Stranded Love

The Falling Club

DAY SEVENTEEN

"Do you think there's honey on the island?"

John B's question makes Kiara pause tying JJ's black bandana around the back of her neck. The thought of something sweet almost makes her drool. The taste of berries no longer bursts on her tongue like it used to but something as flavourful as honey... fuck, she really hopes there is some here on Poguelandia.

"Realistically, yes. There should be a few untouched bee hives around the island," Pope confirms thoughtfully.

JJ jumps up eagerly. "Well that settles it. Mission We-Ain't-Buzzing-Around is a go." JJ claps his hands. "Let's find some honey, y'all!"

Pope pulls a face. "We-Ain't-Buzzing-Around?"

"Hold up, hold up," Kiara starts, holding her hands out. "What happens if we do find a beehive? What do we do then?"

"Yeah, last time Pope ballooned when he got stung by bees," John B recalls the not so good memory.

"They were wasps," Pope corrects with a haunted shiver and John B just waves him off. "I agree though. We don't have your cousin Ricky as a back up plan if someone reacted poorly to being stung."

JJ pulls the concerned boy into his side. "Pope, it's okay, dude. You can just stay on the sidelines whilst me, John B and Kie are out on the field winning the ultimate prize of honey," JJ draws out the last word.

"Now that's just degrading," Pope says with a frown, sending JJ an unappreciative look.

John B grips Pope's shoulder. "Come on, Pope. Just think of how sweet some honey would be drizzled on some fresh bananas."

"And imagine the crunchiness of that honeycomb," Kiara chimes in, grinning. God, she wants honey. "So are you in or are you out, Pope?"

Pope sighs, running a hand through his hair. "Guess I don't have much of a choice, do I?"

"Atta boy!" JJ cheers enthusiastically and Kiara and John B both join in.

It's just the four best friends as Cleo and Sarah are out to see if they can find clay around the stream that JJ and Kiara found on day six. So that leaves them to get up to whatever mischief on their hunt for bees. Kiara isn't sure if that's a good thing. Wait, of course it isn't. What could go wrong?

A lot of things.

The Carrera girl runs her fingers along the bandana at the inside of her neck subconsciously.

JJ catches onto this and smiles to himself at the sight of Kiara in his bandana. He treasures the way it looks on her and admits she looks pretty badass wearing it. He's seen her wearing the accessory many times before but there's something different about it now. There's something about the way her hair is knotted and how the highlighted curls contrast against the black material around her neck. She has this strong but excited look in her brown eyes, the gold flecks blazing.

Is he...

"JJ, let's get going, dude," Pope calls out to him, confused at his hesitation when he was the one who encouraged this idea in the first place. There's a bag they made slung over Pope's shoulder which is filled with coconuts. JJ snaps back into reality and doesn't finish his thought. What was it even going to be?

Kie looks over her shoulder at JJ funnily, raising a subtle eyebrow at him as she steps forward behind John B. He doesn't think she saw him staring but maybe she's just hiding it. If anything, he doesn't want her to know that he was. Fuck, he seriously can't have that happen. Remember, JJ. It. Won't. Work. There's been no shift. She's way too good for you. Get control of your feelings. You're the disease that'll infect her. JJ fights his hurt at the painful inner thoughts and just deflects with a cheeky wink and falls in line with Kie wordlessly.