Alone in winter / JIARA OBX FANFIC

-5-

❅
Deny, deny, deny. That's something JJ is an expert, denying. He thinks he's over her, he tries to convince himself that his heart doesn't belong to Kiara anymore, but denying what he feels will not make it go away, it ensures that it will never get resolved.

She knows him, she knows him well enough to prove that he still loves her, and she doesn't care how long it takes, or how much it costs but she will wait until she hears him say those three little words.

❅

Sarah and Kiara drive to Kiara's house, after they arrive, Kiara sits on her sofa, and places a blanket over her lap. Sarah lights up the fireplace infront of them. When the fire grows, she takes a seat next to Kiara and she covers herself with the blanket too.

"Do you..want to talk about what happened there?" Asks Sarah looking at her calmly, Kiara is staring at the dancing flames.

Kiara lets out a big sigh: "After we danced, I went outside, I needed to talk to him. I asked him if I ever did something wrong or something that could make him uncomfortable, but kept doing the same, pushing me away. That led us to a fight, and well." She explains sadly.

Sarah is worried, when she looks at Kiara she doesn't see her bestfriend. That's not Kie, something has changed after that fight, but she assumes that she must be tired of everything.

"I just don't understand him. I asked him if that's how it's going to end, and he said yes." Explains Kie laying her head back and closing her eyes. "What an asshole." Comments Sarah.

"I'm sure you two will figure out your stuff soon." Says Sarah softly. "I hope so." Replies Kiara.

"You know what they say Kie, love is like playing with fire." Sarah warns her as she turns her head back to the fireplace. Kiara keeps her gaze fixed on the wood burning infront of her. If loving him is like playing with fire, she'd choose to burn in to ashes.

Because she knows JJ needs someone who sees the flame in his eyes and wants to play with it.

❅

The four remaining pogues are on their way back from the island club. The drive is silent and filled with awkwardness and regret.  "JJ, what did you do to Kie?" Pope breaks the silence. "Nothing! Why are you assuming I did something to her?" He asks defensively.

"Um, maybe because she literally ran home with Sarah?" Asks John B. "Man, I swear you've hurted my girl, I'm going to cut all your fingers." Cleo threats him. "Love, chill." Says Pope grabbing Cleo's hand. "No, but she's right, JJ, you told me you were going to apologize!" John B exclaims, JJ rolls his eyes.

"Guys, look, I know I fucked up, but now, I don't need to argue, please." He begs, the rest of the pogues stay silent.

"Can you stop over that lake? Cleo and I wanted to take photos." Pope asks grinning. "Okay fine lovebirds." John b laughs. They stop the Twinkie not to far away from the lake. They get out of the vehicle and they begin walking towards it.

The lake is frozen and really peaceful, it's almost midnight so no one is there beside them, Pope and Cleo leave holding hands leave the two boys by their own.

JJ and John B sit in a bench that's infront of the pond. "How bad was it?" He asks his best friend. "How bad was it what?" Replies John B. "When Kie left with Sarah". He clarified.

"Dude I don't know what you did to her but she looked like a frickin' volcano." John B chuckled, JJ glared at him. "Okay, I'm sorry." He went serious.

"Can I give you an advice?" John B asked. "Go ahead." He says.

"JJ, don't lie to yourself." He lets go, JJ looks at him weirdly. "JJ, you can try to lie to your heart, but trust me, it will only make you fall for her more." He explains. "Yes because you're an expert right?" Asks JJ sarcastically.

"Well, when Sarah cheated on me, my brain stood in front my heart, telling me that she was completely out of it, but it wasn't true, I still loved her." He continued explaining, JJ grabs a stick from the ground and throws it to the floor.

"I'm stupid." JJ says out of nowhere. "I would say the opposite, but I agree you're stupid." He says, and they both chuckle.

The thing is JJ's heart is hers. But his mind is over his heart. And he still thinks he's not good enough for her, but, why does she keep coming back? But he told her things were done right? But he knows her, she is not over.

"Do you think she still loves me?" He asks. "Okay JJ you just proved me that you actually are stupid." Answers John B, JJ stays silent and confused. "Dude! Of course she still loves you! When are you going to realise it?" He exclaims.

JJ is a delicate being, thanks to his dad, he doesn't think he's capable of being loved. Luke ever showed the minimum respect for his son, but JJ needs to learn that he's gone. The nightmare is finally over. He could go and live the crazy life he always wanted, but although his father is far away, the consequences he has left him chain him in obx, where he is not JJ, but Luke Maybank's problematic son.

❅

15th of December, Mike and Anna Carrera's anniversary, the day a Pogue and a Kook started loving each other. The day two different worlds collided.

The Carrera's always have a big family reunion at their house, to celebrate their love. It's a typical lunch, but then things drag out until dinner so they also get dinner there. Kiara used to love this, she loved spending time with her family, and she still does, but, she doesn't find a point in celebrating love anymore.

She looks desperately all over her jewelry box for a nice necklace to wear. "For gods sake." She mumbles annoyed as she sees mostly of her jewelry doesn't fit the theme of the dinner.

She grabs a gold necklace with a small turtle hanging over it, she remembers where she got this one, JJ gave it to her for her birthday, he took her out on a date at the beach, they had a lot of fun, and when it was almost midnight he gave it to her, she was almost crying, it was so beautiful.

She used to wear it everyday, until they broke up, after that she swore to herself that she would never wear it again.

But now here she is, placing the necklace back where it belongs. Her.

"Kiara can you help me to set the table?" She hears her mom shouting from downstairs. "Coming!" She replies as she quickly leaves her old room.

She meets her mom downstairs, and she hangs her some old dishes to put on the long table. "Mom those have at least 100 years." She says looking at the dishes. "I know, but they were from my grandmother." Kiara places them on the table and she starts to set them around it. The doorbell sounds. "Can you get that please?" Says her mom walking around the house stressed.

Kiara approaches her front door, she opens it and sees Sarah standing infront of her, "Hey, what's up?" She says. "Kie, can you come outside please?" Asks Sarah worriedly. "Sure." Replies Kiara as she goes outside and closes the door.

"It's about JJ." She says. "Sarah I already told you that I don't care about what he says." She comments a little bit annoyed.

"Kie, he's gone." She blurted. Kiara suddenly frozed. "What do you mean he's gone?" She replies. "We couldn't find him anywhere, so we went to his house this was under his rug." Sarah hands her a note.

"I'm gone, don't try to find me." And it's signed by JJ himself. Kiara could visualize two tiny dropplets on the paper, they must be from him.