"Hey jayj" Kie said, walking up to JJ and hugging him

"Heyy" JJ said, wrapping his arm around her and kissing the top of her head.

It was now the next day at school and all the pogues had met up in the court yard before class.

"You knowww, my family's actually having a reunion party tonight at my house" Kie says in an innocent voice

"Oh really" JJ says, casually

"Mhmmm" Kie says, sounding persuasive "I think you should come"

"A reunion party.." JJ says, skeptical "like a family reunion?"

"Yes, like a family reunion" Kie laugh

"So, your whole family's gonna be there" JJ asks nervously "like everyone"

"Yesss" she laughs "I want them to meet you"

"And how does Mike feel about me going" he asks, unsure

"I asked him this morning and he said 'as long as he's on his BeSt bEhaViour" she quotes, mocking his voice "I want you to go"

JJ laughs and stops walking, facing her and looking down"

"Then I'm there" he smiles

"Yayyy" she says with a cute smile "there gonna love you, don't worry"

"Mm hopefully" he laughs and they continue walking to class.

The whole rest of the day he was kind of nervous knowing he'd be meeting Kies entire family after school. Even more, he was surprised that Mike was okay with him going.

"The party starts at 5:00, you'll be there, right" Kie asks as they walk to the parking lot after school had let out.

"Of course I will" JJ reassures as he gets his dirt bike ready "I'm just gonna run home and change real quick, and then I'll be there.. on my best behavior"

"Okay" Kie smiles and hugs him "I can't wait"

"Alright, love you Kie" he says kissing her on the head "I'll text you when I'm on my way"

"Okay, bye, I love you" she says as he gets on his bike and starts it up. He leans over and kisses her, revving his motor before he leaves.

Kie laughs and walks back to her car.

JJ drives home to get ready for the party. He knew he had to dress to impress so he spent almost 30 minutes just trying to find something to wear.

He ended up with a black button up, collard shirt and some jeans. He went to the bathroom, throwing on a chain and spraying cologne. He tried doing his hair, but didn't know how, so just fixed it the best he could, trying to make it less messy. He put sun glasses in his shirt pocket and went out to the back porch to tell his dad where he was going.

"Shit where you goin dressed like some kook?" His dad laughed

"I'm going to Kies, some party thing" JJ says

"Have a beer before you leave" his dad suggests

"Uhm, actually dad im kinda meeting her whole family today so, you know im not too sure if that's the best idea" JJ says nervously

"One ain't gonna hurt you boy" Luke says, almost sounding offended "don't kook out on me now"

"Alright alright" JJ says, convinced "but just one"

"There we go" Luke says, grabbing him one as JJ sat down.

"Kiara your grandmothers at the door will you get it for me honey" Anna says while setting out snacks at the bar

Kie had finished getting ready. Her house was filled with family from all over the obx, some even came from out of state. Everyone was laughing and talking about old times while they waited for everyone to arrive.

Kie greeted her grandmother and went back to the kitchen to help her mom set up.

"Is JJ on his way yet?" Her mom said, still trying to be supportive of the relationship

"I dunno" Kie says looking at her phone "he should have texted by now"

JJ was halfway through with his beer when he heard a notification on his phone.

Kiara🖤
——————————————————————————
[Kiara🖤} Hey J, have you left yet?
read: 4:45

"Oh shit" JJ said, quickly standing up as he looked down at his phone and saw the time. "I gotta go"

"Don't waste that beer son" Luke says, pointing to the half empty can

JJ looked back as he was halfway through the screen door. He saw the situation he was in. And just like that he was reminded of how easy it would be for him to fall back into his old habits.

"You can have it" JJ says, leaving the porch and running over to his bike

Kiara🖤
———————————————————————————
[Kiara🖤} hey J, have you left yet?

On my way now, see you in 10{JJ]

[Kiara🖤} Okay, love you, be safe :)
Read: 4:47

JJ got on his bike and drove to Kies house as fast as he could, managing to get there on time.

He knocked on the door and Kie answered. She hugged him, inviting him in and leading him to the kitchen with her parents.

"JJayyyy, glad you could make it" her dad said, accepting JJs handshake.

"Hey Mr Carrera, appreciate you having me" JJ smiles, looking a little uncomfortable around all the people.

"Well, make your self at home" mike says before getting dragged into another conversation

"Never know where I stand with that guy, I swear" JJ says quietly to Kie, making her laugh.

"Come on, there's some people I want you to meet" Kie says, taking JJs hand and leading him into the living room.

She took him around, introducing him to all of her family and surprisingly, he got along with them very well.

"So JJ you go to school here?" Her grandmother had asked after some conversation

"Ah yes ma'am, same year as Kie" he smiled politely

"Oh how lovely" she smiles "and what do your parents do for a living?"

"Oh uhm.." JJ got uncomfortable and started fumbling his words

"His dads a mechanic" Kie cuts in, noticing JJ starting to get nervous

"Oh a mechanicc" she says "how neat is that"

"Yea" JJ laughs nervously

"We'll if you don't mind us, grandma, we're gonna go get some food now" Kie excuses them, leading JJ back into the kitchen.

JJ takes a deep breath once they get away from everyone

"Sorry, there a lot" Kie says, walking over to the island.

"No there great, just not the best at big partys like these I guess" JJ says, leaning at the barstool

"Well your doing great" Kie smiles "they all love you in there"

"You think?" JJ says hopefully

"Yea" she reassured

The kitchen wasn't blocked off from the living room, so they could still see everyone at the party.

Eventually one of Kies little cousins ran up to JJ, and grabbed onto his arm

"JJ you have to come play with us pllleeeaaaassseee" the little kid begged as he pulled on his arm

"Woah okay alright" JJ laughed and let the little kid lead him outside, Kie following behind, laughing.

Most of her family was out on the porch at this point watching all the kids play. When JJ was brought outside, all the kids got excited and dragged him into the yard to play.

Kie sat on the porch with her family as she watched her little cousins jump all over him and JJ fake wrestling and chasing them.

"So Where'd you find that one Kiara" her aunt teased as they all watch them in the yard

"Around" she laughed " he's about as local as they come"

"Mm I hope he's nothing like your dad when he was a teenager" her aunt joked and the whole family started laughing

"Oh boy was he a trouble maker" her grandpa chimed in

"Always sneakin out, stealin beers, skipping school" her aunt started to list

"My dad?!" Kie laughed, thinking they were joking

"Oh yea" her grandma said dramatically "he was definitely a handful"

"Okay okay" her dad laughed "we don't need to get into that right now"

"No way" Kie laughed, looking over at her dad

"Not like your mom was any better" her other grandmother had added "she was always sneakin off too"

"Them dam kids givin us a run for our money" her grandma said and both sides of the family started laughing.

Eventually JJ was able to break away from the very energetic kids, and made his way back up to the porch.

"They really, never get tired" he says, out of breath, his hair messy now and cheeks a little red.

"Ha yea try living with em" one of her aunts say, making JJ laugh as he made his way over to sit by Kie.

"Sorry about that" Kie jokes as JJ sat down

"It's not that bad, there kinda fun actually" JJ says, still slightly catching his breath and looking at Kie

"Hey don't be gettin any ideas" Mike joked, playfully hitting the back of JJs head and everyone started laughing again.

They all hang out on the porch for another hour or so until some people started to drift back inside.

Kie and JJ went back in and stayed in the kitchen for a while, talking with anyone who was in there at that time.

Eventually there was a moment when no one was in the kitchen with them, and it was only a few of her older relatives inside watching tv on the couch.

"JJ" Kie whispered to get his attention.

He looked back at Kie who was standing behind the island, sneakily nodding her head to get him to follow her

He looked at her confused until she grabbed his hand and quickly started leading him upstairs, both of them looking around to make sure no one saw.

She took him into her room, laughing quietly. As soon as they both stood in the middle of her bedroom, she got closer and he pulled her in, putting his hands around her waist and kissing her.

They kissed for a minute until Kie pulled away. She tasted the faintest amount of beer in his mouth still.

"JJ, we're you drinking?" She asked, getting more serious

"Uhm.." he said hesitantly "yea, sorry. I had a couple sips of a beer with my dad before I left" he explained

"Your dad?" She says worried. "JJ you knew you were coming over to meet my family"

"Hey I know I just-" JJ try's to defend myself "he offered and, I didn't want to say no"

"JJ" Kie says, disappointed

"I mean what was I supposed to do, we're finally starting to have like, communication, Kie you should be happy he's trying" JJ says, confused as to why she wasn't happy for him

"I don't trust him JJ"

"Kie-"

"I'm sorry, I just don't"

There was a moment of silence

"Look, I'm glad that he's, getting better? Or trying? Or whatever it is that he's doing. Okay" Kie says, sincerely, looking into his eyes "I just don't want him to be a bad influence on you jayj. Your doing so good right now and I'm just scared that he might throw you off course a little, that's all."

"Hey, Kie, it's fine okay" JJ try's to convince "I've got that all under control I promise"

"I know you do" Kie says softly "just- parents can have more control over us than we think"

"You don't have to worry about that okay" JJ says "I promise"

Kie smiled, she still wasn't happy about it, but decided to take his word for it. She hugged him and they soon started making out again.

Down stairs Mike had realized that he hasn't seen the two in a minute and went inside to go look for them. When he saw that they weren't in the living room or kitchen, he went straight up to Kies room

"You" JJ feels a hand on his shoulder, pulling him away "are not allowed to be in here" Mike says, pushing him out the door.

"Seriously you two, stay downstairs" Mike warns them both as they awkwardly stood there, trying not to laugh.

"Yes sir" JJ says as mikes makes sure they go down stairs.

"Uh oh!" Her grandpa laughs loudly as he sees the two being scolded and walked down stairs "karma, son" her grandpa laughs, patting Mike on the shoulder. JJ and kie laughing, a little embarrassed that they got caught by her family.

They all spend a few more hours at Kies house before people slowly start to leave one by one until it was just JJ left.

He stayed, talking with her family and helping her mom clean up in the kitchen.

Kie sat at the barstool, just watching JJ with her parents. He had such a way of fitting in and being polite with them when he needed to be. Everyone was so much more comfortable with each other now. He seemed so happy making jokes with her mom and talking about hockey teams with her dad. She saw her whole future in his eyes.

Once the kitchen was clean, JJ hung out for a little while longer while the conversation was still flowing. Eventually though, he hinted that he needed to get home.

"Ah you know dad" Kie says, leaning her arm on JJs shoulder "it's really late"

JJ looked at her confused, not knowing what she was getting at

"You know, maybe he should just stay here" she suggests, her voice being dramatically persuasive "dangerous roads and all, you would want that right"

"Yea nice try" her dad laughs "JJ is perfectly capable of getting back to his house"

"It was worth a shot" Kie sighs

JJ says goodbye to her parents, thanking them for letting him come over and goes outside to leave, Kie following him out.

"Your family's great Kie" JJ smiles once they get to his bike. "Your cousins are hilarious"

"You did great with them" she said, giving him a hug "thank you"

"Hey who knows, we could have that some day" he says softly

"Have what" she asked

"I dunno, just like" JJ says, struggling with the words. "A cool, little, y'a know"

"a family?" Kie laughs, helping him say it

"..yea" he smiles "i mean, i dunno, it could be cool, someday.. maybe, to have that"

Kie smiles and goes in to kiss him so that he'll stop nervously rambling on.

She pulled away and looked into his eyes. She smiled at the thought of them having a family one day.

"just an Idea" he shrugs, blushing

"Someday" she promises, going back into kiss him

They make out outside by his bike for three minutes until there interrupted my mike banging on the window, followed by a muffled "hey!" from inside to get them to stop.

They pull away and look back at mike and can't help but laugh. Kie gives him one final hug before he gets on his bike to leave.

"You'll be good?" She asks, still a little nervous about his dad

"I always am" he smirks, starting his engine

She leans and gives him one more kiss before he leaves

"I love you" she says, over the loud motor

"I love you too Kie, I'll see you tomorrow"

"Let me know when you get home"

"Alright" he goes to kiss her one more time "love you kiara. Bye"

"Byeee" she says as he drives away, waving as he leaves

She watches until she couldn't see him anymore and then walks back inside.

{I Kinda love this concept :) let me know of any comments or suggestions!! Thank you all so so much for reading.}