sorta alternate universe.
𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆: 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐬.

my moms lecturing me on how my first day will go and it was 7 am.

"mommmm! i understand"

"kiara darling try to make friends. okay." my mom's optimism can be heard a mile away.

"yes i'll try. i gotta go love you" i kiss her cheek as i head out the door.

we just moved to this sunny island because of her and my father's jobs. we could only afford a house in 'the cut' it seems to be what the locals call it.

♪ Was it the blue night ♪
♪ Gone fragile ♪
♪ Was it both men ♪
♪ In wonder steady gone under ♪
♪ Was it the light ways ♪

twice — little dragon is playing in my ears as i walk the long roads to my new high school. just in the semi-begin of junior year.

i'm about ten minutes away by google maps when i see this volkswagen/scooby-doo look-a-like van. speeding past full of laughter & three boys.

hmmm, who are they?

                                             ❦

the woman in the office is telling me where my first class was located, she's handing me my schedule "you're in here again?" she looks over her glasses at someone behind me.

"mmm mr. bradshaw has it out for me ms. lewski" his voice lilac to my ears. it was a soothing tone, i'd die to hear it every day.

don't turn around, remain mysterious.

i thank ms. lewski then proceed to head to my first period. making sure to put a bounce in my step, plus give him a full view of me.

the day drags on its nine periods of knowledge. minus lunch.

"you must be new hello i'm georgina lowens. your resident surf girl meets nerd meets does papers for people for money. okay, i was getting ready to ramble on" she's looking at me with her hazel eyes.

"hey i'm kiara carrera. save the planet meets chillax meets surfer meets dancing to music in underwear alone. meets transfer student"

georgina laughs at my gesture, "we'll be great friends"

"so if you want the ins and outs of this godforsaken place, i've got you covered" georgina points to one of the tables with a smile "you've got your cliques here and there like take them they're the approachable nerds. then the hackers/coders. the football team, the soccer team, the skaters, and lastly the pogues"

hmmm, pogues interesting name. i ought to ask.

"pogues?"

her eyes trail to the same three boys I saw this morning.

they are the rowdiest, throwing food at each other, i avert my eyes and focus on georgina who is still giving me the rundown of the other students.

by the end of lunch, georgina had given me all her contact info, her socials, and where to meet her tonight for the back to school festivities.

                                                                                            ❦

my blue solo cup is in the air as i take a polaroid with georgina and her friend sarah cameron. sarah and i got along quite well. her current boyfriend is all over her. this party is in 'the boneyard' in 'the cut' but it seems everyone is referring to sarah and her beau as 'kooks'.

i'm very tipsy right now, "to the new girl!" i hear someone say "to me!" i respond as we chug on more beer.

slowly but surely am in the drunk range, stumbling along to get more chips.

"who are you?" i hear someone say his eyes wide and brown. his skin the night, but beautiful dark chocolate.

"my namessss kiara carrera.. who — are y?"

"my name is pope heyward nice to meet you. my friends would like you"

"your friends?"

"mmhmmm look over there," pope guides me to see his two best friends "that's jj" "that's john b".

"seem like cool — people" this hiccup escapes me as i realize ohh i need to throw up.

i excuse myself, walk to a log in the middle of the beach. i puke three times.

"mmm that's better. not as shaky anymore"

"who are you talking to?" the same voice i heard this morning in the office is somewhere around me.

"myself"

i continue, "where are you? i can't see you"

"here" his hand is on one part of my waist, which tells me he's behind me.

turning around. i finally see him up close, his blonde hair that looks like sex hair. blue eyes like ocean blue. ahh this is jj.

"jj, right?"

"yes and you are?"

"kiara carrera, i just transferred to your school. your friend pope just showed me who you were"

"oh, pope. kiara. any nicknames?"

"kie"

"well, i'll see you around kie" not realizing that the whole time we were in the same position only this time his arm was around me. holding me steady.

the warmth leaves as he does.

"see you" my voice lingers. i head to have a good time for the rest of the night.

i don't reach home until 2 am.

my alarm blares as i must wake for school. ugh my head is on fire. i slowly make my way to the bathroom. take some pain pills.

i get ready for school with a small pep in my step. this energy is weird for a hangover but there. "kie, breakfast is ready! your dad is that the wreck fixing things before our launch!"

"okay mom coming, does dad need help after school?"

"you look super cute and yesss he does. he said 4:30 would be a good time for you to drop by"

i nod and finish breakfast before heading to school.

as i open my locker a note falls out, catching it reads:

"we think you'd make a great pogue — jj, john b, & pope
ps: meet us at john b's chateau later tonight around 7, the directions below"

that was fast, I thought they'd make me wait longer. i thought to myself.

georgina says, "what's that?"

"it's nothing" i place it in my pocket.

"how's sarah doing?" i said trying to change the subject.

"she's good, slept off most of her hangover. topper said something to her last night that ticked her off so she left the party early"

"what'd he say"

"this isn't verbatim but "you're just a means to an end. you're just a fuck for me"

"what!??!!! he did not" the shock on my face is laughable.

"better believe it. but ask her next time we hang out"

the bell rings signaling class is about to start.

i dash to my first period.

                                             ❦

after fixing things at the wreck, i make my way to john b's chateau.

arriving, "kie!!! over here" his perfect voice echoes from the hammock area. where jj, pope, and john b are seated relaxing in the almost crisp blue sky turning into the vast universe.

"hey guys" i spoke as i make my way towards the hammock.

"very pogue like in person. do you skateboard? do you surf? favorite food? how many waves have you surfed? are you adventurous? last question, would you mind kicking it with a group of guys for the rest of your life?" john b spoke first his question all receiving responses in my head. now it's my turn to speak.

"i do, i surf, my favorite food junk, since weed, maybe a cold one" i'm cut off by jj "oh shit! i think i'm in love with her" i continue "i've surfed ten waves of you count only pro surfer waves. very adventurous. i wouldn't mind at all you boys look like friends for life and i need those"

pope is smiling.

john b is up in the air whooping!!!!

"john b! cut it out! you'll wake the fish!" an older man speaks from the front door.

jj is just staring at me, with an unfamiliar expression on. it is awe-struck mixed in something else.

all i can do is smile, be nervous which makes me giggle. on a rare occasion.

"quite a successful induction might i say soo myself," pope says.

"you've tried to induct others before me"

"once or twice and sadly nobody was you"

"you seem to fix where we are broken, your presence is doing something" melodic is jj voice fuckkkk i thought to myself.

i'll obsess over his voice until i die.

"kie? earth to kiara" john b says as he nudged me to pass me a cold cider.

i thank him for taking it, "did you guys know recycling is one of the best ways to save the planet. the heaps of trash in the ocean, on the streets isn't good for the environment"

"interesting thanks for the fact," pope says smiling at me.

jj was listening to me, somewhat staring.

"really okay so i'll let my dad know we have to stop chucking our recycle into our garbage can" john b states.

as i soaked up the relaxation with these three guys i couldn't help but realize "i could get used to this" i whispered to myself hoping no one heard.

"it's the life" jj whispered in my ear since he is the one next to me.

i smile at him.

"you buttered me up to your pogues to make this happen right"

he nods scratching the back of his neck, "yes, plus seeing you drunk made me believe you'd be a great fit"

"drunk? me, no"

jj laughs, like belly holding "—you — were"

putting my hands up slightly calling truce.

"i surrender, i was when you found me i had just" taking big gulps of my cider "puked"

"once you said 'shaky' i knew" jj spoke as he was looking at me.

it's like it is only us. i really want to know what he's thinking.

"you guys look all cozy" john b said as he passes two ciders our way.

"if you guys don't mind me asking, why me? what did i do for you guys to want me in the pogues" i inquire.

"we watched you for about a week with georgina, how you acted with the students, i have a class with you i think it's science. we knew you'd got with us somehow. like fate" john b said smiling.

                                             ❦

two months later ...

"shitttt! kie. that was —"

"i left you speechless huh" i smile at my blonde & blue-eyed boyfriend.

"—" he's smiling at the ceiling. we are both naked in my room, with only my one sheet to cover us.

"how'd you get away from our boys today?"

"i told them i had to help my dad with something"

"and they just let you leave"

jj nods. "we can't keep sneaking around.. you know we have to tell them" he continues.

"you don't like it, you know you do" i softly grasp his face, caressing his cheek with my thumb before kissing him.

"mmm don't,"

i keep kissing him. not stopping, "round 4 is whattt you wanttt!" he whisper shouts.

it's the bliss that's riveting, that he can make me smile, laugh, feel comfortable all at once.

he's the kerosine, me the flame. and shit! we burn for each other.

𝐹𝑖𝑛