CHAPTER TWENTY SIX.
the eye of the storm
A STORM WAS coming.
Nova Van Kirk knew that much for sure. And it wasn't just because of the dark bank of grey clouds in the sky, or the way the wind blew through the crisp air that told Nova another hurricane was making its journey to Outer Banks. Nova could feel it in her bones and it shivered down her spine, an alarming level of anxiety coursing through her veins as she continued to drive down the vacant roads. And after the altercation between Nova and her father, his warning of the dangers that lurked outside the safety of their family home only added fuel to the burning fire.
Nova knew it was dangerous to be outside during these nerve-racking times, an unpleasant feeling of trepidation dancing across her spine, making the girl shudder when she looked outside to see chaos was making its way to the island. Between the cops running wild on their hunt for John B Routledge, the arrival of the reinforcements brought in to make the search easier, and the brewing storm, it didn't Nova Van Kirk long to realise things were going to get worse before they got better. It only seemed to increase her urgency to get to the rest of the group and get John B to freedom.
By the time Nova pulled out in front of the warehouse ( the girl hoped JJ had sent her the right address or she was completely lost ) she noticed Kiara's car pulling up not long afterwards. Nova sighed in relief and pressed her foot down on the breaks, the car coming to a quick and sudden halt before Nova switched off the engine and stepped out of the vehicle, a large gust of wind blowing through her golden blonde locks. When she looked ahead, she noticed JJ climb out of the car and walk over towards her, a look filled with relief washing over his face when his eyes locked with her own.
"Hey..." JJ paused, scanning his eyes over the girl, before he reached out and cupped her face in his hands, a gentle display of affection that surprised Nova Van Kirk at first. "You okay? Nothing happened?" He interrogated further, worried that Nova encountered trouble along her way since they parted ways earlier the same day.
"Yeah, I'm fine. My dad was on my case, but it was nothing I couldn't handle." Nova answered, deciding it was best to leave out the gory details for now, like her suspicions about Riley. Her reassuring voice was enough to bring a ghost of a smile to JJ's face, before he leaned forward and planted a short and sweet kiss to her lips. When he pulled away, Nova looked past him to see Kiara staring at them with a smile of her own tugging at her lips, causing for Nova to turn her attention back to JJ, her brows furrowing together. "What about—"
"Kie figured it out after you left The Wreck earlier." JJ informed her, cutting her off as he removed his hands from her face, his warmth of his touch leaving her skin. JJ's words made Nova roll her eyes, a twinkle of amusement burning bright in her eyes. It was clear neither her or JJ were good at hiding their secret from the rest of their friends.
Nova let out a quiet chuckle, shaking her head as she tilted her head up to stare deeply into JJ's blue irises. "So much for being discreet then?" She asked in a rhetorical manner. JJ couldn't help but laugh in response to Nova's words as he leaned in closer to give the girl another kiss, the boy trying to close the gap between him and Nova.
"Can you lovebirds press pause on the honeymoon for a moment so we can help out our friend?" Kiara Carrera's familiar voice ripped through the air, interrupting the couple.
When they heard those words leave Kiara's lips, JJ pulled away from Nova and turned around to face the girl whilst Nova looked ahead to see Kiara was staring back at them, waiting for them to join her so they could get the boat and bring it out onto the water. Nova smiled as her eyes shifted from Kiara to JJ, the boy looking back at her with a smile, the couple exchanging a few amused glances, before JJ nodded his head and made his way over towards the front door to the warehouse, causing for Nova to follow close behind.
"So..." Kiara trailed off, walking beside Nova as the girl followed JJ closer towards the warehouse door. "You and JJ, huh?" Nova glanced over at Kiara to see the corners of her lips tweaking upwards into a smirk, the girl wriggling her brows as her dark eyes flickered between Nova and JJ.
Nova shrugged her shoulders, sparing Kiara a look as she continued to smile. "Yeah, it just kinda happened, I guess." She replied, butterflies erupting in the pit of her stomach once again when she thought back to the events that occurred between her and JJ the night before outside The Wreck in the middle of the dark night.
"Well, I like you guys together." Kiara told her truthfully. "At least now I won't have to listen to him pine over you like some puppy." She mocked, earning a giggle from Nova in response.
"I heard that, Kie." JJ deadpanned, looking over his shoulder and sparing the girls a quick glance, before he unlocked the warehouse and opened up the door, a loud rustle coming from the chipped and rusted metal as JJ dragged it across.
When Nova followed JJ inside the warehouse, she lifted her gaze to see the famous boat JJ had been going on about since last night — The Phantom. Nova continued to stare at the boat in all of its glory, listening as JJ whistled at the sight of it, a look of admiration glimmering in his eyes bright, blue eyes whilst he continued to approach the boat, the boy lifting his hand to touch the exterior with a small smile forming across his face in the process.
"There she be. Hey, girl." He whispered to the boat, causing for Nova and Kiara to glance at each other, the pair exchanging a few looks, before they turned their attention back to JJ. "A 1983 Formula 402 SR1. The Phantom." He chimed, turning his attention over to the girls, both Nova and Kiara simply shrugging their shoulders in response. "The first boat to make the run to Bermuda in under sixteen hours, you guys. Forty years old. Forty. And still the fastest thing that Kildare's ever seen." He elaborated further, growing silent as he waited for a response from Nova or Kiara.
Kiara simply frowned in response, not seeming too bothered by JJ's grand speech. "It's kind of a junker." She deadpanned, causing for Nova to nod her head in agreement, neither of them really understanding the significance of the boat. Of course, it didn't take long for JJ to stare back at the duo with an unamused look plastered across his face.
"Really? She's right there, Kie. She can hear you." JJ argued, causing for Nova to stifle her laughter as an attempt to hold back her amusement. "Let's just put it this way. You would not be smoking weed right now if she never existed, okay?" He inferred, earning an eye roll from Kiara in response as she approached the boy.
"I just hope it runs." Kiara shrugged.
JJ nodded his head in response, grabbing ahold of the winch so he could attach the boat to Kiara's car. "Oh, no, she'll run all right. She's faster than any cutters the boys in blue got." He answered, giving Nova a spark of hope that maybe The Phantom was exactly what John B needed in order to get himself off the island so he could be free from the cops hunting him down like an animal. The sooner they got the boat to the docks, the better.
Suddenly, a loud and vigorous rumble of a motorcycle engine ripped harshly throughout the air, signalling that someone else had arrived to the warehouse. Nova knew the most logical explanation was that it had to be Juno and Pope, knowing they were suppose to show up at any given moment. This realisation was enough to make Nova sigh with relief, her bright eyes flickering between JJ and Kiara for a moment when she saw they had both heard the rumbling engine slowly approaching the warehouse too.
"That must be Juno and Pope." Nova insinuated, knowing it couldn't have been anyone else.
Nova walked past JJ and began to make her way into the opposite direction with Kiara following close behind her as they made an attempt to leave the warehouse and meet up with Juno and Pope. However, Nova was left in a state of shock when none other than Rafe Cameron came around the corner, his familiar features and the harsh look that burned bright in his eyes being enough to make Nova's blood run cold, her bones turning into chilling ice. After the last time they encountered one another, Nova was left in a state of fear, a twinge of worry erupting in the pit of her stomach whilst spine tingling trepidation shook the girl to the core.
"Hey, there." Rafe greeted, his rough voice causing for Nova to swallow thickly. She knew he had followed them all the way out here for a reason, and whatever the reasoning behind his endeavours was, Nova was scared to find out. "What's going on? How you guys doing?" He pressed further, jumping onto the boat for a moment before he dropped back down.
Nova made an attempt to turn around, knowing they all had a better chance at getting away from Rafe if they just left the boat and ran for the car. But a sharp whistle echoed loudly through the air, causing for Nova to look ahead to see Barry making his way into their view, a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. "Well, well..." He mused, his sick and sadistic smile making Nova's stomach churn.
Suddenly, Barry cocked the gun in his hand and pointed it at JJ's chest, the sight of the deadly weapon being enough to make Nova release a shaky and harrowing breath past her quivering lips. Nova's eyes flickered over to JJ who had raised his hands, knowing they had no choice than to submit to whatever demands Rafe and Barry had. They were left defenceless in the middle of an incredibly dangerous situation, the sight of the gun being pointed at JJ's chest being enough to make Nova part her lips so she could speak.
"JJ..." Nova breathed out, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Hey, just stay behind me, okay?" JJ told her in a reassuring voice, trying to ease Nova's worries and hide his own.
Barry let out a menacing chuckle and pressed the barrel of the gun against JJ's chest, the harshness of the shove being enough to make JJ stumble back at first. "See, don't think I forgot about me and you on the side of the road. I'm here because I want my motherfucking money!" He snapped, grabbing ahold of JJ, before he began to throw harsh punches at his gut, the boy doubling over in searing pain and agony, each harmful blow being enough to make JJ fall to the ground.
"JJ!" Nova called out to the boy and attempt to put an end to the violence Barry was inflicting on him.
However, Nova felt a pair of arms snake around her waist and pull her away, causing for the girl to thrash around and scream as an attempt wriggle out of the grip Rafe Cameron had on her. Rafe quickly threw Nova down to the ground, the girl letting out a wince when she felt her body roll across the hard ground, the corner of her forehead coming into contact with the surface, a throbbing and agonising pain pulsating through her skull. Nova then lifted her head and looked up to see Rafe towering over Kiara, the Carrera girl screaming at him, trying to make him understand that neither of them truly knew where John B was.
Once Nova had composed herself, the girl was quick to scramble back onto her feet, before she rushed over to Rafe and jumped onto his back. "Get the hell away from her!" She screamed at him through gritted teeth, hitting him repeatedly, but Rafe threw the girl off his back and Nova fell to the ground again.
Kiara made an attempt to hit Rafe, but the boy was just as quick and dodged the harsh blow, before he threw Kiara to the ground, the girl not getting back up after she hit her head. Rafe then stormed over towards Nova and grabbed the girl by her wrists, dragging the girl back onto her feet before he turned her around to face him. When Nova came face to face with Rafe all over again, she noticed the burning fury in his harsh glare and the way his nostrils flared in anger, his eyes darkening as his cold stare burned holes into the girl's skull. And in that very moment, Nova Van Kirk felt as if she was staring into the eyes of the storm.
"Don't think I forgot about our conversation yesterday." Rafe spoke up, his unfriendly reminder being enough to make Nova swallow thickly, her mind flashing back to the unsettling disturbances that occurred inside her home the day before. Rafe then stepped closer towards the girl, their chests almost touching, his hot breath fanning against her face as he parted his lips to speak. "Now let's do this the easy way. Where is John B?" He asked.
Nova shook her head, a stern look plastered across her face. "I have no idea." She told him. It was true. Neither of them had heard from the Routledge boy since he ran off into the unknown to avoid getting caught by the cops.
Rafe couldn't help but scoff in response to the girl's words. "You should know better than to lie to me." He warned her, his low voice being enough to send chills up and down the girl's spine. "Where is John B?" He repeated, hoping to get a straight answer out of the girl.
"I don't know!" Nova snapped, her loud voice bouncing off the walls of the warehouse.
"Do not push me, Nova!" Rafe argued back, his voice and booming voice causing for Nova to flinch in response. "You know what I'm capable of." He reminded the girl, but Nova knew that deep down, he meant it as a threat.
Nova knew she was treading in uncharted waters, and the next few words that left her lips could cause more harm than good, but Nova wasn't going to let Rafe scare her anymore than he already did. This caused for the girl to roll back her shoulders and stare back at the boy with an angered look of her own burning bright in her enchanting, blue eyes, her quivering lips parting so she could speak. "What are you going to do, huh? Kill me like you did to Peterkin?" She questioned, her words being enough to make the room grow silent, a shift in mood slowly settling in.
In that very moment, Barry stopped throwing punches at JJ and looked up to at Rafe, Nova's sudden announcement being enough to make Rafe turn away from her and glance over at Barry to see the shocked look in his face. It was clear Rafe hadn't said anything about the truth before, and now that a notorious drug dealer knew the truth behind Rafe's deadly actions, it put Rafe and his integrity at risk, and that displeased the boy. Nova didn't know if she would suffer the consequences of her actions. That was until Rafe turned back around to stare at the girl, a hateful glare burning in his eyes.
All of a sudden, Rafe lifted his hand and latched his fingers tightly around Nova's throat, squeezing hard enough so that the girl was now choking on her own breath, her chest beginning to tighten in the process. Nova felt tears form in the corners of her eyes, the girl gasping for air as Rafe's strong grip around her throat continued to tighten, his nails cutting into her skin. The worse part was that he didn't even show a single ounce of remorse, his emotionless eyes staring back into her desperate ones.
Nova lifted her hands and wrapped her grip around Rafe's wrist, using all her strength to try and pry him off of her, but in this very moment, Rafe was overpowering her. "Rafe—" She choked up, trying to plead to the boy in hopes that he would show some compassion and let her go. "Rafe, it's me. It's Nova." She pleaded, and for a split second, the boy's eyes seemed to soften. Nova was convinced he was going to let her go.
However, Rafe only seemed to squeeze harder, a harsh chuckle leaving his lips as he pushed Nova back, pining the girl up against a pile of junk behind her, his hand remaining clasped tightly around her throat. "What are you going to do, huh? Turn me in?" He questioned in a rhetorical manner.
Nova felt as if she was choking on nothing, tears rolling down her cheeks as she dug her nails into Rafe's skin, hoping it would be enough to make him back off. Maybe there was even a possibility that she could gain the upper hand. But the boy barely flinched and her attempts to fight back only seemed to make matters worse for the girl. Her vision became blurry, her body growing weaker after each pain riddled second that passed her bye, the lack of a oxygen in her lungs slowly taking its toll on the girl and her body.
"No, no, no. You won't turn me in. You wanna know why?" Rafe continued to speak, his intimidating voice sending chills up her spine, the girl letting out a quiet whimper. "Because you need me. You need me because you need the drugs. No matter how hard you try to get clean, you will always be dependent on me because you are a good for nothing junkie whore—"
And when Nova thought all hope was lost, the grip Rafe had around her throat began to loosen after Pope hit Rafe in the back with a metal pipe, repeating the same violent action until Rafe was as far away from Nova as possible. Whilst Pope continued to beat the hell out of Rafe, Juno rushed over to Kiara for a moment and helped the girl back onto her feet, before they went over to Nova and got her out of the line of fire, both girls holding onto Nova and making sure she was safe from Rafe.
"Oh, my God." Juno breathed out, checking Nova's neck to see the dark bruises forming across her skin, an indentation Rafe being left on her neck.
Everything began to happen so fast. JJ was able to gain the upper hand in his fight with Barry, the boy grabbing ahold of his foot, forcing Barry onto the ground, before Kiara kicked the gun away. This gave JJ the opportunity to throw a few punches at Barry, before he threw him against the boat, knocking the older man out in the process. As for Pope, he eventually stopped throwing punches at Rafe when the boy fell to the ground, doubling over in pain with blood falling from his lips, warning him to stay off The Cut.
Nova didn't know what had come over her in that very moment. Maybe it was because of the throbbing pain that pulsated sharply through her neck, or the way she had been through enough hurt for one person to handle on their own. She didn't have a logical explanation for it, but in a matter of seconds, Nova felt something in her finally snap, her eyes darkening as she watched Pope step away from Rafe, who lied helplessly on the ground. She felt anger pulsate sharply through her veins, crackling thunderstorms filled with violence and fury flowing through her bloodstream, her jaw tightening as her eyes slowly moved over to the metal pipe lying across the ground in the distance.
"Nova..." Juno called out to her friend, placing her hands on either side of the girl's face to try and gain her attention. However, Nova didn't even bother to stare back at the girl. She just stared blankly at the metal pipe on the ground.
Nova's gaze then fell back onto Rafe, watching as he slowly made an attempt to scramble back onto his feet. Then she saw everything flash through her mind like wildfire, all the memories her and Rafe shared throughout the years. From their years of friendship, to their messy and long lasting relationship that was once a happy one, but quickly turned sour in a matter of months. Memories of every cold hearted word he spat in her direction seemed to echo through her mind. She remembered the way he would inflict violence and pain on her without remorse, and the way he would manipulate her into getting exactly what he wanted from her. Rafe Cameron took so much from Nova Van Kirk: her happiness, her freedom, her innocence.
Now she would return the favour.
Suddenly, Nova shoved Juno away from her and walked over to the pipe, reaching down and grabbing the heavyweight object in her hand, clasping her fingers around it tightly, before she began to storm over towards Rafe. This was something the rest of her friends quickly noticed. It didn't take a genius to realise what she was going to do, causing for all of them to rush over towards the girl. "Nova. Nova, what are you doing?!" Juno shouted.
But it was too late. Nova took the metal pipe in her hand and brought it down onto Rafe with a tremendous amount of force, the weapon coming into contact with his abdomen, causing for Rafe to let out a loud groan filled with pain. Nova hit him again, but this time she made it hurt more than the last, and she continued to repeat the process over and over again, Rafe's pain riddled screams ripping harshly through the air as he squirmed after each cruel and violent blow.
"Nova, stop!" Kiara yelled at the girl in a demanding tone.
But she didn't.
"Nova, he isn't worth it." Pope reminded the girl, hoping it would be enough to put an end to the violence.
However, it wasn't enough because no matter how hard her friends tried, Nova saw red. Her morals were blinded by her hatred for Rafe Cameron and she couldn't be tamed so easily, her desire to hurt Rafe in the same way he hurt her outweighing all the good that was left in her. No matter how hard her friends tried, it wasn't going to be enough to put an end to her reign of terror against the Cameron boy, the girl wanting nothing more than to see him fear her, like how she has feared him these last couple of months. She wanted him to suffer. She wanted revenge, and she was sure as hell going to get it.
"Nova!" Juno yelled at the girl as she moved around and made an attempt to grab the pipe away from Nova. "Stop!" She continued, but when she reached up to grab the pipe, Nova brought it down on Rafe once again, his object coming in contact with his stomach.
"Nova, stop. He's had enough." JJ moved to the other side of the girl, but when Nova ignored his words, JJ's blue eyes flickered in between the girl and the pipe in her hand, a concerned look glazed over his eyes as he reacted quickly, and before Nova could bring the pipe down on Rafe again, JJ grabbed the object with his hand, putting an end to Nova's violence. "Nova, look at me!"
A shaky breath escaped past Nova's trembling lips, her eyes slowly moving from Rafe over to finally lock eyes with JJ, her eyes softening at the sight of her boyfriend as he stared back at her, breathing heavily whilst he spoke. "Enough." He whispered to her.
Shortly after JJ had spoken, Nova felt her pipe fall out of her hand, soft and quiet cries leaving her lips, before JJ wrapped his arms around the girl securely and brought her into his embrace. It was a favour Nova didn't hesitate to return, her arms snaking their way around the JJ's shoulders as she dug her face into the crook of the boy's neck, tears rolling down her cheeks whilst she continued to cry into the fabric of JJ's shirt. JJ then moved his hand to stroke Nova's hair, his gentle touch easing the girl's sadness little by little, her anger slowly fading away.
"It's okay..." JJ paused, his chin resting on her shoulder. "You're going to be okay." He whispered into her ear, and for the first time in a while, Nova believed he was actually right.
Nova then inhaled sharply and pulled away from JJ, her teary eyes staring into his own for a moment, before she turned around to glance at the remainder of her friends, watching as they stared back at her with sympathy. That was until Kiara parted her lips to speak. "We should, you know, get out of here." She suggested. Now that was a plan Nova could get on board with.
After attaching the boat to Kiara's car, they all began to leave the warehouse, knowing they had to reach the dock before the cops did. However, just as she was about to leave, Nova stopped in her tracks and turned around to see Rafe was still lying helplessly on the floor. This caused for the girl to approach him once again, her eyes narrowing into a sharp glare as she crouched down in front of the boy, the girl now towering over him as she parted her lips to speak.
"You're dead to me." The girl grimaced, before she stood back up onto her feet and left the warehouse, abandoning Rafe Cameron and the love they once shared, and for good this time.
━━━━━━━━
Shortly after the altercation between the Pogues and Rafe and Barry, it didn't take Nova and her friends long to take The Phantom and get it to the docks, the boat now balancing itself out on the water as the sun began to slowly set beyond the horizon, a mixture of red and orange hue smeared across the sky. Nova was standing on the boat with JJ, the pair making sure it was in shape before John B arrived to take the boat across the sea. However, there was no denying that Nova Van Kirk was still reeling from what Rafe had done to her, and what she had done to him soon afterwards, her violent actions replaying in her head on repeat, a burning reminder of what had occurred only a short time ago.
Nova didn't know what came over her. She never considered herself to be a violent person. She despised any form of violence. But for some reason she just lost it and inflicted harm on Rafe all because of her blinding rage. A small part of her almost felt guilty. But then she would lift her hand and graze the tips of her fingers across the sore bruises forming across her soft skin, making her wince at the harsh feeling, and be reminded that she shouldn't feel guilty for getting revenge for what Rafe did first, or the countless other times he had pushed her around using his harmful actions and venomous words.
Then there was the part when she left him lying there on the ground, bloody and bruised. There was no denying that she felt awful, but she wasn't going to stay with someone who was too far gone when there was still someone who could be saved. That person was John B. Nova had to ensure that her and her friends would reach the docks in time so John B could get on the boat and they could say their goodbyes before his departure from the island. That was more important than staying behind with the guy who had tormented Nova for more than half of their relationship.
Speaking of John B, Nova and the rest of the group were becoming restless as they waited for their friend to arrive. He was late. That was what worried them most of all. They wondered if he had gotten caught by the cops, or maybe something happened and now the cops were on their way to arrest the remainder of them for aiding and abetting a known fugitive. Whatever the reasoning behind John B's tardiness, Nova just hoped it wasn't bad, the girl looking over at the clearing in hopes of spotting the Routledge boy in all of his glory.
"Dude, where is he?" Kiara was the first to speak up, sharing the same worries and overwhelming anxieties as Nova whilst she paced up and down the dock.
Pope turned to the Carrera girl, shrugging his shoulders. "Give him a second. He'll be here." Pope reassured her, his eyes darting between Kiara and Nova, who he could tell was sharing the same concern as Kiara.
Suddenly, the familiar sound of a police siren echoed loudly through the air from a distance, making Nova tense as she looked ahead to see flashing red and blue lights making their wad closer towards the group. It signalled that the cops were coming. They must have figured out the group's whereabouts and were coming to arrest them for their own crimes against the law. The very thought of going to jail was a worry that seemed to prick at Nova's skin, the girl turning around to face JJ, who stared back at her with the same panicked look in his eyes.
"Hey, yeah. Get back on the boat, guys!" He called out to Juno, Pope and Kiara who were standing on the dock as the police car came to a quick and sudden halt, the sirens being switched off shortly afterwards. However, when Nova turned back around, she saw none other than John B Routledge step out of the vehicle, the boy throwing his backpack over his shoulders. Nova couldn't help but smile whilst JJ spoke, "No way. You've got to be kidding me." He muttered under his breath in disbelief.
John B laughed as he began to approach the group. "Shoupe let me take it for a spin." He informed them, causing for Nova to scoff as she continued to smile. She shouldn't be surprised at this point. One way or another, John B was always getting himself into more trouble.
"Okay. That's believable. I'll buy that for now." Kiara replied as she wrapped her arms around John B and hugged the boy briefly, before letting him go.
John B then brushed past the girl and looked up to see JJ tossing the keys to the boat to him, causing for John B to reach up and catch the keys in his hands. "It wasn't easy, bro, but I got The Phantom for you, she runs like she was made yesterday." JJ paused, climbing down from the boat so he was now standing on the dock. "You ready to go?" He then asked.
However, as John B continued to look around the group, he noticed someone was missing, his smile faltering when he realised Sarah Cameron was nowhere to be seen. "Where's Sarah?" He questioned worriedly. Nova couldn't help but frown in response to the boy's question, making her wonder the exact same thing. From what she had heard from Kiara, Sarah was still on their side and not her family's, so it shouldn't be a surprise if she left work John B right now. The only problem was that she was nowhere to be seen.
"Why isn't she with you?" Nova inquired from where she stood on the boat, furrowing her brows together in confusion.
John B turned back around to look at the girl, shrugging his shoulders. "We got separated in the swamp. She said she was going to meet me here." He answered, earning a sigh filled with frustration from Nova in response. This wasn't looking good, and they all knew it, especially John B, who began to panic as he looked around in hopes that Sarah would come running around the corner at any second.
Pope shakes his head. "We haven't seen her, man." He deadpanned.
That was all John B needed to hear, before he made an attempt walk past his friends and head right back into the direction he came from. "Okay, well, I'm not leaving without her—"
"John B, look at me." JJ interjected, causing for the Routledge boy to stop in his tracks and turn his attention to the blond boy, John B's eyes locking with his own as JJ placed his hand on the side of the boy's face. "I know you feel bad for leaving, but there's no time, man. You've got plenty of gas, plenty of food. Once you get around that point, it's a straight shot across the sound to Dismal Swamp, okay? Once you get there, lay low, all right? Hang out for a few weeks and then go overland, cross the boarder at Brownsville, you got that?" He explained, hoping his friend would understand the extreme urgency behind his departure from the island.
Nova continued to stare down at John B from where she stood on the boat, a sympathetic look burning bright in her ocean, blue eyes when she saw the doubt and guilt that washed over his face. The girl could tell he wanted to wait for Sarah in hopes that she would arrive at any given moment, so they could escape from the island together. However, as much as Nova wanted the same for the boy, she also knew he didn't have much time to waste, especially with the cops tracking him down, most likely to this exact location, which gave him an even bigger reason to leave, even if it meant leaving without Sarah Cameron.
So, without giving it another thought, John B nodded his head and made his way up onto the boat. This caused for Nova to turn to the boy, her lips parting so she could speak. "Hey, John B..." She trailed off, picking up her backpack and opening it up, before she retrieved the stacks of cash and held them out for John B to take from her. "I want you to have this." She told him.
"I can't take all that money, Nova." John B declined, shaking his head as he continued to speak. "Besides, I have the gold. I'll just sell it and I'll have twice as much."
"We all know what happened the last time you went into a pawn shop with melted down gold. At least with the cash, you won't have to worry about it getting traced back to you. Please, I want you to have it." Nova retorted, a reassuring look glimmering in her eyes, and without saying another word, John B sighed in defeat and took the cash from Nova, transferring it from her bag into his. "John B, there's one more thing I think you have a right to know." She spoke up, a thought crossing her mind — one John B had every right to know about.
John B locked eyes with the girl, a puzzled look glazed over his eyes. "What is it, Nova?" He asked curiously.
"Riley...he didn't just stand there and do nothing when Ward killed your dad. Riley tried to save your dad. He did everything he could, but Ward...he threatened to kill him too. Ward told me all of this himself." Nova announced, a ghost of a smile forming across her lips when she saw John B sigh in relief, tears brimming in his eyes when he heard those words leave Nova's lips. "Riley never betrayed you. He was just given no other choice." She continued to speak, trying to hold back her own tears that threatened to fall.
John B inhaled sharply and nodded his head, lifting his gaze to stare back at the girl with a small smile of his own tugging at his lips. "Thank you, Nova," Was all the boy said, before Nova wrapped her arms around the boy and pulled him into her embrace. John B didn't hesitate to hug the girl back, resting his chin on her shoulder for a moment, before he pulled back, his eyes flickering over to where JJ stood talking to Pope. "Hey, do me a favour. Take care of JJ. He's lucky to have someone like you." He informed her.
Nova smiled, her eyes flickering over to where JJ stood, her heart swelling in her chest. "Trust me, I'm the lucky one." She muttered underneath her breath, before she turned her attention back to John B. "Take care of yourself, John B." She told him, sparing the boy one last glance, before she climbed down from the boat and joined the rest of her friends on the dock.
"All right, saddle her up, saltwater cowboy." JJ piped up, pausing for a brief moment as they all placed their hand on the railing on the boat. "Let's do this."
Nova wrapped her hand around the railing of the boat and made an attempt to help her friends push it out onto the water, but John B's voice was quick to stop them. "Hey. I'm sorry for basically throwing us off a cliff with this whole treasure hunt thing." He apologised, tears in his eyes as he spoke.
"Hey, John B, we were all bound to run off a cliff at some point, right?" JJ retorted, his choice of words being enough to make the rest of them laugh in amusement. "At least we did it together, though. Pogue style." JJ added, as he wrapped his arms around the group and pulled them together.
"Pogue style." John B repeated, his eyes then flickering over to Nova and Juno, a small smile on his lips. "With two honorary Pogues." He continued to speak, nodding his head over towards the girls.
Nova couldn't help but smile in response to John B's declaration. Sure, she lived on Figure Eight and was filthy rich, so one way or another, the girl would always be a Kook. However, deep down Nova Van Kirk was a Pogue by heart and the last couple of days were more than enough to prove that. No matter how hard people tried to tell her she didn't belong with the Pogues just because she had money stapled to her name and lived underneath the roof of a fancy house, Nova knew it wasn't just about the money. It was about what she knew in her heart, and her heart was telling her that the Pogues were her family, and that the Pogue life was truly where she fit in. Nova would never let anyone take that away from her.
"The Kook life was getting overrated anyways." Juno joked, earning a few chuckles from her friends in response.
"Now get out of here, please." Kiara pleaded with the boy with an urgent look evident in her eyes.
Pope nodded his head in agreement with the Carrera girl. "We'll see you down in Mexico." He reminded the boy.
"Love you!" JJ called out to his best friend.
John B then stopped and glanced back at the group, the boy trying his hardest to hold back the tears that threatened to fall. "Tell Sarah I said goodbye, okay?" He told the group.
Nova smiled at the boy and nodded her head. "Of course." She reassured him.
Shortly after the girl had spoken, John B stood where the steering gears of the boat were, the boy switching on the ignition, causing for Nova and her friends to push the boat further out onto the water, before John B began to steer further away. Nova then stood on the end of the dock and watched as the John B slowly began to leave them, a heavy weight pressing hard on her chest as the boy and the boat slowly left her view. All Nova could possibly hope for going forward was that they would be able to find a way to clear John B's name so he could return home to them and their group could be whole again.
"Hey..." Juno's all too familiar voice ripped through Nova's thoughts, causing for the girl to turn her head to the side, looking over to see her best friend was now standing beside her. "How are you doing?" She asked.
Nova knew why she was asking. It didn't take a genius to figure it out, and the dead giveaway was whenever Juno lowered her gaze to glance at the faint bruises showing up on Nova's neck, the very sight of the faint and violent marks on Nova's skin being enough to make the girl feel sick to her stomach. If Juno O'Connell wasn't a morally good person, she would have killed Rafe Cameron herself for laying a single finger on her best friend, especially as it was an attempt kill her. Juno knew Nova well enough to know she was far from fine. That was why Nova couldn't help but sigh in defeat, knowing there was no point in lying to her about how she truly felt under these circumstances.
"Well, considering our friend's a fugitive, my dad hates me and my psycho ex boyfriend just tried to kill me, I've been better." Nova answered truthfully, her words earning a look from Juno in response.
Juno gently nudged the blonde, a reassuring smile tugging at her lips. "At least we have each other, right?" She reminded the girl.
There it was again. The twinge of guilt Nova felt whenever Juno showed her support, and not because she was being kind, because that was just who Juno O'Connell was as a person, radiating sunlight and warmth wherever she went. However, Nova felt guilty knowing she still hadn't told the girl about what happened last night before she went inside the Cameron household, how she decided it was a great decision to relapse after weeks of doing her best to get better and go back to the girl she used to be before the drugs took over her life.
"Juno, I have something to tell you." Nova paused, swallowing thickly as she looked out at the ripples of water displayed in front of her eyes. "A few days ago when JJ stole that money from Barry, I stole some drugs, and I don't know why. I just did it because I could, and I relapsed last night. It was just one line, but it ruined everything I worked towards this summer, and I'm really sorry, Juno." She explained, her gaze shifting slightly so she was now staring at the O'Connell girl from where she stood.
Juno simply nodded her head in response to Nova's words. "Okay. That's fine. You screwed up, but you know it was wrong and all you can do now is make up for it by getting better." She reassured the girl in a calm voice. Of course, a small part of her was disappointed that her best friend had gone back on weeks of progress, but instead of shouting in her face about it, Juno knew it was best to show support no matter what. She learned from her mistakes after the way she spoke to Nova at Topper's party when she first found out about the girl's addiction.
Nova let out a quiet scoff. "I honestly thought you were going to drown me in the water when I told you." She laughed, earning a quiet giggle from Juno in response.
"Nova, I have no idea what you're going through, but from what I've seen, it can't be easy, and I don't think it's meant to be easy." Juno explained, a kind and caring look twinkling in her dark eyes. "And the thing is that you're doing this all on your own. You refused professional treatment and despite that being a scary decision, it's also admirable because you've come so far. Most people in your position could never get as far as you have. Sobriety is a step by step process and an individual journey, but it doesn't mean you have to do it alone, Nova. You have me, Sarah and the Pogues. We'll always have your back."
A smile formed across Nova's lips when she heard those supportive words come from her best friend, a bubble of joy erupting in the pit of her stomach when she realised she was always going to have the support she needed. After weeks of feeling like she would become a burden to her friends because of her troubling issues, Nova realised she never had to be afraid of that possibility because she discovered that she always had the support she needed to stay sober and be the same girl she once was, only better. She just didn't know how lucky she was to have that support until it was standing right in front of her.
"Well, I guess there's one more thing I have to do." Nova paused, before she stuck her hand into her back pocket and retrieved what was left of the drugs, holding the clear plastic pouch for Juno to see. Nova then inhaled sharply and clutched it in her hand, before she threw the drugs into the water, discarding them from her life and for good this time around.
Juno smiled at her best friend, a proud look glimmering in her eyes for a moment, before she threw her arm over Nova's shoulder, pulling the blonde closer to her as they looked out at the water, the sunset reflecting down on the soft ripples of water. "Look at us. Who would have thought that we of all people would end up here?" She pointed out.
"You're dating Kiara Carrera." Nova listed, smiling to herself.
"You're dating JJ Maybank." Juno replied.
"And you have Pope Heyward chasing you around like a lost puppy." Nova continued, her words earning a quiet sigh from Juno in response, causing for Nova to glance at her friend with a curious look in her eyes. "Did you guys figure it out?" She asked.
Juno nodded her head. "I told him that I'm in love with Kiara and that him and I would just work better as friends. We hashed things out and we're okay now." She answered.
But before Nova Van Kirk could question Juno further about her burning curiosities surrounding the girl's love life, a loud hoard of police sirens ripped harshly through the air, causing for Nova and Juno to break away from each other, before they turned around. When Nova looked further ahead, she noticed half a dozen police vehicles come out from within the clearing, forcing Nova to raise her hands to show she wasn't a threat to them, anxiety poking at her skin and leaving goosebumps across her body when she realised how much trouble she was going to be in by the end of the day.
However, Nova was ready to face the consequences if it meant John B was safe.
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authors note.
So I know this was meant to be the last chapter of s1, but as I was writing it the word count went up to over 10k and as much as I love long chapters I was going to make you suffer through that mess, so I divided what I've written so far and the last chapter of s1 will be up in a couple of hours so I hope you guys are excited for what's to come!!
Until then I hope you enjoyed this chapter and the last chapter of s1 will be up shortly!!