𝓕𝓪𝓵𝓵𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓕𝓵𝓪𝓶𝓮𝓼 ~ 𝓙𝓲𝓪𝓻𝓪

𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 32

Pope stood in front of the vending machine as it dispensed his bag of gummy bears. He crouched down, sticking his hand inside grabbing the small golden bag. Standing up, he heard JJ and Kiara in the distance. She walked alongside him closely, practically being able to touch hands if they truly wanted but of course never did.

JJ has been with her for about an hour. The moment he told him about her visit it was clear now that no one in their respective minds would go the lengths that Kiara has if she honestly didn't care for him. However, it wasn't Kiara that he was focused on, for the little minutes he watched them all he could see was JJ's eyes fixated on her. Like whatever she was talking about was the most intriguing topic he's ever heard and all the distractions in the world could never interrupt his indulgence of her.

He didn't want to get ahead of himself because boys and girls can be friends, though they never cared to be friends.They never once had the compatibility of sustaining a friendship, so he thought. The only rational reason to completely understand what they have is they feel an attraction, an underlying vitality that makes them keep being near each other. Pope decided to keep that realization to himself, however. He wanted them to eventually figure it out, if their stubbornness allowed it anyhow. Until then, he walked away leaving them be.

"How do you feel?" Kiara asked, looking at the ground.

"About what?"

"About the surgery."

He sighed in a way that wasn't exaggerated but subtle and discreet, "I'm shitting bricks actually. Like we've been waiting a while for this and now that it's her, I just don't want anything to go wrong, because with brain surgeries they tend to go wrong."

She looked up at him, "Don't say that, I'm sure everything will go fine. The doctors know what they're doing, they went to school for this, years and years of school to help people in need and make them better. One of those people is your mom, so she will be better."

JJ nodded briefly as his eyes went to her. By now the walking had stopped and it was only them standing in the gray carpeted hallway that extended far beyond on both ends.

"What about you?" JJ asked suddenly, not taking his eyes away as if it was some sort of game.

"About me? What do you mean?"

"Your parents, I remember you told me that your parents aren't that involved with you. Have they changed?"

Kiara was tentative as she broke away their stare and started walking, "I mean I told them, well my mom, and I just kind of avoided her from there."

He followed her, "You told them? What did you say?"

"Just how they never stay for more than three weeks. How they tell what I want to hear but never actually do anything. How I try so much and they've never told me they loved me."

JJ was stunned by what he heard. He couldn't imagine his parents never telling him they loved him. If they had done such a thing he doesn't know where his self confidence would be.

As they walked it went silent. JJ wanted to ask more of her parents but it was too sensitive of a topic to pursue.

"What do you like?" he asked out of curiosity.