Closed Door • JIARA •

- 18 -

Kiara's POV:

I didn't feel like going to school today, so I went to work with my dad instead. About twenty minutes into the shift, Adam walked in. He was one of the people who I was friends with at the kook academy.

We just started talking and suddenly I was just telling him about Ben. He was so supportive and understanding. I felt so connected to him. We talked for hours and then JJ walked in. Shit.

JJ was pissed that I was with Adam,  but I could have other friends who were boys.

I went back to Adam and he asked, "Is it bad that I'm here?"

"No, it's okay." I said not wanting to tell him anything else about JJ

"Are you friends with him?" Adam questioned

"Yeah, I don't want to hear anything about him. He's not his father." I said defending JJ

"I was just going to say he seems like a real friend. I'm glad you got out of the kook academy and found real people. I'm so sick of being in kookville."

"I love it, I hated not fitting in there because I didn't care about money."

"Wanna go catch some waves?" He asked

"I'd love that.." I said

We left the Wreck and I got into Adam's brand new expensive truck and he drove to my house and grabbed my board. We went surfing. It was so much fun.

We rode the waves all day. Adam was a really good surfer, but he wasn't JJ. I know this looked bad, but today was literally just a care-free day.

The waces were dying and we sat on the boards in the water and Adam told me about the kook academy and the latest drama. I felt so far away from being a kook and it felt so good.

The sun was setting and Adam said, "I gotta get home, my parents are going to kill me if I'm late."

He pulled up to my house and JJ was sitting outside on the steps.

Adam looked and said, "So that must be the boyfriend.."

I looked at him and then I looked at JJ and said, "Yeah" to Adam's question

Adam looked at me and he smiled and said, "He's a lucky guy."

"No, I'm the lucky one. Thank you for today.."  I said

He hugged me and said, "See you around, Kiara.."

I got out and grabbed my board and put it away and JJ just sat there. He didn't say a word to me

"What?" I asked as he didn't move or talk

"You were out with him all day. Are you into him?"

"As a friend, yes."

"How do you know him well enough to spend that much time with him?"

"I told you, we were friends.." I said

"Really? You're just friends with him?"

"Yeah, why? Are you jealous?" I asked getting annoyed

"No, I'm not jealous. I just don't understand why you're hanging out with a kook?"

"It was one day, JJ. I was just catching up with him. I don't like him like that. Okay? Just please trust me.."

"Fine." He said pissed at me as he walked down the stairs to his bike

I was fighting back tears and he was getting on his bike and he left. I went inside and my dad was there to greet me.

"JJ's been waiting for you all day. Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, I was just hanging out with a friend." I replied

"Listen, I know your mom doens't like JJ and frankly, I really don't either. But from a former pogue, he's a real pogue. He seems like a good guy."

"He is.." I said going upstairs to call JJ

I called him twice and both went right to voicemail. I decided to let it go for tonight and then I went over to John B's the next afternoon as we had plans to hang out on the boat and then spend the night outside under the stars.

When I arrived the boys were sitting outside all ready to go in the boat. John B was behind the wheel, Pope was in the stern, and there was JJ in the bow, with a girl on his lap.