Kie went home that day not being able to focus on anything but JJ.  She could tell what he was thinking when he looked at her. They both knew this wasn't over.

Pope and Sarah were at the chateau, sitting outside on the porch. John b had went to go to the bathroom, and JJ was getting the fire ready.

"Pope" Sarah says, breaking the silence. "Do you know what's going on with JJ and kie" she asked, determined to get to the bottom of this once and for all.

"Okay so it's not just me?" He asked, agreeing. He leaned over to have the secret conversation.

"Like. Do you think they're, a thing, or something?" she asked,  beginning to smile at the irony.

"No no. There's no way." Pope said, trying to convince himself. "JJ would never do that to me"

"You're probably right." She said, upset with the unresolved issue. "They're still being weird tho."

"Yea" Pope says as John b walks back outside. Pope couldn't stop thinking about what Sarah had said. He knew JJ and kie had been acting insanely weird almost all month. He knew his best friends couldn't stab him in the back like that though. At least.. he hoped.

Once JJ got the fire ready, the rest of the pouges joined him.

They sat by the fire as the night continued to grow darker.

"Pope, you need another beer man?" JJ asks a little while later, shifting his body towards the house.

"Uhh yea, I'll come with you" pope said, beginning to follow him to the porch

They get their beers and on the way back, Pope brings JJ to the side.

"Hey man.. sorry to even ask you this but.. there's nothing like" Pope paused. "Going on.. with you and kie, is there?"

"What?" JJ asked, playing it off well. He was caught of guard by popes threatening tone.

"Yea, y'all just have been acting strange lately, you know?" Pope says, trying to get JJ to confess

"Nah bro" JJ lies while cracking open his beer and taking a sip. "There's nothin going.   Seriously." JJ said, desperately trying to play it off cool. Pope could never find out.

"Okay man" Pope said, patting his shoulder. "Just checkin"

"Yea man, we're good" JJ says confidently, walking down the steps, ignoring the fact that that conversation even just happened.

Pope believed JJ. He was still suspicious, but, took his word. He didn't think his best friend would do that to him anyways.

They return to the fire, JJ now uneasy. Pope would occasionally stare at JJ, making him nervous. Anytime they'd make eye contact, JJ would nervously look away.

This only made Pope more suspicious, but he decided to ignore it. John b saw what was going on. He didn't know what to say. He hadn't told anyone yet, not even Sarah. Their secret was safe with him.

It was the weekend now and kie finally found an excuse to slip away from home, back to the chateau. JJ was relieved that she'd be able to hang out for the weekend. He hated knowing that she was home alone and in trouble because of him.

John b and Pope started making the fire, while JJ, kie, and Sarah sat around the hammock. Kie and Sarah were in the hammock while JJ sat on a stump next to them.

They all sat there making casual conversation, joking around, laughing, and just having a good time while they waited for the fire to be lit, and for the sun to go down more.

As the sun began to set, Sarah got up to join John b and Pope by the fire. JJ stood up soon after, beginning to follow her.

"Kie you comin?" He asks, holding his hand out to help her out of the hammock, his beer in the other hand.

She looks up at him and smiles. She then takes his hand and allows him to help her.

Once she's out of the hammock, JJ still held on to her fingers gently as they brought their arms down. He let go as soon as they started walking.  He held onto her hand longer than he should have though. It was weird to Kie. She didn't know why he had held on for so long. He was all so confusing to her. She wanted to figure him out so badly, but couldn't.

They walk to the fire place together, laughing at something dumb JJ had said. Pope stared at them. He couldn't stop noticing them ever sense Sarah had said something. There's no way JJ could look him in the eye and lie to him like that. Pope started to get kind of angry.

They stayed by the fire for a couple more hours. The whole time, JJ jokingly picking on Kie like he used to.  They sat across from each other, the light from the fire brightening their faces. JJs eyes sparkling anytime she talked. He was always so fascinated in what she had to say. He loved talking and joking around with her. Pope noticed it all. Sarah just thought it was sweet. But it pissed Pope off.

JJ was the first to get tired. The new school schedule made him get tired earlier. He didn't want to miss out on the fun though, so he stayed out there, half asleep, leaning against a post.

Pope soon got tired of seeing the way Kiara was looking at JJ, so he went to the hammock to calm down. John b left at the same time to take a piss in the woods.

"Okay." Kie said, putting her beer down.  "I'm calling it a night.  I'm tired"

Her voice woke JJ up from almost falling asleep. He watched her, not able to stop a small, proud grin from appearing on his face as she walked inside.

"Boyy, you're down bad aren't ya" Sarah teased after noticing the way he was looking at her. She giggled seeing his tired, buzzed head quickly bobbing down as he tried to hide his uncontrollable smile. His thumb on his forehead as he casually tried to hide his face. He still stood leaned against the post with his arms crossed. He didn't say anything because he knew she was right. He would not confirm or deny her accusation.

She gasped "You aree aren't you" she asked while lightly laughing, shocked that she finally figured them out.

He just began to chuckle through his nose with her. his body shaking with his laugh, knowing his defeat.

Seeing him laugh made her laugh even more. She knew she was right. She had known there was something happening since the beginning. She was shocked to see JJ not get defensive of his feelings. It was so strange to see "tough guy" JJ start blushing over a girl. Especially Kie. It finally all made sense to her now. She found it all very ironic and JJ knew she did. This made them laugh harder. He occasionally looked up at Sarah, and quickly looking back down laughing and cringing at the fact that someone knew. His laughter said it all. Never making a noise other than laughing through his breath.  Sarah hadn't heard genuine uncontrollable laughter from JJ in a while, and she was relieved to hear it. She knew it was good for him.

"Hey guys, what's so funny?" John b asked, walking back up to the fire.

JJ continued to look at the ground smiling, slowly holding back his laughter.

"Ohh nothing, just a dumb joke" Sarah said, smiling and looking at JJ. She didn't want to ruin his happiness by making it complicated with John b.

A few minutes later, JJ slowly started to fall back to sleep. The small blushing grin still never left his face. He snapped back up and looked around. He needed to go to bed.

"Ight guys I'm out" he groans tiredly, shuffling his way around the fire. His eyes tired but happy. Knowing that at least one person was okay with him and kie, made him feel very comfortable.

"Byeee  jayyy" "goodnight JJ" Sarah and John b said almost at the same time, as he walked inside giving them a final wave from behind. Sarah looked at him smiling, knowing that she exposed his secret.

He shuffled his tired, buzzed body down the hall into the guest bedroom where he knew kie would be. She layed on the bed sitting up, leaned against the back board while on her phone. She looked up and saw JJ sneak into the room, smiling. He slightly closed the door behind him and scooted closer to the bed.

"What are you doing JJ?" she asked, laughing at his antics and noticing the goofy, love struck face he was making as he crawled onto the bed, making his way over to her.

He looked down, trying his best to hide his smile, but he couldn't stop it. He slowly crawled over on top of her and layed down, his head resting on her chest, his boots still on. The top of his head just below her collarbone. His big arms tucked into the side of her body as he held onto her like a giant stuffed animal.

"JJ" she said laughing, not knowing where to put her arms. She had no idea what was going on.
  "What are you doing, they're gonna seee." She Said, paranoid but still laughing. The biggest smile was on her face.

He adjust his head, rubbing the side of his face into her soft skin.

"Mnm, no one ever comes in here." He says tiredly and confident. He was so happy just to be holding her.

"JJ" she laughed "but what if-" Kie says while placing her hand on his eye to open it, making sure he doesn't fall asleep.

"Kie." He says, lifting and turning his head so that he is now directly looking her in the face. He uses his upper arms to slightly lift himself up to be at eye level.

"They don't even care" he said, smiling tiredly, looking at her with his droopy eyes. He remembered his talk with Sarah. She didn't care. If anything she was happy for them, and that made him feel good. At least not everyone would hate him.

Kie looked at him sarcastically with an uncontrollable smile. She put her hand on his head to let him know to lay back down. He smiled, letting out a small laugh through his nose and put his head back down on her chest.

She ran her fingers through his hair, making him feel safe and wanted. He hadn't felt that in a while. He was genuinely happy for the first time in forever. She soothed him back to sleep and was about to close her eyes too. But she took her time admiring his happy sleeping face.

She was beyond confused to say the least, but she didn't care. All she knew in that moment was how happy he made her. She held onto him, not knowing what they were or why he felt so comfortable doing this all the sudden.

Sarah and John b came inside shortly after this. John b made his way to his room and Sarah followed him. She didn't see JJ on the couch which was where he normally slept when Kie was over. When walking past their door, she saw a glimpse inside and stopped. She went back to get a better look, smiling at its wholesomeness. She was happy to see him doing this. She knew it had to of been difficult on him to figure out his feelings for her.

John b turned around to see what she was looking at.

"What are you doing?" He asked, confused as to why she was snooping. He walked over to her, trying to see what she was starring at.

"no it's nothing" she said, gently pushing him back in the right direction.

He slides past her anyways, making his way to their door to get a look. Sarah stands there knowing there's nothing she can do now. 

John b looked through the crack in the door and paused.

He chuckled, quoting JJs "nothing" as he walked away, laughing in disappointment -and shaking his head. "That's not nothing" he says to Sarah as he walked past her towards the room.

Sarah frowned, noticing that John b wasn't happy about it.

"Wait what's wrong?" she asked, confused as she followed him into the room.

John b told her what happened that night at the party. What he saw. He told her what JJ had said about them. How JJ told him that it was "nothing".

John b was clearly mad and sarah tried to calm him down and convince him that it was okay. She was shocked.

Meanwhile, Pope laid on the hammock replaying everything Kie and JJ had done in his head. It made him jealous and mad. He thought maybe he was just making things up in his head. So He wanted to go confirm that there was nothing going on between them again. He wanted to talk with JJ one more time.

He went inside and walked into the room that JJ and kie were in. The last thing he expected to see.. was what he saw. Kie looked up, her other hand still stroking JJs hair.

"What the hell!" Pope yelled, his eyes wide.

"No- Pope!" She said, Trying stop him from leaving. The guilt rushing through her body as he storms out the door.  She paused, wanting to chase after him but was trapped by JJs heavy body.

JJ quickly woke up due to the noise.

"What.. what happened?" He frantically asked, lifting him self up to look at her.

"Pope" she said, gesturing to the now open door. She knew that she hurt her friend.

JJ turned his head and saw the door wide open and heard the back door slamming, knowing it was Pope going outside. He knew he fucked up. He let out a sigh, disappointed in himself as he bobbed his head down. He quickly got off of Kie and quickly started walking out of the house, following him. They both knew they had messed up for real this time.

JJ ran to open the door and kept it open for Kie who was following right behind him.

"Pope!" "POPE!" He yelled, trying to get him to stop. He continued to chase after him.

"WHAT?!" Pope yelled, turning around. His jaw clinched.

They both stopped and starred at each other.

"HOW COULD YOU LOOK ME IN THE EYE AND LIE TO ME JJ!" Pope yelled while walking up to JJ.

"Pope it's not like that man" JJ said defensively.

"You told me there was nothing going on with you and kie!" He yelled. Angrier than ever. "I mean what the hell even are y'all JJ?!" " Are y'all dating? Are y'all fucking?" He pauses. "I mean seriously what are y'all!"

JJ looked back at Kie who was almost in tears. He had no clue what they were.

"Pope! Listen man, I didn't mean t-" JJ starts

"You lied to me. JJ. You're my best friend. How could you do this to me bro. You KNOW I like her!" He said, silencing JJ "but I mean honestly I shouldn't be surprised right?"

"What's that supposed to mean" JJ said, briefly closing his eyes, almost sadly.

"I mean take a look at where your from JJ." Pope paused, looking into to JJs eyes as his heart dropped. "God you really are just like your dad."

JJ stood there devastated by what he just heard his friend say. His heart shattered into a million pieces. Normally he would pound someone to the ground for comparing him to his dad. But he felt bad enough for lying to him.

"Pope." Kiara said from behind JJ. She was so Shocked that he would even go there. They all knew what that did to him.

"What Kiara?!" He paused, waiting for an answer "It's true."

Kie looked at him with disgust for saying that.

"And what are you doin huh!?" His focus now on Kie. "What? you just HAD to cross JJ of the list too didn't you ?!" Pope said, scolding her as he begins to get closer.

JJ grabs him aggressively by the shirt, holding him close to his face.

"You watch your mouth man." JJ said calmly but firmly, looking him in the eyes, his jaw clinched

"JJ!" Kie warned, not wanting him to hurt Pope.

JJ hears her and let's go, pushing him back.

"Oh now you're gonna go and get all protective over her like she's your fucking property?" Pope said, mad at the fact that he just got aggressive with him. "Fuck this shit man" Pope scoffed as he walked away to calm down.

JJ turned around and looked at Kie. Her face covered in tears. JJ stayed there, processing what just happened. He turned around and walked passed kie, pausing to wipe her tears away with his hand, before continuing up the steps.

"Go get some sleep" he said opening the door and holding it for her to walk inside.

She hesitantly made her way in the door. JJ didn't follow her inside though. She went back to the guest room and laid on the bed, trying to stop crying.

JJ soon came back into the room quickly and quietly, smelling a little like weed now. She stood up and met him in the middle of the room. He wiped away her tears on both sides of her face with his hands. The rings on each of his fingers making it difficult.

He looked into her eyes as he cleared the water off her cheeks.

"It's gonna be okay, alright?" He said as he pulled her in, kissing her on the top of the head. She looked up at him and smiled, tears beginning to pour out of her puppy dog eyes again. He pulls her in again with his big arms wrapped around her neck, giving her A tight, comforting hug.

He looked at her one more time, reassuring that everything will be okay, before he leaves quickly.

After that, she managed to get some sleep. She practically cried herself to sleep though. She felt so guilty.

JJ went out on the hammock, thinking about what he did and what Pope said. His heart hurt. Maybe he was acting like his dad. The thought of that made him angry at himself. He craved those minutes with Kie. He wanted nothing more than to be back in her embrace. He didn't fall back asleep for another hour and a half.

The next morning, Kie and JJ were kind of awkward. Not only did They feel guilty for getting caught, but they also hadn't talked about their relationship at all. They had no idea what they were or what any of it meant. Pope had disappeared that night and hadn't come back yet.

Sarah smirked at JJ, thinking he'd have the same "excepting defeat" attitude as he had last night. He didn't though. He just looked at her guilty. She was confused. She thought everything was fine. Did something happen?

"hey where's Pope?" John b asked the whole group.

Kie and JJ quickly looked at each other. Guilt all over their faces. They looked away fast, hoping no one would see.

" uhh, I don't know" JJ said in his lying voice "he's probably just, yk, being weird Pope". He said while dodging John bs eye contact.

"Hmph" John b said suspiciously. Kie nodding along awkwardly to his lie.

John b tried to work past his anger towards JJ. But it wasn't working to well.

John b went outside to go get the HMS ready. JJ not knowing that he had saw them last night, followed him out there to help. John b was annoyed by his ignorance. JJ was walking around acting like nothing happened.

JJ kept trying to make jokes but John b didn't even bother to humor him.

"Dude why are you in such a bad mood?" JJ asked, noticing his angry face. JJ was trying so hard to act casual in front of him.

"Nothing?" John b asked, calling him out. "You and kie are nothing, huh?"

"Yea man I told you, we-" JJ said quickly,  trying his hardest to stay calm.

"It didn't look like nothing last night dude!" He said, starring into JJs eyes that were now beginning to know what he was talking about. "Yea. I saw that"

Sarah walked out onto the porch after noticing the boys were getting heated.

"Listen man, it's not what you think , ok? I promise. It's not like that." JJ said, his hands up by his shoulders while trying to convince him. He didn't even really mean to lie, he just panicked.

" JJ cut the shit man!" John b said, beginning to get louder. " I walked in on you guys at the party. Ok. And you told me it was nothing, and that y'all were both just drunk, right!?"

"Yea. Bro. It was nothin" JJ said, innocently agreeing to his statement

"Then what the hell was that last night. Because if it means nothing to you then it sure as hell looks like you're taking advantage of her!" John b said, getting defensive over his friend.

"What?" JJ said, insulted by his accusation.

"John b" Sarah said, stepping in. She didn't want him to cross that line, especially knowing that that wasn't the truth.

"If it meant nothing to you, then y'all need to stop fucking!!" John b said. He was over his shit

"We're not fucking!!" JJ yelled back.

"Then what the hell are y'all!" John b asked, his voice still aggressive.

"We're.." he tried to think of a better word, and was disappointed when all he could get out was "Nothing.." JJ said, still trying to defend him self. 

"Nothing?!" John b yelled, passive aggressively. He knew that if they were nothing then JJ was taking advantage of her.

"We are nothing!" JJ yelled back.

"If y'all are nothing, then what the fuck happened last night. JJ?" He said again, after never receiving an answer "you're telling me that that was nothing." John b began to get angrier at JJ for not confessing.

"Yess! How many times do I have to tell you! It was nothing!" JJ said, his voice getting higher as he desperately lied.

"jj." Sarah said, wanting him to stop lying all ready so that the situation didn't progress.

JJ looked at Sarah, and panicked. He tried silencing her with his eyes.

"What the hell is going on! What are you guys hiding from me!" John b yelled as he saw their exchange.

"FINE!" JJ yelled. He was tired of getting interrogated. "OK.  ITS NOT NOTHING. JOHN B. It's-" he paused and turned around, beginning to pace a little. His hands rapidly running through his hair as he thought.

"What.! What is it then!" John b yells over him

"It's- it's I don't know. It's like-" he paused, trying to think. "It-"

"Love." Sarah said, smiling. "It's love" she said innocently smiling , looking over at John b.  She was clearly the only one who knew what was going on.

JJ looked up at her and froze.  His eyes wide.

John b froze too until finally realizing it.

"Ohhh my god.  you do don't you." He said, beginning to smile at his emotionally stunted best friend. "You're in love with Kie." He said beginning to laugh at the fact he didn't notice it earlier.

"Woah woah woah woah, wait hold on. no. No.  I never said that." JJ said as he frantically tried to get them to listen.

"JJ it's all right man." John b said, teasing him. Him and Sarah both found it funny how panicky he was getting . "You're in looOoveee" he teased, trying to remind him just to make him more uncomfortable.

"NO I'm NOT!" He barked as he got more and more nervous. "I never said that bro. Shut up."

"JJ" John b said, about to tease him again.

"SHUT UP!" JJ yelled louder than they expected him to. John b chills out after realizing it's not funny to him. He was seriously struggling with this.
"I gotta go." JJ said, calmer as he walked away heading to the road, while holding his fist up to his chest. His breathing got heavy. His head spinning.

John b and Sarah looked at each other, pitying JJ.  They walk back up the steps, both laughing.

They meet up with Kie who was loading up the cooler with beers inside. John b and Sarah go in to help her. 

Kie looked around casually. "Where's JJ" she asked, not knowing what had just happened.

"Uhh well." He paused "JJ left because he doesn't love you" john b said jokingly but serious. Sarah began to laugh.

"Um. What?" Kie said, twitching her face sarcastically at the comment.

"Nothing" john b laughed "he just had to go"

"Um ok?" She said suspiciously, slowly going back to loading the cooler.

"Love".                  "It's love".               "You're in love".

It was no secret that JJ had a hard time letting people in. He had always done whatever he could to keep his guard up and never let down his walls. He was so scared of being hurt again.

JJ put his headphones up to full blast, listening to rock music and trying to drown out his thoughts. He didn't want to hear himself think as he walked down the road.

"Love".

Their words replaying in his head.

"It's love".

What even is love. It was stupid. It was pointless. He wasn't in love. He couldn't be. He doesn't do that.

The feeling of his heart expanding in his chest. He couldn't breath. His hand on his chest as he began to cough, gasping for air. He could hear his heart pounding in his ears. He got dizzy. His vision became blurred. A constant ringing in his head. He collapsed on his knees. He was sweating profusely. His eyes started watering.

He was having a panic attack and he didn't know how to stop it.

He's had panic attacks before but he's always had someone with him to help. It was always Pope. Pope always knew how to get him to calm down. No one else had ever seen him like this. The thought of no one being there pounded in his head.  He was slowly running out of air as his breathing got worse. He couldn't get it to stop.

Kie headed to the Twinkie to grab her phone charger she had almost forgotten. She was about to get on the boat with John b and Sarah to drop her back off at her house.

She spotted JJ on the road. She saw him as he fell down to his knees, hunched over, trying to get air into his lungs.

"JJ?!" She yelled. He could hear her faint voice muffled by the ringing. "JJ!!" She yelled again but louder, dropping her charger as she started to run to him.

Pope had slept in the Twinkie that night and woke up in the morning to take a walk to clear his head. He heard kies screams as he made his way back into the clearing behind the house. He saw her run to JJ who was on the ground. He knew what was happening and no matter how mad he still was at him right now. He had to help him. He knew how bad things could get.

He begins sprinting behind Kiara trying to get to JJ as fast as he could.

Kie knelt to the ground beside him, placing her hand on the back of his shoulder and the other on his forearm.

"JJ?" She asks frantically, tears beginning to form. She shakes his body trying to get him to respond. "JJ what happened" she cried desperately

He could barley hear her. He wanted to say something but his body wouldn't allow him.

Pope ran up next to them and got down on the ground. JJ heard his voice and instantly found hope. Pope could always calm him down. He knew what to do.

"JJ cmon buddy it's okay" Pope says putting his hands opposite of kies.

"What's wrong with him!?" Kie says, terrified. Her voice shaky.

"He's having a panic attack" Pope said as he checks JJs weak pulse. Kie looked up at Pope in shock. She was so scared. "Come on, we need to get him to the van." Pope said as they both help him stand up and walk him over to the van to sit him down.

JJs vision started going black. He couldn't hear much of anything anymore. He sat in the van door with his head in his hands. Breathing heavily and keeping his hand on his chest. He went limp. His head started swerving. They leaned him back in the van. Kiara, behind him, resting his head on her lap. He had passed out.

"Pope, what's happening!" She yelled, desperately hoping he'd know what to do.

"It's fine" he said reassuring her. "He normally starts breathing right again after this."

"Normally!?" She said confused. She didn't even know that he had panic attacks before.

Pope ran to get cold water from the sink and splashed it in his face.

He jolted up for a minute at the shock of the cold. He laid his head back down and then slowly began to wake all the way up. His breathing had slowed. His hands were still shaky. He slowly began to be able to see and hear again. Pope ran back inside to get more water.

"JJ?" Kie said hopefully while wiping away her tears. She tried to disguise her voice as if she hadn't been crying.

He looked up at her and started breathing heavy again. He didn't know what happened and got a little scared. He sat up, holding his chest. Kiara hugged him from behind, compressing his shoulders.

"Shhhh, JJ it's okay. Breathe." She said shakily while squeezing him tight. "It's okay I'm right here." She pauses, digging her head into his shoulder "I'm right here"

His heavy breathing turned more into him holding back from sobbing. He grunted as he tried to keep his breathing under control. His body shaking a little. His hands desperately holding on to her arms as he accepted the embrace.

Pope had came back with another glass of water to give to him. He saw her holding him but he didn't care at that point. As long as it helped him.

Kie let go of him as he started to calm down. Her hand now on the back of his neck and the other on his shoulder. She stayed there on her knees behind him in the van.

JJ looked up at Pope as he wiped his few remaining tears away. He was relieved to see him.

"Here drink this" Pope said, extending his arm out to give him the glass of water. JJs shaky hand goes out to grab it. He begins slowly taking a sip, his hands so shaky that he almost spills some. He takes a deep breath and gets up slowly, making sure he doesn't pass out again. John b and Sarah run up to the van to see what had happened.

JJ took the glass of water and continuously walked around. taking sips as he tried to calm down and feel less jittery.

"What the hell happened?" John b asked, surprised to see both Pope and JJ back.

"Uh, JJ had another panic attack." Pope said hesitantly to John.

"What?? a panic attack?!" Sarah asked concerned.  Pope and John b where the only ones who knew about his attacks. "Wha- is he okay?" Sarah asked Pope and kie.

"Uh.. yea he's fine." Kie said with a shaky voice, gesturing to JJ who was pacing around the yard, enjoying the fact that he could breathe again.

JJ finished off his water and started making his way back to the van. He has wandered off a little ways. He had to get away from people for a minute to collect himself. But he was much better now.

The group watched him as he walked back up.

"Okay." JJ said while clapping his hands together and taking a deep breathe, a smile on his face "who's ready to go?"

The whole group paused and looked at each other, but soon began to laugh. Kie looked at JJ, fascinated at his survival instincts.

The pogues load up on the boat, putting their problems to the side. They were all just glad that JJ was okay. Pope saw the way JJ and Kiara looked at each other. He still felt a little betrayed, but was just glad that they were happy. He assumed even if they did have a thing, that it wouldn't last for more than 2 seconds. He knew how JJ was when it came to girls. He was horrible at forming an actual romantic connection.

They got to kies dock. They still had to drop her off by sun down so that her parents wouldn't get mad. JJ felt the sudden urge to hug her goodbye. He knew he couldn't, but he wanted to. he wanted to say goodbye to her the way a cringey middle schooler said goodbye to his crush.

He felt like he was being watched by everyone though. And, he was. They all kinda wanted to see the way he interacted with her. They found it funny, weird, and amusing.

They got to her dock and she made her way to the bow of the boat to get off. JJ holding his hand out for support so she didn't fall stepping up.

"Okay, see you later guys" Kiara said while hoping on to the dock.

"Mm-bye.. Kie" JJ said awkwardly, paired with a small, also awkward, wave.

Kie slightly turned her head around and gave him a small smile.

They all sat there awkwardly after watching JJ.

"Smooth." Pope joked as they began to drive away

"Shut up. Pope." JJ said, looking out to the water, painfully cringing at himself.

The pouges all began to laugh. Kie began to laugh too as she walked down the dock. She could still hear their conversation.

She went inside, her parents glad to see that she came back when they told her too. She was slowly beginning to gain there trust back.

!!!!
This ones a little shorter than the last but hopefully y'all still like it. My writing skills is a working progress lol