CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

READY TO RUN — ONE DIRECTION
There's a lightning in your eyes I can't deny
Then there's me inside a sinking boat, running out of time
Without you, I'll never make it out alive

JJ MAYBANK LIVED his life by one philosophy—Stupid things had good outcomes all the time.

This philosophy got him into trouble more times than he could count, but it was also the philosophy that led him to meet his girlfriend at ten years old. And while he was a firm believer of this simple reasoning, he didn't think it applied to going to Kildare County Police Station after John B had explained exactly what happened at the airstrip.

"John B, what are we doing here?" The blond asked his best friend, staring at the building with disdain in his eyes. If Rafe Cameron really did kill Sheriff Peterkin, then no one would believe their word over his, even if what they were saying was the truth.

John B shrugged. With all the information he had, he needed to do something. He couldn't let a murderer walk the streets of Kildare, especially when that murderer was the son of the man who killed his father. Not to mention he was also his girlfriend's brother and there was no telling what he'd do to her since she was an eye witness. "Somebody's gotta tell them what happened."

There was a tense silence that blanketed the group as they wondered if this was a good idea. Their thoughts were disrupted when Pope erupted into a series of coughs, smoke from his joint leaving his mouth in a thick cloud.

"Damn. Easy there, chief." JJ patted his shoulder before returning his attention to John B. "Alright, I'm just gonna be real with you right now. You might end up in the lion's den, but you don't go there on purpose. It's fundamental. Just like my old man always told me, you should never ever trust cops, no matter what the circumstance is."

Kie, who was sitting in the driver's seat, turned around with a raised brow. "Your old man's an abusive liar," she deadpanned.

Stella plucked the joint from Pope's fingers and nodded. "True."

"I agree with JJ," Pope said, snatching the joint back before Stella could even lift it t her mouth. "Fuck the police."

Kie let out a scoff. "You going to the dark side now?"

"When's the last time the police helped us?"

John B let out a sigh, stopping whatever tension between the pair from growing. "Peterkin looked out for me, alright?" He turned back to look at the building. "Tried to, at least."

With his mind made up, he went to open the car door, but before he could step out, Stella called out to him.

She bit the inside of her cheek as he turned to her. "When I was at the hospital, I heard Shoupe and Ward talking. I think Ward is trying to pin this on you and if he is, you might not walk out of that building."

The other Pogues immediately started to protest, telling John B to get back into the car and stay there, but the boy just shook his head and stepped out. With one last look at his friends, he said, "They need to know."

Knowing that his stubbornness was only amplified when is his hero complex ran high, Stella nodded. "Alright," she said, leaning back into her seat. She couldn't stop him if she tried. All she could do was be there for him in the aftermath. "We'll be here with the getaway car."

The group of four watched as he shut the door and walked into the building.

As soon as John B disappeared into the police department, Kie turned to Stella. Now that they weren't so focused on John B, she could finally ask her about her day and why she was at the hospital.

"Stel," Kie called. "What happened with your parents?"

Stella let out a long exhale and asked JJ for his vape, knowing that Pope wouldn't want to share his joint. Between her concern for her mother, anger towards her father, and worry for John B, she hadn't been able to feel her emotions for herself—to properly process what she had learned about her parents and their involvement with Ward Cameron. Now that she was being asked, it seemed that she was more affected by it than she thought.

JJ sensed her discomfort and leaned forward to touch her. It was a bit hard since he was sitting behind her, but he managed to lay his hand on her shoulder and give it a squeeze.

"Long story short, Ward found my dad on the mainland and bribed him onto the island to distract my mom from figuring out he was working with John B's dad and that he killed him," she said, smoke leaving her mouth alongside the words. "And if I had to guess, since Ward found the gold, my dad outlived his usefulness and Ward tried to kill him because he knew too much. He failed, though, obviously."

"Oh, shit," Pope mumbled.

Kie glanced at him before returning her attention to Stella with raised brows. "So your mom thinks Ward killed Big John? And Ward knows?"

Stella nodded. "Basically, yeah."

Worry etched itself across Kie's features. "Do you think he'll go after her?"

"He better not," JJ said quickly, protective over the only parental figure he's ever had. "Swear to God, I'll fuck him up."

Pope nodded in agreement. "Me too, Stel. Don't worry, we'll—"

He never got to finish his sentence because a loud 'SMACK' sounded at the window, startling everyone inside the car.

"Kie!" John B shouted, opening the passenger side door with a frantic look in his eye. "Start the car! Start the car!"

The teens were ripped from their quiet conversation as he jumped into the car.

Stella leaned forward, sticking her head between the front seats to get a better look at the police station. As Kie started the car, a flood of officers ran out of the building with their eyes set on the green SUV. "Oh, shit!" she exclaimed, turning to John B. "He pinned it on you, didn't he?"

John B nodded, still trying to catch his breath, and pushed his hair out of his face. "Kie, drive!" He demanded. "Go!"

Kie scrambled for the wheel as a deputy hit the window and ordered them to stay where they were. "I'm going! I'm sorry!"

Pope leaned over Stella and watched as another cop latched herself onto the frame of John B's open window. "Shit!"

"Pull over!"

"This not good. This is definitely not good." Stella could feel her heart rate pick up as the cop refused to let go. She knew that Kie wasn't going to stop driving and they needed a quick solution. "John B, open the door!"

He gave her a puzzled look. "What?" He asked, finding it hard to understand her over the panicked shouts of their friends.

Stella huffed and leaned over him to do it herself. She cringed as she opened his door and shut it quickly, causing the cop tumble to the ground due to their lack of balance.

"Oh, God," she fret, turning to her friends who looked at her in shock. "Did I just assault a police officer?"

A wide grin worked its way over JJ's face while a small smirk came over Pope's. The latter took a puff of his joint and gave her a curt nod. "Fuck the police," he repeated, conviction dripping from his tongue.

The blond behind him just laughed and shook his head at his girlfriend with a proud twinkle in his eye, ignoring the way Kie scolded them for their praises. "That's my girl."

The car lurched forward, adrenaline ran deep, and into the night the five teens drove.

IF YOU WEREN'T running from the law, there wasn't much good The Cut had to offer. The overgrown grass was home to overpopulated wildlife and the rundown homes were an eyesore that the upper class turned a cheek to. But if you were running from the law, the abandoned shacks littered throughout the south side provided the perfect place to hide out for the night.

"Good news for residents of Outer Banks. Dominion Power says their underwater transmission line, which will restore power to 90% of the area should be functional within 24 hours."

Stella groaned, opening her eyes at the sudden noise. Looking around, she noticed that she was the last one to wake—not that she got a lot of sleep anyways. It was hard to sleep when your best friend was being framed for a crime he didn't commit.

JJ looked down at the girl who was previously resting her head on his chest. "Go back to sleep, Stel," he urged quietly, knowing that she had been tossing and turning all night.

His concern was appreciated, but Stella didn't listen as she sat upright and stretched.

"And still, no arrest in the shooting death of Sheriff Susan Peterkin. The state police have issued a statement regarding a local person of interest, a juvenile from..." Kie turned off the radio and twisted her body to face the teens lying in her back seat with a deep frown. "What do we do?"

The sound of sirens cut through the air, causing all five teens to sink further into their seats.

There was a beat of silence before JJ spoke up, scratching his head like he had put considerate thought into what he was going to say. "Let's game this out," he said, glancing at Pope and Stella. "Maybe you guys can help, being the smart ones and all, but... who are the cops going to believe? Ward Cameron or us?"

The other four shared a look, knowing that the answer was obvious.

"So the accuser is a big shot developer, kind of lord of the island, got the governor on speed dial kind of person, and the accused... is John B, who is pretty much a homeless sixteen-year-old boy at the moment."

"Thanks," John B scoffed.

"Okay, man." JJ sat up in his seat and leaned over Stella who was sitting between them. He lightly hit John B's shoulder. "Yucatan, alright—I'm saying that's the only option. What other option do you have?"

From the front seat, Kie let out a groan. "Enough with the Mexico bullshit."

John B shook his head. There was a hesitant look that flashed across his face before it was replaced with firm belief. "Sarah will bail me out."

"She did witness the whole thing," Kie pointed out.

"Thank you."

JJ scoffed. "And she's gonna snitch on her brother? Not happening, bro."

Stella's brows furrowed. It's not that she didn't believe John B—she did—but the thought of Rafe Cameron, the boy who secretly loved astronomy and gave her the nickname 'Star', the boy who picked her flowers and crashed his bike trying to impress her two years ago, the boy who went out of his way to annoy her despite her constant rejection, murdering someone didn't sit right with her. Even with all of his issues and their bad history full of turf war violence.

"Are we for sure it was Rafe who killed Peterkin? Like a hundred percent?" She asked, eyes darting between her friends like she was scared to have asked the question.

John B let out a sigh. "Yes, Stella," he drawled. "How many times do we have to go over this?

"Yeah, and why do you care?" JJ added, slight jealousy in his tone. She had never shown interest in Rafe Cameron before, in fact she frequently complained about him, so he wasn't sure why she was so adamant about giving him the benefit of the doubt, especially after he killed someone.

Stella pursed her lips and shrugged. "Look, I'm not defending him or anything, but I find it hard to believe that the kid who came to the ER to get his wrist wrapped earlier this week figured out how to properly use a gun," she stated, knowing that there was a perfectly good YouTube video online about first aid that would've been easier to follow than him going to a hospital. "If he can't do that for himself, how do you expect me to believe that he killed someone?"

John B looked up at her. "Stel, it was definitely him. I watched the whole thing happen."

She raised her hands in defence. "Alright, just making sure."

JJ's gaze travelled from his girlfriend to his best friend. "Look, we've gotta get you off the island," he said. "The ferry. It's the only way. Exit stage left while you still can before the entire island is on lockdown."

A cop car drove by on the street in front of them and Kie gave them all a pointed look. "Guys, just get down."

"Sarah's not a Pogue," Pope muttered, turning to John B as the sirens faded down the street. "You can't stay here, man."

"SO, UM... OKAY, so, bad news," Pope said, leaning against the open window of Kie's car. "The ferry's closed, and there is this."

He handed Kie a sheet of paper and she looked down at it with a frown.

"What is that?" Stella questioned, looking up from the friendship bracelet she was weaving. She shoved the string back into the pocket of her shorts before leaning over the driver's seat to get a better look. "What is this?"

Kie passed her the paper and she let out a low whistle.

"Shit, B."

"Well, John B, uh..." JJ took the wanted poster from her hands and turned to the boy. "This is a good framer of you."

"If you walk out of this a free man, I'm framing that and putting it above my fireplace," Stella promised, hoping for the best that this whole situation would blow over.

"Hey, can I pimp out your short board?" JJ asked, lightly hitting his friend's arm. "Five bucks a piece to ride Kildare's most wanted's?"

John B rolled his eyes with a lazy shake of his head, expecting their sarcasm. "Thanks, guys."

Stella grinned before her eyes fell to the large number printed at the bottom of the page. "Whoa, that's a lot of reward money."

Pope opened the driver's door and got in. "Okay, so the whole island's lookin' for John B right now."

"Congratulations, John B. You're famous."

Kie shook her head at JJ, wondering how he could joke around at a time like his. "Guys, we got to get to the HMS," she said. "We need small, no running lights..."

John B shook his head. "It's at the Chateau, Kie."

"And I wonder if the cops got the entire place staked out," JJ decided to add with a sarcastic twang in his voice. "Let me think. Oh, yeah. No. They definitely have that place locked down."

Stella stared out the window, watching the waves ripple in the bay. "Let me think," she requested, leaning back into her seat. "Just give me a second."

Suddenly, Pope looked up and twisted in his seat. "JJ," he called, eyes lit up like a light bulb had just gone off above his head. "Does your dad still have that boat? The cigarette boat, the Phantom. The one he used to race."

Stella looked over at the blond and saw his hesitant shrug. She had met Luke Maybank a handful of times throughout the years, much to JJ's dismay, and knew that the Phantom was his prized possession. He always boasted about 'the glory days' and how proud he was, so much that one would think the Phantom was an actual person rather than a boat.

"Maybe," JJ responded.

Pop turned to John B with a wide-eyed stare, whether it be from the weed or his excitement, no one was sure. "You could get right up the coast, no problem."

"Okay, look," JJ interjected. There was a slight waver in his voice that everyone but Stella missed. "It won't be easy, Pope. I don't know where the keys are."

"Well, find them!"

Stella watched as an internal struggle started to take place behind JJ's eyes and she gave Pope a warning look. "Ease up, Pope," she cautioned, giving him the shake of her head. Worry began to set in as she thought about how JJ would get the keys.

"It's fine, Stel," JJ said, pushing his feelings aside like he usually did.

The other boy didn't care much for her warning as he started the car. "Why is nobody moving forward?" Pope exclaimed, hitting his hands on the steering wheel. He was shaking with anticipation and was so restless that he was shaking the entire car.

"Can you relax?" Kie asked, giving him a wary look before glancing at JJ. "How much weed did you give him?"

From Stella's other side, John B shook her arm. "Guys, the car's on the poster."

Suddenly, the sound of a child yelling cut through the air. Outside of the car, a group of people started to form, shouting that they had found the guy on the wanted posters.

Stella turned to Pope and hit the back of his chair. "Can we move it, Pope?"

He tried to back out of the parking spot, only to hit the car behind him. "Come on!" He shouted, honking the horn out of frustration.

"It's that guy. Right there!"

JJ and Stella looked out of the window to see a kid pointing at the car.

"Shit," the blond muttered, patting the back of drivers seat. "We got a snitch. Pope, let's go."

The kid continued to shout outside, causing Stella to narrow her eyes at him. "Okay, that kid needs to get bullied or something. Doesn't he know that snitches end up in ditches—Oh, shit." Her gaze landed on deputy Plumb who was taking long strides towards the car with a determined look on her face. "Pope, we've got cops!"

"I am trying!" He yelled, putting the car in drive only to hit the car in front of them.

John B placed a hand over his face and sunk further in his seat. "Yeah, I'm going to jail."

"The other way, Pope!" Kie reached over and yanked the steering wheel in the right direction. The five teens then lurched forward into the seats in front of them as Pope stepped on the gas and drove them out to the main road.

"Watch out!" Kie shouted, watching in horror as Pope ran her car into a mailbox. "Oh, my God! Pope! What the fuck?"

Pope didn't seem too bothered by his actions as a grin worked its way onto his face. "I'm livin' my best life now."

Stella leaned forward between the two front seats and gave Pope 'the look'. "Stop the car."

With both girls staring at him like they were going to raise hell if he didn't listen, the car came to a rolling stop and Pope tried his best to avoid their gaze. He could never stay strong in the face of 'the look', especially not when he was high off of JJ's weed.

"John B, get out," the golden girl ordered, turning her head to the side. "We'll draw the cops out, you run."

There was a chorus of sirens that sounded in the distance just as John B nodded and opened his door.

"Shit—I'll get the rig, and I'll meet you in the dump tomorrow, okay?" JJ said, his words coming out in a rush as the sirens got louder. "Three o'clock, okay?"

John B nodded and before he shut the door, he repeated, "Three tomorrow at the dump."

With that, the door slammed shut and they went their separate ways.

"Okay, where are we going now?" Stella asked, looking out the window for any cops that might've found them.

"The last place they're gonna look."

Kie gave her a look and the girl instantly knew what she was thinking.

"YOU SURE THIS is a good idea?" Pope asked.

Kie gave him a curt nod. "She's the only one who can clear John B."

JJ scowled at Tannyhill, hating how the house looked in the moonlight. "Last place they'll look because of how stupid it is."

Stella's gaze flickered between her two friends. Kie insisted on seeing Sarah and Pope refused to let her go alone. "You two sure you can handle this on your own? I don't mind coming."

"Yeah," Kie nodded, glancing over her shoulder at the house. Through the large windows, she could see Rose Cameron pacing back and forth in her stilettos. "The less of us go, the better."

JJ and Stella watched as the pair disappeared behind the tall fence of Tannyhill.

With the windows rolled down, the only sound that could be heard was the crickets in the wind. It was the first time since yesterday that Stella could finally be alone with her thoughts.

"How're you doing, Sunbaby?"

She looked up at the sound of JJ's voice, leaned her back against the door opposite to him, then rested her feet in his lap. "How do you think this is going to end?" She asked, worry present in her tone. The truth was she was scared. She was scared for John B and she was scared for Sarah. Ward ruined their lives and she knew they would never be able to fully recover from it.

JJ placed a hand on her ankle, blowing air from his mouth and shaking his head. "Badly."

The corners of her lips quirked upwards. "Always the pessimist, J."

He matched her expression and tilted his head. "If it makes a difference, I hope I'm wrong."

"And the best case scenario?"

He gave it a brief moment of thought before repositioning himself so he was facing her better. "John B makes it out of here, we meet him down in Mexico, we'll get jobs, maybe new identities since we'll be on the hook for helping a fugitive, and then we'll get a dog or something."

It was Stella's turn to tilt her head. "No koi fish?"

"Honestly, I don't care," JJ confessed. He truly didn't. He didn't care about the koi fish. He didn't care about the marble statue or the big ass house on Figure Eight. He didn't care about Kildare or the cinderblock of bitter memories that it tied to his ankle. He had an itemized list of the things he cared for and number one was sitting right next to him. "I don't care about any of it as long as I have you."

Stella was about to reply when the passenger side door open and slammed. She looked up at Pope as he breathed heavily, obviously upset by something. "Pope, are you okay? Did they see you? Where's Kie?"

"She's fine," he spat, not bothering to spare her a glance.

The malice in his tone made the couple share a look. Something had happened between the pair and just like that, their night had somehow gotten worse.

RAE SPEAKS !
only a few more chapters left :( i'm also still deciding if i'm going to carry this on into season two

stella when the kid starts drawing attention to john b outside the ferry: