Picture this: the OBX but set in Byron Bay, New South Wales, Australia.
PSA: I don't own the characters
The sun rises over the ocean and the cool sea breeze blows a loose strand of Kiaras hair into her face. She brushes it out of the way from blocking her view. The crowing of John B's rooster echoes throughout the air and in that moment, peace is all she feels. There is no one around her that she has to keep a secret. There is no stress on how well she is doing in school. Her parents aren't commenting on how her best friends are 'supposedly' leading her down a bad path. The only feeling on her mind is content. She has an amazing boyfriend, all though she has to keep that a secret. She has an incredible friend group, that is until they find out about her and JJ, because who knows how they will react. Kiara was well aware that all the boys had liked her at some point in their friendship. Pope was infatuated by her when they were in primary school. They connected through their love of biology and the marine life around them. When John B went through puberty at the beginning of high school everyone was obsessed with him. His brown shaggy hair and toned body was beyond what anyone had seen here. Of course, nothing ever happened between the two. There are rules amongst the pogues. But it didn't mean that she wasn't allowed to look. As all the boys grew up around her, JJ really slid under the radar. One day he was this little boy, pulling down John B's shorts as a joke and the next he had a six-pack and was drinking beers. Kiara feels a large presence standing behind her, she notices this as John B, without turning around. No words were spoken between the two for some time, no one wanting to interrupt the bliss morning. "Do you ever think about what's out there? Like what's beyond this small town. What our lives are beyond our parent's façade." There is no answer for some time as the two continue to look out over the ocean. A chesty sigh is heard before John B speaks. His voice is still raspy from having only just woken up. "Kie I bloody hope so because if anyone deserves happiness it's us. But we will get it." Kiara turns on her spot, now facing John B. He is wearing board shorts and a yellow hoodie with a giant sunflower in the centre, which Kiara bought for him for his birthday last year. "You don't know that though John B. How could you say it's going to get better if you don't know that?" "Because I know that we are 10 times the people our parents are. You're the kindest, most caring and intelligent girl I've ever met all while being the baddest bitch to walk this town. Trust me when I say you're going to make it out". John B reaches his hand out inviting Kiara to take his hand as he pulls her to a standing position. The two are face to face as John B pushes a strand out of her face. He kisses her on the cheek, "you better get ready for school". Kiara blushes and nods leaving the dock and heading home to prepare for the day
Kiara is sitting in biology, tugging at her school skirt that has some how shrunk making it rather short. Pope sits down next to her as the class commences. "Now everyone come and grab a microscope, a slide and some solution and start viewing the cells," the teacher said. Pope and Kiara partnered up without a word of the mouth. As Kiara sets up the microscope, pope preps the slide. "What was all that on the dock this morning Kie?". Kiara looks up from the microscope with a confused look across her face. "What was what about?" "You know you and John B. JJ and I saw you both on the dock, it looked pretty intimate." Kiara let out a laugh as she resumed looking through the microscope, adjusting the vision when necessary. "I was just having a moment. He was just making sure I was doing okay, you know with school and the whole treasure hunt" Kiara says, whispering the last part so no one else heard it. Pope just nods at her and smiled as the two continue to draft what they are viewing through the scope
The bell rings and school is finally done for the day. Kiara is at her locker getting all the books she needs to continue her homework at home when she hears a voice that is all too familiar to her sending a shiver down her spine. "Hey pogue princess," Rafe says as he walks up to the back of Kiara, Kiara giving him no acknowledgement. "You are still the Pogue princess, aren't you? Or have you come back to the kook side. You see I just never know; you change that often." Kiara slams her locker and spins around to be face to face with a smug face she wishes she could just knock out. "Funny Rafe did your English tutor write that one out for you?" Kiara said with sass as she crossed her arms over her body. She might act like a boss but Rafe's presence just makes Kiara crumble at the knees. He's probably the worst person to exist. Rafe slams his right fist on the locker to the left of Kiara just by her head, startling Kiara in the process. "You take that back, you bitch." The look in Rafes eyes is one that has traumatised the girl for a while now. Before Kiara can even speak, a voice from the end of the hall is heard. "Mr Cameron the last bell has rung which means you may see yourself out." Rafe regains eye contact with Kiara as she tries to recapture her increasing breath. "You're lucky this time pogue." And with that last comment, Rafe left the school. Kiara slides her back down the locker which she was leaning up against, her knees crumbling at the frightening and common occurrence she faced. She remained seated, back against the lockers, her knees touching her chest with her head in between them. All that was going through her mind was 'thank god that the boys were not here for that'. The boys highly dislike Rafe, there isn't really much reason for it. I mean he's an asshole that gets whatever he wants, whenever he wants and treats everyone around him like shit, especially those with less than what he has. But he has never actually physically harmed any of them.
After school Kiara is at her dad's restaurant, working the closing shift. Mr Carrera leaves the restaurant, leaving Kiara to clean the remainder of the place. A couple moments after her father had left the restaurant, a large body is somewhat breaking into the place before he can pick the lock, Kiara opens the door with a sarcastic look on her face. "Forget your key?" John B lets out a laugh as he walks past Kiara heading towards the kitchen. Whenever Kiara worked the close JJ and John B would come down and eat the food that Kiara would cook for them. With John B's dad having disappeared several months ago and JJ's dad being an alcoholic who god knows what he did to that poor kid, she felt obligated to share some of her wealth and life with them. John B grabs the pasta which Kiara made, ensuring there was enough for the two to have for dinner for some days. Before John B even takes a bite, he says "Hey Kie, JJ's pissed just to let you know." Kiara looks at John B confused. "Like mad or drunk?". "I'm fucking mad Kiara" his voice was loud, and without even turning around Kiara winced at the sadness and anger in his voice. John B begins to eat, "Yeah I dunno what his deal is but god trying to surf with him, with that attitude was not even worth it," John B said while stuffing his face with pasta. Kiara turned to JJ who was now standing much closer to Kiara with a face that was so fuelled with rage that she had no idea what his next move would be. "Calm down JJ." "Just talk to me." Kiara placed her right hand on his chest, which he quickly shrugged off. "What the hell is your problem JJ?" "Oh, I don't know maybe the fact that Rafe had you cowering against the lockers after an 'altercation' that occurred," JJ said sternly, with air quotes to emphasize. After the comments had fallen from JJ's mouth the sound of a chair scraping along the floor and falling to the ground leaving a loud bang to echo throughout the restaurant. "He did what?" John B said now angry as well. "The testosterone in this room is out of control. Can you two just get over it, it's just school gossip." "Kiara don't you fucking lie to me." The look in JJ's eye was so threatening, it brought her back to that one night with Rafe. Kiara took a step back beginning to be frightened by what JJ could turn into. John B steps between Kiara and JJ pushing JJ to the other side of the room. "Dude you seriously need to calm down." The peacekeeper was at it again. Over his shoulder JJ's right hand was pointing at Kiara who now had started to tear up in the corners of her eyes, blinking them away so the boys don't see her break. "Kiara was threatened, our Kiara was threatened and I'm the only one doing anything to try and protect her," JJ yells. "Kiara doesn't need a knight in shining armour constantly JJ, she's a tough girl." Kiara is so uncomfortable with the situation that she begins to play with the bracelets which decorate her arm. "I think if Rafe has her pinned up against a locker slamming his fist beside her head, it calls for us as her best friends to step up. Rafe's fucking crazy man." With that comment, John B now turns around and is facing Kiara who is avoiding all eye contact with the two. "Kiara, what the hell is happening?" John B says in a much quieter voice, providing reassurance to both Kiara and JJ. "He only did it to get a reaction out of you boys. That's why I never told you". Kiara spoke, her voice cracking at the strain of trying to stay strong so the boys don't see her breakdown and the stress that has been her life for the past few years all just building up. "And he's fucking getting one, isn't he. So maybe you two just think before you do stupid shit. And lock up when you're done." With that comment, Kiara grabs the keys off the counter and tossed them at the boys as she exits the door. "Oh, and stop thinking with your dicks and start thinking with your brains maybe" she mumbles as she exits. The two boys look at each other with confused looks as JJ takes his cap off and roughly runs his hands through his hair making it scruffier than it was before. "Why the hell would he do that to Kie?" JJ mumbles confused as to why the one person he would quite literally die for is being frightened by the reincarnation of the devil. "We will sort it out man, just don't go destroying anyone's faces," John B says with a great huff. "I can't count on that one Johnny boy."