Kie's POV:

JJ and I have been dating for three years. We started dating when I was in college and he ended up moving in with me. We were now twenty-four years old. My parents knew I was dating him but they didn't say much as I was an adult.

JJ and I rarely went home but we just landed at the airport for Christmas. Luke took off when we were in high school so JJ had no family, not that Luke was ever a good dad. He was spending Christmas with my family. I was excited and nervous for my family to finally get to know the real JJ and spend Christmas with us.

I have an older brother named Ryan who is happily married and has two kids. Then there is my sister, Kayla who is also married and pregnant with her first baby. Then there was my other sister, Ashley who is engaged to the guy she's been with for years. I was the baby and the disappointed child of the family. All my siblings were with kooks and I was the one in love with a pogue. 

My mom and dad picked us up from the airport and drove back to my house where all my siblings were. After many hugs and talking, JJ and I brought our bags up to my childhood room. He looked at me and said, "Aww, nothing has changed in here since high school"

JJ used to sometimes sneak in my room during high school. Nothing ever happened between us. It was just when he would get in a fight with his dad and have nowhere else to go. He kissed me quickly before we went back down to my family. JJ got along well with all my siblings which was nice so he had other people to talk to besides me.

JJ's POV:

Kie was busy talking with her sisters and her dad needed someone to run to the Wreck with him to grab a few things. I volunteered and thought it would be a good time to get him alone to ask for his blessing to marry Kie. I was planning on proposing Christmas morning. 

Mike did whatever he had to and I was there to help him move some tables around for the cleaners tonight. I was so nervous to ask him and we had been having a casual conversation and I just asked him flat out.

"I love your daughter and I want to spend the rest of my life with her and I want your blessing before I propose" I said which I totally didn't pick the right words

Mike thought for a second and said, "No"

I thought it was a joke at first and then I realized it wasn't. The car ride back was super awkward. What was I supposed to do now? I had the ring with me. I have been planning this for months now.

Kayla was married and Ashley was engaged so I was going to ask the guys about what to do. We went outside to grill dinner and we were sipping on our beers.

"Guys, how did you get permission to marry the girls?" I asked

Kayla's husband said, "Her dad loved me, he was the one who told me I better propose soon"

"I just asked him and he said of course... Why?" Ashley's fiance asked

"Well, I've been planning on proposing to Kie on Christmas morning and I just asked him and he said no. I got no explanation and now he's not speaking to me"

The guys started laughing and telling me that I needed to get on his good side. I was so fucking nervous now. They told me things should be fine for Christmas. It was still a few days away. I spent the next two days doing everything I could to help out and get on his good side but nothing seemed good enough.

Kie and I were going out tonight. There was this cool house that went all out with lights and music a few blocks away and we were going to see it. On the walk over she asked, "Is everything okay? You've been acting strange ever since we got here"

"Yeah, I'm good. It's just a little intimidating being here a pogue surrounded by kooks"

"They don't care, J... At least my siblings don't. I don't care what my mom and dad think because I love you and that's all that matters" She said kissing me

Kie's POV:

JJ has been acting really weird the past few days here. I have no idea why. Maybe it has something to do with his dad. Or maybe my big family is just overwhelming for him. 

Ashley and I were in my room getting ready as we were going to do a little last-minute shopping with the girls while the boys stayed here with the kids and watched a football game. Ashley accidentally knocked JJ's backpack off the bed. She was mid-sentence when she stopped speaking. 

"Ash" I said wanting to get her attention

She didn't respond and she turned around and her eyes were huge and she was in shock. I saw what she was holding in her hands. It was a small black box with a diamond ring inside it.

"Where did you get that?"

"It fell out of his backpack. Holy shit, Kie he is going to propose" She squealed

She put it away and we couldn't stop talking about it. He was probably going to do it on Christmas morning. We all went to the mall and Target to get our matching pajamas for Christmas morning.

It was Christmas Eve and we went to church all dressed up and we took a bunch of pictures. JJ and I were in my room making out when my bedroom door opened and we quickly separated. It was my sister's. Ever since we were kids, we'd always sleep in the same bed on Christmas Eve. So JJ basically got kicked out of bed.

He kissed me goodnight and my sisters got in bed with me and they talked about the big proposal tomorrow. We eventually fell asleep and the next morning was Christmas morning. It was always a huge production. There were so many gifts to open and my dad always made an incredible breakfast.

The little kids were so excited to open their presents, especially the ones from Santa. We all gathered in the living room and we watched the kids open presents before we all tore into ours. I was just waiting for the proposal. It had to be soon.

We finished opening presents and we had breakfast and then we all hung out and played games. I was freaking out and I went to the bathroom where my sisters followed me.

"Why didn't he propose?" I asked worried

"Want me to ask him?"

"NO, he isn't supposed to know that I know" I said

We finished our conversation and we re-joined our family. JJ seemed pretty off today but there was no proposal. He also acted so strangely all day. 

The next morning, I was the one upset. JJ and I were in my bedroom and I said, "I know about the ring"

He turned around and he wasn't expecting that. He didn't say anything. 

"Why are you talking to me? Do you not want to marry me?"

"I did, okay but I just can't right now" He said storming out of my bedroom

He went downstairs and he was pretty much ignoring me as he was speaking to everyone else. I grabbed his hand and brought him up to my room.

"What the hell is going on? What did I do to make you not want to propose to me?" I asked in tears

"Nothing, okay. Just get over it and stop worrying about it. Maybe it's for the best because we clearly have only been fighting since we arrived here" He said and it was true

We've been fighting more right now than we ever have in our relationship before. It was over stupid stuff too. We started arguing back and forth and it got to the point where we just both kept yelling over each other.

"Where are you going?" I asked as he stormed off

"Back to the cut where I fucking belong away from all the kooks"

"JJ, please don't leave me"

"It's for the best and honestly it's not like your father approves of us together anyways so you know what this is over. It was never going to work out between us. You're a kook and I'm a pogue"

He grabbed his suitcase and his backpack and he left. He literally just broke up with me and left. I was so confused and hurt. I just laid on my bed crying when my sisters came in asking what happened. I told them and they were pissed at JJ with me. 

They had me come downstairs and I was wrapped in a blanket. I was upset and everyone asked what happened as I sat on the couch, I said,  "JJ and I just broke up"

I saw my brother, Kayla's husband, and Ashley's fiance all look at each other and I asked what was going on. They told me that JJ asked for my dad's permission to marry me and my dad said no. I was so pissed at my dad.

"How could you say no? You know that I love him and that he loves me" I yelled in tears

I went back up to my room and cried for like four days. All my siblings were on my side and were mad at my dad. They all really liked JJ. 

JJ's POV:

Kie and I broke up. I didn't want to end things with her but I was just so mad about the whole situation that it got out of control. My biggest insecurity is feeling like I'm not good enough for Kie. I'm a pogue who grew up on the cut. I have a pretty shitty job and will never be able to provide for her the way a kook could. 

Her dad telling me no really opened my eyes to the fact that I'm not right for her. She deserves better than me.  I went back to my dad's house and he was there passed out on the couch. I went to my childhood room and just laid in bed looking at the engagement ring that I bought for Kie.

I spent a few days at my dad's place. Only one fight broke out and it wasn't that bad. It was New Year's Eve and Kie's family was going to get all dressed up and go to the country club for the party. 

There was a knock on the door and it was Kie's dad. I went outside so he didn't see inside my dad's trashed house. 

"JJ, I'm sorry for everything that has happened. I was wrong to not give you my blessing. I never meant to be the reason my daughter's heart broke. You make her happy and that's all that matters. Please don't ruin your relationship because of me"

"It's not your fault. It's for the best. I'm just a pogue and we both know Kie could do so much better"

"See, you're wrong about that. Kie has dated a few kooks and they were all arrogant pricks. You being a pogue had nothing to do with why I said no. Sometimes I forget that you and Kiara are adults. In my head, I still see you as those seventh graders sitting in the Wreck"

I laughed as that was when Kie and I went on our first date in middle school. It was our one and only date and after we ate, I kissed her. Her dad saw the whole thing and kicked me out of the Wreck and after that Kie and I agreed to only be friends. Mike and I talked for a few more minutes and I said, "I have an idea, but I need help to pull it off"

"Whatever you need" He said 

Kie's POV:

My bedroom door opened and JJ was there. He came in and shut the door and he laid in bed with me as the little spoon.

"I'm so sorry for everything. I love you and I don't want us to be over. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me. I love you so fucking much it scares me. I love your family but there are times when I feel like I don't fit in because I'm a pogue. I never want to hold you back from anything because you deserve the world"

"J, I don't care if we have to live in a cardboard box on the side of the road. I just want to be with you. I love you" She said rolling over and kissing me

"You need to get ready for the big New Year's Eve party" He said as it was already getting dark

JJ and I got ready together and the rest of my family was also getting ready. My mom wanted to stop and have dinner at the Wreck, which I thought was different but I didn't mind. We were all dressed up fancy. JJ and I drove alone to the Wreck and he held my hand the entire time. We were the first ones there. 

We sat in the car waiting and JJ said, "I remember our first date here in seventh grade"

I laughed and said, "Me too, you totally kissed me right in front of my dad"

We both laughed and JJ was sick of waiting so we just went inside. He opened the door and the inside had a path lit with candles and rose petals. There were fairy lights all around and we walked down the path to the booth where we had our first date.

"I knew after our first date here that I wanted to marry you someday. I love you so fucking much. Will you marry me Kiara Anna Carrera?" He asked down on one knee

I had tears in my eyes and I said yes. JJ stood up and hugged me and then he put the beautiful ring on my finger. We kissed and the lights turned on. My whole family was watching this happen.

My dad was the first to come over and hug us. JJ told me things were good between them and my dad apologized. My family got pictures and a video of the whole thing. This turned into the best night of my life. We decided to skip the party at the country club and just celebrate at the Wreck as a family. 

JJ and I sat in our booth and my dad brought us our food. We couldn't stop talking about our wedding. We took a selfie of ourselves and I was holding up my hand to show off the ring. We sent it to our friends and they were going crazy.

I was finally engaged to the love of my life and my whole family was there celebrating with us. This was the perfect proposal.