Left Behind - Outer Banks

Well, Nobody's perfect

Kiara POV

I woke up the next morning with a bit of a hangover. I sat up to see I was alone in JJ's room. I went downstairs to find Pope eating cereal in the kitchen. 

"Where is JJ?" I asked, sitting at the table.

"He's at the cemetery." Pope responded.

"Oh, did he talk to you about last night?"

"Yeah, he told me everything. Are you ok?" 

"Yeah, i'll be alright. I going to find JJ." I stand up. realizing i'm still wearing the dress from last night. 

"You can take my bike." Pope offered.

"Thanks." I smiled as I rushed out to the driveway to Pope's bike. The cemetery wasn't far, I was there in five minutes. I knew he would be at John B's grave. I found him sitting on the ground under a tree next to the grave. I sat down next to him without saying a word. My shoulders touching his.

"I wanted you to sleep in." He commented.

"Yeah I didn't sleep much last night." I joked, but JJ looked at me saddened. His face was more bruised than last night, but at least he wasn't bleeding. "JJ, I don't care that you're on medication." I said honestly.

"Last night was the second panic attack I ever had." JJ said.

"When was the first one?" I asked. 

"The night John B went missing." JJ tensed up. "Its just so annoying I can't control myself, and be strong around you." JJ stated.

"You don't have to be, we all struggle with things. I mean you saw Pope that night he punched the walls so much his hands bled, and when I couldn't stop crying for days. I was hysterical. None of us are perfect." I remarked. JJ wasn't the only one who struggled that summer. Grief is different for everyone. 

JJ looked into my eyes. "Date me." He remarked. 

I kissed him. "Yes." I said pulling away. I glanced at John B's grave. He would have made some snarky comment about us. I remember just last summer he kissed me.

JJ had taken the van to the cemetery, so we went back there and had sex. It was my first time with anyone. I wasn't his first, but I didn't care. It felt really good, for both of us. After JJ drove me back to my house. When I got inside I grabbed lunch, then went to my bathroom. I undressed and saw a hickey on my chest. While showering I noticed a bruise on my upper arm. The one Rafe left. It was like a part of him was left imprinted in my skin, but I couldn't let him get to me. I was safe. The hot water of the shower felt good on my skin. I don't know if it was the hormones or adrenaline, but I was happy. 

I heard a knock on the bathroom door. 

"Kiara, there is a girl here for you!" He shouted. I got dressed and hurried downstairs to see Luisa. 

"Hi, do you want to go shopping?" She asked while giving me a hug. She was definitely a hugger. 

"Of course." I responded. We got in her car, and headed towards the strip mall. It has a few decent stores like Pacsun and American Eagle. 

"So are you and JJ dating?" She questioned.

"I'm pretty sure, I mean we did have sex today." I added.

"Wow, good for you girl." Luisa smiled.

"What about you and Pope?" 

"I do really like him, but i'm not sure I want to make it official yet." 

"It get it, you should talk to Pope, he's understanding." I suggested.

Luisa agreed. When we got to the stores we shopped around for a bit. I bought some jeans since fall was upon us. I do like fall and winter, but you can't surf then. We shopped for a while, then got dinner at Chipotle. It was nice to hang out with a girl for a change. I could talk about things with her that I couldn't with the boys. She dropped me back off at my house, and I laid in my bed watching Netflix. 

"You up?" I got a text from JJ. 

"Come over." I replied. We had a good night together.