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CHAPTER SIXTEEN Tit for Tat
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(PRESENT)
A sleepy smile spread across Avery's lips at the sight of the woman in uniform.
"And I heard there was a fight on the beach yesterday, and a gun was involved" Sheriff Peterkin raised her eyebrows at John B.
"He got in a dustup, earned that lovely accessory. But was there a gun?" Avery voiced, emerging from the spare room. One of John B's old, shrunken, tops covering her upper half and rested against her thighs. She scoffed softly and shrugged a shoulder, "No. Of course not"
"I was wondering when Pebbles would arrive," Peterkin's pointed a look at the blonde, who smiled goofily at her and patted her shoulder as she passed, making her way to the kitchen. "But that's okay, I know who it was. I'll get to him. All I'm worried about right now is makin' sure you're in a safe home"
John B chuckled slightly and tapped the table to stood besides, "Yeah. Super safe. Super sound, sturdy. You know what I mean?"
"And Uncle T's coming back" Avery butted into the conversation. She purposefully faced away from the pair standing in the room with her, not wanting to expose herself as she felt her nose twitch.
"Is that what he told you?" Peterkins glanced between the two teenagers. John B's eyes shifted over to Avery, dumbly agreeing with her.
"Well, if he really is coming, I think you should be allowed to stay. But if I stick my neck out for you, you both have to help me. Tit for tat" Peterkin's sternly said, confusing them both on what she wanted their help with.
"Haven't we tat-ed already?" Avery generally asked, titling her head to the side as she looked at the woman.
"What- what does tat mean?" John B moved a curl out of his face. His eyebrows drew together and he lightly scratched his temple, leaning on the table.
"Let me see, how can you help me? Oh, I know. So, a body was found in the marsh yesterday. Were you in the marsh yesterday?" The sheriff stepped closer to John B. Instinctively, Avery set down the butter knife she was holding and pushing herself away from the kitchen counter, wandering closer to the pair.
"Yeah, we were fishin' for some drum" The brunet played it cool, actually impressing Avery at how well he was handling it.
"You catch anything?" Peterkins pressed. She briefly peered over at Avery, sensing the girl walking up behind her.
"Nah, we were skunked. Which is weird, usually it's good after a storm" The blonde shrugged and crossed her arms over her chest.
"Yeah, strange. You come across a wreck yesterday?" Peterkins continued to question, it was as if she was catching onto the two friend's fibbing. She stepped closer to John B, not dropping eye contact and noticed his eyes flicker to Avery before he denied her.
"You skimmin' just above the surface, John B. Now, down here is foster care, juvie. Pretty dig drop for a smart kid like you. Up here is you and your little friends doing whatever you want. Outer Banks, or foster care on the mainland," Peterkin gestured with her hands. Her threat was gradually making the boy cave. He sighed, sitting down on the messy pullout. "You're one inch above the surface, John B. If I was you, I'd start flappin' my wings. Now, you sure you didn't come across a wreck yesterday?"
There was a moment where Avery found herself doubting John B, visualising him giving up and telling her the truth to avoid the possible consequences. She couldn't lose the boy to foster care, after everything, he had to be smart about this. Her hazel eyes carefully watched her friend, ignoring the glance Peterkins threw at her.
"Yeah. Yeah, I'm sure" He nonchalantly replied.
"It's better if you didn't, you understand? I'm gonna look the other way, as long as you stay out the marsh" Peterkins bent down to his eye level and rested a hand on his shoulder before standing up and heading towards the door. She turned around before her foot stepped out onto the porch. "And you, Miss Creed, need to start acting. You gonna make things a lot harder for yourself if you don't. I told you, don't make me regret it"
With that, the sheriff walked out. John B waited for the exterior door to slam shut, grabbing an empty aluminium can and chucking in at the wall opposite him. His head fell into his hands, dragging them through his thick curls. Avery closed her eyes, counting down in her head and unclenched her jaw. She took a deep breath in and peeled open her eyes, seeing John B in the same hunched over position.
"We have got to call it off. Whatever it was, we can't go through with it" Avery voiced, shaking her head vigorously. Her feet took off from her spot and paced back to the kitchen side.
"You are just saying that because she helped you clear your name" He mumbled, raising his head from his hands.
"Hell, yeah! If it wasn't for her, I would have never made it back here, JB. And I know, more than anyone else, that she sticks by her word. So when she tells you that she will save your arse from the DCS, she will" Avery almost yelled, startling her friend.
He looked back at her and sighed heavily, knowing she was right, "I know. You're right"
"Exactly," She scoffed and took a bit out of the cold, buttered piece of toast. Avery swallowed her mouthful and tossed it onto the plate, "now, let's clean this place up before we attract rats again"
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AUTHORS NOTE! we love this brotp. this is another unintentionally shorter one, and i've only just realised how long it's gonna take to reach the end so hope you don't mind a good, lengthy story. also, i have written a lot of chapters ahead and doubting a few things. reading back on them, i feel like avery's story is dragged out and patchy at times. i'm working on fixing that, so apologies if updates are longer, but if you are bothering to read this, please help me. what do you want to see happen, or like to read as the reader? :)
