Wild Ride (JJ Fanfic)

Chapter One

My name is Ciara Johnson. I'm from a place called the Outer Banks. It's a world consisting of three types of people, the Pogues, those who are from the cuts. They're the working class. Then, there are the Kooks, those who live in Figure Eight, the rich side of the island. Finally, there are the tourists, those who are here for a week, two tops, to see what it's all about.

I live on the Kook side, although I hadn't always been on this side of the island. But, my dad made some lucky investments, and before I knew it we had a house triple the size the shack we used to call home. I didn't let it change me, I still hung out with the same people I called my friends.

As I was lost in my thoughts, I heard a horn honking outside.

"Sweetheart, I think your friends are here," I heard my dad calling from the living room. It was amazing I could hear him with all the space we now had.

"Coming!" I shouted back, I slipped on my sunglasses as I raced down the stairs.

"Don't be too late!" my mother shouted from the kitchen.

"It's summer," I reminded them, before giving my dad a small hug as I slipped out the door. A smile made its way onto my face as the familiar van John B drove was waiting in the driveway for me.

"Come on rich girl!" JJ shouted from within, opening the side door for me.

"Oh shut up JJ," I said as I climbed in, playfully punching his shoulder as I sat in my usual spot beside him.

"Can't believe our girl is in the middle of Kook island," JJ said, his voice mocking my new place, as he wrapped an arm around me, roughing up my hair.

I elbowed him in the side, and he pretended to be wounded. I felt my heart flutter. Shit.

"I didn't hear any of you complaining when you were all using our new pool!" I said, crossing my arms, pushing it down.

"Don't worry Ci, no-one is judging you, you're just as much a Pogue as the rest of us," John B reassured me.

"At least one of you hasn't turned on me."

"Well Kie can't talk either, she's from the Kook side too," Pope spoke up, laughing as Kie stuck out her tongue.

"You guys, we are all Pogues, whether we like it or not. No one in this van is a Kook, no matter where our home resides," Kiara said, giving me a nudge.

"Hear-hear!" I said, laughing.

"Where are we going?" Kie asked.

"We are going out on the boat, catch us some fish," John B informed us.

We made it quickly to the dock at John B's house, all five us clamoring onto his boat. There was not a single cloud in sight as we made our way onto the water. We were out there for hours, the five us just shooting the shit. It was another great day of the summer sun and not having single care.

John B pulled in his net, the fish splattering all over the deck, one leaping its way into my lap. I let out a shriek, standing to my feet.

"Oh come on!" I shouted, tossing it at JJ, who then laughed, tossing it onto Kie's lap.

"Guys!" she yelled, her face looking anything but thrilled.

This made us all laugh, all except Kie.

"Oh real mature," she said, rolling her eyes, but a small smile gave her away and all was calm again.

"You guys want a hit?" JJ asked, trying to pass around his joint.

Everyone let out a no.

"You really shouldn't do that so much," I told him, as his eyes locked with mine.

"What are you? My mother?" he asked, a smile tugging on his lips.

"No," I said. But, I care about you. I thought that last part, knowing I could never say it out loud.

Before the conversation could go further, John B had started the motor back up and we were headed back to his house as the sun was going down.

"You guys all crashing at my place?" he asked.

Everyone let out a yes as if it was obvious. You see, John B didn't have any parents at his house at the moment. His dad had disappeared about nine months ago. And his uncle, the one who had temporary custody, was a no show. So, his house was the only place we could all hang out without any parents involved.

After we docked we all headed indoors, each claiming our spots in the house. Kie and I shared the pull-out couch while John B, JJ, and Pope divided up the rooms.

The boys went off to their respective spaces as Kie and I crashed on the couch, knowing we wouldn't make it all the way home tonight, the sun had completely drained us.

"Hey Kie, you up?" I asked, turning on my side to face her.

"Yeah, what's up?" she asked, her voice a yawn away from fading off to sleep. But, she still turned to face me.

"Do you ever think about what would happen if any of us were to get together?"

"Like out of the five of us?"

"Yeah."

"I don't know... I think it could get complicated. Why do you ask?" she asked skeptically.

I could feel my cheeks heat up, I wasn't ready to tell anyone, not even her what I had been feeling.

"Uh, because I see who you've been giving eyes to," I said quickly, turning it on her. It had seemed like she had been eyeing John B a lot lately.

This time she clammed up.

"Ugh, whatever. I think you're sleep deprived," she said, before turning on her other side. "Besides, Pogues can't mack on other Pogues."

"Pogues can't mack on other Pogues," I muttered to myself before closing my eyes and dozing off.

I was woken up by the sound of John B waking everyone up. I opened my eyes groaning as the light-flooded in. I made my way over to the bathroom, following behind John B who was waking up JJ.

When he opened the door JJ was in the middle of kissing some girl. I felt like my cheeks were on fire.

"Close the door!" JJ said, but his eyes locked with mine for a moment, just a single moment. It had felt like someone had pierced me.

"I've got to get going," I said suddenly, rounding up my shoes, forgetting all about the bathroom.

"You sure?" John B called behind me. "I can drive you home."

"Nah, don't worry about it, I've got to get going anyways, my parents are going to flip when they see I haven't been home."

"Alright we'll see you later!" John B called.

As I was heading out to the porch I heard someone calling my name.

"Ciara!"

I turned to see JJ coming, great. I didn't need to have full-on meltdown over this. God, why was I being so pathetic lately?

"What's up?" I said, trying to come off care-free. Easy. Cool.

"You're leaving?"

"Yeah I gotta get home, my parents are probably wondering where I am."

"Want me to walk with you?" he asked me, searching my face for some sort of answer.

"Nah, you've got a guest. I'll see you around JJ."

I turned on my heels and practically sprinted out the door, giving Pope a fist bump on my way out. I took off down the road before anyone else could follow me.

This was going to get complicated.