I walk to the other side of the boat, we're at the port now and I have to find the rest of the crew.
I push past the people who are crowded around the place when I see a few familiar heads.
"Hey." I huff, gathering my hair to my left shoulder.
"Was he okay?" Kie asks me, not worried for Tanner, but for JJ. Because JJ might get charges pressed against him.
I shrug lightly. "He will be."
Topper follows quickly after me. "Y'all see what happened to Tanner back there? Yeesh."
JJ slightly glances, showing little to no interest. "Mm."
I stand away from him, still furious at him. Why, after all the betrayal, did he think it would be okay to clock someone I know in the face?
"Topper, do you have a truck all ready?" Sarah asks, trying to switch conversation.
"Uh, yeah. It's all good." He stutters, looking at all the people he's bringing along. "Might be a bit of a tight squeeze."
"It'll be cool. I'm sure we'll all fit." Sarah crosses her arms, lying a little. There's no way six of us will fit in his truck.
_____________________________
"Well, there's like 1,000 trains here." Sarah groans as we stand upon a rusty train, out looking the many others.
We got to Wilmington just fine, other than all the bombarding questions of Topper, asking why we're going her and what we're up to.
"We know that it's car 750X on the track to Raleigh." Pope recalls, tapping his foot against the steel of the train roof.
"Yeah, so now we gotta find it." JJ starts.
"News flash, we're not getting out of here unnoticed with a giant cross." Kie points out as we all look over to her.
"Yeah, especially not with Toppers open truck." I add, pointing down to the truck with an opened back.
"What did you expect, a lorry?" Sarah blinks. "Be grateful he's helping out."
"Yeah, for now. Until he last minute realises that what we're doing is very illegal and will bail without question." I mumble under a short breath.
"You never have faith in him." She scoffs.
"I have every reason not to, remember when he—"
"We're not here for story-times, we're here to jack a cross." Pope interrupts me almost immediately.
I roll my eyes in defeat. "Back to what Kie was saying, we're not going to be able to steal this cross without being spotted."
"We'll have to nab it somewhere further in the country, but first we gotta find a way to stop the train." Pope replies to me.
"Leave that to me." JJ randomly inputs.
I squint my eyes and look over to him, what this time?
"I got an uncle up in New Bern, right? When he got tipsy, he'd just throw an old chain across the tracks, just for shits and giggles. And that old little chain would stop all the train traffic in Coastal Carolina." He nods, proud of his plan.
"A chain?" I blink.
"He's.. surprisingly right. There's a low-voltage current that runs across all rail tracks. Throw a chain on it, you close the circuit. It would read as another train. Crossing lights come down. Science is actually pretty sound."
JJ smiles brightly, glad that he's right. "Science, I knew my science."
I shake my head.
"I bet Toppers dad has jumper cables in the truck." Sarah nods. "Would that work?"
"Yeah." Pope shrugs.
"What's going on? Are we doing this?" Topper yells from down below, crossed arms.
"Okay, you all wait here. Pope and I will look for it and send a signal once we find it." Cleo plots, rubbing her hands together.
"Wait, we have a plan right now?" Sarah gasps.
"Possibly." JJ says.
"Impressive." I say after. "One in a lifetime event."
"Don't jinx it, let's go."
_____________________________
We jump down off the train as it begins moving to go ask Topper for jumper cables.
"What do you need them for?" He says, quite frightened looking.
No one answers him, Sarah rummages through the seats of the truck.
"All right, I hope y'all are all okay with ending up in federal prison." He rolls his eyes.
"If it comes to that, I'll do it for Pope." JJ shrugs, getting onto his bike.
Sarah passes the jumper cables to me as Topper shakes his head with disappointment.
I look over at him as he stares at me, presumably waiting for me to get on.
I shift my weight a little. "Can't I just get in the truck?"
"Can't you just sit on the bike?" He turns more toward me now.
"Cause you'll miss me too much if I'm away from you for like 2 minutes?" I tilt my head, my lips pouting.
He clenches his jaw, slightly looking me up and down. "You're cute when you're petty."
"And your ugly when you're annoying." I flick my hair away from my shoulder.
He smiles.
I huff, jumping on the back and jerking my fingers to the direction in which we need to go.
We drive off in front of the truck and split at a crossroad, us going towards the tracks lights, as it is our job to stop the train.
JJ pulls up behind a bush situated beside the tracks, he hops off and as do I after him.
"That should be far enough away.." He observes his space before grabbing the jumper cables and running toward the track.
Suddenly JJ falls, what a surprise. He's always falling.
I blink and halt to a stop as he scrambles back up.
"You good there?" I giggle.
"Yeah, I'm fine." He huffs, continuing to run toward the track.
He clips one end of the cable onto the track in no time, and one to the traffic light.
I watch as he clips it on too quick. "Don't electrocute yourself."
"No promises with that one." He grins as he glances up at me.
We look up at the light, hoping for a colour change. "Moment of truth.."
The train horn blares in the distance as we stand with no change.
"Okay, no. It's supposed to change." His breath shakes.
I scrunch my lids slightly, crouching down to the track and picking up the loose cable.
"Think, think.. What if we used something bigger, like a tree? Or I could pretend I'm trying to commit suicide." He rubs his neck.
"No." I stand up, holding the cable. "Because the train wouldn't stop."
He blinks and looks down at my hand. "You got a better idea?"
"I happen to believe that the train touches both sides of the track." I walk over to the other side and clip it on, looking back up at the light. We desperately wait for the light to change.
"Man, we have no plan b." JJ rubs his face.
As he says that, the light changes red. And we gasp in unison.
"Fuck yeah!" I laugh out, looking over at him.
His face is painted with relief as he looks to me. "You're a genius Darla Miracle!"
I proudly smirk as we do the pogue handshake. "Precisely."
"Now we wait." he turns round to the direction in which the train will be coming.
I bite my gum as we watch.
He looks back at me. "It'll work."
I nod a little when suddenly we hear tires screech.
"She's slowing down." He laughs. "Yes!"
"All right, leave it to Pope and Cleo now." I say.
"Yeah they got it." He backs up a little. Sirens can be heard in the distance, coming closer.
"Cops, cops." I whisper, "J!"
"Darl, back up." He backs up way more without peeling.
We watch as the police unhook the cables, and the lights turn green.
"Shit." I mumble.
"They've had enough time, I'm sure of it." JJ nods, tapping his foot.
"I don't know.." I shrug. "To unload a huge heavy cross, the cross that 5 of us weren't able to lift?" I scratch behind my ear as my words exit in a raspy whisper.
We watch as the train starts up. "No.."
"We gotta go get 'em." JJ grabs my hand as he runs to his bike.
We get to the bike and I jump on the back before him, he kicks the brake.
I impatiently wait for him to get on. "JJ."
I look to him, he's hyper-fixated on something.
I look down. "What?"
"Your scrunchie, where'd you get that?" He looks back up at me.
I scrunch my eyebrows, bringing my foot up to see what he is talking about. "The scrunchie I wear like.. all the time?"
"We put it in the box." He says.
I blink a few times before remembering. "Oh, yeah. Found my coffin."
He exhales shakily. "Did you read.."
"The letter?" I ask. "No, I didn't have time."
He lets out a sigh of almost relief. "Right."
"Why?" I ask.
"Oh, I.."
Suddenly a car zooms by, looking familiar to Toppers.
"That's Top, and the cross." He nods, jumping on.
I hold onto him for support, wondering now what was in that letter. Also wondering now where is that letter, I kicked it somewhere.
"Hold on, alright? I'm gonna go fast." He yells back to me over the overwhelming sound of the revving bike.
I nod slightly, tightening my grip a little more. I know how quickly JJ can rev up this thing, it's uncanny. And it scares the shit out of me every time.
I squint my eyes as the wind pushes against them, I can't deal with the adrenaline, I don't know how JJ does it.
We're following behind Toppers truck
now, I feel JJ's concentration as his muscles tense.
I glance quickly behind me, my lips parting when I notice the lights of the cop car clearer than ever, the blaring becoming louder. "J! They're on us." I shakily notify him as I look back and forth.
"I know! I know!" He repeats, his arms revving the engines more as the blaring noise rises and falls.
I feel him hesitate, before swerving to the side and now riding beside the truck. I narrow my eyebrows, wondering what his plan is now.
"What are you doing!" Pope yells from in the truck, JJ looks back and forth between the back of the truck and the road, frightening me. What in gods name is he about to do.
"Top, keep going straight!" JJ yells, glancing back at the speeding cop car.
"JJ, what are you gonna do?" I ask, with pure anxiety.
He exhales a little. "Do you trust me?"
I stop for a second, "I don't know." I shake my head. "Not in this scenario!"
"Get ready to jump." His words suddenly make no sense. Jump? Where? Onto the fucking truck? No.
"What? Are you crazy!?" I yell out at him.
"Probably! Now get ready to jump, Darl." He is now focusing ahead.
I look back at Pope, Kie and Cleo.
"What!" They cry out.
I shake my head. "If I die—"
"Don't! Don't." He holds up one hand, making me push it back down on the handle in fear.
"I got you! Come on!" Pope holds out his hands.
I look at the truck. You're climbing a tree.
I stand up on the branch, my leg extending out for the other. It's a little wobbly, just go. Take the support of the tree, step onto the next branch. Crouch. There's more branches above.
I gasp as I slither into the truck, Kie hugs me tight as I comfy into the seat, feeling a tiny bit safer. "Never again."
"Damn straight!" Kie almost laughs, but is still in as much shock as I am.
"What the hell is wrong with you people!" Topper yells. "Seriously!"
"You good?" Cleo asks me, holding my shoulder. I nod in reply.
"What's he doing.." Pope mumbles, catching my attention and causing me to look.
I see JJ skidding to a stop, shaking my head, still out of breath from shock. "Something stupid."
"He is going to get killed." Kie brings a few loose fingers to her frowning mouth.
"Maybe he's just trying to get rid of the cops." Topper shrugs, hoping for the good side.
"He is." Cleo nods. "But how?"
"Knowing him, he'll pick the most unsafe and dangerous option." I swallow.
We suddenly see him turning to face the cop car, now speeding towards it, and in a matter of time, the cop car halts and swivels around to follow him almost immediately.
"They're chasing him!" Topper laughs a little. "Whew!"
"No. No not whew! He's done something idiotic, we need to.." I stutter. "We need to go get him!"
"What!"
"Topper. Topper, stop the truck!" Sarah yells out at him, as he shakes his head repeatedly.
"Stop! Turn right the fuck now." I scream, grabbing the head rest.
"No, I'm- I'm 100% not stopping." He holds up his hand as if he's making some sort of proclamation.
The truck pulls to an abrupt stop after a few seconds of persuading.
I climb out onto the wooden crate as Topper contemplates turning. "He's gonna get locked up." I shakily say. "So fucking stupid."
"Hey." Pope says as I look to him, he's sitting out on the crate also. "He kept you safe."
I furrowed my brows.
"He is doing stupid shit, but be grateful he kept you out of it." He shrugs as the truck turns finally.
"I couldn't give two shits about my safety." I boldly admit. "JJ is my best friend."
He widens his eyes, before softening them. "So you care more about him than yourself?"
"Yes." I blink. "I always have, but he does stupid stuff. So that care is always wasted." I hold on tightly to the crate.
"Must be love, no one cares about others more than themselves. That only happens in movies." He says to me, smiling just a little.
I look up at the starry night as the wind brushes my hair away from my face. "It's not love." I breath.
"Ive never seen a guy so crazy about someone in my life, Darla. Better start opening them eyes of yours." He sits up as the sirens can suddenly be heard once again.
I ignore his statement. I don't know what to answer to that. Me and JJ's relationship feels like every Taylor Swift song ever made, so how am I supposed to agree with that.
"There he is!" I hear Kie scream and I look in the direction she's referring to.
The cop car is very close to his bike, making me mostly anxious. I see him glance over at me once. I clench my jaw as the others panic.
His road leads to an overhead passing bridge, I hold onto the top of the car as we are losing him.
"Turn right!" Pope orders quickly.
The truck swerved right as told, I stare up at the upcoming overhead bridge that JJ is riding on. I hold the steel tighter than ever. My breath hitches when I notice the car coming toward his bike.
And the side of the bridge smashes.
My heart stops as the truck does with it. What. What happened?
Everything happened too quick. What's going on?
I gasps out for air as I hear the bike screeching across the concreted road, but no JJ to be found.
I hold my stomach, delaying my response to the situation as the rest jump straight from the car.
JJ could be hurt. I remind myself, quickening that reaction and scrambling from the truck to the road in a matter of seconds.
I hold out my arms as I run to the bike, my eyes foggy and blurred as my nose stings with tears. I pant and panic in one. Is this really how it ends? Is it? No, It can't be. It's not. What the fuck.
I call out his name desperately waiting for an answer, but to none I find myself in hysterics. Not another one, I can't afford to lose another person. Not the one I care for the most after my moms death. Not JJ.
"JJ?" I quiver, my legs weakening as I crouch down. I hold my head as it throbs. I wish i'm this moment for this headache to become severe and to take me out. Take me out because without JJ, whats there to live for? You may think that's dramatic after he practically cheated without actually cheating.
But sometimes I forget, not minding the crush I had on him when I was little, that he really is just my best friend. My only best friend. John B and him. That's it.
My heads still throbbing, how come I'm not gone yet? I'm sobbing.
"I wish I could say I did that on purpose," His familiar voice sounds faint, almost unreal. Maybe I have passed away, did I?
I open my eyes, facing the same concrete I heard the bike skid on. I still see the exaggerated tire marks. I creak my head round to face a beaten JJ, he looks affected. How could I think that he'd accept death after such a nasty power slide? He couldn't die without celebrating that. I stand up with that thought.
"But, that was the gnarliest power slide I've ever done." He chuckles a little. Yeah, as I said, couldn't eliminate him after such a moment like that.
I think Im seeing stars, I stood up far to quick.
"Your alive!" Pope laughs out, throwing him into a tight hug.
I stare, still in a bit of shock. And whiplash possibly. Don't ask me how. These past few moments felt like milliseconds.
Sarah runs up and shoves him, but hugs him after. "We really though you did it this time, Jayj."
Kie follows up. "You're an idiot. Don't scare us like that."
I stand idle as he realises my presence once Kie walks back to the truck.
I slowly gravitate toward him, he clenched his jaw slightly as I approach him nearer.
I shake my head, parting my lips to speak. "Don't ever do that again." My voice comes out a bit quieter and sterner than expected.
He looks me up and down a bit, catching me off guard. Before pulling his hat back on backwards, like always. "Yeah."
"Hey! You guys! Don't you move!" A cop yells from what remains of the bridge.
JJ grabs me and pulls me with him. "Go!"
He allows me in before jumping in himself. I squeeze in, but there's no room.
"We should've gotten two cars!" Kie yelps.
I jump up, crouched a little under the car roof. "Yeah, Tanner would've done the trick, wouldn't he have, JJ." I remark, side eyeing him as I speak.
JJ was about to speak before Pope interrupts. "Darl, you can fit on the floor, can't you? Yes. You can." He pushes me down in front of JJ's seat.
I scoff.
"For now, okay? We're sort of in the middle of a high speed chase." Pope notifies me, pointing out the window.
I lean my head back, looking back up at JJ. A but angry with him for almost dying, but I'm grateful he's alive.
"You dig the power slide?" He tilts his head at me when noticing me zoned out while looking at him.
I stare a little more, blank faced. "No."
"Yeesh." He mocks Topper without making it too obvious.
______________________________
TELL ME WHY THIS TOOK 60 YEARS TO DO.
anyways.. here y'all go!
hope you enjoy 💝💝💝🎁🎁