𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐬𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐥𝐲

six: The Compass.

    

     THEY arrive to the pier where they all quickly got off the Pogue, John B first with the others following. JJ quickly ties off the boat and they rush over to where John B sets down the bag he got from the boat wreck. Kie stands behind John B, "what do you guys think it is?" She asked Kai who came to stand next to him. "Gotta be money, right?" John B says as JJ stayed quiet, going right over to John B and kneeling down to the other.

"That or a couple of keys with street value to the low- to mid-mils!" JJ smiled widely at John B who oooh's. "Can we please just open the bag?" Pope says, sounding annoyed. "Wow, Pope. That's a rare outburst of emotion." John B says, before he looked over at JJ, Kie and Kai.

"Okay, you guys are literally killing me with anticipation. Just open the bag." Pope says as he leans over. "We almost died over this." He added shortly after as John B opens the bag and takes out a bag which he also had to open before taking out soms sort of metal cylinder. He twists it to try and see if he could get it open.

They wait as John B finally gets the canister open, tilting it to pour out its contents. It was a compass. He opens it up and that's it. A compass. "Oh, wow. Yup. That's about right. Good job, everybody. We found a compass." Pope says.

"Dude, what? It's not worth anything." JJ says when he saw John B staring at the compass with a forlorn look on his face. "This was my father's." John B explains before chuckling softly.

That night, JJ asked if he could stay the night at Kai's. Which the boy didn't deny, letting his mom know before the two head into his room and JJ got his usual set up, a mattress on the floor by Kai's bed as the other laid onto his bed. "So... what were you gonna tell me... earlier?" JJ asked as he propped himself up to look at his bestfriend laying on the bed, staring at the ceiling.

Kai simply rolled to lay on his side, facing away from JJ who frowns. "JJ? I'm gay." He said suddenly and JJ's eyebrows raise. "O-Oh, wow... okay. Um, I accept you, you're my best friend, you'll always be my best friend..." He said and Kai sighed, flipping over to face the other boy.

"I think you'd hate me more... if I told you the other thing." He bit his bottom lip and JJ furrows his brows together in confusion. "Like what? I mean, I just said you're my best friend and you always will be." JJ says and Kai sighed.

"I'm dating a Kook..."

It was quiet after, JJ laid down and stared up at the ceiling with his hands resting over his stomach. Kai did the same, laid down except on his side, still facing JJ. "JJ?" He said suddenly and the other still won't look at him. "What's his name?" JJ asked and Kai glanced around.

"Uh, Sterling... Sterling Conner." He says and JJ slowly nods. "Hmm... so that's your type." He mumbled and Kai still heard him but said nothing. "I think if you... gave him a chance, you guys would see how cool he is." He suggests.

"Oh, yeah, right. A Kook getting along with us, Pogues? No way." JJ shakes his head and Kai sighed, looking away. "I-I just thought maybe once I told you... it'd be fine because I know Kie and Pope wouldn't be mad because... well, they're Kie and Pope." He shrugged a bit.

"Hey, ask yourself something though," JJ said as he suddenly sits up, "do you really think he'd wanna be with you? Be seen with you? Is he even actually gay or whatever? What if he's just using you for se—" "don't act like you know him, or anything about him and I." Kai says, sitting up as he crossed his arms. "He does wanna be with me... as hard as it is to believe..." Kai frowned.

"And he does wanna be seen with me... it's just that I'm not out, like as gay, but I will be, I just... wanted to tell you and John B first. And he is out and proud about being bi. And he's not just using me for sex, because we like each other... genuinely. I know I like him and he has said he liked me before." He says and JJ slowly nods his head.

"Did John B know before me?" He asked and Kai stared at him for a couple of moments, not sure if he should answer or not. Sometimes... JJ could get a little bit friend jealous for no reason. Whether it was Kai telling John B something before he tells JJ or going to hang out with him and forgetting to invite JJ along. But yet, it's always been that way. It's like Kai can trust John B more.

Why? He's never figured it out. Well, maybe it was because anytime he'd tell JJ about something, the boy would never shut up about it. "Yeah..." Kai finally answered, nodding.

JJ nods, looking away and standing up. "JJ, come on... don't be like that." He said as he also stood up, following the boy who goes to grab his backpack, grabbing his things. "JJ, come on, I-I'm sorry but sometimes—" Kai is cut off when JJ turns to look at him with an angry glare.

"You're sorry? For what? Acting like some sort of whore and hooking up with whatever Kook gives you any time out of his day just to fuck you?" He said and Kai was silent, staring as he frowned deeply. "I-I knew you'd be angry... but not this much, JJ, come on... y-you said it yourself, I'm your best friend and I always will be." His eyes became glossy and JJ looks away, nodding softly.

"Yeah, maybe I did... but turns out I was wrong. I think you could do better... than him." He says and Kai chuckled bitterly. "Yeah, like who? No one is out like he is... no one is bisexual. And it's not like I can just... I really like him." He finished off and JJ nods. "I'm just saying, Kai... You could do better." And then he left the bedroom.

authors note i'm just so tired <3