Chapter Nineteen: Cloud Nine
~~•~~
EVER SINCE THE encounter with Rafe, Serena felt paranoid. JJ could tell that she was worried since she wasn't focused on the movie and she was frantically looking around.
"JJ," Pope whispered, "I gotta take a piss."
"Hold it," JJ said back.
"I can't hold it," Pope said, "I drank too much soda."
"It's too exposed, they'll totally see us," JJ declared.
"I gotta go," Pope said in a serious tone before looking towards Rafe and the other two, "They're blocking the bathrooms."
"Come on, I know where," JJ said and looked at Serena, "We will be right back."
"Wait, where are y'all going?" Serena asked.
"We gotta wring it out," JJ said and Serena nodded.
"You gonna hold it for each other," Kiara added.
Serena watched as the walked passed a large tree. Her eyes wandered around until she saw her cousin and his two friends. Serena felt her heart drop and she moved to the chair next to Kiara.
"I saw Rafe walk towards them," Serena said.
"Shit," Kiara sighed, "let's go."
As they walked behind the large screen, they saw the boys fighting. Rafe and Kelce were beating on JJ and Topper was fighting Pope. Serena didn't hesitate to jump in and help JJ.
"Let go of him, Topper!" Kiara yelled as she hit Topper with JJ's bag, "Fascist asshole!"
Serena ran to Rafe and jumped on his back, "Stop!" she yelled and began punching him and scratching his face with her nails.
Rafe threw her over his back making her hit the ground hard, "Stay out of this!" He yelled at her before slinging Kiara off of Topper.
"Rena!" JJ shouted and began throwing punches.
Serena got back up and prepared for the pain that she was about to feel, she used all of her strength and punched Rafe as hard as she could in the face. Rafe's nose began to bleed, he looked at her and punched her in the face. Serena held her face and winced at the pain.
"Rena!" JJ yelled and fought against Kelce, "You motherfucker!"
Serena looked up to see JJ getting hit multiple times by Rafe while being held by Kelce. Pope was in a headlock, and was doing his best to get out of it. Serena looked at Kiara, and saw that she had a JJ's lighter. Serena knew what Kiara was about to do.
Serena pushes herself off the ground and stumbled a bit before jumping on Rafe's back once more and wrapped her arm around his neck. She began to choke him, and she tightened her grip around his neck. Rafe's face began to turn red.
"You fucked with the wrong Pogues, Cousin," Serena said in his ear.
Suddenly, the movie screen was on fire. Rafe threw Serena off of him again and Kiara pushed Topper off of Pope while he was distracted by the fire.
"Guys, fire!" Rafe yelled as he stopped hitting JJ.
"Let go of him, Kelce!" Serena yelled as everything grew blurry from the tears in her eyes, "Please! Let him go!"
When Rafe and the two took off, Serena ran over to JJ who was catching his breath. Serena placed her hands on his face and saw that he was a little beaten up. She wanted to kill those sons of bitches for what they did to him. It's enough that JJ gets beaten by his father.
"Are you okay?" She asked, "Are you severely hurt?"
"I'm okay, baby," He nodded, "I can't believe you jumped in."
"I wasn't gonna sit there and watch them beat up my boyfriend," Serena said with a small smile, "come on, let's go home."
"Kiara, you're freaking crazy!" Pope laughed, "And Rena, you probably broke Rafe's nose."
"He deserves more than a broken nose," Serena chuckled.
~~•~~
When Serena and JJ arrived at her house, Katherine gasped when she saw the two beaten up. Serena already had a bruise on her cheek, and a small cut above her eyebrow. JJ's lip was busted, and had a few cuts around his face. Most of the bruises were forming on his abdomen.
"What the hell happened?!" Katherine asked as she rushed over to her daughter and JJ.
The two teens looked at each other and both thought, "Oh, shit."
"We just ran into some people," Serena said, "We're fine."
"There's a huge bruise on your face, Serena!" Katherine said and JJ looked at the girls face and felt his blood boil. He didn't notice that she got hit in the face.
"Mom," Serena sighed, "I just want to take a shower and go to bed."
"Clean up the cuts so they don't get infected," Katherine said to JJ, "you two are something."
Serena and JJ then walked into Serena's room. JJ grabbed Serena's face gently and examined the bruise on her face. He felt like he should have done more to protect her.
"I'm going to kill that son of a bitch," JJ said, "If it's the last thing I do."
"Stop," Serena said, "Let's just clean up and go to bed, okay?"
JJ let out a deep sigh and nodded. Serena kissed him and wrapped her arms around him. She didn't care that Rafe hit her, all she cared about was that JJ was okay.
"I'm so sorry, Rena," JJ said and looked into her blue eyes, "I should have protected you."
"JJ, Kelce was holding you while Rafe beat you," Serena said, "You did as much as you could, you did enough...at least I punched him in the nose."
JJ chuckled, "You do hit like a man."
Serena laughed, "Go take a shower."
JJ went and took a shower in Serena's bathroom while she took one in her mom's. When she walked back into her room, her hair was damp and she only wore a large sweatshirt that ended above her knees.
"I am exhausted," Serena said and looked at JJ who was shirtless on her bed, she could see some of the bruises forming on his abdomen.
"Staring is rude," JJ chuckled and watched her slide in the spot next to him.
Serena rolled her eyes playfully, "Wasn't staring."
"Well, it sure seemed like it," JJ teased.
"Fine, I was staring no big deal," Serena admitted, "I won't stare again."
"Woah, I never said that," He laughed and pulled her closer to him, where he was hovering over Serena.
JJ moved her hair out of her eyes, he looked at her like she was the most precious thing on this earth. He could definitely see himself being with her for the rest of his life.
"Look who's staring now," Serena smirked.
"Shut up," JJ scoffed and joined their lips.
Serena's hands rested on his neck, while his hand gripped on her waste. Their kiss grew more passionate and intense. JJ then let her straddle him to where she was sitting above his waist. His hands explored her back under her sweatshirt. Serena was the only girl that made his heart go fast, the only smile that made him feel like he was floating.
Her touch made him go crazy. JJ never knew that he could feel this way about someone and neither did she. JJ made Serena feel like she was on cloud nine. Before they got too far, Serena took a breath.
"Let's not get too carried away," Serena chuckled and laid down next to him, "I just don't want to rush things."
"I agree," JJ said, "We have all the time in the world, and I'm ready whenever you are."
It didn't bother Serena that she was a virgin and he wasn't. The two didn't expect to fall for each other, but Serena felt like she wasn't ready for that big step.