Together

41. What Jeep?

I toss and turn almost every night
I pray to God I'm doing right
By all my family's wishes
Lord knows I miss them
Their love outshines the sun
So when I break down I list off the reasons
I'm here and I'm still breathing oh
I'm hanging on
-Chance Peña

By the time Friday rolls around Kiara is all nerves. JJ was no stranger to her bedroom, but nearly every other room in her house was untouched by his presence.

Her room was big, but it screamed Pogue and Kiara. Her walls were covered in posters of Bob Marley and other bands, the books on her shelves about environmental impacts of climate change, her clothes from the boys mixed in with swim attire and crop tops. Pictures of all her friends on the mirror and friendship bracelets mixed in with her jewelry.

Not at all like the rest of the house but she doubted he'd be surprised by the stark contrast. She was setting the table in the dining room, looking around at all the expensive cutlery, plates, and décor. She hates the wasted money on things that they only used a few times a year, but at least they were reusable and wouldn't end up in the ocean later.

Kiara's passion for the environment was like everything she loved, intense and dedicated. She wanted to save turtles and protect the planet. She thinks to the day she and Sarah watched the turtles hatch on the beach, one of the best days of her life. She knew right then that's what she wanted for her future. Saving life's most precious creatures.

Mike enters the room with a pitcher of iced tea and places it on the table, giving her a smile. She can't tell if it's forced or not. He can't be excited about this.

When Mike pulled her into his office and said he and her mom wanted JJ to come over for dinner, Kiara almost laughed.

"Seriously?" she balked. "Why?"

"He's your boyfriend," Mike stated. A fact he obviously wasn't thrilled about but none the less acknowledged. "We want to get to know him."

Kiara very much doubted that. Their minds had been made up about him the second she brought him to the Wreck when she was nine. The second he gave his full name their attitude shifted from open to closed. Even nine-year-old Kiara could sense it. They were not pleased with the association. JJ seemed to notice it too, which only made her more mad. He looked guilty, but Kiara didn't think he did anything wrong.

She dug in her heals later when they tried to sway her from spending time with him. Something about that opposition to their friendship made her want it more. Like he was something that they were trying to keep away from her. She had to know what it was that made this little blond ball of energy so interesting that he was singled out so exclusively in their opposition.

JJ knew her parents didn't like him and started to pull away, not wanting to be where he wasn't wanted. She could tell that he was hurt by it, he really liked playing with Kiara and she liked being with him too. So, she did what she always does when she loves something. She gave it her all.

Kiara wouldn't let him pull away from her. She sought him out at school, even if they weren't always in the same class and at the break, challenging him to surf contests. She hung out at the chateau and made a point to sit next to him on the dock.

She didn't realize it then, but she was always demanding to be in his orbit. Eventually he accepted it. She was his friend regardless of whether he wanted it or not, she left him no choice.

JJ was always hers.

"Almost ready?" Mike asks, hands finding the back of one of the chairs in front of him.

"Can you please just be nice?" she asks, a little desperately. She really didn't want JJ to be interrogated or accosted or pushed out. She'd fight as hard for him now as she did when they were kids.