His Choice - Rafe Cameron

2. Bonfire

"So are we going or not?" John B asks, shaking his phone in his hands while awaiting the groups response. His phone buzzes and he reads out the text. "It's starting at 9."

I walk out with a towel in my hands, drying off my damp hair which I just washed. "JJ you're out of shampoo." 

"How much of it did you use? I still had three quarters of a bottle left."

"Of a tiny hotel sample bottle!" 

My hair ends halfway down my back and is extremely thick. How am I not going to use an ample amount? 

"This is probably a stupid question, but do you have a hair dryer? It's cold out and my hair is wet so I don't want to catch a chill."

Pope frowns at me before drifting his gaze over to JJ. "Is your cousin a pogue or a kook?"

Sarah chucks her empty can at him. "Shut up." She stands up and picks up the can she threw before walking over to me. "I have one you can borrow."

JJ steps in front of me and points at Sarah. "Nope, she's not coming."

I step around him so that I can see Sarah. "You're living at your house again? Last I heard, you hated your Dad and brother?"

"I still hate them, but my little sister lives at home. I only stay there for her. I'm barely home anyway."

I now turn my attention to JJ. "Of course I'm going." I look at the rest of the group. "Where are we going?"

"Look, you just washed your hair. You don't want to get smoke all through it, do you? We've got no shampoo left so you can't wash it again. You're definitely going to have to stay home. I'll stay with you. Look guys, count me out but go enjoy yourselves." 

Kiara stands up and stands between JJ and I. She places her arms around us both. "Come on JJ, lighten up. We have to give Scarlett the proper welcome home that she deserves."

"We can do that here. We can make our own bonfire and have a few beers. Smoke a little weed-" he pauses and points his finger at me. "Except you Scarlett, you're not smoking."

I roll my eyes at him. He's allowed to do all of this stuff and I'm supposed to just sit in the corner like a child? Technically none of us are old enough to drink or smoke but we do it anyway. Well, I don't smoke because too many people in my family have died from lung cancer. But I'm not turning down the opportunity to attend the bonfire and have a few beers. 

"John B, did you say it starts at 9?" I ask him and he nods his head in response. "Count me in, let's go." I look at JJ who has his lips pressed together and is closing his eyes nonchalantly. When he opens his eyes, he grabs my arm and pulls me inside the house. 

"You don't want to go to this bonfire, Bambi." He uses my childhood nickname. 

JJ always called me Bambi because I have long legs, big eyes and a little button nose. I also had big ears, but I eventually grew into them. 

"I'm not a kid any more, J. Like you, I have been forced to grow up way quicker than everyone else our age. It's just a bonfire. What's the worst that could happen?"

He places his hand on my shoulder. "This isn't just a Pogue bonfire. It's in the middle of town. The Kooks will be there too."

I shrug my shoulders. "So? The Kooks don't scare me."

JJ bites down on his lip while he stares at me, contemplating his decision. "Fine." 

*

This isn't just an ordinary bonfire. There's actually three bonfires going. One on the south side, one on the east side and one on the west. The Pogues are surrounding the south, the Kooks are surrounding the west, and the east fire is a mixture of both.