You can see it with the lights out (You Are in Love)

Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at http://archiveofourown.org/works/50786923.

Rating: Mature
Archive Warning: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Category: F/M
Fandom: Outer Banks (TV)
Relationships: Kiara "Kie" Carrera/JJ Maybank, Kiara "Kie" Carrera & JJ Maybank, Sarah
Cameron/John B. Routledge, Cleo/Pope Heyward
Characters: JJ Maybank, Kiara "Kie" Carrera, John B. Routledge, Sarah Cameron, Pope
Heyward, Cleo (Outer Banks), Victor Shoupe, Topper Thornton, Scarlet (Outer
Banks)
Additional Tags: Inspired by Love is Blind (TV), The reality TV au you didnt know you needed,
Reality TV, dating show, Jiara - Freeform, Jealous JJ Maybank, Angst and
Humor, Jealous Kiara "Kie" Carrera, Self-Worth Issues, Self-Destruction, JJ
Maybank needs love AND therapy, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse,
References to Suicide Attempt, Pope Heyward is in love and confused, Sarah
Cameron is torn between two guys, Kiara is torn between JJ and Pope, old
married couple banter, Idiots in Love, Cleo is a badass, Slow To Update
Language: English
Stats: Published: 2023-10-13 Updated: 2024-01-20 Words: 8,637 Chapters: 3/?
 You can see it with the lights out (You Are in Love)
by Natattack95

Summary

“Life is short. I’m here for a good time man. Oh, and the free booze. If I happen to find myself a
hot wife while I’m here then that’s a bonus.” He answers with a grin.

Or: JJ gets casted on the reality show Love Is Blind. He's just here for the money. Kiara hopes to
find a connection with someone; a best friend and life partner.
 Chapter 1
Chapter Summary

“Alright JJ, can you tell us again why you’re here and why you wanted to try out this
experiment?”

“Uh, yeah, sure.” He uncrosses his arms, smacks them on his thighs, sits up straighter with his
chin tilted upwards. “Life is short. I’m here for a good time man. Oh, and the free booze. If I
happen to find myself a hot wife while I’m here then that’s a bonus.” He says with a grin.

“Um…You know this is Love Is Blind, not Too Hot to Handle, right?” The woman asks.

“Yeah, I know.” He shrugs innocently.

Chapter Notes

Hi hi!

Happy Friday the 13th to those who celebrate! 🖤

The idea for this fic has been haunting me for a while now and I gave in to those demons. Meh

*Please do not take this fic too seriously. This is literally just a crack idea for me and I'm
having a lot of fun thinking of silly moments in the pods and the pogues pissing off the
producers 😅 *

Ok so first things first, this story is VERY AU, as in, the Pogues are not the Pogues (yet..?),
most of the Camerons are not actually related for personal reasons (mostly because I wanted
more characters involved in this and not so many OCs), John B and JJ were not childhood
besties, and there will be some deep, heavy and possibly triggering topics referenced or
mentioned (I will add the tags and warnings for these when we get there).

I really hope you all enjoy this little intro! Happy reading!

See the end of the chapter for more notes

.・。.・゜✭・. .・。.・゜✭・. .・。.・.・。.・゜✭・. .・。.・゜✭・. .・。.・.・。.・゜
✭・. .・。.・゜✭・. .・。.・.・。.・゜✭・. .・。.・

JJ's POV
This was stupid. This was all so stupid. Why the fuck did he agree to doing this again? Because
apparently he could make some serious cash by sacrificing himself to the world of reality tv. Two
grand a week, according to Google.

Right.

Truth be told, he had never cared for reality TV but he understood the gist of it all. Self Absorbed
hot people creating drama for good content. Now, he didn’t want to seem cocky but he wasn’t ugly.
He could be charming. He could play as the douche bag, maybe even throw in some fights for the
cameras.

Easy peasy.

The application process was a bitch. For a show that’s supposedly focused on finding love without
seeing what the other person looks like, they sure did care an awful lot about his appearance. The
form asked for his eye color, hair color, height, weight, his “best face photo” and a full body
picture.

He almost backed out completely when he received a call from the casting crew claiming he needed
to have a passport and to submit a fifteen second video of himself explaining why he was “ready to
find love in the pods.”

Jesus.

Just lie. Lie,lie,lie! Think of the moolah!

JJ threw on his best fake smile and gave some bullshit. Short and sweet. Even added a wink at the
end for good measure.

He wasn’t even confident that he’d get a callback or that he’d be accepted at all but luck was on his
side. The dating pool of Charlotte North Carolina must be running dry, or, the talent agency really
needed someone like him to spice things up for their viewers. All they cared about is if you’re
“camera friendly” and their precious ratings.
It’s not until he arrives on the set and he’s being instructed to sit on a stool in front of a large
backdrop and bright lights are in his face that the penny drops.

He’s here and he’s really doing this. There’s no going back now.

He’s told they needed to get some confessionals shot before the pods open. A few of what he
suspects are the producers and crew are hovering close together behind their expensive equipment.
A stylist fusses with the collar of his new button down- which was gifted to him after he told the
casting agent that, yes, he did in fact mostly wear worn T-shirts and cargo shorts on a daily bases-
His fingers itch to run through his combed back hair but he doesn’t think the stressed out stylist
would appreciate that.

“We’re all set Rose.” The stylist informs someone on set and scurries away.

Rose, a woman with bleached blonde hair and a headset, gives him a reassuring smile that doesn’t
quite reach her eyes.

“Alright JJ, can you tell us again why you’re here and why you wanted to try out this experiment?”

“Uh, yeah, sure.” He uncrosses his arms, smacks them on his thighs, sits up straighter with his chin
tilted upwards. “Life is short. I’m here for a good time man. Oh, and the free booze. If I happen to
find myself a hot wife while I’m here then that’s a bonus.” He says with a grin, flexing his jaw in a
way that he knows will show his dimple.

There’s a cough from the dark side of the set. The producers pause and share a look.

“Um…You know this is Love Is Blind, not Too Hot to Handle, right?” The woman asks.

“Yeah, I know.” He shrugs innocently.

The blonde woman simply blinks at him and then shakes her head before turning towards her crew.
“Who let him through auditions?”

Security takes him to a room filled with other men and tells him to wait for the hosts. At first
glance he’d say there were close to ten, maybe fifteen, of them just hanging out in what someone
called the Men’s Lounge. They’re all dressed up to the nines, looking straight out of a Polo add,
sporting pressed suite jackets and button ups, tucked in- fucking tucked in! He hasn’t tucked in his
shirt since his mom made him go to church on Sundays for god’s sake- His nose burns from
whatever designer cologne someone is drenched in.

It was a decent set up, for a fake room. Giant set lights hung from the all black ceiling, LED
lighting covered every corner, an array of golden fixtures. It was blinding to say the least. Once his
eyes adjusted he spotted a bar and right in front of it sat a pool table. Seating options galore, from
dark blue velvet chairs to worn leather loveseats. The right side of the room had what looked like a
foosball table, a dart board on the wall and a dining table in the corner.

It was fancy as fuck, bougie, like he had stumbled into one of those high dollar hotels that sat beach
front over near the Marina.

A tanned hand reaching out to him caught his attention.

“Here man.” Some guy that looked to be around his age was holding out a gold glass to him. “It’s
whiskey…I think.” The brunette sheepishly said.

JJ gave a slight nod and gladly took the glass. “Thanks. They got any beer around here?” He looked
over towards the bar and saw a few of the other guys taking a shot of said whiskey.

“I don’t know but I hope so.” He answered with a grin. “I’m John B by the way.”

“JJ.” They clinked their glasses together and both took their shots. A gagging sound to their left
made them turn to find a serious looking man grimincing down at his cup.

“Should we even be doing shots before this? Seems a bit illogical…” The man mumbled causing
John B to chuckle and bump his shoulder with his.
“We gotta have some liquid courage, right?”

“Yeah I guess so. Oh, um, I’m Pope.” He offered nervously, raising his hand in a little wave.

“Like the Pope? Dope name.” JJ added, raising his glass to him.

Pope uttered a thanks and shrugged. “So where are you guys fro-'' he started but was cut off by the
producers and camera crew rushing into the room, speaking into their headsets with orders.

“Setting up now! Lights are ready! Mics on!”

“Hey guys listen up! We’re going to have you all move over to the couches and chairs! Look
comfortable and friendly please!” An older scruffy man shouted from the far side of the set before
he hid within the shadows.

The three of them awkwardly stood off to the side as everyone moved closer together to hear the
hosts, Nick and Vanessa Lachey, give their scripted welcoming speech.

“Hey guys! Welcome to Love is Blind!” Nick happily announced. The guys around them cheered,
some making fists in the air.

Vanessa smiled as she looked around the room at them all. “As you already know, this whole show
is an experiment to see if it is possible to fall in love with someone sight unseen. You will be falling
in love with them based entirely on their personalities alone and how well you both connect on a
purely emotional level. Crazy, right?” She asked, pausing for the guys to chuckle or give some
reaction for the cameras. JJ resisted rolling his eyes, barely.

“So for the next ten days, or less depending on how well you connect with someone, you will be
going on dates with our lovely ladies here. The only way to see your partner in person is to propose
to them but ,” She paused for dramatic effect, “...only if they accept it. Now, if you’re ready to find
the love of your life…the pods are officially open!”
 And with that everyone whooped and cheered, jumping up out of their seats to make their way over
to the doors.

“Great job guys! Just follow the crew down that hallway and stay lined up like that. Don’t go into
the rooms until we tell you to.” The scruffy producer guy ordered while passing out notebooks and
some pens as they passed him.

“The fuck are these for?” JJ asked, turning the book over in his hand while clutching his glass in
the other.

The producer man, Shoupe - according to his name badge-, pursed his lips and sighed through his
nose. “ These are journals to use for your dates. You can write whatever you want in them.”

“Solid. Thanks officer.” He said as he brought the journal up to his temple in a salute motion.

John B looked over his shoulder at him and they both snickered before lining up with the others
down the long red carpet.

“Pods are ready in 3!” A voice boomed out from somewhere behind them. “You guys are good to
go!”

“Good luck y’all.” Pope whispered to them.

JJ gave them both a thumbs up and then entered his first pod of the day.

Chapter End Notes

I'm sorry for the short intro but I really hope you guys like the next one. I'm already halfway
through with it...
Cocky JJ practically wrote himself and I'm not sorry for that. lmao
 Chapter 2
Chapter Summary

They finally talk!

Chapter Notes

Howdy! I'm back with another chapter and boy am I buzzing in my chair ( my office chair
because YES I am editing and posting while on the clock 😈)

new fic!! It means the world 🤗

Thank you guys so so so so so sooooo much for all the love, support and the hype with this

I've had so much fun writing this one and I really hope you guys love it!

See the end of the chapter for more notes

JJ's POV
It’s exactly as he expected it to look while at the same time, it’s not.

The pod is fairly small but cozy. More LED lights greet him, casting the tiny room in their soft
glow. Fake candles that flicker softly rest upon floating shelves, acoustic panels hang on the walls
and right in the middle of it all stands a grand circular dark screen.

His reflection stares back at him through the black mirror. With a sigh, he places his drink down on
the marbled side table and sinks down into the couch that looks like the perfect place to take a nap
if you love waking to sore joints. But even the bougie ass couch surprises him. It’s far more
comfortable than expected and he slides down the cushions just a bit, letting his legs stretch out in
front of him with a groan.

“Hello? …You good over there?” A voice asks through the speakers. The dark screen comes alive
then, a mix of blue and green shades float across the glass.

“Uh, yeah, yep! Just stretchin’ out over here.”

The mystery woman scoffs. “Already? It’s the first date dude.”

“So? I wanna get as comfy as I can be for all these dates.” He explains.

“That’s fair, I guess… What’s your name?”

“JJ, and you’re…?”

“I’m Sarah.”

“Cool, cool. How’s your day goin’ Sarah?” He asks nonchalantly before opening his journal to the
first page.

Sarah releases her own long sigh and begins to talk at him, hardly letting him have a chance to
speak, besides the “Yeahs", “No ways” and “That’s rough man” that he throws in. Sarah talks
about her childhood, her overprotective brother and her nosy little sister. She explains her current
living situation, i.e., the high-rise condo that her father owns and lets her use while she finishes up
with college.

Even though it’s a lot for a first date, maybe she’s nervous, maybe she just really needed this, a wall
and some faceless person to hear her out. In some way he understands the appeal to it, except for
the fact that he’s a damn closed book, whereas Sarah is clearly open, like a public library open.

He writes, ‘Talker’ and ‘Spoiled princess’ next to her name. He softly says the words under his
breath as he writes them down.

“Excuse me?!”

Shit.

“Huh? What?” He asks looking up at the wall. These microphones are going to be the death of
him.

“What did you call me?”

“Umm, well…”

“I heard you jerk! Fine. I’m putting ‘asshat’ for you and I’m underlining it.” She states with a huff
and the screen shifts to a dark greenish gray color, swirling around like an angry storm just before
the first strike of lightning touches ground.

JJ snorts at that. “Hey, I’ve been called worse things before, princess.”

“I’m sure you have- and stop calling me that! You don’t know me.”

“Look, I’m sorry, okay? Just callin’ it like I see-well, hear it.” He jokes, scratching at his temple.
And then they’re saved by the bell, or the blinking lights on the screen, signaling the date was
over.

“Oh thank god!” Sarah breaths and he hears the sound of rustling and the hard thump of something
closing.

“Good luck out there Sarah Bear!” He calls out to her, lifting his pitch to mimic hers.

“Ugh, shut up!” She responds back fiercely but he swears he heard a laugh slip out.

The minutes seem to drag on, stretching into hours. A part of him, his inner clock, feels like it’s
well into the evening but being kept in windowless rooms and a set that’s in a giant warehouse is
beginning to throw off his senses. JJ’s head starts to ache. The bottomless supply of alcohol is the
only thing keeping him a happy camper at this point. It’s only the first day , he reminds himself, so
of course they have to talk with everyone and give everyone the same amount of time for their
awkward introductions but Jesus Christ! Twenty five minutes for each date begins to feel like an
hour by the fourth.

He keeps throwing random questions at the girls, making sure to give vague, but polite, answers in
return. Shoupe had warned him to tone it down after his date with Sarah. According to the grumpy
old fart, it would be hard to edit what they had and not make him the royal dick of the season.

“Do you want to become a meme? You want millions of people to know you as the piece of shit
from season seven? No? Then stop being difficult and at least act like you’re taking this seriously.”

So he was now on his best behavior , for the remaining of the first day at least, to get them off his
ass.

He’s on his tenth, no, thirteenth..? date and his body is practically screaming for a smoke. He’s
asked twice now to hit his vape but some young, underpaid, intern threatened to take it from him,
leaving him no other choice but to drink more of the whiskey concoction from the lounge.
Feeling a bit buzzed now and feigning like a bitch, JJ stands from his place on the couch and paces
around the small space, raking his hand through his hair, fucking up the carefully styled locks the
hairdresser worked so diligently on this morning.

“Hello hello!” A voice calls in a singsong tone. Hues of a deep purple, pink and orange float across
the screen, reminding him of the sunsets back home.

“S’up?”

“How are you, good sir?” She asks in a posh, clearly fake, British accent.

“Just splendid ol’ chap!” He answers back in his best attempt at the accent, maybe overkilling it but
it makes her laugh regardless.

And good god! Her laugh is cute, he thinks with a chuckle.

“You callin’ me old?” She shoots back at him, her tone still playful.

JJ’s pacing pauses and he grins at the screen, now colored with bright yellow shades. “I was just
sayin’-Hey, you started this!” He points out, actually pointing his finger at the screen. A part of him
wonders how buzzed she is right now, if she’s on his level too.

“Chill. I’m just messin’ with you dude.” She teases.

“Ha ha. But no for real, that was a sick accent you had goin’ on there.” He assures her, moving to
sit down on the couch.

“Really? You know, I can do a pretty good Batman too.”

“You? With your voice? Nah, I don’t believe that. Not for a second.” He says, shaking his head.
She makes a sound that is half gasp and half a choked laugh in disbelief. “It’s true! Look-”

“Prove it!” He challenges her, squinting his eyes at the now purple screen.

She pauses and clears her throat, “I’m Batman! Where’s Rachel?!”

JJ brings a hand up over his mouth to stifle the laugh that’s bubbling up through his chest. He bites
his lip and then decides to humor her and claps his hands.

“Not bad, not bad, but you sounded like a chain smoker who got kneed in the balls.”

She scoffs then mutters, “Shut up. At least I don’t sound like a country boy like you. You got a real
thick draw there mystery dude.” She emphasizes her statement with what sounds like a bad Bama
or Texan accent.

He swears he can imagine her rolling her eyes at him with a little grin. She’s funny and maybe a
bit quirky but he finds himself laughing and smiling more than he has all day. It’s nice. Nice
enough to distract his mind from begging for the sweet relief of nicotine.

“Hey Batman, I have a name you know.” He tells her, scribbling down ‘witty/ smartass’ in his
journal on a fresh blank page, his chicken scratch barely readable even to himself.

“Oh? You do?”

See? A smartass.

“Yep. Sure do. It’s JJ.”

“JJ? Just JJ?”

He’s been asked the same question all day long and after having to explain it over ten times his
response comes out a little exhausted, bored.

“Uh-huh.”

“Does it stand for something or…?”

He pauses, debating if he should actually give her the real answer or keep messing with her. He’s
given everyone else lame answers or just moved on from the question like he didn’t hear them. And
it’s stupid because it’s not even really that big of a deal but…

“Okay, if I tell you, you can’t go runnin’ around tellin’ everyone else. Alright? It’s top secret
information. Like classified.”

“Scouts honor.” She answers back, copying his serious tone.

“...It’s John Jacob.” He sheepishly tells her.

A beat passes and he sits, waiting for her to say something, anything, but is met with silence. “Um,
did you hear-”

And then he hears it. It’s faint and for a second he thinks her mic is picking up some serious
feedback from only her nose, like she’s crying? No. She’s laughing. Of course she is. Invigorated
by the uncontrollable giggling of his date, he barely notices the previous tension evaporate,
replaced by some warm, bubbly feeling that overtakes him to the point his lips had casually
released a smile just as goofy as her breathless chuckles.

“Really?” She gasps and then starts singing the children’s song. He covers his burning face with
both hands and slides down the couch, his pitiful groan muffled by his palms.
“-Whenever we go out, the people always shout- there goes John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt! Dah
dah dah!” She belts loudly before falling into another round of giggles.

“Oh God. Knew that was gonna happen.” He moans.

“Sorry but I had to.” She tells him, once her giggles have died down and she catches her breath.

“Uh-huh. Sure .” He draws out the last word with pursed lips and pushes back up into a sitting
position, crossing his ankles. “So what’s your name or should I just keep Batman on my notes?”

“I mean, you can if you really want to…but it’s Kiara.” She says in a softer voice, the sound
smooth and delicate and the LED screen blooms with golden hues.

“Kiiiaraa-” He sounds it out loud. “How do you spell that?” His pen hovers over the top of the
page.

Once she spells it for him he says it again as if discovering some great delicacy for the first time.

“That’s really pretty- shit- I mean, you’re walkin’ around here with a cool, unique name like that ?
Meanwhile, I’ve got my basic ass name-”

“It is pretty basic but I think it’s cute.” She assures him. “And thank you… Apparently it means
‘light’, or something like that.”

“See? Cool ass name. John Jacob is not a cute name.”

Kiara hums. “Well, we can agree to disagree then.”

He nods but then remembers she can’t see him so he hums back. They sit together in silence for a
few seconds and JJ thinks of asking her some of the lame questions he has asked the other girls but
his mind keeps shooting blanks.
The sound of his name brings his attention back. Kiara says it so delicately as if it’s tangible,
something new and worth adoration. But he’s a dumbass and completely missed whatever she just
said.

“What?” The question rolls out of his mouth and suddenly he feels hyper aware of the cameras
recording his every move. He’s going to be known as the royal dick of the season and the number
one dumbass. Awesome.

“I said, what's your sign?” Kiara explains slowly with a low chuckle.

“My sign? Like the zodiac chart thingy?” He asks.

“Yeah. I’m a Cancer.” She tells him proudly.

“Uh, I’m gonna be real with you, I don’t know shit about all of that.”

“It’s okay. When’s your birthday?”

“March the thirty first.”

“The day before April Fools day? Damn.” She whistles.

“Yep sir-e. My mom just couldn’t wait one more day. But hey, at least my birthday isn’t a fuckin’
joke. ” He tells the ground while mindlessly playing with one of his rings.

Maybe if I had been born on April Fools Day my fucked up life would actually make a whole lot
more since.

JJ almost wants to laugh but knows he’d probably just end up sounding like some sick fuck with a
dark sense of humor-He is, but he also doesn’t want to kill the lighthearted mood they got going on.
“Hmm, so you’re an Aries then. Interesting, very interesting.”

“Uh-oh, that doesn’t sound good. What’s the verdict doc? Is that a bad thing or…?”

“No, it’s fine, totally fine!” She assures him before continuing. “Aries are just normally known for
being like… chaotic and unhinged at times.”

Welp. That’s fitting.

JJ lets out a whistle. “Well damn! Sounds just like me. You sure you don’t know me?” He asks,
clearly joking, and squints at the screen again.

Kiara lets out a small chuckle and he finds himself laughing a little with her.

“Trust me, I’m sure. I think I would remember a JJ if I ever met one. And besides, Aries are just
that predictable.” She explains to him nonchalantly but sounds like it’s hidden behind a smug grin.

“Ouch. How you gonna call me predictable like that ma’am? I, for one, am extremely
unpredictable. I’m like a…like a loose cannon! Yeah!” He insists, waving his hands out
dramatically. “But yeah, gotta agree with you. Trust me, you would remember meeting me. I’m
pretty unforgettable.” He wiggles his brows and leans back on the couch, stretching his arms out
across the back of it.

He hears what sounds like a snort and then a muttered, “Right. I’m sure you are.”

Some form of suggestive, flirty remark rests on the tip of his tongue and just as he opens his mouth
he’s cut off, betrayed, by a loud rumbling noise. His stomach clearly has its own message.

A beat passes and then suddenly the room fills with the sound of their cackles. His face feels hot
and his stomach tightens as his body convulses with laughter.
“Whoa there! Was that you ?” She asks breathlessly.

“Hey, I’m starving, okay?! They haven’t fed us since before we got started and it was only some
fancy ass charchooqie board thing.” He whines, sliding down the couch to slump on the floor.

“A what ?!” Kiara all but shrieks, her tone rising an octave.

“A charchooq-”

“You mean a charcuterie board?” She asks around another sweet laugh, and Jesus, he wants the
floor to swallow him whole.

“Say Shaar?” She instructs, like she’s speaking to a child.

“Shaar.”

“Koo.”

“Koo.”

“Ter.”

“Pft! Cooter.” He snorts and then chuckles to himself, a grin playing on the corners of his mouth.

“Ugh. Yes, now shut up and just say it.” She scolds flatly.

“Okay, okay! Ter…?”

“Ree.”

“Ree.”

“There ya go! You learned something new today.” She says sarcastically.

“Thanks Kie.” The nickname slips out before he even catches it but he likes how normal it feels.

“You’re welcome J.” She says back in the same singsong tone from before.

“But yeah, that thing-I don’t fuckin’ know man-Give me a break!-I’m starving and I’m tired and I
really need a smoke.” He pitifully tells her.

“Dumbass.”

The insult sounds almost endearing with that smooth, soft voice of hers and honestly, he’d probably
let her call him whatever foul thing she wanted, for however long as she wanted, if he could hear
her honey voice.

As he lays there helplessly on the floor he closes his eyes. He’s getting delusional, weird and
drunk. There’s nothing new about it but,-and yeah, maybe he has an issue as this is how JJ
normally found himself on most nights- there’s one catch; It’s been a while since he’s gone this
long without a hit of something. Usually he’s cross-faded if he drinks this much.

“Oh shit, I just realized something.” Kiara suddenly says.

“Huh?” He lazily asks the screen.

“I only got your name and birthday. I don’t even know where you’re from.”
 “Easy. I’m from the good ole OBX. Just your typical salt-lifer.”

For whatever reason, she gasps at his answer. “Wait, for real? Oh wow! I use to-”

The flashing of the LED lights interrupts her excited rambling and Kiara groans.

“Damn! Already?” He grunts looking directly up in the corner, where he knows for a fact one of the
cameras silently sits. He glares up at it as if he has some power to change the rules of this
production and their precious schedule.

“Well, I guess this is goodbye J.”

He jumps back onto his feet- he struggles a bit but who cares?- and looks directly at the dimming
screen.

How in the fuck had their twenty five minutes already gone by?

“Nah, don’t say that Kie. It’s just a, um- it’s a ‘see ya later’, okay?” He tries to reassure her, maybe
himself.

“Yeah. Okay…See ya later then.” She answers back softly.

Cool eyes watch in wonder as the screen’s light dies and he’s left there once again staring at his
own reflection in the black mirror.

Chapter End Notes

JJ's pov is so fun to write. Hope I managed to keep him in character with this.
The drama will begin to unfold next chapter as the guys discuss their dates and form cliques.
And yes, Topper and Kelce will make their appearances as well, being their true fashion of
Mean Boys. The tea is gonna be boiling!
 Chapter 3
Chapter Summary

Day 1 ends while friendships and cliques begin.

Chapter Notes

Happy New Year Jiara nation!! 🎆✨

I'm sorry for the long wait on this one. I've had some personal things occur within the last few
months and I've struggled with finding time to write.
Thank you to those who have proofread this chapter for me! Love y'all lots!!

As always, treat this as what it was created to be - a crack fic. & if it's not your cup of tea?
Cool. Don't bash it.

** TC: smoking and getting high **

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Kiara’s POV

She blinks, desperate to adjust her eyes to the blinding lights in front of her and not think about the
cameras pointed directly at her.
“So, what would you say you’re looking for in a husband? What’s most important to you?” Rose
asks her from behind the camera crew.

Kiara shifts on the stool, nervous fingers tug on the hem of her blue dress. “I guess someone who
is loyal, fun, adventurous, makes me laugh and is passionate. I… I want someone that feels like
home, as cheesy as that sounds...” She trails off with a laugh.

“You mentioned on your application that you are wanting someone who can,” the blonde woman
pauses and looks down at her notes, “‘keep up with you’. Do you mind explaining this to us?”

Kie lets out a small laugh at the quote. “Well, I’m pretty busy with my volunteer work. Sometimes
I have long shifts at the wildlife center-my main job-, and don’t get home until like nine…? or ten
at night. Then there’s surfing - they have to be into surfing- oh, and then my daily meditation time.”
She finishes listing off these on her hand with a nod. “I’m a busy gal. He’s gotta be okay with
that.”

Why am I rambling?

“So you’d say you’re very independent then?”

She nods, “Definitely! Yeah. Always have been.” She answers proudly with such certainty, to
which Rose makes a face at, before it quickly vanishes. The older woman’s features fixed with a
tight smile again.

“That’s great. Love that.” Rose drones, her voice flat. “How long was your last relationship? Was it
serious?”

The forward question makes her pause for a second time. “Um, well…” Heat creeps up in her face
as she awkwardly sits there, the silence in the once bustling room morphs into a quiet void that
stretches out and grabs her by the throat. She knew when she applied for this she would have to
speak candidly to the cameras, open up and confess real, raw emotions to millions of strangers,
who would no doubt watch this and then judge her from the comfort of their couches. She knew, so
why was she still so nervous? The casting auditions didn’t feel like this, then again, the snippy
blonde woman wasn’t present for those.
Just answer the fucking question!

“My last relationship only lasted about…a few weeks? Not even a month.” Kiara sheepishly
answers, tucking a stray curl behind her ear. She looks up to find Rose quietly staring at her,
waiting for her to continue. “I’ve been in a serious-ish- relationship before but honestly? It felt
more one sided and I don’t know why but that seems to happen a lot with any guy I date.”

“How so?” Rose asks, looking as if she'd rather be anywhere else than there, as if picking the lint
off her blouse was more entertaining than speaking with her. Kiara can relate to that.

She clears her throat before saying more. “Basically, I get the whole, you know, crushing on
someone and then we do the whole just talking phase. Feelings build and then we make it official.
After that? I just get… bored, I guess.” It’s not exactly the whole truth but also she doesn’t really
feel like explaining her entire life story, all her insecurities and trauma dump on this woman who
could seem to give zero shits.

Said woman looks down at her Apple Watch briefly before focusing in on Kiara again. “We’ll wrap
it up here soon but before we send you back can you tell us how your first round of dates went?”

Kiara takes a moment to think back on all of the dates and then gives a shrug. “To be honest, it was
a little weird at first. Not like, horrible or anything but... Just kind of felt rushed…?”

Rose grins, suddenly intrigued by her response. “Is there anyone you wanted more time with?”

Kiara instantly knows who she’s referring to but decides to not spill everything just yet. “…
Maybe.” She says, her voice soft as she quickly avoids any eye contact with the crew, looking
down at her lap. A tiny little smile tugs at the corners of her lips.

“Cheers to day one ladies!” Scarlet loudly announces to the group of women. Everyone raises their
glasses together.
“Cheers!”

“We survived the first day!”

Laughter fills the overly lit room and such a moment would normally feel fun, even wholesome, to
Kiara but she can’t help notice the cameras strategically placed all along the room. Knowing she’s
being filmed at every second is a bit of a mood killer.

But still, she laughs along and joins in the merry group of singles.

Everyone is hanging out around the island in the kitchen and sharing their experiences from the
pods. Some compare their dates they had with the same guy, making typical remarks about what
questions they asked and were asked in return. Another group, the louder of the bunch, talk about
their number ones, who their favorites were.

“Oh my god! Wait! Did everyone pick JJ as their number one?!” Scarlet gasps, her manicured
hands flying up to her chest.

A few of the girls talk above each other, explaining- or defending- their reasoning.

“He’s just so funny!”

“He sounds really hot.”

“Yes! I was going to say the same thing!”

A sun-kissed blonde scoffs near her. It’s Sarah. She vaguely remembers them both arriving to the
set at the same time and making quick introductions before being separated by Scarlet, who rudely
interrupted them, introducing herself to Sarah and completely ignoring her. Bitch.
“He was a douche.” Sarah mutters under her breath, pouring herself more champagne.

A laugh bubbles up out of Kiara at the statement. “Really? What did he do-”

“He seems like the rough type, like he enjoys getting dirty doing all the tough work. I’d love to let
him get rough with me.” Scarlet jokes, twisting her glossy lips up in a smirk, twirling a strand of
her blonde hair. The girls around her laugh, agreeing with her.

It’s Kiara’s turn to scoff and roll her eyes.

Sofia, a dark haired soft-spoken beauty,- thankfully- changes the topic. “What’s everyone’s type
anyways?”

“Hmm, I don’t really have one. I just like someone who is kind and compassionate.” One of the
girls,- Britney..?- answers.

“All I want is a Mr. Darcy!” Another one of the girls says, to which most of them nod in agreement.

“Oh, absolutely!”

“What about you, Sarah? You’re gorge! How are you even single?” Scarlet wonders.

She gave a light shrug and noncommittally stated, “Not sure but I know I’ve never met a single Mr.
Darcy in my life. It’s been nothing but Mr. Collins or Mr. Wickhams. That’s why I’m here.”

“Ugh, samesies girl!” Scarlet says.

Kiara snorted in laughter at that. Completely ignoring Scarlet but not wanting Sarah to think she
was making fun of anyone, she quickly adds, “Who knows, Sarah, maybe you’ll find your Mr.
Darcy this summer.”
And for the first time since they met, Sarah gives her a genuine smile at the encouragement before
groaning, “God, I hope so.”

Annoyance rolled through her spin as she noticed a gleam in Scarlet’s eye. “We’re all here because
we’re single. We should help each other find our future husbands!” Scarlet stretches out an arm
across the island and squeezes both Sarah and Kiara’s hands. Kiara resists the urge to throw it off
and cringe but still looks down at the manicured claw-like hand with what she hopes is her best
poker face, which she definitely doesn’t have.

“We’re all a group of amazing, hot baddies, who are all deserving of love. I don’t want any of us to
fight over a man, okay ladies?” Scarlet drunkenly declares to the room, calling for attention. From
the calculated way Scarlet studies her and Sarah, she knew the statement was controlling.

Her voice comes out fake and sweet as she acknowledges Scarlet’s ‘girl code’, “Sure.”

Sarah doesn’t respond immediately, seeming to think over her answer before dropping Scarlet’s
hand but offers her a barely there smile.

"Great! Now that's we've made our pact..."

Wait. What?

"...We’ve got to build some trust between us before the games begin.” Scarlet says with a wink and
then she's being pulled into a different conversation with Sofia.

She’s seen this before. This talk of being a 'girl's girl'. This act that Scarlet was trying to play.

It’s as if she’s fifteen again, when her parents sent her away to boarding school. She was the new
girl, the rebellious girl who never seemed to fit in wherever she was placed. Her parents had sent
her off to a private all girls school where she was forced to tolerate stuck up bitches who were
desperate for attention, foaming at the mouth for the validation. She was use to being ignored and
judged by the snobby rich girls who wanted her to play their little games, and be apart of the
'sisterhood' if only it leaned in their favor. Those girls took one look at her wild curls, her scuffed
up sneakers and decided she was beneath them and their Jimmy Choos. She’s never been enough
for girls like Scarlet; but she’s grown now. She knows she doesn’t have to be.
Looking back towards Sarah, she finds her playfully rolling her eyes at the obnoxious girl. Was she
believing any of this shit?

“I listed him as ‘Rude boy’.” An accented voice says from her left. She turns to see Cleo, the
naturally gorgeous Nassau woman, grinning at Sarah, having had clearly eavesdropped on their
conversation from earlier.

"Who? JJ?" Sarah asks.

"Yeah." Cleo says.

Sarah laughs a short and sharp laugh. “That’s fitting.”

Kiara gasps. “No, that’s crazy! He didn’t seem that way at all with me.” She adds, causing both
women to simply shrug.

“I really liked John, well, John B. Still not sure why he goes by that...” Sarah wonders softly to
herself.

“Oh yeah, he seemed cool. Nice dude.” Kie comments. She remembers him being friendly and
chill, like someone she could probably be friends with back home.

“Yeah. Me too.” Cleo says nonchalantly, swishing her drink around in the gold glass.

Some girl, who Kiara can not, for the life of her, remember her name- Tracy? Trinity?-, says, “I
can’t wait to talk to John B again. He was so sweet. Such a gentleman.” A dreamy smile on her
tanned face.

Britney and the other women around her nod enthusiastically.

"Right?!"

"The sweetest!"

"He was a great listener too. I felt like I could talk with him for hours."

Sarah purses her pouty lips and then throws her head back, downing all of her champagne in one
gulp. The bottom of the glass comes down harshly on the marble countertop, causing heads to turn
and stare at her.

A young crew member comes into the room then, grabbing everyone’s attention. “Alright ladies,
let's wrap it up for the day! We’ll shuttle you all back to the hotel soon.”

And with that, Kiara follows Cleo and Sarah out the door.

JJ's POV

The heavenly smell of pizza is the first thing he notices as he walks back into the lounge with
everyone else. JJ rushes over to the kitchen island, nudging past a few guys as he makes a beeline
for the pepperoni box. Saliva pools in his mouth as he loads his plate up with the greasy slices and
cheesy bread. He wants to find whichever stupid intern it was who was smart enough to order them
all pizza, grab them by the face and smooch their stupid cheek.

“Holy mother of God!” JJ moans through a mouthful.

John B chuckles at the sight as he joins JJ at the edge of the island. Pope comes to stand with them,
his shoulders slumped, exhaustion heavy in his dark eyes.

“Longest day ever.” He mutters down at his slice. The other two hum around their mouthfuls of
pizza and nod in agreement. The three men eat together in silence while a group of guys- Topper,
Kelce and some other dude JJ can’t seem to recall- at the other end of the kitchen talk amongst
themselves, loudly. Cameras inch closer to them and JJ spots a boom mic being lowered from the
black abyss of the ceiling.

“So, who were y’all feelin’ the most?” Kelce asks.

“Scarlet sounds like she’s really hot.”

“I don’t know man. She seemed like every other girl I’ve dated back home, annoying and high
maintenance.” Topper says nonchalantly through a mouthful of garlic bread.

JJ lets out something that is a mix between a scoff and snort at that. He tries to play it off as a
cough when the blonde Ken doll-look-alike glances over at him, a confused yet annoyed look on
his face.

He isn’t wrong. Going off of sounds and tone alone it was easy to picture her as some wannabe
instagram influencer, ready to sell him some bullshit product. Scarlet talked as if she was a valley
girl and not from North Carolina. She talked a lot in general, most of their date being filled with her
listing off her likes, dislikes, what she considered red flags, her being a ‘boss babe’ and what
aesthetic she was currently ‘slaying’. Whatever the fuck that meant.

“Yeah but those are usually the hot ones, right?” The unnamed guy points out. Topper shakes his
head with a laugh and Kelce goes to fist bump him.

“Exactly man! That’s what I’m sayin’.”

“Trinity said she’s some kind of instructor at her gym. Bet she's really fit.” The guy suggests,
giving the other two a knowing look.

“Oh dude, you know she is! Wouldn’t surprise me if she’s on Only Fans too.” Kelce adds with a
grin.
John B and JJ share a look before the brunet rolls his eyes, causing the blond to almost choke on his
pizza, shoulders shaking from restraining his laugh.

“Yo, you good over there bro?” Kelce calls out to him with a tilt of his head. All eyes and cameras
turn to focus on them. Pope tenses up beside him and JJ can all but feel the trepidation vibrating off
of him. JJ gently nudges his shoulder, catching his attention and then shakes his head before
looking over to the loud group.

“Just peachy, bro.” JJ sarcastically responds, his lips twisting up in a smirk.

Kelce’s eyes do a one over them, from head to toe, with a look JJ is all too familiar with having
grown up on the wrong side of the tracks. He observes them with a hint of disgust, as if they’re the
rotten bunch. Once satisfied with whatever he finds, he smirks back at JJ and turns his attention
back to his group. “So anyways…”

“Maybe she can help spot me sometime.” Topper jokes as he flexes his arms. The guys laugh and
then Topper grins looking down at his plate, “but Sarah… She’s somethin’ else. I think there was a
connection there.”

“Really? Sarah? She seemed a little bitchy to me, man. But whatever, that’s all you.” Kelce tells
him, clapping a hand on his shoulder.

Topper shrugs him off, “Maybe to you but she wasn’t bitchy to me. I don’t know… I’ve never
really been with someone like her. Sarah’s got some fire in her, sure, but she’s not boring like some
of the others. I would like to see her softer side. Bet she’s just looking for that right guy to bring
that out of her, you know?” he explains.

“Let me guess, you wanna be the one to tame her though? Make her real wife material?”

Topper lets out a nervous laugh but hesitates on answering the other man. It’s Kelce who chimes in
again, “Isn’t that why they’re all here in the first place?”

John B rolls his eyes and turns his back to them completely. “Fuckin’ meat heads.” he mutters
under his breath.
JJ wipes his mouth with the back side of his hand and moves to trash his plate. He digs around in
his back pocket for his vape, carefully sliding it out of its hidden place and with his back facing the
cameras and others, takes a small hit, ghosting it to hide the smoke. John B watches him for a beat
and then looks down at the vape and then back up to his face, a dark brow raised in question. He
looks around the room, for the cameras and for any prying eyes before nodding his head towards a
hallway in the back. John B silently copies the action to Pope and then the three of them escape the
scene unnoticed.

They stand huddled together in the dark on a metal balcony of sorts that John B found- by complete
accident- while snooping around on set. Below them is an alleyway lined with dumpsters, boxes
and crates from the set and above them, a smoggy LA sky. Not a single star in sight, unless of
course you pretend the planes and satellites are one and the same.

JJ and John B pass the dab pen back and forth between them. Pope, ever so politely, declines every
pass when the rotation lands on him. Something…something…being clear minded and focused, he
sheepishly explains to them.

“How did you sneak this in?” John B asks with a laugh, eyes studying the vape in his hand.

“Easy.” He answers with a shrug. “It’s California; It’s legal here. Plus, it helps when you have
connections.” He points out with a smirk. He’s not new to sneaking in various things of this nature,
he’s been doing it since he was a kid; Besides, it wasn’t budd or wax that the security was worried
about, it was the harder shit.

“Well, thanks for sharing.”

“De nada. Looked like y’all needed it more than me anyways.”

John B purses his lips before taking another hit. “It’s douchebags like that who ruin this whole
experience for the rest of us.” He huffs out suddenly, a cloud of smoke leaking from his mouth and
nose.
“Careful man. Dabs don’t play around,” JJ warns, grabbing for the vape before continuing, “and
what do you mean by ruin it? Isn’t that what the cameras want? You know, couple of bros talkin’
about who’s hot and who’s not?” JJ asks.

John B falters a bit at this. “I mean, yeah, I guess, but I’m not here to find the hottest person. This
isn’t a joke to me. I’m here because I want to find someone who I click with, on a deeper level, you
know? I’m here to find my wife.” He stresses, leaning forward on the metal railing, his reddened
gaze lifted towards the darkened sky.

It’s the most JJ’s ever heard the guy say and given how animated- passionate, really- he seems
about the topic, JJ can guess he’s the romantic at heart type.

Poor dude. He’s the perfect fit for a show like this , he thinks.

John B is tall, a nice looking dude, AKA the perfect cutout picture of what the cougars at home
would eat up, single twenty somethings would make fan accounts of him. He’s sincere with big
brown puppy eyes, clouded with honesty, an emotion so real it stops whatever stupid remark he was
going to toss back at him, crumbling away in his mouth.

Pope clears his throat, reminding the other two he’s still very much present. “You make a valid
point. We should all be here for the same reasons, but… JJ’s right though. At the end of the day it’s
still reality TV. It doesn’t matter how real you are here; what they want is entertainment. If you’re
too boring they’ll cut out your entire storyline from the final cut, like you were never even on the
show.” He rants, his words coming out quicker and more fierce with each sentence. “and the
reasoning? Because they can. Because reality TV audiences have been brainwashed into idiocracy.
Who can blame them? Most of what we see makes little to no sense now, lacks substance, so when
we’re actually shown something with a coherent theme or some deep symbolism the general
audience grows bored. They just want drama, they don’t even care about the lasting effects of an
experiment like this anymore.” He finishes, almost breathlessly.

No one says anything for a few seconds, letting the heavy weight of Pope’s statement settle over
them in the dark.

“Damn. You sure you didn’t hit this?” JJ asks, causing the other man to burst into a fit of giggles,
no doubt fueled by the strong substance.

“Big brain Pope!” John B breathes out through his laughter.

“Alright guys, chill. It’s really not that-” Pope tries to say but is stopped by his own laughter,
swatting his hand at John B’s arm.

“He’s too big brain for us!” JJ chimes in, laughing along with them now. "Do you guys actually
believe some people can fall in love in just ten days?" He asks them both once they managed to
catch their breaths.

"I mean, don't get me wrong, it does sound crazy and so unrealistic but... yeah, I think it's possible.
I'm willing to take the risk and see what happens." John B says, being the optimistic one of the
bunch.

Pope hums in response and takes his time to think over his answer. "I think it's possible too. It's the
choice to be open and falling in love. The risk of it all."

"Exactly!" John B agrees.

"It's also the fact that we're in an environment that's designed to help us focus on being more
vulnerable." Pope says.

"Yeah, I didn't think they were serious about taking our phones away but I guess I was wrong..." JJ
admits.

Suddenly the door behind them swings open. JJ stashes the vape within his pockets in a hurry and
turns to see a middle aged man with dark skin and dreads. He's wearing a headset, a muffled voice
coming from his walkie talkie. Clearly someone with production.

Clearly he needs a hit of this too.

“There you guys are! What are you doing out here? Never mind! I don’t care. We need everyone
back on set. Now!” The man orders, waving them back inside.
Day 2

Day two begins with mic checks, sweaty men making protein shakes from their morning workouts
and the same annoying crew guy from the night before is going over everyone’s schedules. A few
of the guys have dramatic walking scenes to film, some were ordered to film their confessionals-
but JJ? He’s still stuck working on his list of dates.

Maybe stuck isn’t the right word to use. He already knows who’s name he wants to write down, but
according to the pushy crew member, he couldn’t just pick one person. Of course not, because why
the fuck would they make anything that easy on this show?

“Don’t overthink it. Just write down another name or two.” The man says to him.

“Okay… but why?” JJ asks over his shoulder.

“Wh-why? Well, to be honest, it’s so we can have more footage of you with other possible
candidates. If you’re not connecting with any of them like that then it could just be friendly, for the
sake of killing time. Not many of the cast pick just one person on the second day so it may seem a
little…well, rushed for production.” The man explains sheepishly with a shrug, adjusting his
headset. “If it helps any, you seem to be quite popular with the ladies. So that’s a good thing, huh?”
He says with a lift in his tone, wiggling his brows.

JJ pauses at this news and turns to face the man fully. “No shit, really? ” He’s honestly shocked by
this information. It’s not like he was purposely trying to make any of the girls swoon by any
means. In fact, he’s certain the only person he made a ‘connection’ with is already written on his
list, but he would be lying if he didn’t admit it stroked his ego a bit knowing he still had some of
the Maybank charm to rely on here. “So like, I already have a lot of dates lined up then?”

“Sure do.” The man confirms with a sharp nod.

“Okay cool… Then why do I need to-”

 “Yo blondie, do you even listen? He already told you why. Hurry the fuck up!” A voice loudly
interjects from the far side of the lounge. JJ swishes back around to find it’s a dark wavy haired
man, Barry. The guy was sus, always hanging out by himself in the corners, silently observing
everyone around him, sizing them all up while also seeming amused, a smug smirk constant on his
face. He also seemed familiar but he couldn’t quite remember where he had seen him from.

“Hey, how about you mind your own fucking business?” He snarls back.

The older man closes his eyes and squeezes the bridge of his nose in frustration. “Seriously guys?
I’m not caffeinated enough for this right now.”

So JJ writes the next two names that come to his mind in a hurry and thrust the list in the man's
waiting hands. “Thanks.”

“It’s Randall-or Sunny- and you’re welcome.” He says sarcastically and then looks down to
examine the short list of names. A shit eating grin creeps up on his face.

“What? Is that not how I was supposed to fill it out?” JJ asks.

“Oh, nothing. Just an interesting selection is all…”

Chapter End Notes

I had planned to make this a longer chapter but... yeah. Things came up and I didn't want to
leave y'all waiting even longer.

I made a playlist! go check it out if you want to. :)

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0hU8rtqe5JBXz0CeULuzqr?si=3c495c75c1e547fe
Please drop by the Archive and comment to let the creator know if you enjoyed their work!