybe try hitting on me when there isn't a hurricane coming this way!" Esme exclaimed, pointing towards the darkening clouds as JJ ran a hand through his hair.  Or where his hair usually is, today he is wearing his red baseball cap backwards.

     "Yeah, yeah, come on!" 

     Like that they were off, sneaking into John B's, but no one else was home yet.  Esme headed straight for the back bedroom without saying a word, and JJ followed suit.  "Maybe we should try calling John again?" Esme said, this time more worried.

     On command, JJ's phone lit up, the light illuminating his face as Esme took a seat on the bed.  "Speak of the devil..." he bit his lip.

     Esme searched his face.  "Is he okay?"

     "Yup, the sucker was playing hooky with Pope, decided to catch a couple waves..." he shook his head, yet he was smiling.

     Esme nodded.  "Nice.  That makes me feel better," she rubbed her temples as JJ took a seat at the foot of the bed, turning his back to Esme with a huff.  "Ohh, what's the matter?  Jealous?" she said, propping herself up on her knee to face him better.  JJ raised his head and was met with the reflection of the situation in the bedroom mirror; Esme Mendoza, the princess of the Pogues and residential hot girl was looking stunning as ever to him... no makeup, natural hair... he could stare at her for days on end.  Her lips were plump and her skin was glowing, and she was sitting in his room.  It had happened before, but they had never been alone like this.  She tilted her head, watching him watch her in the reflection of the mirror.

     Esme's stomach turned seeing his fiery eyes lock with hers as he turned to face her finally.  His hair was peeking out from under his cap, yet he looked wild as ever.  But maybe that was just how JJ was; reckless, young, crazy.  Usually, Esme stayed away from such behaviour, but JJ was more than just a vessel of chaos to her.  JJ huffed.  "Of John B?  Please."

     Esme nodded.  "Just making sure," as she spoke, her phone lit up, showing her a new text message from J.R.  She groaned.

     "What's a matter?" JJ asked, falling onto his back, only being propped up by his elbows.  He watched as she turned her phone over in annoyance and stretched out, laying onto her stomach.  They laid like that for a moment, like ying and yang.

     She turned, flipping onto her back.  She traced his fingertip lightly, his hand just laying softly in between their bodies.  She liked him like this, in these fleeting moments.  "Let's just say my boss is angry that I can't work tonight, because of the hurricane."

     JJ nodded.  He knew very little of her line of work, but word got around about Esme and all the dealings she did throughout OBX.  Pogue, Kook and in between.  Esme helped J.R. deal to all of them.  She hardly ever opened up about it.  "Hopefully he'll get over it."

     "Yeah... hopefully."

     "I don't like him," JJ declared.

     Esme couldn't help it, she let out a laugh.  JJ's smile grew at the sound.  By now, they were holding each other's hand, still laying at opposite ends of the bed.  "I don't even want to know."

     JJ sighed, a grin on his face.  "Yeah, you don't.  Seriously, Em, I could serious fuck that guy up with my right hook, just say the word."

     Esme laughed, this time louder, filling up the room.  Her giggles faired well in competition with the wind growling outside.  She rubbed a spot on her stomach, the room filling up with silence again.  "Yeah, okay.  So, should we go lay in the bathtub orrrrr.....?"

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     The next morning, they were woken by John B swinging their door open.  JJ and Esme had found themselves laying side by side, still fully dressed, but the fact that they were at peace being next to each other under the covers, basically sharing a pillow as their heads leaned towards one another... John B could have passed away at the sight.

     "For a couple of kids who are always at each other's throats," John B said, leaning his tone figure on the doorframe.

     Esme groaned, tucking her face farther into JJ's neck, still bare from the night before as he had fallen asleep without a shirt, but he had enough heat radiating from his body to keep Esme comfortable and sound asleep through the night.  It was actually perfect, except for the fact that she was still wearing her swimsuit underneath her shirt.

     "Yo, you been outside?" John B said as if one of the two would suddenly come out of their deep slumber.

     Without opening his eyes, JJ said, "I have polio, bro.  I can't walk."

     Thunder rumbled in the distance as John B yawned.  "Oh, man.  That's no good.  That is not good.  Oh, man."

     Esme sighed, getting the point that John B wanted them awake and ready for whatever plans he had prepared for the day.  "Well can I at least borrow some clothes?"

     JJ groaned, putting his palm over her face.  "Don't listen to her, she don't know what she's talking about."

     Esme swatted his hand.  "Shut up."

     "Can't listen to this one until she gets her morning coffee," JJ said.

     Esme did her best to stifle a laugh, but she couldn't.  "You're such a pervert, idiot."

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#JJ— this chapter is dedicated to topperthrnton <3