#kievblog

“My couch was pretty comfy, I’ll be honest.” JJ added, making you elbow him.

“Yes, Kie, thank you.” you smiled back at her, glaring at the two sulking boys.

You laid down your stuff next to Kie, looking back at JJ and Pope, who were looking shifty as ever, whispering about their latest drama. You told Kie you’d get the snacks, and went to the counter, looking at the options.

“Hey, uh, can I get two pepsis and a pack of nerds please?” you began exchanging the money when Rafe came up to you. You glanced warily at him, your last encounter having been… eventful.

“Hey, new girl.” 

“Uh, hi?” you said, thinking back to your first, and only, encounter at Topper’s party. “Can I help you?”

“Well we got off on the wrong foot, don’t you think?” 

“To be honest, I wish we didn’t start off on any foot.” you noticed Pope and JJ staring at you as you interacted with Rafe.

He clenched his jaw, “Look, just tell your boy that we know what he did, okay?”

“Sorry, what boy? And what did he do?”

“He’ll know.”

You turned to leave, answering his farewell with “douche” and sat down between Kie and Pope, handing the boys their pepsis and opening the nerds. “Just saw Rafe.” You said, causing JJ and Pope to lean forwards intently, “He said, and I quote, ‘tell your boy that we know what he did’. I mean what the fuck?”

JJ and Pope shared a look, and you narrowed your eyes. “Where is he?” JJ asked.

“Right there.” You pointed to where he had rejoined Topper and Kelce. You watched the two boys spin around, clearly shitting themselves.

“Great, the whole death squad.” Pope muttered.

“Don’t stare, bro.” JJ spun Pope’s face back around, and you leaned towards them.

“Boys, what the fuck is going on?”

“Tell you later.” JJ said nonchalantly, making you and Kie share a worried eye contact. JJ turned back to Pope, “Just warning you bro, if they corner me, I’m coming out swingin’, okay? Slice and dicin’. I’m on edge right now. If that doesn’t work, I got this right here.” 

You and Kie made exasperated eye contact this time. 

“We just gotta stay in a group. They can’t come get us in a group.” Pope confirmed.

“Like a school of fish.” JJ added.

“Stay in the school. Can’t leave the school.”

“I’m sorry, JJ…” Kie interrupted, her voice riddled with frustration, “Please, tell me that you did not bring a gun here.”

“JJ, there are kids!” You added.

“No!” he denied, “Kie I didn’t bring the gun, okay? Everything’s fine.”

“Oh, wow, thank you JJ, that’s really convincing. I love that JJ.” Kie sassed.

“You two,” You shook your head, “are fucking idiots. Whatever you got yourselves into, why the fuck did you bring it to a place where there are kids! And families!”

“We didn’t want to!” JJ hissed back, “Blame Kie!”

“No!” you argued, “Blame you two for doing the stupid shit that made you bring a gun to a fucking kids movie night!”

“Founding principle, you guys. No secrets among pogues. What is Rafe talking about?” Kie reminded them.

“Yeah,” you backed, “What she said.”

They hadn’t explained the rules very well, and the two of them looked at you briefly, amused frowns on their faces. “Kie,” Pope said, “It might go down tonight.”

“What does that mean?” you asked, “‘Might go down tonight’, what the fuck did you do?”

“Deny,” JJ glared at Pope, “Deny, deny.”

The film started, and it started to get exciting. You were leaning your head on Kie’s leg, sat on the floor while the others were all on seats, when you heard the boys whispering for the hundredth time. You saw them get up, and sat up properly.

“Hey,” Kie hissed, and they turned back to you, “Where y’all going?”

“We gotta wring it out.” JJ shrugged, admiring the way you scrunched your nose up at the thought.

“You gonna hold it for each other?” you frowned, making Kie snort as they shuffled away.

You waited a couple of minutes then turned to Kie. “Hey, what’s taking them so long?” she shrugged, and you looked back to where Rafe and his friends had been. “Rafe and his mates are gone, do you think they’re in trouble?” 

She looked at where they had disappeared, and nodded, the two of you getting up and following where the boys had gone, grabbing JJ’s bag as you left. You crept round the side of the crowd, walking into a hell of a scene.

Pope and Topper were tackling each other, and Kelce had JJ around the neck, allowing Rafe to throw punches. In your peripheral vision, you saw Kie hit Topper with JJ’s bag, as you grabbed Rafe from behind, pulling him back so he lost his balance. He fell backwards on top of you, grunting as you rolled over, getting a punch in before he threw you off and pulled Kie off Topper. You stumbled up, going for Kelce and JJ, getting another punch in before Rafe threw you away again. You rolled over the ground, hitting a tree, and, winded, tried to get up again, unsuccessfully. You crawled and then pushed yourself up, getting one last punch in on Rafe before the orange hue of flames took you all by surprise. Rafe and his kooks stumbled back, scattering in shock, and you ran to JJ, looking him over for injuries, ignoring the aching feeling in your side where you had been tossed aside.

Kie looked over to you and JJ, and you told her to go, you’d get JJ home. You pulled his arm over your shoulders, letting him lean some of his weight on you as you limped home.

“You were pretty badass in that fight.” he mumbled, and you laughed.

“Yeah well, would’ve been better if Rafe didn’t keep throwing me around.” 

“Mm, I’ll kill him for throwing my girl like that.”

You stopped, turning to look at him, trying to ignore the bruises forming on his face. You were standing in the middle of the road, minutes from the Chateau, but no cars would come. You frowned at the bruised boy. “Your girl?” your cheeks tinting with a blush, and he smiled softly.

“My girl.” he confirmed.

“If I’m your girl then why didn’t you let me kiss you?”

He sighed, “You were drunk, and I didn’t want to take advantage of that. And I wanted to be sure you really meant it.” 

You giggled, “Kie was right then. She said you pushed me away because I was drunk.”

“When is that girl ever wrong?”

You were stood close enough to breathe each other's air, acutely aware of his hand on your hip.

“JJ, is this a bad idea?”

“Probably.”

“Do you care?”

“No.”

“Is one of us gonna get hurt?”

“Probably, but I’ll try my best to make sure it’s me.”

This time, he was the one to lean down, as he caught your lips on his. You leaned into him, wrapping your arms around his neck, as his arms found their way around your waist. You broke apart for air, breathing in each other’s scents and holding on, as if for dear life. You kissed again, this kiss lighter, more peaceful. You closed your eyes, burying your face in his neck. “Don’t break my heart, Maybank, I don’t think I could take it.”

--

“Don’t let it get in your head, bro. There’s three of them and two of us.” reasoned JJ. “That’s some typical kook shit right there.”

“Hell yeah.” Kie agreed, serving a customer as you sat on the counter next to JJ, the four of you in Heyward’s shop, and JJ not having left your side since your kiss.

“What was your thought process, using your head?” You asked Pope.

“I don’t know, man.” Pope admitted, “I just, kinda, acted off instinct. I was a cornered animal.”

“Hey Pope,” Heyward called, making the four of you look up, “someone here to see you. Y/N, get off my counter.” You hopped down, standing beside JJ, who slipped his hand into yours as Officer Shoupe walked in.

“Evening, Officer.” Pope greeted, standing up straighter and looking over to JJ.

“I have an arrest warrant for felony destruction of property.” Shoupe said, pulling out his cuffs, “keep your hands on the counter where I can see them, young lady,” he shunned Kiara, “Out of my way.”

“Whoa, Shoupe. What did he do?” Heyward asked, You and Kie also beginning to ask.

“Take a look at the warrant.” Shoupe said, as you and Kie started to shout.

“You’re arresting him?”

“What’s the proof?”

“Be careful!”

“Shoupe, are you listening?”

“How much did they pay you, man?”

Shoupe was laying off the rights as you all began to shout. You followed the officers out, still yelling and being pushed back, cut off by JJ’s shout.

“It wasn’t him!”

You stopped and turned to JJ, reaching for his hand, which he shook off. “It was me.” he continued. “He tried to talk me out of it, but I was mad because he’d just been beaten up. I was so sick of those assholes from Figure Eight that I lost my shit. I can’t let you take the blame for somethin’ I did. You’ve got too much to lose.”

“JJ, what are you doing?” Pope asked.

“I’m tellin’ the truth. For once in my goddamn life, I’m gonna tell the truth. I took his old man’s boat, too.”

“What the hell?” Heyward turned, almost offended by the idea.

“JJ, come on.” Pope reasoned. You felt Kie’s hand slip into yours, a gentle squeeze of consolidation.

“Just shut up, Pope!” JJ yelled. “Just shut up.” he turned to Shoupe, “He’s a good kid. You know where I’m from.”

Your heart was breaking from the way JJ was talking, and you felt Kie pull you into a hug, you must have started crying.

“Yeah.” Shoupe nodded.

“This was all me.” JJ lied.

Shoupe looked at Pope, “That’s the whole truth?”

“Whole truth, swear to God.” JJ butted in.

“I know what you think, goddamn it, I’m asking Pope.”

You saw the pleading look in JJ’s eyes, and Pope nodded, “Yeah, that about covers it.”

You watched as the uniforms cuffed JJ, and pushed him into the car, and you saw the apologetic look in his eyes as they took him away, and you felt Kie hug you again, Pope joining as you sobbed.

They pulled away at some point. Kie took you back to hers. “Y/N, what happened between you and JJ last night?”

“He kissed me.” you explained, “We’re not like, official but we’re also, I guess, exclusive?”

“Did he stay at yours?” you nodded, “Did you guys…”

“No. we just talked.”

--

You got the call a couple of hours later, waking you up from your nap, cuddled up in your many blankets.

“Waddup, Sarah?” you mumbled, yawning as you answered.

“Okay, so wanna go to a party?”

“Uh, you know what happened last time, right?”

“Sure, but this is a fancy party. You’re my plus-one to Midsummers. I’m adding you to the invite list.”

“Uh, what about Topper?”

“Already a member of the club, besides I have no real friends there, so please come. I’ll even sugar mommy you so you can get a dress.”

“Fine, Kie’s going anyway. I’ll find something to wear, don’t you worry about me.”

“Thanks so much, I owe you one.”

“Yeah,” you sighed, “You do. See you at this party?”

“See you!”

You hung up, and texted Kie.

You: sarah just invited me to midsummers??

Kie: sarah? Y sarah?

You: idk, she just called me up. Idek what the big deal is, u and sarah will be the only ones ik. 

Kie: lucky, u dont wanna know most of them

You: jeez, wtf did they do to u?