JJ's POV:

I drove out of the neighborhood and then I had to pull over because I was crying so hard. This is the reason I never wanted to fall in love. I pulled myself together and I drove back to the Outer Banks. I got back really late and I texted Kie.

JJ: I just got back to the OBX. I hope you're sleeping as it's late

She responded within seconds and of course, she wasn't asleep.

Kie: I'm glad you made it home safe. I hope you can get some sleep. Remember, you're safe now in that house. He isn't here to hurt you anymore

She knows me so well. But I wasn't home. The OBX isn't home. Florida isn't home. Kie is. I'll never be home again.

JJ: Thank you, Kie... You know me better than anyone else. Get some sleep

I got some sleep and unpacked the next morning. I spent the day laying in bed and then I drove to the Carrera's house. I knocked on the door and Anna opened the door.

"JJ, hi" She said pulling me into a hug

"Hi, is Mike here?" I asked

"Yeah, is everything okay? Where is Kie?"

"She's fine, she's in Florida"

Mike came over to the door and he hugged me and asked, "How have you been?"

"I know you guys are being nice, but I just came here to let you know that Kie and I broke up and I think that she could really use a visit from your guys" I said fighting back the tears

"What happened?" Anna asked with sympathy

"She wants a baby and I don't and she deserves to find someone who can give her a baby" I told them

Mike pulled me into a hug and he said, "That's not an easy thing to do... How have you been holding up?"

"It just happened yesterday, doesn't feel real"

Anna hugged me and said, "I'm going to go back a bag for Florida to be with Kie. Mike, you stay here and take care off JJ"

Anna went upstairs and Mike and I sat out on the porch and he didn't ask questions. He just sat with me and let me talk. I told him about how I didn't want kids and how good Kie was with Maddie.

I took Anna to the airport and I dropped her off and I said, "Please make sure she's okay and I am so sorry for breaking your daughter's heart"

Anna looked at me and said, "You have nothing to be sorry for. It's not your fault and it's not hers either... It was a mutual break-up. I'll go make sure our girl's okay"

She hugged me and then she went inside the airport. I drove back to my dad's.. my house and Mike was waiting for me.

"JJ, come move back in with us and I'll help you fix this place up. It needs a lot of work, the water and electricity is off. I can't let you live here like this"

"Mike, I appreciate it but I'm not dating your daughter anymore. You don't need to be nice to me anymore"

"JJ, I know you this before... You are like a son to me and that doesn't just go away"

After we talked for a bit and I told Mike that he needed to ask Kiara if I could stay here temporarily until the shack was livable. Mike made a phone call and he came back with the phone speaker and it was Kie.

"JJ, I don't want you living in the shack if there is no water, electricity, and holes to the outside. Stay at my parent's house until it's fixed up, please. I don't want to worry about you"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure" She said

"Okay, thank you"

"Bye, Jayge" She said hanging up the phone

I packed a few bags in my truck and just so we're clear, I tried to give Mike back the keys but he wouldn't accept them. I don't know why they were being so nice when I'm the reason their daughter is single and childless. I went back to the house on figure eight, the place that I called home in high school.

I brought my bags into the guest room upstairs and Mike said he was grilling steaks for dinner. Anna texted me and Mike a few hours later and let us know she was with Kie.

The hardest thing for me over the next week was going no contact. Every day I wanted to pick up my phone and text or call Kie. I missed her and I didn't know what to do with myself. I started working on the house by just making a list of everything I wanted to do and the cost. I picked up some shifts at the Wreck to earn some money in the meantime.

Almost every night, I had dinner with Mike and Anna. It's weird eating dinner with my ex-girlfriend's parents but they insisted on it and so did Kie. I went with it for now while I worked on the house. I didn't want to work for an electric company because the hours suck and so does the pay. I started putting up signs with my information to start my own business. I'd make more money that way and get to pick my own hours.

I texted John B and Pope to let them know how things went with Kie.

JJ: Well, Kie wasn't pregnant but we broke up. I'm back in the Outer Banks fixing up the shack

John B: Why'd you break up if she wasn't pregnant?

JJ: Because when we saw the negative test, she was sad and I was happy. She wants kids, bro and I don't want to be the one to stop her from being a mom

Pope: Why don't you want kids? It's Kie, you love her

JJ: It's complicated and I'm not talking about it

John B: We're here for you if you need anything

Pope: Yeah, this is your first real heartbreak

John B: Whatever you do, do NOT and I repeat do NOT start hooking up with random girls. It's not going to help the situation and the last thing you want to do is get one of them pregnant

Pope: Yeah, if you're going to accidentally get anyone pregnant it better be Kie

JJ: I won't, don't worry

JJ: I'm done with all the girls and parties. The only girl I'll ever want is Kie

John B: So then compromise and give her a baby

Pope: That isn't a compromise

John B: Like I said before, happy wife happy life

Pope: Kie isn't his wife

John B: She should be, they love each other

Pope: Sometimes love isn't enough

John B: Well it should be

John B: Because if JJ and Kie broke up then I don't believe in love anymore

John B: I never thought that I would be jealous of JJ's love life

John B: He got the family he never had, he got to go to college, he got a nice new shiny truck, and he got the girl

Pope: Dude, you've got a pretty sweet gig. You're in Mexico for work for five months

Pope: And he doesn't have the girl anymore

John B: Pope, you're not helping

John B: JJ, I promise everything is going to be okay

Pope: Statistically speaking

John B: Don't say another word Pope

* JJ has left the chat

I got annoyed listening to John B and Pope talk about it so I left the group chat and within a few minutes, I had been added back. It was more of a joke but I told them I didn't want to talk about it anymore.

JJ: You both suck

John B: Love you, brother

Pope: What he said

JJ: Love you guys too, thanks for being here for me

Pope: We always have your back

John B: But now that Kie's single, can I hit her up?

Pope: I called dibs

JJ: Fuck off, both of you

John B: Relax, I was just kidding

Pope: Yeah, sure you were

I put my phone away and went to bed. I was so exhausted.