JJ Tries To Be Protective

JJ stood along the edge of the pond, silently watching as Brian and Mindy skated around together. Since Nicole had left, the pair hadn't so much as looked away from one another leaving them unaware that the only one watching them now was JJ. This, however, had not changed their plans at all, still holding hands, giggling at each other's jokes, and after some time, Brian was happy to plant a soft kiss on the girl's cheek, leaving her a genuine blushing mess.

JJ, all the while, could feel his concern growing, his eye almost twitching and some surprising anger growing towards Brian. It was one thing for JJ to see Brian messing around with girls at school but seeing him do it to someone so close to him, hell one of his closet friends, it was making his skin crawl. Not to mention how concerned he felt for Mindy, he knew the girl had a very heavy crush on Kenny and he knew how broken up she was just the other night at the thought Kenny and Anna might have been getting together. Now, overnight, Mindy was all over Brian like he was the best thing in her life? It didn't sit right...

JJ was suddenly pulled from his thoughts when he heard Mindy and Brian's skates skirting to a stop just along the edge he was standing by, "Hey, JJ, where's Nicole?" Brian asked with a friendly smile on his face, his hand not loosening on Mindy's for a second,

JJ's eyes glared at the teen's interlocked fingers for a long moment only to pull away as Brian playfully snapped his fingers, "Sorry," JJ chuckled out, attempting to swallow his feelings, "Uh, Nicole had to head back to the lodge, get this, Kenny and Anna got locked in their bathrooms,"

"No fucking way," Brian laughed out while Mindy slowly shook her head, a small smile on her face, but it fell off all too quickly,

"I wonder how that happened...you know, locked in there together," Mindy muttered out,

"Who knows, crazy shit happens right?" Brian replied before slowly looking around, "I mean, it's only the three of us now, think we should just head back?"

"I don't know, we can still chill out here together, right?" JJ replied, doing his best to stick to his and Nicole's plan of protection, "Doesn't really matter if it's just us or all six of us when skating right?"

"I guess not, I got the one thing I care about right next to me," Brian grinned over to Mindy who instantly jumped back into her happy ways,

"Totally, as long as I'm hanging out with you today, I'm happy," Mindy returned with ease,

"That's great guys, so great," JJ lightly nodded with a few breathy laughs, "Bry, is it cool if I borrow your girl for two seconds though? Just need to ask her something right quick," JJ asked in an agreeable as possible tone,

"Uh, sure man no worries, I'll just go skate for a few, see you soon," Brian agreed as he leaned in, planted a second kiss on Mindy's cheek.

Mindy attempted to suppress a wide grin by biting down on her lower lip as Brian headed off, leaving the two friends alone. The Asian girl's eyes followed him for a moment before looking back up at JJ who was giving her a soul-piercing glare, "What?" She innocently asked back,

"What the hell is happening with you?" JJ gruffly asked back,

Mindy's brow furrowed and she crossed her arms, "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Mindy, you like Kenny, we both fucking know this. We also both know that you could have given half a shit about Brian White three days ago, so I ask again, what the hell is happening with you?" JJ sharply replied, "You know as well as me what kind of guy he is,"

"Oh, and what kind of guy is that? I thought Brian was your friend," Mindy shot back,

JJ let out a sharp exhale and rubbed his face for a quick moment, "Yeah, Brian is my friend, he's not the devil but Brian is...complicated when it comes to girls. Brian gets what Brian wants and then he moves on and he doesn't care what he has to do to get to that point," JJ replied in a hushed tone, "Now, I know how he works, and I know he's pretty good at what he does, but no way he pulled some magic out of his ass to suddenly turn you away from Kenny in a night,"

"You...don't know everything about my life, JJ. Yeah, I crushed on Kenny, but I also really liked Brian for a while, and he was more than happy when I told him," Mindy lied without hesitation, though the high pitchness in her voice all but gave herself away to JJ,

"Mindy, you're not gonna fool me, I know you, now come on," JJ said in a nearly disappointed sigh,

Mindy let out a slow exhale and shook her head, "What do you want from me JJ, I'm taking what I can get right now, and honestly, it feels nice to be wanted. And who knows, maybe after seeing me this way....Kenny might --"

"Oh, my fuck..." JJ interrupted with a low groan, "Brian has sold you on some fucking snake oil that being his new "girl" will help you get Kenny and him get Anna?" JJ said causing Mindy to merely purse her lips neither denying nor admitting to the thought, "Mindy, listen to me, Kenny and Anna is happening, alright? I am not trying to be mean or hurt you when I say that but you need to accept it. And you can't like guys like Brian mess with your head, making you think that they have a magic answer to get you what you want, the world doesn't work like that,"

"You don't know that either, JJ," Mindy hissed back, "Just like last night, you keep spewing all this shit about how you know how Kenny's mind works and how his future will turn out. I come to you for support last night and you basically stomped on my heart, and now that I'm finding just a touch of happiness with Brian, you're trying to get me to ditch that too? What kind of friend are you?"

"Mindy, it's not like that, I am not trying to hurt you, I'm trying to protect you," JJ pleaded back, "I don't want you to do something that you'll end up regretting, whether that be with you and Brian or between you and Kenny!" JJ exclaimed insincerity, "Whatever you think doing with Brian will do, I can promise you, it's not going to work. The only, absolutely only way things with Kenny might go your way is to lay everything out for him now or never. And if you can't do that, you gotta let him go and really, honestly move on with someone who cares about you,"

Mindy's eyes flared and her fists clenched, "You...You are such a fucking prick, JJ," Mindy ignorantly fired back, "You're just jealous that I decided to move onto Brian than to you,"

"What?!" JJ replied in bewilderment, "Mindy, I'm not trying to take you for myself I am --"

"I'm not your little sister, JJ, I don't need you trying to protect me and I don't need you getting all petty and jealous over me and Brian," Mindy sharply interrupted,

"Mindy, come on, don't be this way. You know I'm not doing this to undermine you or hurt you, I just want to help..." JJ lowly said one final time, desperately trying to reach the girl he knew,

"I...I don't need your help, JJ," Mindy lowly replied, turning her head as to no longer look her friend in the eye, "Just leave me and Brian alone...and give me some space, I don't want you hovering over me all day either," JJ let out a defeated exhale as Mindy turned and skated away leaving the black teen uncertain and more worried than ever.