https : *⋆❝ sadiesinkhergf ! ❞
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🪷 . . . chapter six
┈➤ 𝗚𝗟𝗢𝗥𝗬 𝗕𝗢𝗫,  jj maybank
❦༄

🪷 chapter six !
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JJ HAD DROPPED VALENTINA off at her house early the next morning, her red, polished car idling quietly outside. they'd parked down the garage, and now he stood beneath her window, hands on his hips like he was gearing up for a mission.

"alright, princess, up you go," he said with a smirk, interlocking his fingers to give her a boost.

valentina placed her hands on his shoulders, trying to steady herself as he hoisted her up. "if you drop me, jj, i swear-"

"i've got you," he interrupted, his tone playful but his grip steady.

still, jj almost lost his balance as she climbed, causing her to clutch onto the ledge with a startled laugh. "you sure about that?"

"positive," he replied, grinning as he steadied her with one hand while gripping the side of the house with the other.

"the view is amazing from here."

"shut the fuck up."

once she was safely inside, valentina turned back to the window, leaning out to look down at him. the early morning light softened the sharpness of his features, and his grin widened when their eyes met.

"bye, maybank," she said softly, a small smile playing on her lips. "see you around."

jj shot her a wink, his voice low and teasing as he called back, "oh, you'll definitely see me around, princess."

she rolled her eyes, though she couldn't help the warmth in her cheeks as she gave him a quick wave before shutting the window.

the minute she turned away, exhaustion hit her like a wave. kicking off her shoes, she collapsed onto her bed, too tired to even think about changing into her pajamas. her body sank into the mattress, the faint scent of jj's cologne lingering on his jacket that he had given to her, lulling her into a deep, dreamless sleep.

a few hours later, valentina groaned as she felt someone shaking her awake, her mind sluggish and her limbs heavy. she tried to bury her face deeper into the pillow, but the voice above her was insistent and unmistakably her best friend.

"valentina, what the actual fuck?" sarah hissed, her tone a mix of disbelief and urgency.

peeling her eyes open, the brown haired girl squinted against the sunlight streaming through her curtains. sarah stood above her, arms crossed, her expression shifting between exasperation and concern.

"what?" valentina mumbled groggily, her voice muffled by the pillow. she reached for the blanket to pull it over her head, but sarah yanked it away with a dramatic scoff.

"you disappeared last night! no call, no text, nothing! and now you're here, passed out, still wearing that dress-" sarah paused, her eyes narrowing suspiciously. "wait. whose jacket is that?"

"jj's," she mumbled, her voice thick with sleep and her mind too sluggish to realize she'd just snitched on herself.

sarah froze for a second, and then her jaw dropped as if she'd just uncovered the world's biggest scandal. "why do you have his jacket? what the fuck?" she demanded, practically bouncing on her feet.

valentina groaned, rubbing her eyes lazily and sitting up a little straighter. her hair was a mess, her makeup was smudged beyond repair, and her dress clung to her skin uncomfortably. she looked every bit as wrecked as she felt.

"i went to the bar last night, and he dropped me off," she explained with a dismissive wave of her hand, her tone dripping with exhaustion. "calm your beautiful tits."

sarah's indignation faltered for a moment as she looked down at her chest, her lips twitching into a small, self-satisfied smile. "they are beautiful, aren't they?"

"stunning," valentina deadpanned, stifling a yawn.

"but!" sarah snapped out of her momentary distraction, her eyes narrowing as her indignation returned. "what the fuck! how did that even happen? why did that happen? i have so many questions!"

valentina flopped back onto her bed with a dramatic sigh, throwing an arm over her eyes. "and i have so little energy for this right now."

"too bad!" sarah barked, yanking the blanket off of her again. "start talking. from the beginning. and don't leave anything out!"

valentina peeked out from under her arm, raising an unimpressed brow. "you're worse than a mom, you know that?"

"and you're worse than a teenager sneaking out to meet boys!" she shot back.

"hypocrite." she laughed, remembering the countless of times valentina had covered for sarah while she was out with boyfriends.

"not the fucking point!" sarah shook her head, holding up a dismissive hand. "jj? really, val?"

valentina snorted. "for your information, i didn't sneak out to meet him. i went to clear my head. he just... happened to show up."

"show up?" sarah echoed incredulously. "what is he, your knight in shining board shorts?"

valentina rolled her eyes but couldn't help the smirk tugging at her lips. "you're nosy."

"nosy? you lay here wearing a pogue's jacket, looking like you've been fucked in all positions." sarah fired back, crossing her arms with a huff. "i'm not nosy, i'm invested!"

valentina's eyes widened as she shot sarah a look. "babe, if we fucked, you'd be the first to know."

the words did little to comfort sarah, who simply stared at her friend with confusion written all over her face. valentina rolled her eyes again, leaning back against her pillows with a dramatic sigh. "i got drunk with my mom's old friends last night, and he magically showed up."

sarah's brows furrowed as she processed the information, her expression a mix of bewilderment and curiosity as she waited for valentina to elaborate.

the brown haired girl let out a heavy sigh, sitting up and running a hand through her messy hair. "and then we just talked on the beach. i was being a dumbass and didn't want to go home yet, so we sat there."

the other girl blinked a few times, still not entirely convinced. "what?" she asked, incredulity thick in her voice. "that's it?"

she looked at sarah, her gaze softening just a little. "i mean, i won't lie, he's kind of fun to talk to." she paused, then added with a smirk, "but no, i'm not that fucking stupid." she confirmed, shrugging like it was no big deal.

"okay," sarah said slowly, still trying to piece it all together. "so, you didn't hook up? nothing else happened?"

valentina gave her a deadpan look. "if something happened, do you honestly think i'd leave out the good details?"

sarah studied her for a moment, her eyes narrowing. "hm. fine. but if you do end up fucking him, you'd better tell me everything," she warned, the teasing tone still clear in her voice.

"do i look like the type to fuck jj maybank?" she asked as if it was the most ridiculous question, and sarah winced, nodding her head.

"honestly? yea-"

"don't answer that." she held up her hand, groaning slightly as she took off her dress. "what are you doing here anyway?"

"we have to clean up the island after the storm, remember?"

she blinked, and nodded slowly, almost forgetting. "oh yeah."

sarah's smile stretched wide as she placed herself down on the edge of the bed, her tone light and excited. "you wanna drive with me and topper? i want you to come with us."

valentina's first instinct was to roll her eyes and decline. the thought of spending any more time with topper didn't exactly fill her with joy, but as she glanced over at sarah, who wore that hopeful, almost pleading smile, she sighed, knowing she couldn't say no.

"sure, give me time to shower and get ready, though," she replied softly, her lips curling into a small smile.

sarah's eyes lit up immediately, and she squealed with excitement, practically jumping up to hug the girl tightly. "okay! i'll stay here. do what you gotta do!"

valentina chuckled at the enthusiastic embrace, squeezing her friend back before pulling away. "you're such a weirdo," she teased, shaking her head in amusement.

"i know," sarah grinned, practically bouncing on her heels. "now go, go! i'll be waiting."

valentina rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress the smile tugging at her lips. "alright, alright," she mumbled, making her way toward the bathroom.

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"val, you good?" sarah's voice cut through the calm of the boat, her eyes flicking over to her best friend who was lying on the couch, looking far too sleepy to join in on the conversation between her and topper.

valentina groaned in response, shifting slightly, her sunglasses slipping down her nose as she propped herself up with a small grunt. "i'm good," she confirmed, her voice thick with drowsiness, but it was clear she wasn't entirely convinced by her own words.

the blonde couldn't help but laugh softly at the disheveled state of her friend. valentina's hair was a little tousled from the nap, and her makeup had smudged slightly, leaving her looking cute but definitely not put-together. sarah made her way over, gently kneeling down beside her, her hands instinctively going to fix the long brown waves and adjust her sunglasses back into place.

a tender smile spread across her face as she leaned in to press a soft kiss to her cheek. "you know, you can sleep if you want to," sarah suggested, her voice warm and caring, clearly willing to let her best friend rest.

valentina let out a small sigh, grateful for the affection. she smiled softly up at her, a flicker of warmth in her tired eyes. "no, i'm good." she replied, her voice quieter this time, though a small grin tugged at the corners of her lips as she adjusted her position with a yawn.

the pogues watched the interaction unfold from their own boat as it cruised past. jj's eyes stayed fixed on the brown-haired girl, his gaze lingering on valentina as she and sarah shared their moment, and kiara scolded him as she noticed his parted lips and wandering eyes.

pope was about to wave at her, hoping to catch her attention, when kiara, quickly beat him to it. a scowl formed on her lips as she noticed the way sarah shot john b a nasty look, clearly doing it on purpose.

"you don't have to act like you don't see us, bitch." kiara scoffed, her voice dripping with disdain.

nobody responded. instead, the blonde simply retreated back into topper's embrace, the familiar comfort of his arm wrapping around her waist. she said nothing, opting to ignore the subtle hostility from her ex-best friend as they passed by. topper pulled her closer, his posture solidifying the unspoken divide.

meanwhile, valentina, unfazed by the tension, smiled brightly, her voice cutting through the air. "hi, pope!" she waved with genuine enthusiasm, her eyes flickering toward the blonde boy who had his eyes set on her already.

jj nodded with a small smirk, his eyes locking onto hers as he winked. she felt a flutter in her chest at the gesture and gave him a soft nod in return, offering him a warm smile.

"val, call me later!" pope shouted just before the boats drifted too far apart, his voice carrying over the sound of the engine. valentina flashed him a playful grin, giving him two enthusiastic thumbs up in response, her smile bright despite the clear  anger radiating from kiara at the whole interaction.

she watched as the boat faded into the distance, noticing how kiara slapped pope's arm, and valentina couldn't help but roll her eyes at the drama playing out before her. the whole thing felt like high school, and honestly, she was over it.

"god, she is such a bitch," she snorted, her voice light but carrying enough bite to show she wasn't exactly joking. she adjusted her sunglasses, glancing at sarah, who responded with a dramatic roll of her eyes.

"tell me about it," sarah muttered, her tone sharper than usual, and the other girl raised an eyebrow, catching the subtle shift in her best friend's demeanor.

she opened her mouth to prod further, curious about her tone, but stopped herself. whatever was bothering sarah wasn't something she seemed eager to share right now, and she knew better than to push. instead, she furrowed her brows briefly before letting out a soft sigh and changing the conversation.

"anyways," she said, brushing a strand of hair out of her face as she leaned back into her seat. "can't we just low-key fucking skip this whole clean-up thing?"

sarah blinked at the question, her lips twitching into a faint smile. "why? you never learned how to use your own hands?"

valentina let out a playful groan, throwing her head back for dramatic effect. "no babe, i'm definitely good with my hands," she said, flashing her a teasing grin and wink as sarah chuckled softly.

when the three arrived at the beach, they were immediately handed gloves and trash bags, effectively put to work with no time for questions.

the salty air was refreshing despite the heat, and valentina squinted at the sun before turning her attention to sarah, who had already launched into a story about john b, who had yelled at sarah for getting fired.

"you should've heard the way john b talked to me this morning," she started, her tone a mix of indignation and exasperation as she bent to pick up an empty soda can from the sand. "kid's got a serious mouth on him."

the brunette raised an eyebrow, her gloved hands reaching for a stray wrapper caught in a clump of seaweed. "the fuck? what did he say?" she asked, genuinely curious.

sarah opened her mouth to answer but was cut off by topper's smug interjection. "well, he showed his true colors, sarah. that's what he did."

valentina couldn't suppress the scoff that escaped her lips, rolling her eyes so hard she almost saw the inside of her own skull.

ignoring her, sarah continued with a dramatic sigh. "he was so rude! like, unbelievably rude!"

topper scrunched up her nose, her face mirroring the disbelief she felt. "i mean, i know he's-"

"what a weirdo," the other girl quickly cut him off, deciding that only she and sarah were allowed to hate on john b right now.

topper scoffed, clearly annoyed by her dismissive tone. "he's lucky your dad didn't press charges," he muttered, crossing his arms like he'd just made the ultimate mic-drop statement, and valentina turned to him with a disbelieving laugh.

"boy, get out of here. not every minor inconvenience requires pressing fucking charges?"

the boy rolled his eyes and furrowed his brows, doubling down. "didn't he steal the scuba gear? kind of ridiculous if you ask me."

while valentina couldn't completely argue with the point, she decided to do so anyway. "you seem ridiculous to me," she shot back, a smirk tugging at her lips.

"oh yeah, real mature," he muttered sarcastically, clearly over the exchange.

the girl stuck her tongue out in response, laughing lightly as sarah stifled a chuckle beside her, who quickly turned back to her story.

"after everything my dad has done for him and- and just so generous- you'd think he'd be more grateful!" she huffed, her words dripping with frustration. she glanced between the two as if expecting them to share her outrage.

valentina was always ready to back up her best friend, and she nodded along while tugging another stray plastic bottle from the sand. "right? like, who does that brokey think he is?"

"and then he yells at me like it's my fault! can you believe that?" sarah's voice grew louder, her incredulous gaze darting between them.

valentina giggled, the corners of her mouth quirking up. "i swear, i could attack him with a ski mask on. nobody talks to my girl like that."

she turned to topper quickly, wagging a gloved finger at him. "don't get any ideas from that statement, freak."

topper raised his eyebrows, his fake smile plastered on his face like glue. "oh, you're so funny, val."

"thank youuu, oh my god, i know." she placed her hands on her chest in mock appreciation, beaming at him as if she were accepting an award.

sarah rolled her eyes, sighing loudly as she threw a bottle cap into her trash bag. "guys, stay on topic?"

"right, sorry," valentina teased, batting her lashes in faux sincerity. "please, tell us more about the great injustice done to the cameron dynasty by that unknown freak."

sarah gave her a playful glare but couldn't hold back her grin. "okay, but seriously! who does he think he is?"

"it's- he's a pogue, at the end of the day. i mean, you could say we're all just people or- or whatever- but, it's a totally different mindset on the cut." topper interfered, still sulking a bit as he shrugged his shoulders.

"what the fuck are you yapping about?" valentina laughed at him, genuinely not understanding his point, and she turned to sarah with a raised brow. "did you understand that?"

"no, not at all."

the two girls burst into laughter, their giggles mingling with the sound of toppers sigh. before he could say anything to escalate the situation, kelce appeared, walking over with a grin that practically screamed trouble.

"yo! you look thirsty!" he exclaimed, holding out a large can filled with a yellow liquid.

valentina barely glanced at him before raising a hand, declining his offer. "it looks like pee," she said, scrunching up her nose.

kelce chuckled, unfazed. "you wish." he turned to topper, who was already reaching for the can like it was a life raft.

"okay, what do- what do we got here?" he asked, popping the tab with a satisfied smirk.

the other boy his grin widened as he handed it over. "have some of that, baby," he said, his voice dripping with amusement.

"hi guys!" wheezie's voice rang out, cheerful and full of energy, as she bounded over to the group. topper, mid-sip of his drink, nearly choked in surprise at how strong it was, coughing slightly while kelce laughed.

valentina's face immediately lit up at the sight of sarah's little sister. "hey baby!" she smiled, pulling wheezie into a warm hug without hesitation.

wheezie wrinkled her nose but giggled when the girl ruffled her hair affectionately. "hi val," she replied, smoothing her hair down with a mock glare. "do you have to do that every time?"

"absolutely," valentina said with a teasing grin, pinching her cheek causing wheezie to slap her hand away.

the group watched as sarah was handed the oversized can of kelce's mystery liquid. her face immediately scrunched up in a mixture of curiosity and disgust sniffing it.

"what did you do to this?" she laughed, inspecting the drink like it was a science experiment.

"secret recipe," he said with a wink and a grin.

sarah shook her head, deciding to take a tentative sip, but the moment was interrupted when wheezie snatched the can from her grasp and took a bold gulp.

"woah, woah, woah, WOAH!" kelce practically shouted, his arms flailing dramatically as both sarah's and valentina's mouths fell open in exaggerated shock.

"what the hell, wheezie?" sarah scolded, snatching the can back from her sister's hands with a mixture of outrage and disbelief. valentina joined in with a sharp disapproving hum, pulling wheezie's back into her chest and wrapping an arm around her tightly.

"since when did you start drinking?" she asked, her voice dripping with mock authority. she peered down at the younger girl with raised brows, half-annoyed and half-amused.

wheezie tilted her head back to look up at her, her expression completely nonchalant. "since today!" she declared with a shrug, clearly unfazed by the commotion she'd caused.

"oh, great," sarah muttered, running a hand through her hair as kelce and topper started laughing in the background.

"no, no absolutely not." valentina shook her head, pulling the girl even closer like she was protecting her from the world.

"but it wasn't even that bad!" wheezie protested, a laugh escaping her despite the faux-seriousness of the situation.

"shh," valentina hushed her, pressing a hand lightly over her mouth. "i don't care. you're sticking to soda or juice, and that's final."

wheezie rolled her eyes dramatically, but a small laugh escaped her lips. "fine," she grumbled, leaning back against valentina's chest.

"great going, kelce." sarah laughed at him, and the group got disrupted by one of the organizers.

"you guys got it under control?" a voice called out, drawing everyone's attention to an older man passing by, clipboard in hand and a no-nonsense expression on his face.

topper immediately straightened up like a soldier, throwing a thumb in the air. "yes, sir! looking good, sir!" he called out, his voice unnaturally enthusiastic.

kelce scrambled to shove the can back into his cooler with an innocent grin as sarah followed suit, flashing a sweet smile, her charm set to full blast. "just hydrating!"

valentina couldn't hold back her laugh as wheezie giggled against her chest, burying her face into her hands to stifle the sound.

"they can't lie for shit, can they?" valentina whispered, leaning down towards the girl who shook her head, giggling.

"nope, we need to teach them how, clearly."

the man gave them a cursory glance, clearly unconvinced but not in the mood to press further. he smiled faintly, gesturing with the clipboard. "great job, keep it up!"

as he walked off, the group echoed a disjointed chorus of responses: "thank you!" "you got it!" "appreciate it, sir!"

the moment the man was out of earshot, valentina snorted, shaking her head. "topper, you sounded like you were about to sign up for fucking boot camp."

"what can i say? i'm just respectful like that." topper rolled his eyes with a dramatic sigh.

kelce burst out laughing, pulling the can back out of the cooler. "yeah, real respectful," he teased, holding up the drink as evidence.

sarah just groaned, placing a hand on her forehead. "you're all idiots," she muttered, though her smile betrayed her annoyance. "and that drink, is disgusting."

after the cleaning was done, the volunteers gathered in a loose circle on the sand, everyone clasping their hands together as the main organizer stood in the center, a solemn expression on his face.

"just a moment, friends," he began, his voice calm and reverent. "to acknowledge our blessings."

valentina instantly felt a giggle bubbling up inside her chest, but she pressed her lips together tightly, fighting it off. sarah, standing next to her, squeezed her hand lightly in warning, though she could feel her best friend struggling just as much.

"to the big kahuna," the man continued, raising his hands toward the sky, "thank you for the opportunity to come out here, in this sacred space, and restore masonborough to its virgin glory."

that was it.

valentina's resolve crumbled and she let out a sharp snort, her shoulders shaking as she clamped a hand over her mouth in an attempt to hold back the laugh. she could feel sarah slowly turning her head toward her, catching the silent wheeze of laughter from her best friend, and that was enough to send her over the edge too.

the two burst out laughing, their giggles spilling into the circle. the sound broke through the hushed reverence of the moment, drawing sharp looks from several people in the group.

"shh!" sarah whispered through her laughter, trying and failing to compose herself, her grip on valentina's hand tightening as she hunched over slightly, gasping.

the organizer didn't miss a beat, his voice steady as he continued. "amen," he said firmly, ignoring the interruption entirely.

"amen," the group echoed, some shooting irritated glances at the two girls, who were still desperately trying to stifle their laughter.

valentina wiped a tear from the corner of her eye as the circle broke apart to clap, leaning into sarah with a grin.

"virgin glory?" she wheezed, her voice dripping with mock reverence.

the blonde clutched her stomach, shaking her head. "i couldn't hold it in. did you see his face? he was so serious!

🪷 . . . MAISSA !
hi angelssssss

calm chapter before the storm.... my girl cannot stay happy for too long ❤️❤️

love you guysssss