a thing i feel people don’t talk enough is that a lot of john b and popes (in my opinion) crush on kie was on their expectation on her. the girl she represented for them. not much for john b but for pope it felt that way. like he was projecting something there. it’s not less valid but put kiara in a lot of pressure as well to be that for him.
jj strike me as someone that really wasn’t expecting kiara to be anything else. she always feels the most relaxed when she is with him. whatever it is smoking or drinking or whatever. it never strike me as kiara trying to be someone else but just being kiara.
This is such a great point!! John B and Pope were very forward and forceful with their feelings -- John B straight up kissed her, Pope continued to persist, even after she rejected him.
Kie opened up the conversation with JJ, and then, when he came to rescue her, she kissed *him* first. A lot of us complained about how Kie lacked agency, particularly with respect to her romantic storylines, so it's refreshing that jiara's storyline revolved entirely around Kie making her feelings known -- repeatedly.
It makes sense that JJ would be Her Person -- like you said, nonnie, the person she feels most comfortable/herself around. She fell in love with him because he let her be, completely and without pressure. It also links back to the 'surf trip' convo in the storage container and Pope's confession -- all Kie wants is to be free to be herself, which makes sense, given her parents and the expectations she grew up under.
JJ is her freedom, and she is in love with him in the same way !!
