Stranded Love

Survive To Thrive

DAY SIXTEEN

When Sarah and Kiara returned from their talk on the morning of the fourteenth day, the latter girl didn't act like she had what felt like a life changing revelation. She just kept going about the past two days doing what she had to do, albeit she found herself glancing at JJ more often than not.

JJ hasn't noticed anything that could hint to Kiara having a revelation and especially one about him. He's none the wiser to it. All he knows is that with each passing day it's getting harder for him to push back the feelings he has for her. It's harder for him to fight against his better judgement.

You can't succeed if you don't try.

Screw Cleo for getting that into his head. He doesn't believe he should try because there are so many reasons not to. He doesn't want to hurt Kie because of the bad reputation he's been labelled with. He doesn't want to ruin their friendship, especially if she doesn't feel the same way – and he believes she doesn't because nothing good comes his way. He also doesn't want to risk losing her or making it weird with Pope.

Yet he wants to try. He wants to try so badly.

But the door needs to stay locked so both of them remain better off.

But the shift. That fucking shift. He can't decide whether it actually happened or he seriously just imagined it. Shit, does he want it to be real or not?

JJ is conflicted. He stares at the friendship bracelet as if that'll give him the answer.

Kiara notices JJ's fixation on the friendship bracelet she made for him years ago and she unconsciously smiles to herself. She also notes how his busted lip has pretty much healed now. And of course she notices that he's shirtless.

It's the early hours of the morning and she's decided to scour the beach for driftwood. So the girl sends JJ one last look, taking in his messy morning hair, before leaving down the beach and climbing over a small rocky outcrop. The Carrera girl finds multiple pieces of wood in the lowlight but there is one thing she comes across which gains her full interest. There, strewn across a rock, is a washed up white cloth. The girl pulls it up and stretches it out and finds it's pretty big. She immediately knows what it will be used for.

Kiara drapes it over her shoulders, gripping the material in one hand whilst the other holds the driftwood she collected. JJ is so distracted tracing random shapes into the sand that he doesn't notice her come up behind him. Heeding his distraction, Kiara drops the white sheet over his head.

JJ immediately leaps to his feet and waves his arms around wildly, trying to get the cloth off him. "AHH! SPIRITS!"

Kiara was not expecting him to scream so she reaches forward and pulls the sheet down so he can see before slapping her hand over his mouth. "Shh!" She hisses lowly. "You're gonna wake everyone up!" He probably has already woken everyone up now.

JJ stills and stands there, his alluring blue eyes slowly becoming calm as he realises it's her.

"Can I move my hand?" Kiara looks at JJ expectantly, raising her eyebrows up at him. She can feel him smile against her palm.

"Mmm-pref'r if mm-ou mhp-didn't." His words are muffled but she understands what he's saying and retracts her hand despite it, pulling an annoyed face. "I said "I prefer if you didn't"."

Kiara rolls her eyes. "I know what you said, JJ," she responds squarely.

"Then why did you–"

Kiara shuts him up by shoving a small stick into his grasp. Her expression softens. "Let's make Poguelandia official, shall we?" She places a block of coal in his calloused hand.