friends (JJ and Pope)

Chapter two

Chapter 2

JJ:

"Don't ever do that again." Kie says once she's done hugging me. "We were so worried. I'm serious. Don't ever do it again." She repeats, face hard. After a few seconds her face drops and she looks at me. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, just needed some space." I tell all of them. "I'm sorry. For real." and I mean it.

We all plop down outside on our usual spots, and I tell them where I've been and what I've been doing.

"Well enough of me. What've you guys been doing?" I ask them.

"Besides worrying about you, the usual. Drinking, talking, surfing. Oh and by the way, surfing is a lot less fun without you JJ." Sarah says, from her seat, wrapped up and cuddled in JB's arms.

I laugh.

They're acting like I've been gone for months, but it's nice. Having a real family, people that care whether or not I come home.

We continue like this for a few hours, like we usually do, until we all get tired and decide to head to bed. We all mostly sleep here. Me because, well obviously I can't sleep at my dad's place. Kie because her parents kicked her out, Pope because he likes to, and Sarah because she hates staying with her crazy family. John B and Sarah sleep in the main bedroom, Kie sleeps in the other smaller bedroom, and me and Pope sleep in the living room on the 2 couches.

As I'm lying on the couch, trying to fall asleep, Kie calls me in her room. I hop up and walk into her room. We both sit down on the bed. This is weird.

"I missed you." she says.

I don't know how to respond to that.

"I missed you too." I say, because it seems like the right thing to say. I did miss her, but we never talk like this.

"I'm still mad at you for leaving like that." she says, no anger in her voice.

"I really am sorry." I say.

"Promise not to do it again." she says.

"I promise." I say.

Then she looks me in the eyes briefly and kisses me. I don't pull away, but I don't react either. She pulls away after a second. I look away. I'm not trying to be an asshole.

I look back at her, and she looks confused and upset. Shit. I know it's not right, but I lean in and kiss her back. It's not right because the only reason I'm doing it is out of pity.

I'm not in love with her. I'm in love with him. With Pope.

Pope:

"Guys come on, we're gonna be late." I yell to everybody in the house.

"Shut up, Pope!" Sarah yells back. She walks out of her room now, hair ruffled and the first button of her shirt undone. JB walks out after her, his hair also ruffled and his shirt wrinkled. Ew. Ew.

We all take 5 more minutes to get ready, then we all walk out to the twinkie and climb in. JJ and Kie are sitting a little bit closer than usual. Huh. Wonder what's going on there. JB starts driving, really slowly. Omg.

"Could you pick up the pace, grandma?" I say to John B.

"Omg Pope, you're literally the only person that cares about getting to school on time." Sarah remarks from the passenger seat.

"It's a normal thing to want to get to school on time. Who likes walking into a classroom late?" I question, rhetorically.

"You're such a nerd." JJ laughs.