Kook Year {Kiara x Sarah (Outerbanks AU)}

ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝟙𝟘

"Good morning Pope,"

Pope hooked his backpack by its straps onto the back of his chair and sat down, "Morning Mr. Sunn."

"You working tonight?"

Pope winced, he forgot that he was on duty today. "Yes sir- why, you plan on stopping by?" 

"I'll definietly be grabbing something to eat," Mr. Sunn chimed. "It's been too long since I last tasted Heyward's scallops."

"Bring the family," Pope unzipped his backpack and pulled out his notebook. "Kids eat free on Wednesdays."

Students began to fill the room and by the time the bell rang only a sole seat was left empty. "Guess we'll just have to start class without JJ," Mr. Sunn marked attendance. Pope wrote the date in the top corner of his page in small careful letters.  It's not like the class had ever had trouble starting without JJ before. As a matter of fact, class actually ran about six times as smoothly when JJ wasn't in it.  Pope didn't have anything against the guy, but sometimes his shennanigans made it hard to stay focused.  That's not the only way JJ made it hard to focus. However painful for Pope to admit, he thought JJ was one of the most attractive men he had ever seen. But he would never tell him that- or anyone else for that matter.

Even though JJ had been rumored to hookup with a few guys here and there, nobody knew Pope liked guys.  He didn't keep his sexuality a secret because he was homophobic or anything like that, he just liked being a private person.  Not like JJ. Pretty much everyone knew his business. 

Thirty minutes into class the door opened and in walked the blonde.  Timely as usual. Mr. Sunn was the first to acknowledge him "you're a little early for class aren't you?"

JJ plopped down in his desk behind Pope and began to rumage through his messy bag in search of something, "sorry teach, football coach just stopped me in the hall- he wanted a word about me joining the varsity football team." He paused his rummaging and leaned in behind Pope "you got a pencil that I could borrow?" Pope nodded and handed him the pencil. "Thanks," JJ took the pencil from him, his fingertips centimeters away from Pope's, and returned to his rambling. "I told him no, obviously. I get that I'm just a natural born star athlete, but I got a lot on my plate right now and-"

"JJ," Mr. Sunn cut him off. "Quit yer' yappin, start taking notes, and take that hat off."

"My apologies," JJ tipped his hat curteously to Mr. Sunn before taking it off completely and hanging it on the back of his chair.

JJ was silent for the majority of class there after- he must've been distracted watching a squirrell outside through the window, with the exception of a couple coughs and the constant drumming of his fingers on the desk.  Thankfully he didn't pipe up again until after the notes were through with.  "Pst- hey."

Pope turned in his seat, "whats up?"

"Hey, you're like really smart right?"

Pope shrugged his shoulders up. "What do you mean," he asked. He couldn't tell if he was asking him a geniune question, was complimenting him, or was just messing with him.

"Listen," JJ got up out of his seat and crouched down right beside Pope, placing a hand on his shoulder. "My friend John B needs a tutor in Spanish because he is a caca brain."

Pope pretended to not notice JJ's hand was there, "so you want me to tutor him?"

"Percicely."

Pope fiddled with his thumbs. Between working at his father's restaurant, maintaining his position at top of his class, and life in general, Pope really didn't have time to fit anything else. "Trust me," Pope reassured JJ. "Normally I would- but I don't want to overcommit myself. Respectfully I have to turn down your offer."

"Yo dude please. We'll owe you big time." 

Pope looked into JJs big blue puppy dog eyes and caved. "Okay- but tell him I can only do after school on tuesdays and wednesdays from 2-3. If hes later than 15 minutes, I'm leaving."

JJ grinned, "I'll make sure he knows."