If Only ❆ JJ and Kiara

#9

^^^ I've kind of got some kind of emotional attachment to this song. Idk why I just love it so much. It isn't on my playlist tho because I can't find the original on Spotify. Anyways, let's continue this madness! Also, thank you for 570 reads!!! Apologies for not updating sooner, been struggling with how I wanted to play the rest of the book out and I feel like now is super important. <3

No POV:

While Sarah and Kiara were talking, John B and JJ were having a quite similar conversation.

"You and Kiara were getting pretty close tonight," John B began.

"Uh-huh... yeah. I- I don't exactly know what happened there. I mean, we pretty much all used to have a thing for her, but recently, I don't really know, things kind of just... resurfaced," JJ chose his words with some kind of unsure tone to his voice.

"Ah, yes. Sarah pointed that out. Wait- what about Pope? Didn't he have a thing for her? And what happened to no Pogue-on-Pogue macking?" John B bombarded him with questions.

"Pope- Ah, I don't really know. We didn't really speak, so I don't know what is going to happen next. But please don't tell Sarah, she's cool and all but I don't want her telling anyone," JJ's cheeks began to go slightly red.

"Sure bro. So, do you want to go out tomorrow? That way there's no chance of awkwardness between you two," John B offered, sensing that JJ wasn't super keen to continue the subject.

Timeskip to the next day

Kiara's POV

John B, JJ and Pope took the boat up to the jetty near my house while I was waiting for them with Sarah. I wondered how I would be able to face Pope, although he wasn't my main priority at the time. I had no clue about how to act around JJ, so I chose to act as though nothing happened with him.

No POV:

"Uh- um... hey!" JJ said uncharacteristically nervously as Kiara hopped on.

"Sup?" Kiara grinned at the boys as she raised an esky that when she moved made the sound of glass bottles clinking.

"You got the goods?" Sarah asked Kiara before winking at John B.

"Do I got the goods? Do I got the goods? Yeah, I got the goods," Kiara rolled her eyes sarcastically and passed the esky over to her.

In a swift movement, Kiara hopped over to sit next to JJ and put her feet up on the bench in front. Flashing JJ a quick smile, Kiara focused her attention on opening a bottle of beer. 

Once they had arrived at their usual spot, Kiara was first to get in the water. Taking off her shirt and revealing the slim figure underneath, she elegantly dived into the water, hardly splashing. 

Sarah and John B followed while JJ and Pope stayed behind. The three just had fun for a while, until she felt as though John B and Sarah wanted some time together.

Kiara was just about to hop onto the boat when she heard Pope and JJ's voices, sounding somewhat serious.

JJ's POV:

I had decided I should talk to Pope, to see where he and Kiara were at. I don't think I could do anything else with Kiara until I knew how things were. 

Pope told me how things ended after they kissed, so I already knew that she wasn't into him, but I didn't have the same certainty with Pope. When the others had gone off to swim, I thought then would be the perfect time to ask him.

"So, how are things with you and Kiara? I know it ended kind of abruptly after you guys... Ya' know," I said, trying to sound as least suspicious as possible.

"Well, I'm not completely sure. I know she doesn't like me like that, as much as it hurts to admit, but I still feel something for her. It's not like I can just let years worth of crushing go away," Pope's dejected-looking face told JJ that he didn't wish to further any conversation on the topic.

No POV:

There was an awkward silence between the boys and both were startled when Kiara hopped on board. She had heard it all, though nobody else knew.

"What's up?" Kiara said nonchalantly, trying to act like she hadn't heard their conversation. Kiara had tried to believe that Pope was over her, though deep down she knew that it wasn't something that could go away that quickly.

They were saved from an awkward conversation by Sarah and John B, pointing out it was really late and they best be getting home.

Kiara was actively avoiding JJ, trying not to strike up a conversation with anyone while also trying not to act any stranger than normal. This didn't work for too long though, as Pope got dropped off by his dad's shop, then John B went home with Sarah, so for a few moments before she left the boat, it was just JJ and Kiara.

"Thanks, see you later," Kiara was about to hop out of the boat when JJ spoke up.

"Wait- Kiara?"

"Um yeah?" She knew what he was going to talk about.

"Are we just going to forget about last night? Or..." JJ was fidgeting with a loose thread on the edge of his shirt, trying to avoid eye-contact and didn't notice Kiara sit down next to him.

"JJ... I don't know what to say. Or even to do. I heard you talking with Pope, I'd feel awful if I were to hurt him again," Kiara looked so sad and helpless that the sight of her made JJ upset.

"Oh, okay," JJ said, trying not to look upset.

Kiara wrapped her arms around him and enveloped him in a tight hug. JJ returned the embrace and wrapped his arms around her small waist. The two remained that way until Kiara had to leave. She was about to stand up to leave when she locked eyes with him. 

They stared for a moment too long, and they slowly leaned in towards each other. Eventually, their lips met. Kiara melted into the moment. The worries she had about Pope disappeared. It felt just as special as it had the night before. Nothing else really mattered at that time, they were only focused on each other.

Word Count: 989

Yeesh, that was a long chapter. I'm really sorry for not posting earlier, I had no clue on how I wanted this chapter to look like and so that made it take longer. Thank you so much for nearly six hundred reads! It means a lot and motivates me to keep on writing more. See you next time! <33