Together

44. You owe me twenty bucks

Cross my heart, hope to die, this is our ride or die
You can confide in me, there's not no hiding, I swear
-Halsey

Rixon's Cove is winding down from the bustle of tourists and locals. The waves are high and that's put off most of the people that aren't experienced with that level of swell.

JJ and Kie sit on their boards, watching the waves. It was a crazy day to say the least. Kie hasn't yet told him that she's learned the story behind her parents' distain for his father, and subsequently unfairly, JJ as well.

She wasn't sure if it would do more than just make things worse for him. He knew his dad was a dick, did he really need to hear another bad thing he did?

But his mom? How could she keep that a secret? Admittedly she didn't have a lot of information. Her mom didn't say much about her other than that they spent some time together, herself and JJ in tow. That seemed like something she could share. Just not right now.

When JJ and her dad got back, she felt a shift in the mood. JJ didn't feel like the confident boy that left with her father even though they both said that nothing was wrong with the Jeep when they returned. It all made sense when her dad disappeared into the house, only to come out a few minutes later and hand JJ a wad of cash wrapped in a rubber band that she was sure was more than he actually spent on the vehicle.

It was a weird position to be in. Kie didn't know if she should protest the payment or not. On one hand she knew JJ hated hand outs and that the Jeep was a gift. It was almost insulting that her dad was giving him money for it. But at the same time, he was giving JJ money. Something that he needed and honestly, she was sure it was deserved after no doubt the huge amount of work he put into the Jeep.

In the end she and JJ just stood there as the payment was made neither knowing really what to say. He tried to put on a brave face. Tried to make it seem like it wasn't a big deal. She knew him better than that though. His smile didn't have the warm glow it usually did, and she could tell he was hurt by the exchange.

She immediately suggested they head to the break. They need this. The waves. To get lost in them and let the power of the ocean force their thoughts into movements. It really was a page straight out of JJ's midnight surfing playbook. Only it was now broad daylight when she chose to finally be brave enough to ask him what had been on her mind since her dad drove back up the driveway.

"Hey Jayj," she says, gaining his attention as they drift. "What did he say to you?"

She caught his small sigh as he played with the water overlapping his board. He knew what she was really asking. Why did he pay you for it, why did you accept it?

"You can tell me Jay; I want to know."

"Doesn't really matter, Kie." She hated the defeated tone.

"It does. I can tell it does," she insists. "Whatever it was, he's an asshole."

JJ chuckles as he sits up, breathing deep. She wasn't wrong. But neither was Mike. Kie's feelings could change. He tried to push the thought out of his head and cling to what she said about wanting to be together forever. He wanted that more than anything he'd ever wanted in his entire life. But he didn't want it out of pity or guilt that he had given her something valuable.

"He said that it was too much. That if your feelings change that you'd basically feel guilty about it."

Kie seethed. He had no right telling JJ that. No right to put it in his head that they were going to be anything but together. It was cruel and heartless and one hundred percent not the truth—