Gap Year • JIARA •

chapter 9

Kie's POV:

We went mini golfing and then to the country club for dinner. Cody was super nice and extremely funny. We all made plans to go to the party in two days on the beach.

Tomorrow was Thanksgiving and I was spending it with my family. I couldn't help but think of last Thanksgiving.

JJ and I were on a train from Austria to Germany. He found turkey sandwiches, mashed potatoes, and a pastry at the train station. He said he's never had a real Thanksgiving and this was his first.

We both ate the crappy train station food. Funny thing is, that was my favorite Thanksgiving. It was cheap, nasty food but we made it work. I sat here with my family eating a really expensive meal and for some odd reason, I was craving the cheap train food that I ate with JJ.

I went to bed early that night and I wanted so badly to text JJ. I wrote out many different messages but ended up not sending any of them.

The next night, I was getting ready for the party on the beach. I was going with Cody and we were meeting Sarah and stopped there. He picked me up and when we arrived we both grabbed a drink and found Topper and Sarah.

We were dancing when all of the sudden, I saw the very well known pogue group that consisted of John B, Pope, and JJ. Why was JJ back in OBX? He vowed to never return here.

The three of them walked right by us. JJ didn't even look at me. He didn't acknowledge me. He walked right by. How could he pretend like the last ten months meant nothing?

I know why, because to him they meant nothing. I wondered over to the drink table and I saw Rafe there. I froze. Why was he back?"

"Hey, Kie Kie" He said using that annoying nickname he called me

"Leave me alone, Rafe" I said stern

"Come on, I know you missed me. Let's get out of here and hang out. For old times sake. You know, just you and me"

"NO! I'm not going with you!" I yelled

He grabbed my arm to drag me and I was fighting him back. Suddenly, Rafe let go and I turned around to see why. JJ was there.

"She said no, you fucking piece of shit!" JJ screamed as he repeatedly punched him

I ran away as the two fought and Sarah saw me crying.

"Kie, what's wrong?" She asked

"I need to talk to you" I said crying

"Okay, come on. I'll take you home" Sarah said as we left

She drove back to my house as I refused to go to her house. I told her everything about that happened with Rafe. She cried with me and she said she would never be mad at me.

She was pissed at Rafe and promised she would make sure he never hurt me again. JJ made that promise to me and he kept it.

I didn't expect to see him here and I sure as hell didn't think he'd safe me from Rafe.

"Sarah, you remember that guy Dylan that I told you about?"

"Girl, how could I forget?! He's your soulmate!"

"What if I lied and told you that Dylan was really JJ?"

Sarah started laughing and she said, "Seriously?"

"Yeah, I know it's hard to believe but he's so different around me. Trust me, I never expected to be friends with JJ Maybank"

"Show me some pictures" She said and I handed her my phone

She looked at the pictures and she looked at me and said, "You seem so happy there"

"Are you saying I'm not happy here?"

"No, what I'm saying is you look happy there. Really fucking happy. That's a real smile. Now, college you it's just that your smile doesn't shine like it does in these"

"So what are you saying? That I should go travel more with JJ? I'm out of money and my parents would kill me if I put off school any longer"

"You don't have to travel with him to be with him"

"That's crazy" I said

"Just think about it... But you should go talk to him"

Sarah and I went back to the party and Cody came up to me and hugged me.

"Are you okay?" He asked super concerned

"Yeah, I'm fine" I said walking away to find JJ

I saw John B and I asked, "Where is JJ?"

"No clue, kook!" He said like the asshole he is

"Fuck off!" I said giving him the middle finger

I wondered around until I found JJ and I said, "Hey, thank you for what you did back there with Rafe"

"I made a promise to you and I kept it. No thank you necessary" He said still not looking at me

"So what? That's it? You aren't even going to look at me"

"No, I'm not" JJ said

"You were the one who wanted to talk to me. I'm here right now, so talk!"

"Four months ago! I wanted to talk four month ago! But no, you called and bitched and hung up before I could tell you what happened" He yelled back at me

"There's nothing to tell! I know you don't do anything other than hook ups. One night stand. Hump and dump. Never the same girl. I don't fucking care anymore. It was five months ago. I've moved on with Cody"

JJ looked surprised and he said, "Well, okay then..."

He started walking away and he said, "Have a good life, Kie"

He stormed off and I wanted to yank my hair out. I was so frustrated with him. I didn't mean to lie and tell him that I was with Cody because I wasn't. I never planned on dating him.

I left the party and went back home. I was heading back to California early tomorrow morning and I couldn't wait to get away from here. JJ was right about one thing, it sucked coming back to OBX.