The Bends - JJ x Kiara

Panic pt. 1

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(Kiara)

JJ said he'd get to the beach before Pope and I.
The sky is bleak and the sun is setting. There's a speaker somewhere around the beach; the music is so loud, it makes our ears vibrate.

We walk together, not hand in hand.
Pope goes to sit down on one of the logs and starts to talk to a few people. I walk over to the kegger and get some beer.
It's ass, and tastes stale; but it'll do.

The sand scratches the sides of my ankles. The warm sea breeze is comforting.

I decide to join a few fellow poguies sitting on the sand. I talk to them about climate change, and how we need to take better care of the earth. We also talk about zodiac signs. One of them mentions how sensitive I can be, because I'm a cancer.

I quickly look around the area.

But I can't seem to spot JJ.

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(JJ)

I've popped so many pills, I think I'm going to fucking blow up. Explode like a ticking bomb.

Everyone's drunkenly jumping up and down to the booming music, and my head throbs in rhythm with my heart beat.

I don't even know how I got wasted so fast; but I'm feeling pretty nauseous. I didn't even know if Pope or Ki decided to show up. I hope they did. I'd try and look for them later.

As I guzzled my beer, the memories of John b came back. He was my drinking buddy. But, he also made sure I didn't drop dead. And if he was the one to black out, when we would both be on the ground unconscious, Pope would take us home to sleep like two little boys.
He'd always be the one to remember what happened the night before; and I was always the one to forget. He'd make sure to remind my ass.

Before I could continue to think, I was sucking in through the mouthpiece of someone's bong. The smoke made it hard to inhale. But me being an experienced smoker, I was able to block out the dull urge to cough. I let out a big blow, the line of smoke making everyone around me hack.

People were laughing around me, whooping and patting my back.
I gazed tiredly at the ocean. The rolling waves crashing softly on the shoreline. The same place where I saved John b's ass from drowning.
I don't think I was ever going to be able to get over him. The dude was my other half.

But I feel like it would help. It would save a fuck ton of guilt and depression.

I look around the beach for a sec.

I can't seem to spot Ki.

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(Kiara)

Blunt in hand, I rest my head on Pope's shoulder. He agreed to watch my weed and beer intake for tonight.

Most of the time, at least two people had to keep watch of JJ. He was the worst at parties, if I hadn't already emphasized that.

The noises around us have gone quieter. Still loud, but quieter. Some people have their phone flashlights on, so they could see in the un illuminated sky.

Pope sits silently beside me, watching the ocean. He has a content look on his face, which slowly turns into a concerned expression. I see his mouth pronounce a soundless "fuck".

He nudges me with his shoulder. "Ki. Get up."

I open my eyes. I guess I must've dozed off.

I run a hand through my hair, and flick the nub of the blunt, which had burned out. "What's wrong?" I mumble.

Pope stares ahead nervously, before he whispers; "Rafe. He's here."

My heart lurches. I get up so fast, my head spins. I know what would go down if JJ and Rafe found each other. Fuck.

I turn around, and there he was. Rafe's hair was messed up, and fell around his eyes. He looked irked and not ready to play.

And I almost missed the gun clutched tightly in his hand.
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