just us

Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at http://archiveofourown.org/works/52916596.

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Category: F/M
Fandom: Outer Banks (TV)
Relationships: Kiara "Kie" Carrera/JJ Maybank, Kiara "Kie" Carrera & JJ Maybank, JJ
Maybank & John B. Routledge, Sarah Cameron/John B. Routledge,
Sarah Cameron & JJ Maybank, Cleo/Pope Heyward, Sarah Cameron &
Kiara "Kie" Carrera & Cleo & Pope Heyward & JJ Maybank & John B.
Routledge, Kiara "Kie" Carrera & John B. Routledge
Characters: JJ Maybank, Kiara "Kie" Carrera, John B. Routledge, Sarah Cameron,
Pope Heyward, Cleo (Outer Banks), Heyward | Pope Heyward's Father,
Anna Carrera, Mike Carrera
Language: English
Series: Part 3 of series of one-shots based on a song title
Stats: Published: 2024-01-09 Words: 12,038 Chapters: 1/1
 just us
by cayetanairis

Summary

And I hear people talk about love just for something to say
And in this modern world it can live and then die in a day
It's a shock to the heart
We get lost in the dark, but
Unconditional love is a light that never fades

Notes

to my dear reader @jsmits25 , here it is 😊

p.s.: I'd just like to remind everyone that this is the first time I've written about this ship, so
please be gentle with me because I'm still trying to capture their essence and perfect their
interactions and dialogue, thank you so much ❤

See the end of the work for more notes

After finding the treasure, JJ thought he could finally have his happily ever after. That Kiara's
parents would finally accept him for what he was, now that he showed he has some worth,
that's he's not just a troublemaker.

But most of all, he thought she would stay. In fact, she never thought she would leave. They
hadn't put a label on their relationship yet when she left for college, but they were something.
Maybe they didn't refer to each other as girlfriend and boyfriend, but that's what they were.

Even if they had put a label on it, they probably wouldn't refer to each other like that, because
they weren't that type of couple, they weren't Sarah and John B. She called him "J" and he
called her "Kie" and that was it.

Her parents kept being a little bit distant towards him, sometimes even a little bit rude, but he
noticed a slight change. He still felt like an intruder, but at least he didn't feel like he wasn't
welcome and they stopped treating him like some young criminal.

However, he found it weird when they invited him for dinner one day, months after finding
the treasure. Yes, they were making progress, but that still seemed too big a step. He went, of
course. If Kie's parents were making an effort, then he would too, because there wasn't a
thing he wouldn't do for her, even if had taken him some time to admit it.

The mystery of that invitation was solved when Kiara's dad casually dropped the news. He
tried to make it seem like a slip up, something he didn't know he couldn't tell, but JJ saw
through him. JJ was great at reading people, a skill he had learned in time with everything he
had been put through.

So when Mr. Carrera said "How do you feel about Kiara's going to college so far away? I
mean, you must be proud and excited, but it's a long flight to Washington" between two
bites and he looked to Kiara and saw the petrified look on her face, he knew.

He wasn't going to let him win, though. So he acted like he already knew and said he was
very happy for her. The rest of the lunch was pretty silent, with Kiara looking apologetically
to JJ every once in a while.

"J, please let me explain", she said as they stepped outside after lunch. He had his back
turned to her, but she could feel his thoughts out loud. "You didn't even tell me you aplied
to college, much less to freaking Washington of all places", he acused her, voice a little too
loud.

"I know, I was going to, I just didn't know how", she explained and then took a step
forward, touching his forearm. He turned to her and she saw the hurt and maybe a little bit of
disappointment in his eyes.

"Why, Kie?", he asked while looking her straight in the eyes. "Why what? Why didn't I tell
you or why Washington?" She asked back. "Both! North Carolina has colleges. Why are
you leaving?"
"Because I knew how you would react, J. Look, the University of Washington has a
great Marine Biology programme and I-" He turned his back to her again and his hand
roamed through his hair. "God, you sound like your parents. Did they put you up to this?
Is this like the time they sent you to that correction-"

"No, J. It's nothing like that", she said with an uneasy voice. "I want to go", she added in a
lower tone. "Then I ask again: why? You have everything you could possible want here,
Kie! You can still go to college and you have your friends and... you have me", he replied
and then took a step in her direction, holding her hand.

She intertwined their fingers as she looked down at their hands. "Maybe I want a little bit
more, J. Outer Banks is amazing, is home, but maybe I need to see new things, have new
experiences. It's not about you or us, it's about me", she said while she brushed her thumb
on his skin, looking up at him.

"So you're leaving me", he stated with a blank face and a cold voice. "I'm not leaving you,
J. We're still us, we'll always be us. A lot happened on these past few years and I think I
just need to step out for a little bit, but I'll come back, you know I will", she replied in
what seemed like a pleading.

"Yeah", he breathed out after a while. Relief washed over her, but it went away just as fast
when she felt him move his hand away. He gave a step back. "J, what are you-" She started
to approach him but he kept giving steps back and put a hand in front of him as a sign for her
to stop. "I can't do this right now, Kie. I need some time to think. We'll talk later, okay?"

"J-", she said as she started to go after him, but he took of on his motocycle and she realized
it was better for both of them if he got some time alone. She knew she had made a mistake by
keeping this from him.

He could have gone anywhere, but he went to the place who felt more like home to him than
anything. Not his own house, but John B's house that he now shared with Sarah. They were
outside, John B holding a saw and Sarah holding a wooden board on the table, both with
protection masks.

When he arrived, he immediately sat down in the wooden armchair that was on the porch
without saying a word, but both Sarah and John B recognized that walk of fury and that was
why they exchanged glances and stopped doing what they were doing.

John B turned off the saw and both of them took off the masks. "I'll go get us something to
drink", Sarah said and then passed her hand on JJ's shoulder when she was about to enter the
house. His best friend sank into the armchair next to his and patted his thigh.

"What's up?" John B asked. "I just wanted to spend some time with my best friend. Do I
need a reason for that?" He argumented, absentmindedly shaking his left leg. "You have
that look on your face, man. Did you have a fight with Kie? Her parents again?" John B
asked.

"Not her parents this time. Well, not entirely, at least. She's moving to Washington to go
to college, can you believe it?" He asked at the same time Sarah came back with three beers
on her hands. "She finally told you, huh?" She asked JJ, handing him and John B a beer.

"You knew?" John B asked with a furrowed eyebrow. "I'm her best friend, baby. Of course
I knew", she answered as she sat on the bench on the other side of the porch. "She didn't tell
me. Her dad did", JJ clarified and then drank almost his whole beer.

"Oh", John B said in a low voice. "Yeah, I think 'oh' is the right word", JJ replied, clearly
frustrated. "Look JJ, I'm not going to act like her advocate, she doesn't need me to, but
please try to understand her. She was afraid of your reaction, she didn't want you to
think she was leaving you", Sarah said, leaning forward with her elbows resting on her
knees.

"But isn't she? I mean, Washington? She could have gone to every other college. She
had to choose one that was so far away from her friends? From me?" JJ asked. "You
know she loves you, JJ. Did you even listen to what she had to say?" John B asked, but he
was sure he already knew the answer.

"I don't want to talk to her right now", JJ stated. "Well, if you do end up losing her, it's
on you, JJ", Sarah said as she entered the house again, leaving the two best friends to talk,
while she was probably going to check up on Kiara.

For a week, JJ successfully avoided Kiara, even against his friends' advice. Avoiding Kiara
meant being by his own or spending time with Pope and John B when they weren't with their
respective girlfriends.

He was also avoiding Cleo, because every time he saw her, she told him she thought he was
being an idiot and gave him that death stare. After seven days of missing his girlfriend, JJ
went to her parents' restaurant at the hour he knew she'd be cleaning the place.

She heard someone coming in when she was in the storage. "We're closed!" She yelled
before coming out to see who it was. "J", she breathed out when she saw him. She was
wearing a burgundy crop top and some black denim shorts, hair in a messy bun, which was
an usual look on her, but the words still felt stuck on his throat because she was fucking
beautiful.

"I came to talk to you, but I can come back another time", he said, ready to turn around
and leave. "No", she immediately said, giving a step forward. "I... I'm sorry, Kie. I knew
what I was getting into when we started dating. You're the most stubborn and
adventurous girl I've ever met. And I love you, not despite that, but because of that. If
you want to go, I need to let you. I guess I was just scared of losing you and-"

She took his hands. "You won't lose me, J. We're us and that speaks for itself. I love you
and that won't change even if I'm miles away. I'm sorry too. For not telling you sooner.
For not trying to talk to you more often, but I thought it was better if I gave you some
space", she said.

"I don't want you to leave being mad at me", he said as he rested his forehead against hers.
"We have the whole summer, J. And now that we're officially dating...", she replied with
a smirk on her face. "Weren't we before?" He asked, straightening up.
"Yeah, but I had never heard you say it. Does that mean I'm your girlfriend now?" He
knew she was just messing with him. "Fuck you", he said, laughing and pulling her closer by
the waist, making her laugh too.

"Well, that's your job as my boyfriend, isn't it?" She asked with lust in her eyes and a
smile that told him everything he needed to know. Next thing she knows she's being kissed
and passionately pushed against a table.

They made the most of that summer. They enjoyed it so much that their friends had some
difficulty being around them because of how in love and inseparable they were. Then, with
the end of the summer, it was a matter of time until Kiara left to Washington.

Kiara wasn't the only one to apply to college, but she was the only one to go that far. John B
opened his own boat repair and maintenance business while also doing some side work
related to long-lost treasures.

Sarah organized events and was PR for the second restaurant that Kiara's parents opened,
something more refined and sophisticated, perfect for Kooks' get-togethers, to which she no
longer attended.

Pope entered Arizona State University to get his degree in forensic science.

JJ was John B's partner in both his boat business and treasure research and also participated
in surfing competitions whenever possible.

Cleo stayed on the island helping Pope's father run his business.

JJ asked Sarah to help him organize a going away party for his girlfriend. Obviously, Sarah
being Sarah, accepted immediately. Not only did she adore Kiara, but she wouldn't turn down
an excuse to throw a party.

The party was going to be at the same place as Kiara's parents' wedding anniversary. Besides
being a very beautiful place, it was also a place that reminded them of love and the place
where Kiara told JJ that she loved him for the first time.

That said, it was a very special place for Kiara and her best friend took that into account.
When Cleo picked her up from her house with the excuse of going for a swim, she had no
idea what was about to happen.

"Why are we walking this much, Cleo? We could have went that way and we'd be
already at the beach", Kiara complained. "I want to take you somewhere different. I
found a place the other day when I was walking around with Pope", Cleo answered.

"Cleo, I know every corner of this island. I appreciate it, but I-", she was looking at Cleo,
so she didn't realize where they were until her friend stopped in her tracks and gave her a sly
smile. "What?", Kiara asked, frowning.

"Just look", Cleo answered and then looked straight ahead. Kiara followed her gaze and their
eyes didn't immediately process what they were seeing. "Surprise!", everyone
yelled. Everyone was there: John B, Sarah, Pope, his parents, Kiara's parents, some of their
friends and some people from the island - mostly frequent customers of The Wreck - who had
a special affection for her, the rebellious girl-woman of the island.

Kiara was a daughter of the island and it was hard to see her go, but everyone was proud of
her; that despite all the ups and downs, all the adventures that the Pogues had had in recent
years, she had managed to get into college on a course that she wanted and where she was
going to be very happy for sure.

"What is this?" She asked as she approached her friends. "It's a little something we threw
in your honor", Pope answered when she hugged him. "Because I'm leaving?" She asked
with teary eyes, leaning into John B when he affectionately put a arm around her shoulders
and pulled her close.

"You're a pain in the ass most of the time, but we'll miss you", Cleo said as she playfully
poked Kiara in her stomach. "You guys are the best. This was your doing, wasn't it?"
Kiara asked looking at her best friend.

Sarah shrugged her shoulders and gave a soft laugh. "Guilty. But it wasn't my idea to begin
with", she answered, giving her best friend the hint. Kiara was about to push the subject
further, but her parents approached her and hugged her, telling her how proud they were.

Pope's parents also congratulated and told her they always knew she was gonna do great
things in life. "This is great, really, but... Is everyone here already? I mean, is J-"

"Finally, I was getting worried that you wouldn't notice me missing. I was already
suffocating hiding in there", she heard a voice saying from behind. She knew who the
owner of that voice was; he was also the owner of her heart.

She turned back and her brown eyes met the blue eyes she admired most in the world. He had
that smug smile so characteristic of him and she responded with a smirk, heading towards
him at a hurried pace.

"Asshole", she muttered as she reached him. He smirked and pulled her close by the waist,
then kissed her. She put her arms around his neck and smiled into the kiss. When he broke the
kiss, she hugged him.

"I thought maybe you wouldn't come. I know we're good, but you're so against the idea
of me going to Washington that-", she started by saying but then stopped when he moved
away a little. "I'm not going to say I'm thrilled to see my girlfriend go to other side of the
United States, but I respect your decision. I'll support you no matter what. I love you,
Kie", he said.

"I love you too, J", she replied. "Ugh, come on, love birds. I didn't throw this party so
you two could stand in a corner making out", Sarah joked as she pulled her best friend by
the hand. JJ followed, holding Kiara's hand.

A week later, Kiara was on her way to Washington. JJ offered to take her to the airport, but
she refused, saying it would be too hard leaving with him looking at her. He didn't want her
to stay for him, so he accepted her request and stayed behind.

As the months passed, he missed her more and more. At first, although she was still getting
used to college and a brand new city, they spoke frequently and video called more than once
a week. Then, they only made video calls on the weekends.

Eventually, they stopped talking as often. He tried to distract himself from intrusive thoughts
by staying busy. Whenever Sarah needed strong arms to carry boxes for the events she
organized, he was the one she called.

When Pope's father and Cleo needed help with the business, he would go there to lend a
hand, since Pope was also away at college. He and Cleo were very supportive of each other.
Without Kiara, his best and favorite cheerleader, his desire to participate in surfing
competitions wasn't as great, but sometimes his friends would drag him there.

And of course, he spent most of his time with his longtime brother, John B. He was looking
forward to Thanksgiving, but his enthusiasm passed when Kiara called him to say she
wouldn't be able to make it.

She had exams to do and essays to deliver so she could go home for Christmas. And she did,
he just didn't know it yet. It was just a few days until Christmas and JJ was helping with
packages at Heyward's Seafood.

"I appreciate your help, JJ, but I can't say I'm not surprised to see you here. I thought
you'd be running into Kiara's arms by now", Heyward commented in a playful tone. JJ
exchanged glances with both Pope and Cleo, trying to figure out what Heyward meant.

"Dad, what do you mean? Kiara's still in Washington", Pope pointed out. "No son, I
know for a fact she's already back in the island. I stopped by The Wreck this morning
to deliver some products and Mike commented how glad he was to have his daughter
back", Hewyard replied.

"Did you know about this?" JJ asked Cleo, with an accusatory tone. "No, I didn't, I'm as
surprised as you", she answered. "Are you sure?" JJ asked, giving a step forward in her
direction. "Hey, back off, dude", Pope said as he stood between the two of them, a hand on
JJ's chest pushing him back slightly.

He stormed off. "JJ, where are you going? I'm sure she can explain", he heard Cleo yell,
but he kept walking. What do you mean she had already come back and hadn't said anything
to him? Not even a text.

In fact, it had been a few days since they had actually spoken to each other. Had he done
something? Was she ready to break up with him? Had she realized the life she could have that
he couldn't give her?

This whirlwind of questions inside his head only stopped when he arrived at her door, ready
to knock. But as soon as he raised his hand, the door opened and his girlfriend appeared in
front of him. "J!", she said enthusiastically when she saw him, a big smile on her face.
She immediately hugged him and walked out of the house, still with her arms around her
boyfriend's neck. He had questions to ask her, but that could wait; now the most important
thing was to have her in his arms, so he hugged her back tightly.

They pulled away and Kiara buried her hand in JJ's hair and gave him a peck, while he kept
her hand on his waist. "How long have you been back? Mr. Hewyard told me he was with
your father this morning and he mentioned it to him. You didn't tell me when you were
coming back", he said.

"Yeah, I'm sorry, I-", she replied, but didn't get to finish the sentence, because JJ's attention
drifted to the door opening again. He sees a tall boy, with black and fluffy hair, arms with
several tattoos. She turned around.

"Hey Kie, is everything okay?" He asked, approaching the couple. "Hm, yeah Graham,
everything's fine. I'll be inside in a moment", she replied. "Okay", he said with a smile and
turned around to enter the house.

"So that was the reason why you didn't tell me you were back?" JJ asked, now completely
away from her. "What? No, of course not! That's Graham, he's a friend from college.
He's english and he couldn't go-"

"Don't, Kie. I got the message", he said and then turned around to leave. "Will you listen to
me, please?" She pleaded, hand grabbing his arm. "I waited for you! But I should have
known that you would be dazzled by the city. You're a Kook, after all", he argumented,
an ironic smile in his face.

"Really, J? You know that's the worst thing you can call me", she said in a hurt voice. He
could apologize and pretend he didn't mean to hurt her, but the truth was he knew and that's
why he did it. If there was one thing Kiara was proud of was having renounced her Kook
roots and embraced her Pogue side.

Fifty percent of the blood that ran through her veins could be Kook blood, but she was Pogue
from head to toe, as if she had known nothing else all her life. Everytime JJ looked at Kiara,
he recognized that she was as Pogue as any of them, but his anger issues didn't disappear
overnight and seeing her in the presence of another guy made him feel provoked and
awakened something he hadn't feel in a long time; and he still didn't know very well how to
deal with his emotions and feelings.

"I can't do this right now", he said and walked away. She wanted to run after him and insist
until he let her explain, but she was as stubborn as she was a Pogue. He would come around,
he always did. This wasn't the first disagreement they had and it certainly wouldn't be the
last.

This time it was only harder because she had been away from him for three months and the
only thing she wanted to do during the brief time she was back at Outer Banks was to be
glued to her boyfriend, but his outbursts made it difficult.

Around dinner time, JJ showed up at Sarah and John B's house. He opened the door as if he
lived there - perhaps having the door unlocked all day wasn't the wisest move, especially
given that they lived in Outer Banks and it was one adventure happening after another - and
he soon came face to face with them: Sarah cooking and John B setting the table.

There were three seats at the table, almost as if they were already expecting him. He often
seeked for solace in their house; it was the closest thing he had ever had to a home. "We were
wondering when you were going to show up", John B said.

"That third seat is for me?" He asked, moved by the gesture of his friends. "Yeah, we
figured you'd come. I'm making lasagna", Sarah said. "My favorite", JJ muttered as he
gave a small smile. "Do you guys need any help?" He added.

"No, you can just sit. There's beer in the fridge", John B said. "Thanks", he replied and
proceeded to grab three beers and put them on the table. He sat down and John B did the
same after showing a bit of affection to Sarah who leaned into his touch, smiling.

"Here it is", Sarah said as she put the lasagna on the table. "It smells really good, Sarah", JJ
affirmed. "Thanks, JJ. Give me your plate", she said. After serving the lasagna, there is an
awkward moment of silence with Sarah and John B exchanging glances.

"You're strangely quiet", John B pointed out. "Yeah, just have a lot of my mind right
now", JJ said. "So I figure the conversation with Kiara didn't go well", Sarah spoke.
"How do you know I was with her?" He asked.

"Pope told us what happened at the Seafood. We assumed you went to talk to her and
we kinda expected you to drop by earlier. For a minute there, we thought you wouldn't
show up at all, that you guys had worked things out, whatever it is", John B answered.

"I went for a ride. For hours", JJ said. "Wanna tell us what happened? Aren't you happy
she's back? You have been so sad without her around, JJ", Sarah intervened. "Don't you
think I'm thrilled she's back? I've been missing her so much. But she didn't even bother
to tell me she was back. And now I know why", JJ said and then took a large piece of
lasagna to his mouth.

"Don't make assumptions, JJ", Sarah tried to put some sense into him. "Oh, so you knew
about that dick with the tattoos?" He asked in a tone of accusation. "I'm a bit lost here.
What are you two talking about?" John B asked.

"Your best friend is making assumptions and he didn't even let Kiara explain", she
answered, looking at John B. Then, she directed her gaze to JJ. "Why do you always have to
get angry with absolutely no reason?"

"Oh, so you think seeing my girlfriend with another dude is not reason enough?!" JJ
asked ironically, raising his tone. "JJ, please lower your voice", John B requested, but
neither him or Sarah were paying him any attention, because now the disagreement was
between both of them.

"She was not with another dude! And it you weren't so fucking dramatic, you would've
let her explain", Sarah stated. "Of course you'd think like that, you see a lot of yourself in
her, right? I mean, after all you cheated on John B", JJ muttered and took a sip of his beer.
"Fuck off, JJ! You're not going to mistreat me in my own house!", Sarah said,
absentmindedly placing her clenched hand on the table. "But did I lie though? And to think
that when he met you he was about to choose you over Kie", JJ replied, clearly getting on
her nerves.

Sarah stayed silent, looking at John B. "Of course you're not going to say a thing. You
always protect him and that's why he's like this, because he knows you'll have his back
no matter what", she said, disappointed, getting up from the table.

John B tried to grab his girlfriend's hand when she left, but she immediately pushed him
away. He looked at his best friend, leaning back in the chair, arms crossed and looking down,
like a child who knows he did wrong and is waiting for his father's reprimand.

"I don't know what the hell happened between you and Kie, I don't even really
understand what fight you just had with my girlfriend, but let's be clear: you won't do
it again. I love you, JJ. You are my best friend, my brother, my family. There was a time
when I was all you had and you were all I had and our bond is forever, but Sarah is in
my life and I plan for her to stay in it as long as she wants. I don't want to have to
choose between you. You know that I will always protect you, but sometimes you make
defending you almost impossible", JJ said.

John B got up and headed for the door, probably to go talk to Sarah, but he stopped and
turned back. "You know who also loves you? Kie. She's been loving you for a long time,
even when you made it hard, when you pushed her away. She never gave up on you and
in return you were the guy who broke into that prison her parents put her in and
brought her back, because that's who you are, a tough guy with a soft heart and who
loves her more than he wants to admit. If you keep lashing out on her, you'll lose her.
Think about it", he added and then turned around again and left.

After making up with John B, Sarah returned to the kitchen and saw JJ in an apron washing
the dishes, having cleared the table and swept the floor. "Here is a scene that I thought I
would never have the pleasure of witnessing in my life", she said in a playful tone and
leaned against the counter.

"You've already cooked. I thought the least I could do was wash the dishes", he replied,
focused on his task. "I guess that's your love language", she said. "What?" He asked as he
looked at her and frowned.

"Actions. That's how you tell the people you love you love them. John B said you were
always like that", she explained. He nodded and continued washing the dishes, in silence.
"Look, JJ... I don't want you to think you're not welcome here. Of course you are,
you're family, you can come anytime you feel like it. I know you and John B are each
other's families and I would never try to change that, I want us to get along too. And we
do, most of the times, but we'll argue with each other every now and then, because
that's just how it is. And because of that, I'll always be upfront with you and right now I
think you're being an idiot. She loves you and you know that", she added.

He sighed and turned off the tap. "Who is that guy?" He asked her, looking in her direction.
"That's something you'll need to ask her and then you need to actually listen to what she
has to say. Now move, go get your girl", she said, playfully bumping her hip with his.

He moved to the side and after a few seconds walked to the door. "Hm, I'm sorry for what I
said at dinner, I didn't mean it", he said after turning around to look at her, scratching his
neck. She looked at him and smiled.

"I know, JJ. It's fine. We're still friends. Now drag your ass to your girlfriend's house",
she said, making him laugh. And so he went. He couldn't deny that he was nervous. He was
great at finding problems, but not so great at solving them.

And even after everything he had been through in his life, saying sorry was still one of the
most difficult things to do, because it meant admitting he was wrong, it meant dealing with
his feelings and emotions and he was much better at pretending nothing was happening.

That was what drinking and smoking were for. But most of all, apologizing took him back
home, to the insane amount of times he apologized to his father for mistakes he didn't make,
but he did it anyway because deep down he was still that kid who just wanted his father's
approval and love, no matter what it cost.

The fact that Kiara accepted him with all the baggage he had meant the world to him and he
refused to lose her. When he arrived at the door, he hesitated to knock because it was already
late. Yes, he could have texted or called, but that only occurred to him as soon as he got there.

It was Kiara's father who opened the door. "JJ. To what do we owe the displeasure? It's
late, you should go home and sleep", he said, holding the door ajar. "Yeah, I know it's late
and I'm sorry for showing up like this, but I really need to talk to Kie", he replied.

He was used to the rudeness of his girlfriend's parents, so it was no longer difficult for him to
respond calmly, even when they mistreated him. "My daughter is already sleeping, so you
should try to talk to her tomorrow. Go home, JJ", Mr. Carrera reinforced the idea.

"JJ?" A female voice was heard behind the door. Kiara appeared at the door wearing an
oversized sweater - which he recognized as his - and some biker shorts, her hair in a messy
bun. "Can we talk? Please?" He asked as his hand scratched his own neck.

"Sure", she answered promptly. JJ didn't move, as Mike remained in the same place,
blocking his path. "Dad", Kiara said in a harsh tone. "It's late, Kie. You should get some
sleep", he advised her. Kiara snorted and pulled her boyfriend inside by the hand, taking him
to her room.

When they got there, an awkward silence filled the space. Kiara leaned against the edge of
the bed while JJ was leaning against the wall in front of her, the room only lit by the moon
outside and a small candle lit on the desk.

"Sorry 'bout my dad, you already know how he gets", she said, breaking the
silence. "Yeah, I expected nothing less", he replied, briefly looking at her. "J", she
whispered in a pleading tone. He looked at her and saw a lost look on her face.
He probably had it too. "I should've let you explain earlier. So... Do you wanna tell me
who that guy is?" He said. "He's a friend of mine from college. He's from England and
wasn't able to go home for Christmas, so I asked my parents if I could bring him with
me. It's just that, J. I swear it's nothing more. Which you would have known if you had
let me explain. Have I ever given you a reason to doubt me?" She explained.

"No. But did he have to look like that?" He asked. This was supposed to be a serious
moment and she didn't want to laugh, but seeing her boyfriend, that smug and confident son
of a bitch, being jealous of a guy because of his looks was so cute it was funny.

Of course she knew he wasn't as confident as he appeared and it was all because of the life he
had. In JJ's mind, if his own father didn't love him - at least, he didn't show it - how would
anyone else? John B loved him, but it was a different kind of love that JJ never doubted.

But regarding Kiara, he had a lot of reservations, that's why it took them so long to finally
admit how they felt for each other. Kiara loved him, loved him very much, loved him so
much that it almost hurt.

He glanced at her sideways when he heard her stifle a laugh. "Glad to know you find this
funny", he commented. She walked towards him and gave him her hand, intertwining their
fingers. "I love you, J. I've told you so many times. And I don't care what anybody has to
say, we're in this together. You don't have to worry about Graham, Pope, Rafe or
anyone else. It's just us and it'll always be just us", she said and then stroked his cheek
with her nose.

"Wait. What does Rafe has to do with anything?" He asked in surprise. She realized she
had said more than she should, but she didn't even flinch. "Kiara?" He gently tugged her
hand and stepped forward taking her with him, turning his head away.

She sighed and looked at him. "It was a meaningless thing, okay? It happened during my
Kook year when I was best friends with Sarah. It was just a fling, nothing more", she
explained. "With Rafe of all people? Seriously?"

Honestly, Kiara was expecting an explosive reaction, but considering recent events, he was
probably as tired of arguments as she was. Nonetheless, she felt his hand let go of hers and
his body trying to move away from hers, but she pulled him back and tightened her grip on
his hand.

"J. Please. We were never an item. It was nothing like what I had with Pope and much
less can it be compared to what I have with you", she said. He closed his eyes, exhaled and
rested his forehead against hers.

"I love you", he whispered, still with his eyes closed. "I love you too, you know I do", she
replied after also closing her eyes. They kissed and with his free hand he pulled her closer by
the small of her back.

She grabbed his neck and deepened the kiss. Absentmindedly, he took a step forward, which
prompted Kiara to walk backwards while kissing him until her legs hit the mattress. She
swayed, but he held her, not letting her fall on the bed.
She smiled into the kiss. "Are you actually refusing sex?" She asked, the sound of her voice
muffled by her boyfriend's lips. "Not in a million years, but I don't want to give your
parents another reason for them to hate me", he answered at the same time his hand
traveled under her sweater.

"I can be quiet", she said and then kissed his neck just below the jawline. "I much prefer it
when you're loud", he replied and then they both fell on the bed.

The next day, Kiara introduced Graham to her friends. They welcomed him as if he had
always been one of them, in the same way they did with her. Even JJ, with all his
reservations, ended up getting along with him.

Well, or cordially, at least, which made his girlfriend happy. And at the end of the day, that
was all he wanted to do for the rest of his life. On New Year's Eve, they organized a get-
together at Sarah and John B's house.

JJ and Kiara made the most of that night together, especially because hours later she was
already on a plane crossing the United States of America. They both made an effort to make
the long-distance relationship work and even started scheduling the same hours to make
video calls every week, apart from the messages and calls that took place whenever Kiara had
some free time.

When summer arrived, everyone was very excited to be able to be together again thanks to
the temporary return of Pope and Kiara. What she didn't imagine was that the group had
gained another member.

She wasn't a jealous person, or at least, that's how she liked to see herself, but it turns out that
the member in question was not only a female but also a more polite and less wild version of
her, something her friends forgot to mention.

Her name was Emily, she was a freelance reporter and she had arrived in Outer Banks a
month ago, with the intention of doing a photo report on the island about which she had heard
the most mind-blowing and fascinating things.

Her stay was only supposed to last two weeks, but on the first day she met Pope's father, who
introduced her to Cleo who, in turn, introduced her to Sarah, John B and JJ as she considered
them to be the best people to show her every corner of the island and tell her its best kept
secrets.

Because she is so adventurous, a characteristic common to all Pogues, she quickly became
friends with them and ended up falling in love with the island, which is why she decided to
stay indefinitely. However, Kiara only needed to spend 10 minutes with her to suspect that
the island wasn't the only thing she had fallen in love with.

They were all gathered at Kiara's parents' restaurant when she arrived. Pope had arrived the
day before. JJ got up immediately and went to hug her, not making a big fuss though, since
Mrs. Carrera was present.
He pulled her to the back table where everyone was and she was immediately swept away by
hugs from Sarah and Cleo, then Pope and John B. Finally, Emily stood up and JJ, still next to
his girlfriend, was very quick to introduce them to each other.

Kie's first thought was that she was as cute as she was coy, but she tried to push that thought
aside, mentally justifying herself with her more territorial side. She didn't want to lose her
friends to someone else, but deep down she knew that wasn't her biggest fear.

And ten minutes later, she was sure she had to make herself noticed, because she recognized
the way she looked at JJ; she recognized it because it was the way she looked at him too. She
couldn't blame her though, JJ was a sight to be seen.

But he was her sight to be seen. As soon as her friends started praising Emily's photography
talent, Kiara approached her boyfriend and hugged him from the side, to which he responded
by putting his arm around her and pulling her closer, both of them ignoring the attentive
looks from Mrs. Carrera.

She knew how childish this was, but when she noticed JJ's enthusiasm when talking about
Emily's photographs, she just wanted to mark her territory and at the same time try to figure
out if they were still on the same page; if time, distance and the appearance of a Kiara 2.0 on
the island hadn't changed what they had.

"You have to show her the photos you've been taking, Em. They're amazing, I'm sure
Kie will love it", Cleo said. Em? So they were on nickname basis already, huh? "Hm yeah, I
can show her some", Emily replied hesitantly, taking her camera out of her backpack.

It didn't surprise Kiara that fifty percent of the photos on her camera were of JJ. Those deep
blue eyes like the ocean looking straight at her. A photo of him in the middle of the sea, at
sunset. She continued to show the photos from that day and a feeling of uneasiness planted
itself inside Kiara.

Was there no one else with them on the beach at that time? Was someone else on the beach
with them, but not in the sea? Was someone else in the sea with them, but not close enough to
appear in the photos?

She knew the boyfriend she had. He would never cheat on her, JJ wasn't like that. And
besides, he was crazy about her. She knew that. It was clear as water. So why did she feel
anxious about everything that was happening?

She had arrived an hour ago and already felt like an intruder in her own group. But that was
her insecurities talking and she had to find a way to control herself. She was overwhelmed,
that's all. A good night's sleep and everything would seem better the next day.

JJ took her for motorcycle rides around the island, they went to the beach for a swim and of
course, without forgetting the romantic getaways that Kiara took to JJ's house - recovered,
rebuilt and remodeled with the help of John B.

During the first days, it felt like they were back in the honeymoon phase. The biggest
problem was when she got together with her friends. The camping night she had arranged
with Sarah and Cleo? Emily was there too.

The sibling dynamic she had with Pope and John B? Apparently now she was part of that
dynamic too. Everywhere Kiara looked, she was there. She tried to get along with her, mainly
because everyone said how similar they were - and maybe that was why they never managed
to get along - but she couldn't shake that feeling she had that she wanted more of JJ than she
let on.

How come no one else could see this? Why were they so enchanted with her that they didn't
see the obvious? She never said anything to anyone, obviously. But the night of the 4th of
July was the last straw.

They all agreed to go to The Wreck for dinner, since Kiara had promised her parents to give
them a hand due to the turnout that day. She was wearing an indigo denim short dress with
white all-star and her hair was mostly loose.

The first thing JJ did that night was compliment her, which surprised her in a good way,
because normally he didn't do that. At least, not in front of her, because behind her back it
was a different story: he was always bragging about his girlfriend's beauty.

She also wasn't in the habit of complimenting his appearance, they just weren't that type of
couple. They said "I love you" to each other without any problems and were proud to show
how happy they were whenever in each other's company, but they didn't feel the need to
constantly praise each other.

To tell the truth, it never bothered her, but she couldn't deny that it felt good, especially now
that Emily was part of their daily lives. It was strange the feeling Kiara had when she was
close to her, as if something primal awakened inside her; she never felt the need to claim
anyone's affection, but this time it was different, as if she wanted to show the whole world -
or Emily - that JJ was hers and she was JJ's.

Dinner went quite well, for a moment she even forgot that there were now seven of them and
not six, but afterwards it wasn't quite like that. When Kiara's father called her to help wait
tables, she noticed how Emily discreetly switched chairs to be next to JJ, how she was
constantly laughing at his jokes and touching him on the shoulder or arm.

It was as if she was a completely different person now that Kiara wasn't sitting at the table
with them, almost as if she knew Kie had already noticed her behavior towards JJ and wanted
to avoid being noticed.

What she probably hadn't realized yet was that Kiara had already caught her from the
beginning and she wasn't the kind of person to go down without a fight. When she returned to
the table, instead of sitting down, she positioned herself behind her boyfriend's chair and put
her arms around his neck, bending down and touching his cheeks.

He put his hands on her arms and gave her a soft kiss on the cheek. "So, are we ready to
go?" She asked, still clinging to her boyfriend. Everyone said yes, except Emily, who just
nodded and looked at her sideways.
Game on, Kiara thought. After leaving the restaurant, they sneaked into a Kook party, as they
were occupying the best spot on the island to watch the fireworks. After discovering that
treasure, they gained some respect from the Kooks, especially Sarah who had already been
one of them, so they didn't raise any problems in their presence, just making it clear that there
was still a barrier between them.

JJ muttered something like "as if we wanted to mix with you", but Kiara didn't let that
conversation go any further, immediately pulling his arm to go get a beer. The night was
being quite pleasant, but it only took a few minutes of gossiping with Sarah and Cleo for
Emily to approach JJ, taking advantage of his girlfriend's brief absence.

Although she was trying to remain calm, it was really starting to make her blood boil that no
one else saw - or at least pretended they didn't see - what was happening, Emily's constant
imposition on JJ. On one hand, she wanted to put an end to that joke as quickly as possible;
but on the other hand, Kiara wasn't going to give in, even if she had to swallow some frogs to
do so.

But one thing Kiara couldn't do was pretend that everything was fine, so she stayed away
from JJ, because she knew she wouldn't be able to act normally with Emily and she still
hadn't left his side. Tired of feeling like a fool, she took two cans of beer and walked away
from the crowd of young people, sitting down in a small free space on the sand, right next to
the sea.

As she was finishing her second beer, she felt someone standing next to her. "So here you
are", he said and then plopped down next to her. "It looks like it", she said in a dry response
and took the final sip of her beer.

"Kie, is everything okay?" He asked, carefully studying her facial expression. He was about
to put his hand in her hair when she moved to the right and buried the empty beer can in the
sand. "Everything's great", she answered in a tone that seemed everything but nice.

"Hey, what's wrong?" He asked, slightly leaning forward and reaching for her wrist, trying
to pull her closer. "I don't know, maybe the fact it took you about half an hour to notice
your girlfriend was missing", she quietly answered in a light and ironic tone as she slowly
moved away from his grip.

That reaction took him by surprise. "What? I thought you were with Sarah and Cleo! It
was only now that Pope and Cleo joined us while Sarah and John B went dancing that I
realized you weren't with them", he stated.

"Exactly. And please remind me who were you with?" She asked, playing with the ring of
the beer can that she had buried in the sand, not being in the mood to make eye contact with
her boyfriend. "With Em. What's your point?" He asked.

When she didn't answer, it didn't take him long to realize what was really her point. "Kie...",
he started in a playful tone, dragging her name, a smug smile appearing on his face. "Are you
jealous?" He asked, getting close to her, one hand on her belly, about to tickle her just to
mess with her.
"Me? Jealous? Of course not", she answered, trying to put an indignant look on her face as
she looked at him. "You definitely are", he said as if he was rejoicing in that fact. He
couldn't lie though: seeing her jealous made his heart feel funny.

He had already seen this side of her when John B and Sarah got closer, telling him he had to
choose between the two, but it was probably the only time she hinted at it. In truth, it was no
wonder that she had never put her claws out on a girl, because JJ didn't get along with anyone
other than Sarah and Cleo.

Every other girl on the island was a Kook and he had never looked in their direction twice;
not that they were interested anyway, because to everyone who didn't know him, he was
nothing more than an irresponsible stoner.

However, Kiara had always seen him beyond that cover and was his lifeline in some of his
worst moments. But now Emily had arrived and things had changed, because for the first
time she could see competition there and he laughed inwardly as he realized that such thing
had never crossed his mind.

Still, Emily could hardly be considered competition, because she couldn't hold a candle to
what he felt for Kiara and maybe it was time he let her know that. "Kie, c'mon. You can't be
serious. She's just a friend", he added, making an effort to remain serious for fear of pissing
her off even more by laughing.

"Well, I'm being fucking serious right now. Why do you think she stayed for almost two
months when the plan was to stay for just two weeks? It wasn't because of Sarah and
Cleo's friendship, nor John B's surfer hair nor Pope's charisma and you know that.
You're not going to lie to my face and say that you've never noticed the way she looks at
you or how she giggles every time you talk or how she's constantly touching you? And
the worst thing is that you fucking let her!", she blurted out in a voice louder than
expected.

He stifled a laugh and hugged her. "You look really cute right now, did you know that?"
He commented. She pushed him away. "Is this a joke for you?" She asked. "Kie", he said
and took her hands in his.

"She didn't stay for me. She stayed because she fell in love with the island. Can you
really blame her though? But yes, of course I noticed the way she looks at me or how
she giggles even when I don't tell a joke. And if you saw how much she tries to touch
me, then you also probably saw me kindly pushing her away, 'cause you know you're
the only girl who can touch me like that. I never talked about it because I thought I
didn't have to. She will never be competition for you. Honestly, neither her nor any
other girl. And you don't know because you weren't here, but I was constantly talking
about you. If she thinks she has some kind of chance with me, then she is completely
delusional", he told her.

She remained silent and looked at him, one eye half closed as if she was trying to understand
if he was being sincere or not. "C'mon, can I kiss you now, please?" He asked her,
smirking. "Yes", she answered after briefly looking up.
He pulled her towards him with one hand on her waist and the other lost in her hair. She
pushed herself onto him and put one hand in his hair and the other running up and over his
forearm. When he tried to enter her mouth with his tongue, not only she didn't hesitate but
gave him free passage.

"Can we join or you two are going to keep the heavy pda thing?" Pope asked. They
moved away from each other and when JJ looked up and saw Emily, a giant urge to laugh
came over him as he realized that Kiara had seen her walking towards them and that was the
reason behind that warm display of love and attraction.

"Funny", Kiara scoffed and their friends sat in the sand, preparing themselves to watch the
fireworks. JJ, still curling his lips trying to contain his laughter, put his arm around his
girlfriend and pulled her towards him and she leaned against his body and his heat.

A few weeks later, Emily went back home and it was like a weight was lifted off Kiara's
shoulders. She didn't think she was a bad person, maybe if they had met under other
circumstances they would have become great friends, but she couldn't say she wasn't relieved
to have her friends and her boyfriend back - not that she had ever lost them.

As the summer came to an end, Kiara returned to Washington. When she went back to
college, her relationship with JJ was at its best, probably the best it had ever been. But as
time passed, JJ felt Kiara slowly pushing him away, but not like the first time.

This time, it felt intentional, like she was making an effort to let him go. He wasn't wrong
though, it just wasn't for the reasons he thought it was. The truth is that Kiara had a love for
him that she couldn't explain and maybe that's why it cost her so much that she'd been lying
to him for a year.

Contrary to what she thought, it was becoming more difficult over time, not easier. The
weeks passed and it began to weigh on her conscience. Maybe the fact that she saw JJ so free
with someone other than her made her see things from a different perspective: he no longer
needed her, the barriers were overcome and maybe that was her role in his life.

However, when you loved someone like she loved JJ and like she knew he loved her, it was
hard to just let them go. By Christmas, she had the conversation she had been dreading for
the last months. "Are you gonna tell me why you've been acting so strange? You've
barely spoke to me since you went back to Washington and then you came back for
Christmas back and you kept avoiding me", he pointed out.

She had texted him before she left again for college, asking him to meet her. It was a
beautiful sunset, to contrast with the ugliness of the situation that was happening. "I know, I
know, and that's why I've asked you to meet me here today. I just...", she started.

"C'mon Kie, you know you can talk to me", he said as he held her hand. She could see the
tears wanting to fall from his eyes. She also knew the effort he was making to hold his
ground at that moment, when all he probably wanted to do was tell her what was on his mind,
but he didn't want to scare her away.
"Are you trying to break up with me?" He asked in a whisper that came out almost like a
crying. The first tear fell down his face and she hated herself for it. "No", she answered in a
faintly audible tone. "You're not being too convincing right now, Kie", he said and she
could feel how impatient he was getting.

She could feel the uneasiness. "We haven't been at our best and I know it's mostly my
fault", she replied. "We were doing so great, Kie. After that 4th of july, we improved so
much as a couple. Our relationship was thriving. But then you started to close me off
and I can't figure out why", he explained.

"There's a lot of things I want to say to you, but I can't find the right words", she said.
"We can make it through if you just tell me you still want this. Us", he replied, placing his
forehead against hers. She wanted to tell him yes, of course she still wanted them, it was the
thing she wanted most, that's why the lie had lasted for over a year.

But she had a lump in her throat that wouldn't let her speak. "I love you", was the only thing
she could say while the tears ran down her face. "I need to go or I'll be late for the
airport", she said after a while in that silence, giving a step back which meant leaving his
embrace.

"I can take you", he replied. "No, my parents want to take me and... Thanks, but there's
no need", she said and then started to walk away. She wasn't late nor would she be in the next
few hours, but she couldn't stand being the cause of his tears.

They didn't say it in words, they didn't break up with each other, but they both knew that was
a goodbye. The proof was that they slowly drifted apart until the day they stopped talking to
each other. Sarah and Cleo tried to understand with Kiara what had happened, where their
relationship had gone wrong, but she was always very evasive and used the five hundred
things she had to do at college as an excuse; Pope and John B tried to cheer JJ up as best they
could, but no one could take away those abandoned puppy eyes, only when he was under the
influence of alcohol or weed.

Two months later, on a long weekend, she went to Outer Banks to visit them. The first thing
she did was go to Sarah and John B's house, because it was his birthday, she thought that was
where everyone would be.

However, she was surprised when she saw neither his truck nor JJ's motorcycle. She rang the
doorbell anyway, but no one answered. So she went to the beach, but they weren't there
either. Then, she went to Pope's house and his mother told her that they were meeting at
Hewyard's and that was where she went.

But seeing Pope's mother looking so worried made her think that something was very wrong
in the whole situation. When she got there, she found them in the warehouse with maps
spread out on the floor and a cork board with photos hanging on it.

But only Cleo, Sarah and Pope were there. "What's up, guys?" She asked as she entered.
The three looked at her as if they were seeing a ghost. "Kie? What are you doing here?"
Sarah asked, kneeling on the floor in front of the maps and with a pen in her hand.
"I mean, it's John B's birthday, I thought I come and surprise him. Where is he
anyway?" She looked around the room. "Kie", she heard Pope call her. When she turned to
him, she saw his serious face and sad eyes.

She heard someone crying softly and turned her attention to Cleo, standing in front of the
corkboard with a dejected look, but the sound wasn't coming from her. She looked at her best
friend and saw her curled up in her own body.

She ran to her immediately. "Girl, what's wrong?" She asked while she hugged Sarah. She
didn't respond and continued to cry softly. Kiara looked up, still with her best friend in her
arms, and saw Pope and Cleo exchanging looks.

"For fuck's sake, will someone tell me what the hell is going on? Why aren't John B and
JJ here? Why is Sarah crying? Why are you guys looking at each other like that?" She
asked in a fit of impatience. "You really don't know?" Cleo asked.

"I'm going to pretend you didn't just ask me that, because if I knew, I wouldn't have
asked, don't you think?" She didn't mean to come off as rude, but she had the urge to
understand what was really happening.

"John B and JJ are missing. We haven't heard from them for days. We've already
spoken to some people on the island, but no one has any answers to give us", Sarah said
between sobbings. Kiara felt that time had stopped for a moment.

Sarah's words echoed in her head and she couldn't make sense of them. "They-How-What
do you mean they're missing? What-What happened?" Kiara asked, distressed. "They
went looking for some lost treasure, but it wasn't anything big. We even tried to
convince them to stay, because the money they are going to pay them is not worth the
trip, not after we got that gold. But they insisted that it was the adrenaline that kept
them going and that it was going to be something really cool. They should have been
back by now, it was only supposed to be a weekend. John B's last message to Sarah said
they had made it and were coming home. It's been days and there's no sign of them",
Cleo explained, leaning against Pope.

Kiara, still kneeling next to Sarah, took her phone from the back pocket of her shorts and
scrolled through the messages. She opened the conversation with JJ. It had been weeks since
they last spoke. Could it have been the last one ever and they didn't even know?

Those couldn't have been the last words they had said to each other, the universe couldn't be
that cruel. "Kie", Sarah called. Kiara snapped out of her trance and looked at her best
friend. "Yeah?" Kiara asked with a choked voice.

"What are you thinking?" She asked back. "Well, first of all, I'm wondering why the hell
nobody told me anything!" She answered as she stood up. "One of my best friends and
my-", and then she stopped. Her what?

They hadn't call it quits, but they weren't dating either. Was he back to be her best friend?
Nah, she couldn't go back to being best friends with the guy she was still hopelessly in love
with. "John B and JJ go missing and you don't bother to tell me?!" She asked, clearly
pissed off.

"We didn't want to upset you, Kie. Besides, we figured your parents would have told
you by now", Pope clarified. "My parents?" She scoffed. "Yeah, of course my parents
would tell me", she muttered to herself.

"Well, but now that you're here, we need to come up with a plan", Sarah said, a little bit
calmer now. "I have to go talk to my parents, but we'll all meet here again in an hour.
And bring supplies, because we won't go home until we find them and bring them
back", she stated.

They all nodded in agreement. Kia burst into her parents' restaurant. Her mom was behind the
counter and her dad was waiting tables. "When were you going to tell me that my best
friend and my boyfriend were missing? Or are you really going to look me in the eye
and say you didn't know?" She was taking no bullshit at this point.

"Honey, please don't make a scene in front of the customers", her mother said with a
smile. "I don't care about the customers! I want you to explain it to me!" She yelled. Her
father gently dragged her to the storage room and her mother followed behind, apologizing to
the customers with a smile on her face.

"We didn't want to distract you from your studies, Kie. And we are sure they will
appear sooner or later, that's how you all are, always have been", her mother said. "And
what are you doing here anyway? Shouldn't you be in Washington?" Her father asked.

"You know what? I'm done. I'm not going back to Washington. I can finish college here.
Or rather, I might not even finish college! I will do what I want. And I don't care what
you say or what you don't do, I can support myself", she said and then started walking
away.

"Kie, where are you going?" Her father yelled from afar. "To get my fucking life back.
Don't wait up", she answered, turning back momentarily and shrugging her shoulders with a
smile.

They came up with a plan. They put the plan into practice. They followed the plan to the
letter.

And the plan led them to a dead end. When they returned to the island, defeated and
desolated that the plan had been a total failure, they thought they were having a hallucination
caused by lack of sleep when they saw two boys, one tanned - and dirty too - and with brown
hair and the other with shaggy blonde hair - and dirty too, who looked a lot like John B and
JJ.

They were sitting on the hood of John B's truck. "Guys, is it me or those two look a lot like
John B and JJ?" Cleo asked, frowning and narrowing her eyes. "That sure looks a lot like
John B's truck", Pope commented.
"I think we all just need a few hours of sleep", Sarah stated, with the certainty their minds
were just playing tricks on them. Kiara looked down at her printed button up shirt and denim
shorts. "Yeah, and probably a shower too", she said as she sniffed her armpit in disgust.

As they got closer and the image became clearer, they stopped in their tracks at almost the
same time, Sarah and Kiara in front and Pope and Cleo behind. "Guys", Cleo mumbled,
wanting to say something, but unable to put it into words.

However, the three friends who went on her in that adventure knew exactly what she meant.
"Finally! Where the hell have you all been?" The guy who looked a lot like John B spoke,
still leaning into his truck with his arms folded.

Sarah didn't know whether to cry, laugh, or both. That was definitely her boyfriend, eyes
don't lie and she could recognize that voice in any corner of the world. She had a relieved
smile on her face, but tears were streaming down her cheeks.

As soon as JJ saw her run towards John B, he moved away from the truck and just in time,
because as soon as Sarah hugged John B, who hugged her back very tightly and also with a
smile on his face and a sparkle in his eyes, they rolled around on the hood until they both fell
onto the grass and burst into laughter.

Pope and Cleo also cried with relief and happiness and lay down on top of Sarah and John B.
"Where the hell have you been?" Kiara heard Pope ask, but it was as if he was very far
away. She and JJ stare at each other.

Tears begin to stream down her face while a smile forms on her lips, the sound of laughter in
the middle of sobbing echoes. His eyes were watery and a small smile showed itself. At the
same time, they began to walk quickly towards each other until they threw themselves into
each other's arms.

Kiara is sure that she has never given a hug so tight, but she has also never received one that
made her feel so at home and so safe. He was there, he was fine, he was alive. She was not a
religious person, but in the last few days she had prayed a lot, because the idea of never
seeing him again was inconceivable.

And she didn't know it yet, but she had been the light at the end of the tunnel in his most
difficult hours. They hugged each other in silence for long minutes, but when they pulled
away, it seemed like only a fraction of a second had passed.

"Don't ever do that again", she said in a distressed whisper with a warning tone. He just
nodded. She hugged him again. "I thought I lost you", she said. "I thought I lost you too",
he replied after wrapping both of his arms around her.

She pulled back just a little and cupped his face. "I wanna know everything that happened,
but first I need to tell you something", she said. "What are you even doing here? Weren't
you supposed to be in Washington?" He asked, curious.

They were in their bubble and so they didn't notice the audience, but they were under the
watchful eye of Pope and Cleo - the most gossipy couple on the island - and John B and
Sarah, who although they were trying to make up for lost time, never stopped rooting for
their best friends.

"I'm not going back there, J. I'll transfer or whatever, but I'm not going back. I... I kept
pushing you away because I couldn't keep lying to you. The reason I went to
Washington... My parents said that if I went, they'd support our relationship. Now I see
that it was all a scheme of theirs, because they knew that it would drive us apart,
whether it was because of the distance or because of my inability to lie to you. And I let
that happen, I walked away. I'm fine if they don't want us together, I don't care about
that, not after they put me in that hell and you were the only one who cared enough to
go look for me. You're everything I want, but I know it's important to you, so I went
and now I've ruined ev-"

He also cupped her face. "Kie. You're important to me. The most important. I don't need
their blessing, I thought you needed it, that's why it seemed important to me. And you
didn't ruin anything, you could never, even if you tried really hard. I love you", he said,
smiling and pulling her face close to his.

"I love you too", she replied, a big smile on her face, and then gave him a peck. "It's just us
from here on out", he said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Just us", she whispered
as she slightly nodded.

"What about us?" John B asked as he jumped on top of them. "Come here, asshole", she
said, laughing. "Happy belated birthday, John B", she added as she hugged him.
End Notes

any kuddo and/or comment is very welcome 🥰

if you have any ship and song request, let me know 😘 see u next time

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