Together

46. You know you can do it

You feel a lack of self and it's someone else
Telling you to try where you failed before
Where does the time go? I don't know
It's moving underneath me
-Caught A Ghost

Kiara and the rest of the Pogues, along with Shoupe, stand on the beach. JJ is about to take his turn in the que. She didn't think she could be so anxious for something. There are so many people here. It seems like when JJ is competing more people show, though she might just be biased.

She looks over her shoulder and spots Ben under one of the palm trees. He's wearing sunglasses but it's obvious that he's watching JJ amongst the other surfers in the wake. His face is in a hard, concentrating, line.

She looks back at the waves and finds JJ and his bright green arm band, an indicator for the judges who they are scoring for. She lets out a breath and feels the need to shake out her nerves.

"Wow, you look more nervous than he did," Samantha comments from beside her.

Kiara looks to her left at the pretty surfer, who's now in regular shorts and a bikini top. She narrows her eyebrows slightly before remembering that this girl hasn't done anything, other than go surfing with her boyfriend, and doesn't deserve her icy glare quite yet.

"I'm just excited for him," she corrects.

Samantha nods and Kiara thinks that'll be the end of the conversation but to her surprise the surfer chick stays. Seeming to plant herself next to Kiara's side as they watch JJ paddle up the next wave. She decides to not care in this moment what this girl wants or where she chooses to stand. Kiara wants to watch JJ succeed.

JJ sails through the wave, completing his tricks and demonstrating his skills in a way that is so unique, Kiara doesn't think there would be a way to describe it unless you saw it yourself. It's just so JJ. Fast and fun and intense.

She steals another glance over her shoulder at Ben, unable to resist seeking out his reaction. She smiles when she sees him nodding in approval, commenting to another person beside him all the while never taking his eyes off of the blond surfer finishing his run.

Samantha notices her looking back and leans her head back to catch what Kiara is looking at. She smirks.

"He's being scouted," Samantha comments.

Kiara turns to Samantha, a little surprised she was paying enough attention to notice her change in direction. Thought she only had eyes for JJ. Kiara silently admonishes herself for being petty, even if it's just in her head.

"Oh, yeah," she acknowledges, simply.

It's not a huge secret. Since JJ has started the surf competition he's had plenty of recruiters approach him, from all over both coasts actually. He talked with whoever approached him, but Kiara saw how he looked around for Ben.

Ben was different than the others recruiters and coaches. San Diego State was different too. Not only had they won the last two surfing championships at the collegiate level, they were located in one of the best surf spots in the country. And JJ always wanted to hit up California.

Of course there was an even more obvious reason for his interest in the school. Kiara had told JJ it was one of the schools she was looking into for college. She likes it the best and was actually interested in all the environmental programs and opportunities it had.

She'd never want either of them to limit themselves to what the other may be doing but she couldn't help but dream a little. Thinking about them packing up their things and heading across country in her Jeep. Starting their college careers together. Living in the same city and being able to live out their dreams together.