Maeve's silent treatment continued for two more days, and when Slater could no longer physically or mentally tolerate her sister's endless loop of shitty music, she forced her way into her sister's bedroom, marched over to her speaker, and turned the music off.

"I was listening to that!" Maeve protested, throwing a pillow at her older sister.

Slater frowned, took the pillow, and threw it promptly back at her.

"You're giving the whole neighborhood hearing loss," Slater said, repeating what Vic had said days earlier. "I'm honestly surprised Dad didn't come up here and throw that thing out the window," she said, gesturing to the speaker.

"He's been busy with work."

"I guess he has."

"What do you want?" Maeve asked.

Slater sat down on the edge of her sister's bed. "I came to apologize."

"It's about time," Maeve snorted.

"Look, I'm sorry I haven't been around as much, okay?"

Maeve nodded and pulled her legs to her chest. "I'm sorry too. I really am glad that you finally have friends. I just ... they're all you seem to care about now."

"That's not true," Slater said. "I -- I'm involved in something, something big, and something good, okay? I can't talk about it, and you cannot say anything to Mom and Dad, okay?"

Maeve looked at her sister, alarmed. "What do you mean? Are you a criminal or something?"

"No," Slater laughed, shaking her head. "I'm kind of involved in a treasure hunt. It's hard to explain, and I can't tell you. It's dangerous."

"Slater! Oh my God, are you okay? Is that where this came from?" Maeve asked, pointing to the bruise on Slater's cheek, which had faded to an ugly green.

"This is unrelated," Slater said, shaking her head. "But please, you can't say a word about this to Mom and Dad. It's a big deal."

"Okay," Maeve said, smirking. "You know, you didn't have to come up with some elaborate story just to avoid hanging out with me."

Slater chuckled and shook her head. "Believe me, this is not the story I'd come up with if I wanted to avoid you." She patted Maeve's leg gently. "I promise we'll have some sister time soon, okay? Ice cream and surfing, like the old days."

Maeve smiled. "Okay. Only if you answer one question for me, though."

Slater laughed again. "What's that?"

"Are you dating JJ?" Maeve asked in a whisper, even though the house was empty, except for the sisters. "Because if you're not, it's really weird and concerning that he sneaks in your window."

Slater sighed and looked down at her hands. "I -- We -- JJ and I -- I don't really know what we are."

"I knew it," Maeve said, smirking. "I called it from the moment we picked him up on the side of the road."

Slater scoffed. "You did not!"

"I did too!"

"Well, it doesn't matter anymore," Slater said. "We got in a fight, so... don't plan on him sneaking in my window anytime soon."

"Of course you got in a fight. Boys are stupid."

"Maeve, don't act like you're an expert on boys," Slater said.

"Well, what was it about?" Maeve asked.

"That, I can't tell you. Well, I won't."

Slater's phone buzzed in her back pocket, and she took it out, setting it down on Maeve's duvet to see that Kiara was calling.

"Who's that? JJ, with an apology?" Maeve teased.

Slater shot her sister a look. "You can't tell Mom and Dad about that either, okay? I would literally never be allowed out of my room again."

Maeve laughed. "No, they'd lock you in the laundry room. It's the only room in the house that doesn't have potential JJ access."

"You're right," Slater said, standing. "I've got to get this."

She answered the call on the walk back to her bedroom.

"Hey, Kie."

"Hey, Slate," Kiara said in a quiet voice. It was almost like she was whispering. "How fast can you get to John B's?"

"Is something wrong?"

"No -- well, not really, kind of," Kiara stuttered. "Look, it's about JJ, okay? Just get here ASAP."

Slater's stomach sank. "Is he okay?"

"He will be," Kiara said with a sigh. "I think he needs to talk to you."

"Kie, what are you talking --"

"Pope's coming, I've got to go. Just get here."

The phone call disconnected, and Slater grabbed her keys before running back into Maeve's room. Her heart was racing, and she felt like puking. Was JJ okay? Had his father gone after him again? Had Rafe?

It was already dark outside, and her parents would be home any minute.

"Maeve, I have to go," she said, leaning into her sister's room. "Just tell Mom and Dad ..."

Maeve nodded and gave her sister a brief smile. "I'll tell them you got called into work or something."

"Thank you. You're the best."

"I know."

Slater ran downstairs and out the door, hopping in her car and speeding her way out of Figure Eight. She followed the familiar route to John B's, flying over bumps and through puddles that she usually avoided, out of respect for her old car.

Images of JJ laying beaten, bloody, or worse flashed through her mind. What did Kiara mean, he would be okay? What the hell had happened?

She pulled into John B's driveway, parking crookedly next to Pope's truck. She hopped out of the Subaru, running for the chateau.

"JJ? Kie? Pope?" She yelled.

A flash of bright light caught her eye, and she followed it to the backyard, where string lights of all different shades hung from the trees, surrounding a huge hot tub, laden with floaties and empty bottles of champagne. The hot tub was still warm and bubbling, yet none of her friends were around.

"Guys?" Slater called out again.

The porch door flew open, revealing Kiara, who was pulling Pope along with her.

"What is going on?" Slater asked as the two came into view.

"Wait a minute, why is Slater here?" Pope asked, looking between the two girls.

"He's inside," Kiara said, walking up to Slater. "Talk to him," she whispered, before grabbing Pope's arm again. "Come on, Pope. We're leaving."

"What do you mean? We can't just leave him here like this. Kiara!"

Their voices disappeared as they rounded the corner, and Slater heard the truck start up from a distance.

Slater looked up the porch, at the dark house. She walked up the stairs, not bothering to knock, before pushing her way inside.

"JJ?" She called out in a quiet voice.

Upon no response, she crept further into the house. "JJ?" She called out louder.

She heard what sounded like blankets rustling from John B's bedroom and followed the sound. The door was open and the lights were on, and she noticed a lump on the bed, wrapped in blankets.

"JJ?"

The lump stirred, and a mess of blond hair appeared. It was followed by a tanned face and blue eyes.

"Go away," JJ said, his eyes meeting Slater's.

She closed the door behind her and sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Did you do all that, outside?" Slater asked.

"I don't want to talk to you," he muttered.

"So what, you're just not going to talk to me ever again, because I slept with Rafe Cameron?"

JJ shrugged in response.

"Please tell me you paid off your restitution," Slater said, ignoring the jab.

"I tried to," JJ said in a quiet voice. "But I ... my dad ..." He sat up, the blankets falling away to reveal his bare torso, which was covered with large, deep bruises, roughly the side of a boot.

Slater gasped, bringing a hand to her lips. "Oh my God, J," she murmured, her voice catching. She moved towards him, gently setting a finger on one of the bruises. "You need to see a doctor."

"I'm fine," he muttered, brushing her hand away. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to see you," Slater replied. "You've been avoiding me. Avoiding everyone."

He shrugged. "Well, maybe I don't want to talk to anyone."

"Is this about the gold? Is this about Barry? Is this about me? Is this about Rafe?"

"It's about everything," he said, sinking back against the headboard. "I did what I always do, which is fuck things up. I fucked things up with you, and I fucked things up with my friends." In a much quieter voice, he added, "I did exactly what everyone expects me to do."

"This isn't what I expect you to do," Slater replied.

JJ was silent for a moment before he finally said, "Why didn't you tell me about Rafe?"

Slater sighed. "Look, that wasn't how I wanted you to find out, okay? But I'm not going to apologize for what happened last summer. I'm not ashamed. And I sure as hell don't deserve to be treated like shit for it."

JJ's eyes softened. "You're right."

Slater nodded. "So why have you been treating me like shit?"

"I was angry," he said, his Adam's apple bobbing as he carefully picked his words. "I was jealous. I was hurt. I mean, I have this thing going on with the most amazing girl, and just as I'm beginning to feel like, 'damn, this is really happening,' I'm reminded all too well that you deserve better."

"And you really think Rafe is better than you?" Slater scoffed.

JJ shrugged. "I'm sure most people would think that. Riddle me this, Slater. Who would your parents rather have you bring home for dinner, huh? The son of Ward Cameron, kook god of the Outer Banks, or the son of Luke Maybank, a man your father has thrown in jail more times than I can count."

"You're not your father, JJ," she said, the anger in her voice gone as she looked down at his bruises again.

"Aren't I?" He said with a short laugh. "Did you miss the whole thing that happened this week? Where we were held at gunpoint?"

"That wasn't your fault," she said, reaching for his hand.

He quickly ripped it away. "It was my fault. I should have seen it coming. I should have sensed the trap. I've dealt with enough dirtbags like that in my life to know when I'm being set up."

"JJ, please, it wasn't -"

"Stop saying that," he said, frowning. "You don't understand, Slater. The fear in my chest, when we were lying on the ground like that? It wasn't for me, okay? I don't care what happens to me. I was scared for everybody else. Because I got them into that position. I got you into that position. If something would have happened to you, if he would have --" The boy's voice caught and he turned away, running a hand through his blond hair. "Slater, I --"

She pulled him into a hug, and he buried his face into her hair. She could feel silent sobs wracking his body and she wrapped her arms tighter around his waist.

"I've been around lying, cheating, pieces of shit like Barry my whole life. Hell, my father is just like him. Give me five, ten years. I'll be just like him."

"No you won't."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because I just know," she murmured, pressing a kiss to the side of his head. "JJ Maybank, you are the most magical person I have ever met. Do you even know how amazing you are?"

JJ sighed. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I never ... I shouldn't have made you feel that way. I shouldn't have acted that way. I don't care that you slept with Rafe. I don't care about any of that." After a moment, he added, "All I care about is you."

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ author's note ✫・゜・。.

okay, there you go. they're done being mad at each other. happy?

i just hate how jj feels like he doesn't deserve anything good ever !! like hello? (cough cough season 3 jj)

also i couldn't let maeve and slater be upset with each other for too long, they're each other's best friend.

thanks for reading, and let me know what you thought!

xx,

madi