two weeks had gone by and hazel had managed to stay close to home to keep an eye on things. she witnessed her parents' fight and cried herself to sleep, knowing things weren't seeming to go well between them. john b hadn't been around much since she wanted to stay on high alert and she couldn't have any distractions. however, she was going through withdrawal and text the boy, asking if he wanted to hang out. she needed to get out of the house now that things were getting bad. of course, she told him millie had to tag along because she didn't want a repeat of what happened last time and the boy didn't seem to mind.

the two girls got in hazel's car and headed in the direction of john b's house, singing along to whatever song was playing on the radio. "hazel?" millie asked, causing the blonde to turn down the music and look at the girl through the rearview mirror.

"what's up, mill?"

"do you like john b?" she asked and a small smile formed on hazel's face and she gripped the steering wheel. "i mean, you guys kissed. that means you like each other right? like how mommy and daddy used to like each other?" the comment made hazel frown, but she nodded.

"yeah, i guess i do like john b." she spoke, turning the music even lower. "i don't know if john b likes me the same way though. just because two people kissed doesn't mean they're dating or they're meant to be together though."

millie smiled small. "i think john b likes you." she nodded her head. "he looks at you like you're the world."

"really?" hazel questioned, glancing over her shoulder at the little girl before she turned back around to focus on the road.

"yeah," millie nodded. "i just hope you two don't end up like mommy and daddy." there was a silence between them before millie spoke again. "what happens if mommy and daddy get separated?"

hazel sighed, "if they separate one of them is probably going to move out of the house and we'll have to vist them whenever we can."

"who do you think is going to move out?" the little girl asked.

"i don't know." she answered. "i think mom will move out, if i'm being honest. she's wanted to leave outer banks for a long time now. dad likes it here."

"who would you go with?" millie asked. "if mommy left, i mean. would you stay with daddy or go with mommy wherever she goes?"

"i'd go wherever you went, millie." hazel answered truthfully.

millie thought about it for a moment before speaking up. "i think i'd go with mommy." she paused. "daddy scares me sometimes. mommy never scares me."

that made hazel frown, but she forced a smile on her face. "wherever you go, i go, millie."

"good." millie sighed happily. "i can't live without you."

hazel laughed, "i can't live without you either."

"but what about john b?" millie frowned in the back seat.

"what about him?" hazel asked, looking at the girl through the rearview mirror again.

"if we leave with mommy, you'll never see him again." she stated and that thought reminded hazel that not everything in the world was perfect. especially not her life.

"that's okay." she offered her a sad smile. "we can still be long distance friends."

"but you can't be boyfriend and girlfriend." milie frowned.

"i promise it's okay, millie." hazel assured the girl. "everything is going to work out the way it should."

"but you and john b are meant to be together." millie pouted.

"i know." hazel mumbled, pulling up to the chateau. "enough sad talk. we're here to have some fun, okay?" she unbuckled her seatbelt and climbed out of the car, waiting for millie to do the same. "hey," she glanced down at her little sister. "everything's going to be okay, i promise."

"i believe you, hazel." millie smiled before grabbing the older girl's hand and she dragged her into the house where john b and pope sat around the table, looking at a magazine. "hi, john b!" millie excitedly let go of hazel's hand and ran over to the boy, hugging him.

hazel wasn't sure who would be more crushed if they had to leave; her or millie. millie worshipped john b and not being able to see him all the time was definitely going to fuck her up. it might fuck hazel up, too, but she wouldn't ever admit that out loud.

john b hugged the little girl before rising from the couch to hug hazel. he pressed a kiss to her lips, causing pope's eyes to widen. "when the hell did this happen?"

"a few weeks ago." john b smiled and pope smiled back, high fiving the boy.

"nice!" there was a silence between the four of them before pope spoke again. "how do you think jj is going to react?"

"react to what?" jj asked, entering the house. he always showed up at the most inconvenient times.

john b glanced over at hazel before looking at jj with pursed lips. "i kissed hazel."

jj looked from hazel to john b and a smile formed on his face. "good for you, bro." he pulled john b into a hug and patted his back. "she's a keeper."

"so," kiara hummed, causing hazel to look at the girl. she hadn't even seen her enter the house. "does this mean you guys are dating?"

"not exactly." hazel shook her head. "i mean, not yet anyway."

john b only shrugged his shoulders at that and there was a long, awkward silence before millie smiled wide. "did john b tell you guys about my performance a couple weeks ago? it was so good! i'm proud of myself." she placed her hands proudly on her hips with the biggest smile ever and hazel silently thanked the little girl for breaking the silence.

"what?" kiara's eyes widened. "that's amazing. i want to see it!"

"i'll perform it for you!" millie said excitedly, turning to hazel. "hazel, can i use your phone for the music?"

"of course." the girl nodded, pulling her phone from her pocket. she handed it to the girl and she typed in hazel's password before opening up youtube. kiara, jj, pope, john b, and hazel squeezed on the couch while millie performed her song and everyone cheered for her when she finished.

"that was amazing!" kiara smiled at the eight year old. "can you sing another?"

hazel loved how john b's friends (well, they were hers now, too) all excitedly listened to millie sing and that made the girl sad. what if her mom really did move out and the girls went with her? would she ever see john b again? would she ever see her new friends again? what about her father? sure, he had a temper, but he was their dad. he deserved to see his children at least once in a while.

"haze," john b whispered, nudging the girl. "you're deep in thought. are you okay?" hazel shook her head and rose from the couch, making her way outside. john b followed and she started to pace, pressing her hand to her forehead to try and stop the tears that were beginning to fall down her face. "what's the matter?" john b asked.

"everything." hazel threw her hands up and let out a dry laugh. "my parents are probably getting divorced and i'm probably going to be moving to a different state with my mom and millie." she sighed. "my mom has family in new jersey; she'll probably temporarily move us there." she was rambling now. "listen, i like you, okay? we've obviously established that. i just don't want to start something if it's going to end up ending, you know? i don't want to get hurt."

john b stepped closer to the girl and grabbed her upper arms. "i would never hurt you, hazel. you have to know that."

"i'm not saying you'd hurt me, john b." she sighed. "me leaving outer banks is going to hurt and i don't know if i can handle that right now."

"then don't leave." he said. "stay with your dad."

"i'm going wherever millie goes, john b, and she's going to go with my mom if she leaves." she said.

"okay," john b licked his lips. "okay, maybe we can make it work long distance."

"i'm not going to make you do long distance, john b. it never works out." she shook her head. "i think we should stop whatever this is--" she waved her hand between herself and him. "--right now and if my mom doesn't even up leaving then we can figure something out. i--"

she was cut off by john b aggressively pressing his lips to hers. he held her face in his hands and kissed her hard, causing the breath in her throat to hitch. she kissed him back, wanting to do nothing but that.

"would you two stop making out and get in the van? we're going to the wreck for some food." kiara waved the two over and hazel sighed, looking at john b.

"i'm starving." she giggled and the boy smiled, kissing her once more.

"me too."

this book is dragging on and
i know how i want to end it,
but i don't want to jump right
into the ending bc that's just
ridiculous . also sorry this
chapter is all over the place