"I think something happened between Kie and Sarah," Coral told JJ as she watched him work on changing out the carburetor on the dirtbike. JJ had finally saved enough to get a new one so he could hopefully get the bike started. Just yesterday he caught Luke in an agreeable mood and he'd taken him for his license. (A/N-getting a license is way more complicated but for this story we're going to say it's that easy)
"Why's that?" he asked. "Well she's been hanging out here more and texting me like every day for the last two weeks," she told him, "But yesterday she basically invited herself to the Sophomore Social which makes no sense because she told me that her school was having their dance the same night as ours," Coralina explained.
Pausing in tightening a bolt JJ glanced up at her, "You never mentioned you wanted to go to the dance," JJ said, referring to the Dance that Kildaire High put on at the end of April for their Sophomore class. Shrugging Coralina told him she wasn't going to make a big deal about it, "I mean if you don't want to go it's completely fine JB and Pope are going and apparently Kiara so I can hang out with them," she told him, "I know school dances aren't really your thing."
"Well, yeah, I don't really care about them but if you want to go of course I'm gonna take you," JJ told her, "Are you sure you not saying anything to me doesn't have to do with the price of the ticket and having to wear a monkey suit?" he questioned.
Sighing she scrunched her nose up, "It may have had something to do with it," she admitted quietly, "You work hard for your money, JJ, and I don't want you spending it unnecessarily."
"Coral what have we been doing for the last eight months?" he asked quietly as he fidgeted with the wrench in his hands. Blinking Coral cleared her throat, "I mean we've been seeing each other," she replied.
Chewing the inside of his cheek JJ nodded, "I know we never really talked about it but we haven't been seeing any others and I know I'm committed to whatever this is. Are you?"
"Of course," she answered immediately. "Alright, so if we're going to label this then I'd say you're my girlfriend. And if my girlfriend wants to go to a dance then I'm gonna take her," he told her. Smiling Coral nodded, "Ok, maybe we could tell John B then," she said.
"Tell John B what?" asked John B as he entered the shed. Startled Coralina turned around in her camping chair almost toppling over, "Geez JB, wear a fucking bell," she exclaimed wide eyed. Glancing between JJ and his sister John B asked again, "What do you two need to tell me?"
"Oh, just that JJ agreed to go to the Sophomore dance and since it looks like Kie's coming too all of us can hang out that night," Coralina answered. Narrowing his eyes John B studied her before swinging his gaze to JJ, "Since when are you interested in a school dance?" he asked, suspiciously.
Shrugging JJ went back to the bolt he had been tightening, "Coral mentioned Kie was coming and she talked me into coming too," he answered, simply. "JB, didn't you say you had a date?" Coral asked.
"Yeah, Dahlia Bennet asked me and I agreed. I think she already bought our tickets," he mentioned as he bent to check out JJ's work on the dirtbike.
Plotting Coralina smiled widely, "Oh, that's perfect. Kie could be Pope's date and I could go with JJ and we could make a whole night of it," she said excitedly. Pursing his lips John B looked at his sister, "Uh, you don't need to be all date like you can go as friends," he stated.
Rolling her eyes Coralina pulled out her phone as she stood up, "Oh John B don't be such a party pooper. I'm gonna go text Kie," she said walking out of the shed.
Taking Coral's empty seat John B looked at JJ, "Are you trying to fuck my sister?" he asked, harshly. Jolting at the question JJ cursed when his hand slipped and he rapped his knuckles on the dirtbike, "Christ, JB, what the fuck kind of question is that?" he asked.
"I don't know you tell me," John B answered, "I mean you two have been awfully touchy feely lately. I know what you look like when you're scamming on a girl and I don't need you scamming my sister," he said with a shrug.
Shaking his head JJ sighed, "I'm not gonna keep having this same conversation with you so I'm gonna be real with you, Dude. I like your sister. She's fucking awesome and if I'm lucky enough for her to give me a chance I'd be a straight asshole if I screwed it up. I just want her to be happy, Man. So if going to some stupid dance makes her happy then I'm gonna go regardless of what you think," JJ told him.
Sighing, John B rolled his shoulders, "I don't even know what to say to that. Part of me wants to beat your face in," John B told him. "And the other part?" JJ questioned. "Well that part wants to beat your face in too," John B replied.
"Alright, well glad that's out there," JJ commented going back to working on the dirtbike, "So in the name of keeping Coral happy are you gonna help me find a monkey suit for this dance? Taking a long swallow of his beer John B finally nodded, "Yeah," he responded.
"I can't believe you got JJ to agree to go to a school dance," Kie laughed as the two girls walked into a small dress shop located on the mainland. The two had rode the ferry across to search out dresses for the dance.
"I'm pretty persuasive," Coral smiled as she searched through the racks. Pulling out several dresses in varying shades of blue Coralina walked towards the dressing room. Noticing her choices Kie laughed, "Are we going with a theme here?" she questioned, as she walked to her own fitting room.
Blushing Coralina shrugged, "JJ likes the color blue and since he's my date," she trailed off. "Yeah, but it's not like this is a real date," Kie commented, before disappearing into a room to change.
Furrowing her brow Coralina went into her changing room. Once she had a dress on she met Kie by the three way mirrors, "I don't know. I don't think I like that color on you," she said looking at Kie in a yellow dress.
Scrunching up her face Kie turned in a circle looking at herself, "Yeah, I'm not loving this," she agreed before looking at Coralina, "That one looks nice," she commented. Humming Coralina shook her head, "I'm not feeling it," she decided.
As they walked back to their rooms Coralina glanced at Kie, "So why don't you think this is a real date?" she questioned. "You know the rule, Coral, no Pogue on Pogue macking," Kiara reminded her, "Plus John B would straight up murder him for trying anything with you," she continued.
Pausing outside of her fitting room Kiara looked over at Coralina, "You don't, like, want this to be an actual date. Do you?" she asked.
Chewing on the inside of her cheek Coralina contemplated telling Kie the truth, "I mean, I don't really see the big deal if it was," she admitted. Laughing Kie shook her head, "Coral you may be persuasive enough to get JJ to the dance, but I don't think there's anybody on this earth who would be able to get him to stop jumping from girl to girl and actually date one."
Hating how all their friends always thought the worst of JJ Coralina glared at her curly haired friend, "Actually JJ hasn't hooked up with any rando girls for the last eight months," Coralina told her.
"Yeah, that he's told you about, but you don't know what he's doing," Kie began to say before Coralina interrupted her. "I do know because he's been with me," Coral stated, staring at Kie.
Blinking Kiara stared at Coralina, "What do you mean he's been with you?" she asked. Blowing out a breath of air Coralina sat on the small bench between the fitting rooms, "Kie, I need to tell you something and I really need you to just be my friend. Not my brother's friend, but my friend."
Nodding Kie sat down next to Coral, "Okay," she replied, waiting for Coral to continue.
"JJ and I have been seeing each other since the end of August and honestly I think I'm in love with him," she admitted.
Humming Kie nodded, "Okay, by seeing each other what does that mean?" she questioned. Sighing Coralina rubbed her forehead, "So it started with just sex. Just a one time thing meant as a distraction, that I initiated before you ask, but then we began hanging out more and talking and it turned into something more. It wasn't just about the sex. It was like he was the only one who understood me and listened to me when I talked. So for the last eight months we sneak off away from everyone to just be together," she attempted to explain.
"So your New Year's mystery guy..." Kie trailed off. "Was JJ," she confirmed with a nod. Standing Kie began to pace the small area, "Okay. Okay. So who all knows about this?" she asked, stopping in front of Coralina.
"Umm...my uncle and Pope know," she told the girl. "Pope knows!" Kie responded indignantly, "I can't believe Pope knew before me," Kiara said sounding hurt. "He accidentally saw us together," Coralina told her.
"And what about John B? Are you planning on telling him?" Kie questioned. "We are. I thought maybe we could use the dance as like JJ and I are going to the dance together and oh look they look so good together and he treats her so good wouldn't that be nice if my best friend dated my sister," Coralina responded, hopefully.
Staring at Coralina Kie broke out into laughter, "Do you even know your brother, Coral? That's never going to work. He's going to go ballistic," Kie declared.
Rolling her eyes Coral agreed, "I know. We've been subtly trying to ease John B into this for months and like every time we even look at each other John B goes off his rocker," she admitted.
Tapping her finger against her lip Kie thought about what she'd said, "That explains the whole freak out about you and JJ sleeping in the same bed. Honestly, I think your brother already knows he's just fighting what's been in front of him for apparently awhile now," Kie said.
"Yeah and last week JJ told him flat out he liked me so now JB's like my little shadow puppet. I swear if he wasn't already hanging out with JJ today he would've come along here just to make sure I was where I said I was going to be," Coralina told her, rolling her eyes.
"So you want to tell him at the dance?" Kie clarified. "Yeah, I'm thinking all those people and teachers, he can't kill us then," Coralina decided.
Laughing Kie pulled her up and hugged her, "Yeah we'll see about that," she said, "Now, let's find you a dress that's going to make JJ cry," Kie declared, "I can't believe your in love with JJ," she said shaking her head as the girls went to their fitting rooms.
"I need to talk to you," John B stated, walking into her room, uninvited and plopping down on her bed. Looking up from her homework Coral rolled her eyes, "Oh no, sure come in and make yourself at home," she snarked, sarcastically.
"Thanks I will," her brother sassed back with a bright smile, "So Uncle T's leaving at the end of the month," her brother informed her, "He just told me."
Clearing her throat Coralina rubbed her forehead, "Yeah, I kind of knew he was planning on leaving," she admitted, "I just didn't know when." Sitting up from where he lounged on her bed John B looked hurt, "You knew and you didn't tell me?" he questioned.
"Yeah kind of like how you knew Uncle T filed a missing person on dad and didn't tell me," she retorted, "Guess that twin thing of telling each other everything is false."
"Coral I was trying to protect you," he said, rolling his eyes. "Well maybe that's why I don't tell you things because I'm trying to protect you," she replied. "What else aren't you telling me?" John B questioned.
Sighing Coral rolled her eyes, "I'm not in the mood for whatever argument you're trying to have with me. I've got homework I need to get done," she told him tiredly.
"I'm not trying to have an argument Coral. I'm trying to figure out where my sister is. I used to know everything about you and now all of a sudden JJ knows more about you then your own brother. Why is that?" he asked.
"Don't bring JJ into this. He's my best friend. Do you know how rare it is to find someone who just gets you? Who lets you be you without the judgement? I know he told you that he likes me. Well here's a newsflash for you John B I like him too, and I know you hold onto that stupid rule, but maybe I'm tired of following it," she told him.
Huffing John B stood from her bed, "He's not a relationship kind of person, Coralina. He's going to end up hurting you," he stated.
"Well that's my choice to make," Coral replied before turning back to her homework.