broken || outerbanks, jj

fourteen

kies pov
chateau ; 2:14 pm

the boys and i sat in the chateau while we watched big john fry some fish. it was a normal day. we didn't really have anything planned other than eating dinner with big john.

this summer has already been pretty boring. besides seeing coop for the first time in a year, it's really not been that exciting.

but that was normal. our summers were filled with food, beer, surfing, movies, and fires. every once in a while someone would throw in a fight. but other than that, it was the same old thing.

john b got up from his seat and walked into his room. i looked around and saw that pope and jj were occupied with some ball jj had in his hand, and big john was still frying fish, so i took my opportunity to follow john b.

john b was digging for something in his room when i walked in.

"hey john b, i have something to talk to you about." i stated as i sat on his bed.

john b looked at me with an eyebrow raised, and crossed his arms.

"so, there is this girl, she used to be a good friend of mine. but she left a while ago. she's an amazing girl, really. she is so great, um." i glanced at him.

"spit it out, kie."

"it's cooper. she's back."

"she's back? how long?" john b's voice got low, not wanting anyone to hear us. he sat next to me on his bed.

"beginning of the summer. i'v hung out with her twice now. she didn't want me to tell you guys, and i tried, but it's so hard to keep this from you guys."

"kie," john b looked down at me, "what about jj? how-"

"john b," i stopped him, "we really shouldn't worry about that right now."

"why did she moved back?" john b stood from his bed and paced his room.

"i can't tell you that, she has too."

"kie?" pope came walking into john b's bedroom as well. "you guys talking about coop?"

"what? how did-"

"i saw her at a party while i was making a delivery. she called me over and we talked."

"how, was she okay?" i questioned with concern.

"she wasn't cooper, if that's what your asking."

"cooper?" jj asked, walking into john b's room.

jj had his juul up to his lips as he looked at us three with confusion. "hello? i heard cooper? did she call one of you?"

jj rasied his voice, but it was more to catch our attention. he didn't seem upset or angry, he just didn't want to be ignored.

"kie?" john b nodded my way.

"i, it's not," i let out a sigh, "it's really not my place."

"kie just fucking tell me. if you three can talk about it, you can talk about it with me too."

"cooper is back." i spit, not wanting an angry jj.

i could see jj's face drain from all his emotions. he was not supposed to find out like this. he was supposed to see her himself. they were supposed to talk and get through all the shit that happened. but i could have just ruined all of that. i did just ruin all of that.

"jj," john b mumbled but jj cut him off.

"no, it's alright. she stays on her side, i stay on mine right? that's how it has to work? i mean, it's not like she'll be around here right? right?" jj raised his voice, this time it was full of panic.

"you know we were friends with her too right?" pope stepped in.

"she was my best friend, jj." i stated, the other two boys nodding their head in agreement.

"i'm your best friend. she was a lousy kook who swooped in and took us under her wing. i'm the one you've known for years. i'm the one who is your best friend."

"she can be our best friend too." pope quietly murmured.

"no, that's called replacement, and i don't want to be apart of it."

with that jj stormed out of john b's room.

pope ran a hand over his chin while john b sent me an apologetic shoulder shrug. i just shook my head and smiled. "you really put me on the spot, huh?" i pushed john b's arm.

"i didn't know what else to do." john b shrugged his shoulders again.

"what the hell are we going to do?" pope looked at us two.

"nothing. this isn't our battle. they need to figure out their own shit. for now, we do what we want. if we want to hang out with cooper, we hang out with cooper. if we want her around, that's fine too. this isn't jj's world. jj isn't some type of main character who gets to make all the decisions. we get to do what we want as well. i'm done having all this about jj and cooper. what about me and cooper? or you and cooper?" i pointed to john b, "or you and cooper?" i pointed over to pope. "this is our world too, and i'm going to live like it."