Archive of Our Own

The first time she was aware of the unwelcome and unfamiliar sensation swirling somewhere in the pit of her stomach was four days after they arrived on the island.

She was sitting on the sand with Sarah, legs outstretched but bent at the knees, their bare feet planted in the wet surf as the waves lapped gently around their ankles. They were leaning back on their hands, talking amongst themselves when her attention was caught by the melodic sound of Cleo’s laugh.

She turned to look over her shoulder in the direction it had come from, and her gaze landed on them both, sitting on a piece of driftwood over by the make-shift camp a little further up the beach..

Cleo was facing forward, one leg crossed over the other and her elbow resting casually on her knee. JJ was sitting next to her, turned at the waist to face her side-on, his attention fully on her.

Or, more specifically, on the silver blade that she was expertly twirling between her nimble fingers.

JJ - significantly less expert and nimble - had his own knife balanced clumsily between the fingers of his left hand, attempting to spin it around. 

The blades glinted in the sunlight, and Kie threw a hand up over her eyes to block the glare. 

When JJ’s knife tumbled from his hand, falling blade-down towards the sand, he cursed, yanking his leg out of the way to avoid it landing on his bare foot. The sudden movement caused him to lose his balance on the log, and he began to tip ungracefully backwards with a holler. Cleo laughed, lunging forward to catch his arm and pull him back up.

JJ was laughing too as he steadied himself, leaning forward to scoop the knife up from the sand. Cleo began talking him through it again from the beginning, her fingers moving more slowly this time as she adjusted her position to mirror his.

“ God , could those two be any more obvious?” Kie scoffed, tearing her eyes away from the sight of them both laughing - their knees almost touching now , she noticed - to focus on the ocean in front of her.

“What are you- oh ,” Sarah began curiously, turning to look briefly over her shoulder before stopping herself, a knowing smile creeping onto her lips.

“I mean, how long has it been? Like 2 days? They’re acting like they’ve known each other forever.”

“Actually, I think it’s been more like four days…” Sarah corrected.

“Whatever,” Kie dismissed with a roll of her eyes.

“Why are you so bothered? I’m sure they’re just killing time. It’s not like there’s much else to do around here.” Sarah questioned, closing her eyes and tipping her head back, her long blonde hair skimming the sand behind her.

“I’m not bothered ,” Kie argued.

“Mmm, you seem pretty bothered to me.” Sarah hummed, eyes still closed but a smile creeping onto her face.

“I am not bothered, okay? It’s just -” Kie complained, her eyes darting back to them briefly enough to see Cleo knock her shoulder playfully - and innocently, to everyone else’s eyes, except Kie’s  - into JJ’s as he messed it up again.

“Only JJ could get stranded on a literal deserted island and still find someone to hit on.” Kie finished, sounding irritated.

Sarah smiled wider, opening her eyes and turning to face Kie, eyebrows raised as she nodded slowly.

“I get it. You’re jealous,” Sarah said nonchalantly, with a shrug before sitting forward and brushing the sands from her palms.

Kie stammered over her words for a few seconds, nothing coherent leaving her lips as she sprung upright.

“Me? Jealous? Of Cleo and JJ? Not likely,” Kie tried to argue with a laugh, but it sounded feeble even to her own ears.

“Sounds like it to me. And honestly, you don’t need to be. I know you don’t know her that well yet, but-” 

“JJ seems to be getting to know her well enough for everyone,” Kie muttered childishly under her breath, pulling her legs into to her chest and wrapping her arms around them as she balanced her chin on her knees. Sarah tilted her head with another skeptical raise of her eyebrow.

“All I’m saying is, I know Cleo, okay? Not super well, but well enough to feel confident in saying that JJ isn’t her type.”

“Oh, so I’m to take comfort in the fact that if they don’t hook up, it’s because she’s not interested in him , and not because he’s not interested in her ?” Kie countered.

“I - what ?” Sarah said, a puzzled look on her face as she tried to keep up with her friend’s deranged logic. “I think you’ve been sitting in the sun too long, Kie. You’re rambling.”

“Let’s just drop it, okay?" Kie urged with a sigh. 

“O kay ,” Sarah drawled, standing up from the sand and brushing herself off. She took a step behind Kie, leaning down so her mouth was by her friend’s ear before whispering, “But we both know you’re so jealous.”

“Sarah!” Kie exclaimed, jumping to her feet, but the blonde was already laughing and running away from her, down the beach towards where John B and Pope were waist-deep, fishing.

**************************

They’d been home about a month when it happened for the second time .

JJ was practically living with the Heyward’s now, and so in order to earn his keep, he was working at the store after school and on weekends alongside Pope.

On this particular Saturday afternoon, it was quiet and Kie had stopped by to hang out with the boys as they worked. She was perched up on the counter next to the cash register, her feet dangling above the floor and her hands under her thighs, stopping the hard edge of the counter from bruising her.

Pope was leaning with his back against the register, and JJ was standing opposite them both, amateurly juggling an assortment of fruit that Pope had already told him to quit playing around with before he made a mess.

They were mid-conversation, making plans for later that night, when the door to the otherwise empty store chimed, capturing all of their attention.

Kie turned, and her eyes instantly landed on a long-legged blonde in a sundress, tote bag hanging from her shoulder as she pushed a pair of dark tinted sunglasses up into her long, wavy hair. 

Kie didn’t recognise her, so she assumed she was a tourist - around the same age as them, maybe a year older at most.

Before she even had a chance to turn back around to face her friends, she heard the fruit tumble to the floor as JJ scrambled towards the register, elbowing Pope out of the way.

“What the hell, man?” Pope grunted as he fell into Kie, who gripped his forearm to help steady him as JJ took his spot behind the register.

“Hey there,” he drawled, enhancing the southern twang of his accent like he always did when he was talking to out of towners he wanted to sleep with. He flashed her his charming, lopsided smile for good measure - another one of his favourite tricks.

Kie rolled her eyes.

“Hey,” the pretty blonde replied, eyes taking him in slowly and unabashedly, and Kie felt the heat rise in her cheeks.

“What can I do you for?” JJ asked, still smiling as he leaned forward to rest his elbows on top of the counter.

“Oh my god,” Kie muttered under her breath. She slid down off the counter and busied herself with tidying a nearby display, even though she didn’t actually work there - s he couldn't bring herself to just stand idly by and watch this unfold.

“I’m just looking to collect an order. It should be under Montgomery,” the blonde replied, tossing her hair over her shoulder to expose her bare neck and collarbone, as well as the thin spaghetti strap of her sundress.

“Right, gotcha,” JJ responded - resisting the urge to make a joke about how he’d like to be under this particular Montgomery. He turned to go and retrieve her order, but then quickly spun back around.

“And your name is..?” he asked, widening his grin.

The girl smirked, fluttering her lashes before she spoke.

“I thought you only needed my last name to collect?” 

She was actively flirting back now, Kie could tell.

JJ laughed, and it may have sounded convincing to this girl who didn’t know him from a stranger on the street, but to Kie it sounded… hollow .

“That’s true, but you see, if I don’t get your name now, it’s gonna be kinda awkward when we see each other at this party later and I don’t know what to call you,”

Kie scoffed, and Pope turned to look at her, but JJ carried on obliviously with his conversation.

“A party, huh?”

“Yup,” JJ replied, popping the ‘p’.

“Lexi,” the blonde said after a moment of false contemplation, which Kie knew was purely for show. She extended her hand across the counter and JJ reached out and shook it, holding it for a little longer than Kie was comfortable with.

“JJ,” he said with a nod of his head, eventually dropping his hand from hers. He began to walk backwards to retrieve her order, eyes still fixed on her, and ended up backing into the display Kie had just tidied, causing packets of gum to scatter across the floor.

“For the love of God,” Pope sighed, shoving past him and getting the bags himself as JJ continued to make flirtatious small talk while Kie listened in, her stomach in knots.

Pope appeared less than a minute later, but it felt like hours to Kie.

“Do you need any help out to your vehicle?” Pope asked politely, re-appearing behind JJ with the bags in hand.

“I think I can manage. Thank you, though.” Lexi replied, smiling sweetly at Pope, and it was distinctly different to the smiles she had been sending JJ’s way.

“Nuh-uh. I insist,” JJ interjected, snatching the bags from Pope’s unsuspecting hands and making his way around the counter with them. 

“Well aren’t you a gentleman?” Lexi commented, a little too transparently for Kie’s taste, but JJ was lapping it up.

Kie watched as the two of them made their way out the store and into the parking lot where Lexi’s SUV was parked.

Kie strained her neck at all angles, practically climbing on top of the counter, trying to watch them through the open doorway.

“I have a pair of binoculars in the back if you want a better look?” Pope eventually spoke up. Kie knew he meant it sarcastically - although he definitely had a pair - but she still contemplated taking him up on the offer if it meant she’d be able to see the expression on JJ’s face.

“Why so interested, Kie?” Pope asked, turning to pick up the gum and scattered fruit JJ had left in his wake.

“I’m not. I mean, it’s not like this is an unusual situation, right? JJ hooks up with random blondes all the time.”

“Meh,” Pope commented with a tilt of his head. “Mostly brunettes, the occasional redhead. Blondes aren’t really his type.”

“Well that doesn’t seem to be holding him back, now does it?” she scoffed, turning away from the door and back to Pope as she heard the car engine start up, indicating that Lexi was - thankfully - leaving.

“Y’know, whether she’s blonde, brunette or has a freaking buzz cut - it doesn’t answer the question.” Pope continued, all the gum now back on the display as he straightened it up.

Kie looked at him confused.

“Why are you so interested? Like you said, JJ flirts with girls all the time, and you never seemed to mind before.”

“And I don’t mind now.” Kie countered, before jumping at the sound of JJ’s voice as he made his way back in. 

Pope opened his mouth, as if to speak, and Kie shot him a glare that should have struck him down dead.

“Just drop it, okay?” she whispered to Pope, and he shrugged, holding his hands up.

“So I guess we’re throwing a kegger, huh?” JJ announced to the now empty store, and Kie felt the pit in her stomach deepen.

“Count me out,” she said, making her way around from behind the counter and past JJ without so much as an acknowledgement, letting the door slam shut behind her.

“What’s her problem?” JJ gestured over his shoulder to the door, eyes fixed on Pope.

“Dunno, man. I don’t think she was a big fan of your new friend,” Pope suggested.

“Huh?” JJ asked, looking bewildered, and Pope rolled his eyes.

“Lexi? The blonde you just spent the last 10 minutes eye-fucking over my dad’s cash register?” Pope clarified.

“ Right , my bad,” JJ admitted with a grin. “But why does Kie care?”

“She doesn’t, apparently.”

“But she stormed out?”

“I know,”

“I’m confused.”

“Me too. But she’s a teenage girl, man. I don’t think they’re supposed to make sense.” Pope offered as an explanation.

JJ nodded, pondered it for a second, and then gave a shrug of his shoulders, before returning to his position behind the counter.

****************************

It had been almost a week since the last encounter that made stomach twist and her chest tighten with something she was now coming to recognise as jealousy.

Then it happened for the third time.

Kie hadn’t gone to the last-minute kegger the previous week, and she had made a conscious effort to avoid all conversations that may lead to any details about JJ’s encounter with the now infamous Lexi.

It was Wednesday night, and The Wreck was busy with people taking advantage of the mid-week specials. Kie had been on shift since breakfast, barely able to catch five minutes to sit down and have some food herself. 

Her dad had told her multiple times to take a break, that they could manage without her for a bit, but she knew she’d only come back to upset tables and incorrect orders, so it seemed easier just to carry on.

John B, Sarah, JJ, Cleo and Pope showed up around 5.30pm and claimed their usual table which Kie had reserved for them, despite the crowdedness of the restaurant.

She had chatted to them quickly as she seated them, since their table was purposefully located in her section, and she promised she’d back to take their food order as soon as JJ and Pope stopped bickering over what sides they wanted.

She hurried into the kitchen, collecting plates for a family two tables over, but on her way back to serve them, she was surprised to see another server - Amy - over at her friend’s table.

She watched on as she continued serving, and almost tipped the last plate into the lap of the customer when she saw Amy throw her head back in laughter, and drop a hand onto JJ’s shoulder.

Her customer’s plate hit the table with a clatter, but the food remained intact, and she apologised for her clumsiness.

The noise caught the attention of Amy, who looked up from where her eyes had been glued on JJ, to see Kie glaring back at her. With a sharp jerk of her head, Kie indicated for Amy to follow her, and she did.

“What are you doing?” Kie asked her in a hushed but stern tone, once they were out of earshot of the customers.

“I saw your friends had stopped by, and I just wanted to say hi,” Amy explained, feigning innocence. Kie had watched the whole interaction and she hadn’t paid a blind bit of attention to any of them other than JJ.

“Well, I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but we’re pretty slammed in here tonight so we don’t really have time for chit chat. I’m sure there are plenty of customers in your section that need some service.” Kie suggested through semi-gritted teeth.

“Sure,” Amy replied with a false smile, not happy at the way she was being spoken to, but also not dumb enough to mouth off at the bosses daughter.

“I’ll just get JJ his Mountain Dew and then head back over-,” she said as she attempted to side step Kie, who shot an arm out to stop her.

“Okay, first of all, JJ hates Mountain Dew - he drinks Dr Pepper.” Kie corrected, and Amy huffed. Getting drink orders wrong was somewhat of a speciality of hers, and Kie was almost relieved that she still wasn’t able to get it right, even for JJ.

“Second of all, when you’re serving a table of 5, it’s standard practice to ask everyone at the table if they’d like a drink, not just the one you think is hot.”

Amy opened her mouth to protest, although she wasn’t exactly sure what to say since Kie was right, but she didn’t get the chance anyway, because Kie cut her off.

“Now if you don’t mind, I’ll get JJ’s Dr Pepper, John B’s ginger ale, Sarah’s sparkling water with a wedge of lemon, Pope’s pepsi - no ice - and Cleo’s lemonade with a splash of lime cordial, and you can go back to getting the drink orders wrong on your side of the restaurant.”

Kie flashed her a quick, sarcastic smile before stepping around her and heading to the counter, where the bell was being rung for her next table.

“What was all that about?” Cleo asked Pope, nudging him in the side and pointing to where Kie was marching to the counter, whilst Amy stood looking like she was either about to start crying or throwing punches.

His eyes went to JJ, who was oblivious as usual, and back to Cleo.

“I dunno,” he lied with a shrug, and they returned to their conversation.

******************************

The fourth time it happened, the Pogue’s were crammed into the Twinkie, sitting in the parking lot of one of the few liquor stores on the island.

“He’s not gonna serve me. I told you, the last time we got busted for drinking, my dad came down here and told Sammy that if he sold me beer again he was going to beat his ass into the ground.”

There was a chorus of laughter from the boys before JJ spoke up.

“Yeah, I've heard that one before,” he said with an amused grin, and Kie looked at him curiously.

“You don’t remember?” JJ asked her, turning from his position in the passenger seat to face her in the back.

“That’s what your dad said to me the first time I took you home on the back of my bike.” JJ clarified, before deepening his voice to impersonate Kie’s dad.

“ I swear to God, Maybank, you put her on the back of that death trap again and I’ll beat your ass into the ground! ”

Everyone laughed, and Kie did too, only a little less than the others as she remembered how awful she had felt about her dad’s words in that moment, given everything JJ had been going through with his own dad.

“It’s gotta be you then, man,” John B sighed, slapping a hand down onto JJ’s shoulder.

“Why not Sarah? She’s got all the same… skills , as Kie?” JJ chose his words carefully, since everyone knew he was referring to the fact they were attractive girls with boobs and an ass that would convince perverted old Sammy behind the counter to serve them, minus any ID.

“Yeah, but look at her. Sarah might be a Pogue at heart, but she looks like a Kook. She isn’t exactly going to blend in. He’ll think she’s a narc.” John B argued.

“You guys know I’m sitting right here, right?” Sarah protested from somewhere in the back of the van.

“Cleo, then?” JJ countered, shooting a look at the third girl. As Cleo opened her mouth to speak, Pope laughed, and she spun to look at him.

“You’re kidding, right? If Sammy gives her one wrong look - which, let’s be honest, we all know he will - she’ll have that blade to his throat so quick it’ll make your head spin.” Pope explained, and Cleo - who had been ready to fight her own corner - paused, before agreeing with a shrug of her shoulders and a nod of her head.

“Then someone will call the cops, and we’ll  get busted. Again . Now, I don’t know about you guys, but I for one could live without seeing the inside of a Kildare County police cruiser ever again.” Pope continued.

“He’s right,” John B admitted. “Face it, JJ. You’re the best chance we’ve got. You’re the best liar by a country mile. Now stop being a pussy and get in there,” John B encouraged, shoving at his friend’s shoulder.

“Fuck it,” JJ sighed, jumping out the Twinkie and straightening himself up, clearing his throat, and heading into the liquor store.

He felt Sammy’s eyes on him the second he stepped inside, and they followed him around the store until he reached the chillers at the back wall. He slid open the glass doors, picking up two cases of beer and heading to the counter.

JJ tucked one case under his arm, balancing it painfully against his hip as he used his now free hand to pull out his wallet.

“How’s it goin’, Sammy?” JJ asked in a feeble attempt at polite small talk.

When he didn’t get a reply he just nodded uncomfortably, gesturing to the beer and pulling cash from his wallet.

“ID,” the old, bearded shopkeeper demanded from his stool behind the counter. He was wearing a washed out wife-beater that probably at one point in the time had been white, but had now turned a questionable shade of grey, tinged faintly yellow with nicotine. There were various stains down the front of it that JJ tried to not to give too much thought to, which were mostly hidden by his arms that were crossed in front of him, resting on top of his protruding beer belly.

“Funny story, actually, I don’t-” JJ began, before he was cut off.

“No ID, no sale,” Sammy interrupted, pointing to a hand-made sign written in sharpie beside his head.

“Right, but you see, the thing is-” JJ began, but he was once again interrupted.

“Listen here, kid. Your little girlfriend’s daddy has already been around here once threatening to beat my ass, I ain't giving him a reason to make good on it, alright?”

“Okay, so she’s actually not my girlfriend. W ay out of my league,” JJ clarified as a joke, only to be kind of offended at the nod of agreement Sammy sent his way, before continuing. “But I see your point. Hey, what if-” JJ tried to bargain.

“Not happening, kid. Beat it,” Sammy grumbled, nodding his head toward the door.

JJ sighed, setting the beer down on the counter and heading for the door.

On his way out, he bumped into Haley Kennedy, who was on her way in. Haley was the older sister of Emily, a girl in their biology class. She was almost 19, and more importantly, had a fake ID.

“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry!” She exclaimed, as their bodies collided in the doorway, before looking up and recognising who it was she had literally run into.

“JJ Maybank,” she all but sighed, followed by a smile. “Leaving a liquor store empty handed? That’s a first,” she laughed.

They were standing close together in the doorway, in complete view of his friends who were still sitting in the Twinkie out front.

“Is that… Haley Kennedy ?” Kie asked, squinting her eyes and clambering from the back of the Twinkie to stick her head into the space between the two front seats.

“Here we go again ,” Pope sighed, his eyes shifting to meet Sarah’s, and they shared a quick, slightly amused smile.

Everyone else appeared to remain oblivious to Kie’s ever-increasing jealous antics.

“Looks like it,” John B hummed in agreement.

“What is she even doing here? Isn’t she meant to be over on the west coast at college?” Kie continued to question.

“I heard she dropped out,” Pope commented. “I think Emily mentioned that she got homesick after her first term. She’s probably looking to transfer to a college on the East-”

“Okay, we got it, Pope. We don’t need her whole life story,” Kie interjected, and Sarah elbowed her in the ribs.

“Hey, just because you’re all worked up over your not-so-secret crush on JJ, doesn’t mean you get to take it out on everyone else,” Sarah whispered harshly in her ear, and Kie’s expression softened before she mouthed a silent ‘sorry’ to Pope.

When Kie looked back up at the store, JJ was alone but sticking two thumbs up towards them. A few minutes later, Haley emerged from the doorway and handed him two cases of beer, her own bag of what looked like wine dangling from her fingertips.

The group watched on as they spoke for a few more minutes, laughing, her hand playing with her hair and reaching out to rest on his arm.

Kie rolled her eyes, sitting back in her seat in an attempt to spare herself the misery of witnessing whatever was going on outside the van.

The next minute, Haley reached into her purse and pulled out a pen and began scribbling something onto the back of JJ’s hand. Sarah swallowed hard, knowing exactly what it was. She shot a quick look at Kie, who was still sitting in the back of the van looking downcast as she scrolled through her phone.

The door slid open a few seconds later and JJ clambered in, whooping as he set the beer down and everyone cheered.

Everyone except Kie.

Once the commotion settled down and the Twinkie was en route back to the Chateau, JJ noticed Kie hadn’t spoken for a bit and so he reached a hand out to tap on her knee.

“You alright? You seem kinda quiet,” he asked, and she lifted her eyes from her phone before resting them on the hand he still had on her knee.

(704) 813 - 756 1 was scrawled on the back of it in fresh, slightly smudged ink and Sarah tensed as she saw Kie notice it.

She forced a smile, lifting her gaze from his hand to his eyes.

“I’m fine, just a little tired, that’s all.” Kie answered, and JJ nodded, squeezing her knee before pulling his hand back and returning to his conversation.

********************************

This fifth and final time it happened was the following weekend.

Sarah managed to convince Kie to come to a kegger at the Boneyard, claiming that people - even the usually oblivious John B - were starting to get suspicious now that she had missed a few. 

“Fine. But just so we're clear, I'm absolutely not going to have a good time.” Kie finally gave in.

“God forbid,” Sarah replied saracastically with a quick roll of her eyes.

The first hour or so was spent making small talk with other pogues and some friendly tourons. JJ and Pope were manning the keg, and she could hear their voices and laughter filtering out over the sound of the crowd.

She had a few beers to settle her nerves, and Sarah - sensing Kie's resolve against any type of fun weakening - grabbed her by the hand and pulled her to her feet from where she’d been sitting by the bonfire.

Sarah began twirling Kie around in a clumsy dance and when an honest to God laugh eventually escaped her lips for the first time in months, Sarah’s expression softened and she pulled Kie into a hug.

This was uncharted territory for them, but as soon as the blonde's arms wrapped around her, Kie realised how much she needed it.

“It’s all gonna work out, y’know? He’ll come to his senses eventually. He’s just being a dumb, oblivious boy.” Sarah’s words were soft and comforting against her ear, and Kie tightened her arms around her friend in response.

As they pulled back from each other, Sarah’s eye caught sight of him over Kie’s shoulder. He was leaning back against the keg, a petite brunette standing between his legs with her hands flat against his chest, and his resting on her waist.

After a few seconds, the girl’s hands slid down to his wrists, taking hold and pulling him up off the keg to stand in front of her. She saw JJ look around quickly, eyes landing on Pope and gesturing that he was leaving.

Fuck , Sarah thought to herself.

Kie was still facing the opposite direction, watching as John B and Cleo - surrounded by a crowd, at this point - played beer pong on a makeshift table further down the beach. Kie headed over to join them, but Sarah hung back long enough to see JJ and the brunette head off the beach together, hand in hand and her stomach sank.

Sarah kept track of Kie for the rest of the night, desperately trying to spare her friend the pain of knowing the boy she was clearly in love with had taken another girl home. Watching him flirt and be hit on was one thing, but seeing him with someone else - that was going to hurt, and Sarah wasn’t sure how Kie would handle it right now.

They eventually all stumbled back to the Chateau, a little buzzed and bleary eyed. Sarah and John B crashed in his room, Kie and Cleo shared the pull out and Pope took the couch out on the porch.

A little after 6am, sunlight came streaming in through the windows, and Cleo groaned, pulling the blanket over her head and tossing around for a second before falling back to sleep. 

Kie, however, had always been an early riser, and so she eased herself off the creaking mattress and tiptoed around, gathering up her shoes and belongings.

“My phone,” she whispered out loud to herself. She pondered it’s whereabouts for a second in her hungover, early-morning daze, before realising she had left it charging in Big John’s old room before they headed to the beach last night.

She made her way quietly down the hall, feeling slightly confused when she saw the door was shut all the way over.

The doors around here were never closed… unless .

Her hand was still hovering over the handle, mid-thought, when it swung open in front of her and she yelped in surprise.

So did the girl standing in front of her.

That now all-too familiar sickly feeling wrapped itself around her stomach, her cheeks flushing, and she suddenly felt light-headed.

The girl - a petite, pretty brunette with dark eyes - stood in front of her, hair touseled and the t-shirt JJ had been wearing last night hanging from her shoulders and skimming her thighs - the slight smudge of mascara around her eyes indicating she’d been rubbing at them.

“Sorry,” the girl apologised, kind of awkwardly. “I didn’t think anyone else would be awake so early.”

When Kie just continued to stare blankly back at her for a few seconds, she smiled nervously and stepped around her.

“Do you know where the bathroom is around here?”

Kie managed to pull herself together long enough to point the girl down the hall, and she nodded appreciatively before tip-toeing away in the given direction.

Kie felt sick - and not from her hangover. She felt it burn and swirl deep in her stomach as tears stung at the backs of her eyes. Her breathing quickened, blood rushing in her ears and she needed to get out of there, now.

She stepped into the room, where JJ was still asleep, lying on his back shirtless with the covers pulled up around his waist.

Kie squeezed her eyes shut, tears streaming silently from the corners as she stepped over the girl’s discarded clothing that led in a trail from the doorway to the foot of the bed.

She reached over JJ to the bedside table where her phone lay face down, plugged into the socket.

She lingered for a second, taking him in as she watched his eyes move beneath the lids. His expression was soft and he looked so peaceful and innocent that it made her heart hurt.

She picked up the phone and all but ran out of the room, passing the girl again in the hall. When she heard the bedroom door close again, Kie was sure that was the moment her heart broke.

Sarah called her later that morning to find out where she had gone, and she allowed herself one breakdown - just to get it all off her chest. When she was finished, and Sarah had offered all the advice she had to give, Kie made a promise out loud.

She promised that she was done feeling like this - jealous and angry and bitchy and on edge all the time.

She promised that she was moving on and putting her feelings for JJ aside for good.

Sarah didn't believe her, but she loved Kie like her own sister, so she pretended she did anyway.

******************************

It had been two weeks since the last kegger, and the Pogues had barely seen Kie.

She made excuses that she was working double-shifts, or studying so her parents didn’t make good on their threat to send her to boarding school, and at first her friends bought it.

Well, everyone except Pope and Sarah who knew the real reason she couldn’t bear to be around them - or more specifically, around him .

“I don’t get why we can’t just tell him?” Pope asked in a discreet whisper to Sarah, as they sat side by side on the deck of the HMS Pogue. JJ, John B and Cleo were in the water, cooling off from the stifling heat and paying zero attention to the conversation taking place on the boat.

“Are you crazy? She’d kill us. Besides, it’s her decision, and she doesn’t want him to know.”

“But why? He can’t do anything about it if he doesn’t know how she feels.”

“I get that, and it's no secret around here that JJ isn’t the sharpest tool in the box, but it’s so obvious at this point I don’t understand how he hasn’t noticed? I mean, hasn’t he had a crush on her since forever?”

“Well yeah, but she’s never been interested before. He probably thinks it’s a lost cause at this point.”

“Hey, what are you two plotting over there?”

John B’s voice came from over the side of the boat as he climbed back aboard, shaking the water from his head and spraying them with it.

“Hey!” Sarah squealed, throwing her hands up to shield herself. “And none of your business,” she answered his question.

“Yeah, private conversation, man.” Pope agreed, wiping the water from his face.

JJ and Cleo followed a few seconds later, complaining they were hungry.

“Why don’t we go to The Wreck? Maybe we’ll actually get to lay eyes on Kie for the first time in forever,” JJ suggested.

“It’s been like two weeks, J. That’s hardly forever,” John B replied, pulling his shirt back on to avoid a sunburn.

“Yeah? Well, it feels like forever to me,” JJ grumbled, running a towel over his hair.

Pope and Sarah shared a look, but said nothing.

When they arrived at The Wreck an hour later, Kie was there.

At first she was pleased to see them, but then her eyes landed on JJ who trailed in last, and her heart sank.

“Is this okay?” Sarah, who was leading the group, asked quietly and Kie nodded.

She took them over to the table, handed them their menus and made minimal small talk before taking off to deal with another table. 

The tension was obvious, and the nervous energy was rolling off her in waves.

“Something is definitely up with her.” JJ commented to Sarah, who was sitting across from him, nibbling on a complimentary breadstick from the basket Kie had left them.

“Really? I hadn’t noticed,” She replied, trying to appear nonchalant.

“I’m gonna go make sure she’s okay,” he said, attempting to stand from his chair. Sarah's eyes went wide, and she immediately kicked his shin under the table.

“Don’t you dare,” she threatened in a whisper, leaning toward him whilst trying to avoid the attention of the rest of the table.

“What the hell was that for?!” he cursed under his breath, also leaning forward, but to rub at his injured leg under the table.

“JJ, if you even think about getting up from this table, I swear to God, I will tackle you to the ground.”

“Sarah, what the fuck is going on with Kie?”

“It’s nothing, okay? Just let it go. Please.”

“Sarah-”

“JJ, if you let this go right now, I promise we’ll talk about it later. Just not here, okay?”

She was practically begging him now, and although he wasn’t happy about it, he finally nodded.

“Thank you,” Sarah breathed out, forcing a smile back onto her face as she sat back in her chair and re-joined the group’s conversation.

An hour later, they had finished up their food and the restaurant was beginning to quieten down.

“Kie, come sit with us!” JJ called over to her as she cleared her final table.

“5 minutes, I’m just finishing up here.” Kie called back as she gestured to the dirty dishes.

As she made her way to the kitchen with the plates, the door chimed and a tall, dark-haired boy came in. It took Kie and second or two to recognise him as Brody Williams, and she let out an exasperated sigh.

This was the last thing she needed, and her eyes instinctively went to JJ, who had already spotted him.

“What’s that asshole doing here?” JJ asked, interrupting the conversation the rest of the table was currently having.

Those with their backs to the door turned, and John B laughed.

“Who is he?” Cleo asked.

“I don’t know. He’s kinda hot, though,” Sarah answered, still looking over her shoulder.

“Hi there, John B - your current boyfriend and self-proclaimed love of your life - nice to meet you.” John B commented sarcastically as if he were meeting her for the first time, extending his hand out to her to shake.

“Shut up,” she laughed, batting his hand away affectionately. “It’s just an observation.”

Sarah didn’t miss how JJ’s fists tensed on the table, and she smirked, her comment having the desired effect.

“Brody Wilson,” JJ all but seethed.

“It’s Williams, actually,” Pope corrected.

“Whatever,” JJ gritted through his teeth.

“ Right, Brody.” Sarah drawled. “Didn’t he have a thing for Kie back in the day?”

Sarah was deliberately riling him up now, twirling a strand of hair around her finger as she feigned ignorance.

“JJ’s not a fan,” John B commented, sipping his ginger ale with a smirk.

“Why? What’s wrong with him?” Cleo asked, genuinely curious.

“You know what boys are like,” Sarah replied, her gaze moving to Cleo and giving her a quick wink. “It’s an ego thing.”

“It is not an ego thing, ” JJ snapped back, eyes still focused on Brody who had now made his way over to Kie. He was leaning on the side of the counter, green eyes looking down at her as Kie fiddled nervously with the rag in her hands, having sat the plates back down.

“I mean, can’t he see that she’s busy?” JJ asked, and everyone looked around the deserted restaurant with slightly confused expressions, then back at him.

Sarah was grinning wide and bright.

He was jealous.

The group watched on as Kie and Brody talked for a minute or two, but when Kie pulled a strand of hair over her shoulder and began twisting it around her finger, JJ snapped.

“Fuck this, I’m going over there,” he announced, before Sarah’s foot kicked him in the shin again.

“Will you quit that?!” JJ directed at her.

“If you insist on going over there, please do your best to not be an ass about it,”

Everyone stifled a laugh.

“I’m just going to make sure she’s alright. It’s no big deal,”

“Sure, tell that to the steam coming out of your ears,” John B joked, knocking his cap off his head.

“I hate every single one of you right now,” JJ muttered, readjusting his hat as he stood up and walked over to Kie and Brody.

“Hey, now that he’s gone…” John B addressed the table, leaning forward and gesturing for them all to do the same.

“Do you guys think he’s jealous, about Brody and Kie?”

“You know, I think you might be onto something there, John B.” Pope sassed, patting his friend on the back as Sarah shook her head despairingly at his obliviousness.

“Everything alright over here?” JJ asked, coming to stand between Kie and Brody, side on.

Kie had been in the middle of laughing at something, and she let it dwindle out softly before speaking, turning to look questioningly at JJ.

“Yeah, everything’s fine, JJ.” She replied, a little irritated that he had the nerve to be over here interrupting her perfectly innocent conversation given what he’d been up to lately.

When he ignored her response, eyes still fixed on her, she spoke again.

“Did you need something?”

It was silent for a second, before Brody spoke.

“JJ, man. How’s it going?” he asked, extending his hand to him and attempting to break the tension that hung in the air.

JJ looked from Kie to Brody, then down at his hand. Kie cleared her throat, capturing JJ’s attention and indicating with her eyes for him to shake Brody’s hand.

He did, grasping it a little tighter than necessary before dropping it.

“Hey man, all good. Not seen you around here for a while.”

“Yeah, I’ve been super busy with practice and studying. You know how it is.” Brody confirmed, burying his hands deep into his jean pockets.

“Not really," JJ replied with a shrug, and Brody shifted uncomfortably on his feet.

"Football scholarship, right? Gotta keep that GPA up.” JJ continued, his tone light but laced with sarcasm.

Brody nodded, looking back to Kie briefly before JJ spoke up again.

“We’ve been kinda busy too." JJ gestured between him and Kie. “First we found 400 mill in gold, then Ward Cameron stole it and framed our best friend for murder, forcing him to flee the country in an open boat during a hurricane. For a while there we thought him and his girlfriend were dead, but it turns out they were actually trying to lay low in the Bahamas. And if all that wasn’t enough, Sarah was shot and nearly drowned by her own brother, John B was falsely arrested and then bitten by gator-”

“JJ, behave .” Kie scolded, cutting him off and digging him in the ribs.

“I- uh, I heard about all that. Sounds... wild.”

“Yeah, it was. Anyway, the point is, Kie here doesn’t really have time for dating right now.”

“ JJ !”

“I wasn’t-” Brody began.

“Sure, tell it to the door, bro.”

“JJ, what the hell is wrong with you?!” Kie scolded through gritted teeth, before turning back to apologise to Brody who was looking more than a little uncomfortable.

She turned back to JJ.

“Will you please just go back to the table?”

“No can do,”

“It’s fine, Kiara. I gotta get going anyway. It was nice to see you again though. Good luck with… everything.” Brody said with a smile, turning and heading for the door, his shoulder deliberately bumping JJ’s on the way out.

Kie watched him leave, waited for the door to swing closed behind before she spun to JJ, grabbing him by the ear lobe and dragging him to an empty corner of the restaurant.

“Ow, ow, ow! Kie, stop!” He whined, his feet hurrying to keep up with her.

“Jesus, Kie!” he groaned when she finally let go, hand rubbing at his ear.

“What the hell was that all about, JJ?”

“I was just making sure you were alright.”

“And what exactly gave you the impression that I was not alright?”

“I don’t know, just - well, he’s always hitting on you at keggers and you never really seemed interested.”

Kie raised her eyebrows, as if she was still waiting for an answer.

“I was just trying to help him take the hint, that’s all.”

Kie actually laughed out loud at that.

“What’s so funny?” he asked.

“You, helping anyone take a hint - from me, of all people - is hilarious.”

“I don’t get it?”

“Of course you don’t, that’s my point.” Kie said, her laugh softer - sadder - now.

“I’m confused.”

“Yeah? Well join the fucking club, JJ. I’ve been confused for months.”

She tried to push past him, but he took hold of her wrist.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing. It doesn’t matter now. It’s in the past.”

“Kie, what is in the past? Help me out here.”

“God, JJ, do I really need to spell it out?!”

“Actually, yeah, Kie, you do. Cause you’re acting like a crazy person and I don’t know why.”

“Why did you really come over here?”

“We’re going backwards now, I’ve already answered that.”

“If you want an honest answer from me, I want one from you.”

Her eyes were burning into his now.

“Why did you come over here?”

“Because I saw you talking to Brody, and you were laughing and doing that thing with your hair and-”

“What thing with my hair?”

“You know, the thing where you take a strand and twist it round your finger? You do it all the time when you’re trying to be cute.”

“I-”

“Don’t try and deny it, you know you do.”

“So what, you thought I was flirting with Brody?”

“You were!”

“And what?”

“And I didn’t like it!”

“Why?”

“Kie,”

“Why didn’t you like it, J?”

“Because it made me jealous, alright? Are you happy now?”

Kie let out a breath she didn’t know she’d been holding.

“So what, it’s okay for you to flirt with every girl you see and bring random girls back to the Chateau, but I can’t talk to Brody fucking Wilson?”

JJ grinned, biting down on his bottom lip to stifle a laugh.

“What could possibly be funny right now?”

“It’s Williams,” JJ said, and Kie spluttered a “ What ?” at him.

“His last name, it’s Williams, not Wilson.”

“Whatever, who gives a shit?”

“Well, clearly you don’t - not about him,” JJ said with a grin.

“Can you be serious for just one fucking second so we can get this over with?”

“I don’t know what else to say, Kie. I saw you with him, I didn’t like it, okay? End of story.”

“No, not ‘end of story’. JJ, do you have any idea how miserable I have been for the last three months?”

His grin quickly faded, his expression becoming solemn and his eyes soft.

“I can’t keep standing by watching as you flirt and kiss and hook up with every fucking girl on this island except me.”

“Kie, what the hell are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about Lexi and-”

“What about Lexi?”

“Well you were practically falling all over her at Heywards, then you hooked up with her and-”

“I didn’t hook up with Lexi,”

Kie laughed in disbelief.

“What?”

“Nothing happened with Lexi. Hell, I didn’t even kiss her.”

“Wha-, why?”

“Because, once you made it clear you weren’t coming, the kegger just wasn’t the same. She showed up, and we talked for a bit and she seemed like a nice girl, but I wasn’t really into it. So I left. If you’d actually answered any of my calls that night, you’d know that.”

“Well, what about Haley Kennedy?”

“What about her?”

“She gave you her number,”

“Yeah, so?”

“So, I assume you called her?”

“There’s a lot of assuming going on here, Kie.”

“So you didn’t call her?”

“No, I didn’t call her. I texted her to say thanks again for the beers, and that was it.”

“Okay, well, the brunette from the Boneyard. I know for a fact I’m right about that one.”

JJ sighed with a grimace.

“Yeah, I’ll give you that one. I did sleep with her.”

Although it wasn’t new information, her chest still tightened hearing him say the words, and her eyes brimmed with tears.

“But Kie,” he said, reaching out to take her hand, but she pulled away.

“You don’t owe me an explanation, J. It’s fine,”

“Actually it’s not fine, because you’re crying,”

“I just don’t understand how you’re sleeping with other girls and then telling me you’re jealous of Brody... whatever his last name is.”

“Kie, if I had thought for one second that you felt that way, I wouldn’t have entertained any of those other girls.”

This time when he reached for her hand she let him. He pulled her close as his other hand went to her face, cradling her jaw as his thumb stroked away the tears.

His forehead fell forward to rest against hers, and when he spoke it was practically a whisper against her mouth.

“If you’re telling me right now that you don’t want me to see other girls, I won’t.” he promised.

“Cause honestly, after this conversation, I know I don’t wanna see you with anyone else.”

Her hands were gripping the back of his neck now, holding his face to hers as she nodded her head.

“What does this mean?”

“It doesn’t have to mean anything, not right now. We can just... think about it, or talk about it, or-”

He was cut off by Kie’s lips colliding with his, her arms winding around his neck as his dropped to her waist on instinct. His mouth was moving against her instantly, and he breathed a sigh of relief into her mouth as her lips parted against the slight pressure of his tongue.

When the bell rang over by the counter, they pulled apart with a collective groan, foreheads still touching and hands still gripping the other.

“I gotta go deal with that,” she breathed against his mouth, and he smiled.

“But you’re not finished dealing with me,” he grinned, and she groaned his name against his mouth as he pressed another lingering kiss to her lips before releasing her.

“Okay, okay, go. We’ll talk later,” he said through a smile, and she nodded at him, bottom lip pulled between her teeth as she backed away from him and headed round to the counter.

When JJ got back to the table, Sarah all but pounced on him.

“Well? What happened? Is she okay? Where did Brody go?” she harassed him as he slid back into his seat opposite her.

“She’s fine. Great, actually. The happiest I’ve seen her in months.” 

Sarah could guess from the far-too-pleased-with-himself expression on his face what had happened, and she wanted to squeal with excitement, but managed to keep a lid on it.

“As for Brody, I don’t think we’ll be seeing much of him.”

“Got it,” Sarah said, giving him a knowing nod.

“And what about you?” she asked as he took a drink of his now watered down Dr Pepper.

“What about me?”

“Are you happy? About whatever's happened with Kie?” Sarah asked, and he was kind of caught off guard, so he didn’t answer right away.

“Cause you deserve to be. Happy, I mean.” she added, and this time when she kicked at his leg under the table, it was with playful affection as she smiled at him.

His eyes caught Kie, standing over at a table in the corner taking an order for the family that had just arrived, and she smiled at him when she caught him staring.

JJ turned back to Sarah, grinning wide and bright, and nodded.

“Thanks, Princess.” He kicked her back gently, and she laughed, tossing a fry at his face before they joined in with the rest of the table.