Closed Door • JIARA •

- 55 -

JJ's POV:

Kie came back and told me all about the spa day she had. I went with Dylan and my mom on this guided fishing tour. It was incredible. We came back and all ate together. The next morning, my mom wanted us all in the lobby at 8 am. We were all there and she said she had a surprise. We were going scuba diving. Kie and I haven't talked in a long time and we were laying together.

I said, "I'm sorry for what happened on the boat the other day. You didn't want to, but you did anyway. I feel like a dick for how I acted. I'm just really struggling with seeing how Dylan and Lily have these perfect lives and how I got the shitty one. It's not an excuse and I'm sorry, Kie."

"Hey, you don't ever have to apologize to me for how you feel. You can tell me anything and as far as the boat goes, you didn't make me do anything." She said kissing me

I don't know how I got so lucky with her. Kie and I agreed that we were going to leave tomorrow. We've been here long enough and it was time for our next destination. We got up and packed up the boat pretty early and then we went to say goodbye. My mom and sister were crying and Dylan was trying not to cry.

"We love you, Jackson James and you are welcome here anytime, you too, Kiara." My mom said hugging me and then Kie

Kie and I were back on the boat and soon, the land wasn't visible and it was all ocean. I completely lost it and broke down. I didn't want to do this in front of Kie. I was screaming and crying and I threw some shit into the ocean. I was swearing and just a complete mess and Kie hugged me. I relaxed and gently held onto her just like I did that night in the hot tube.

Once I finally calmed down, Kie and I went to sit down. "She fucking left me with him. He fucking blamed me for everything. She never cared about me because if she did, she wouldn't have left or she would have taken me with her. Fuck, she could have at least come to visit...  Fuck.."

I was crying again and Kie was so good at comforting me. I never wanted to need her so much. She talked to me so softly and calmed me down. She is everything that I'll ever need. I just hope she can forgive what came out of my mouth during my breakdown. I know she heard it, but she ignored it. 

I went and got water and I eventually dozed off and when I woke up, it was dark and Kie had taken us to a new island. 

"Where are we?" I asked

"No idea, just some small island that I came across. I talked to a few people and they said it's cool for us to hang here for a few days."

We had a small bedroom below deck and I went down to bed and Kie stayed up, meaning she was upset. I accidentally said that my mom leaving fucked me up and that I hated the OBX and everything that went along with it and there was nothing I cared about in OBX. And to fuck OBX. 

I eventually went back up and said, "Just so you know, you are the best thing that's ever happened to me, right?"

"I'm not mad at you. That's not why I'm up here, I'm up here because I'm pissed at your mom for leaving, I'm pissed at her for not visiting or checking in, I'm pissed at your dad for everything he's done to you, but I am not at all pissed at you."

"I can't wait to have babies with you because you're going to be the best mom."

"You've had shitty things happen to you, that doesn't mean you have a shitty life. I know you're going to be the best dad because you know exactly the kind of dad you don't want to be."

"Damn it, Kie.. You're gonna make me cry." I said kissing her

"You know, we could come back with a little JJ baby..." Kie said joking but kinda serious at the same time

We spent two days on this small island and then we went off to Costa Rica and the trip continued from there. Two months flew by and Kie and I had gotten even closer. I didn't think that was possible. I've had so many opportunities to propose to her, but it just wasn't the right place. We extended the trip and after Central and South America, we headed back to the OBX to get on a cruise to take us to Europe. 

We didn't tell anyone we were coming back to the OBX so we were going to stay a night on the island, my island, our island. I docked the boat and we got out and went to make a fire. We were sitting by the fire, planning what we wanted to do on our Europe cruise. 

"This surf trip has been the best three months of my life with you. Come here, I want to show you something." I said helping her up

I walked her closer to the water and the sun was setting.

"You know, this used to be my safe place, the place where I would come when my world felt like it was falling apart. Now, this is my happy place to be with you, it's become our spot, just like you've become my safe place. I've never really had a place to call home and I never will because home will never be a place again, home is wherever you are. You are my everything and I don't care if we live on the cut or in a huge ass kook house, I just want to be with you. You know, the past few years, I've been so focused on finding that damn gold, when I had the gold with me the whole time. I love you, Kie and I want to spend every day for the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?"