______________________________________

"Here we go now!" JJ yells

Kie turns, "I think he's following us."

Charlotte turns and immediately recognizes the car, "Yeah, that's him."

"This is a one-way." Pope says

"Go left." Estrella says

"I know." JJ says

"Go that way."

"This is a one-way!" Kie and Pope yell

"Stop fucking yelling!" Estrella exclaims

"They're following us." Kie yells

"I understand that. Yelling doesn't help, Kiara!"

"Hey! There's another car! Turn now!" Pope yells as the car honks, "Turn! Turn right!"

The tires screech as JJ makes a sharp turn.

"Jesus, look out!" Pope yells as two people run into the road. JJ swerves and just narrowly misses them.

"Oh my God!" Estrella breathes

"Get out of the road!" JJ yells

"Those were people! Jesus Christ!" Pope exclaims

"JJ." Kie says

"That was evasive driving technique right there, y'all." JJ smiles

"Where are we going?" Pope says

"I'll lose him." JJ says

"JJ!" Kie says

"Dude!" Pope exclaims as they lean to the right while JJ turns. As he turns into an alley, the engine hisses.

"You said he fixed the carburetor." JJ says as smoke comes from the engine, "You said he fixed it!"

"Oh my god." Estrella groans

"No, no, no!" Kie says

"He did!" Pope says

"Shit!" Estrella yells as the car stops, "Damn it!"

"Okay, what now, Mario?" Kie says as they all rush out of the car

"Number one rule. Never trust mechanics!" JJ says as they grab their bags from the trunk, "We gotta go around!"

The car of Charlotte's uncle comes around the corner. She backs away from the car, "Go!"

"Come on!" Pope says

"Go, go, go, go, go!" JJ yells running behind Estrella.

"Guys, I think he has a gun." Kie yells

"Shit, get down!"

"Come on, Kie." Pope yells

"Go, go, go! Go!" Estrella yells

"Get to the alleyway. Come on!" JJ screams

"Let's go. Come on!" Pope says as they turn the corner, they miss someone calling out for them, "I think I'm cramping."

"Go, go, go, go, go, go, go!" Kie yells

"This way! We might have to split up." JJ says turning back toward them, "I don't know where to go, okay? We gotta lose them!"

As he turns back, he runs into someone sending whatever was in their hands flying.

"Watch out!" Kie yells

"Sorry!" Estrella and Pope yell

"Sorry about that!" JJ says, "Right here!"

"Go!" Pope yells as they turn into another alley

"Here, here, here!"

"Okay!" Charlotte pants as she runs behind Estrella

"He's right there. Go, go, go!" JJ yells turning toward them

"Go! Go!" Pope yells as Kie turns toward Charlotte's uncle, "He's gaining. Let's go!"

"I am going, Pope." JJ says, "I know, I know. You guys gotta keep up."

As they make it through the alley, they come to a stop before running into a bike. As they look up, they see John B and Sarah looking back at them. Estrella's heart stops as she sees them sitting there. A smile taking over the teens' face as they see their best friends again. Charlotte breathing heavily as she looks between all of them.

"Get in! Get in! Get in!" John B yells, "Come on!"

"Get in!" Sarah says as Kie, Estrella, and Charlotte clamber in beside her and JJ and Pope start to push from behind the bike. John B groaning as he starts to pedal.

"Push! Push! Push!" JJ says

"Pedal faster, John B!" Sarah says looking back

"Oh my God!" Kie yells

"Go, John B! Go!" JJ says

"Oh shit!" Pope yells

"Come on, Pope! Push! Come on!"

"Shit!"

"Pedal, B! He's gaining!" JJ says as he climbs onto the side

"I'm pedaling."

"He's gaining, man."

"Oh my God!"

Pope groans as he falls, "Oh man!"

"Pope, get up!" Estrella yells as he quickly stands up, "Let's go!"

She holds her hand out to him. He takes it and climbs on. She wraps her arms around him as Charlotte's uncle tries to grab the bike.

"Pedal, John B!" JJ yells

Charlotte, Kie, Sarah, and JJ hit the man and he falls to the ground.

"Get off!" Kie exclaims

The group cheers as they successfully get away.

"See you later, alligator." JJ says

"See you later, asshole." Pope yells, "Oh my God!"

"Blowin' you a little big kiss."

"Whoo!" Estrella cheers as Charlotte smiles

The group makes it to the water where John B and Sarah's boat was waiting.

"Is this you?" JJ asks as they make it to the boat. The others climb on, "All right, ready?"

"Lift up." Sarah says as Pope and JJ push the boat into the water before climbing on.

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"Anybody else starving?" JJ says, "We need to grab some sort of breakfast."

They soon pull up to a dock. Pope stepping off first before helping the girls out.

"We're gonna find some food." Sarah says before they walk off. They search for a few minutes before Kie sighs.

"Ugh! Jackpot!" She says holding up a watermelon. The girls crack it open before they share two halves, "Mmm."

"Holy shit." Sarah says

"Okay, so you really got married?" Kie asks

"It wasn't exactly legal, but..." Sarah smiles, "Yeah."

Estrella chuckles before taking another piece of watermelon.

"Am I crazy, or is there definitely something going on between you and Pope?" Sarah asks

"You're not crazy." Estrella says as Sarah's smile widens

"Maybe." Kie shrugs

"That's not a no." Estrella

"It's not a no."

Sarah shakes her head, "Girl."

Kie laughs causing Charlotte to smile. Estrella turns to her, "What about you?"

Charlotte looks up as the three girls turn to her, "What about me?"

"Well, you just helped us escape your family." Estrella chuckles, "Which didn't take much convincing."

Charlotte shrugs, "My grandmother has always been the type to do anything to get what she wants. It didn't matter who she hurt." Sarah's eyes soften as Charlotte looks down, "I just wanted to help."

"That hits home." Sarah mumbles

"Yeah, but Pope was just a random teenager that you've never met before. How do we know you're not gonna screw us over?"

"Kie." Estrella sighs

"If I was, I would've just let my uncle take him before you guys even got there." Charlotte says, "I wasn't planning on coming with you guys. Pope insisted."

"Sounds like Pope." Estrella says before turning to Kie, "Not everyone is out to get us. She was helping us."

Kie looks at her before turning toward Charlotte. The blonde gives her a small smile before looking down again.

•••

"So, uh, what's up with this Kiara stuff there, big guy?" John B asks

Pope sighs, "Uh, honestly, I don't know right now, man. I mean, I definitely like her."

"Sure."

"And I'm pretty sure she likes me."

"Seems like it."

"Right now, there's a lot of conflicting information going on. Like, I'm trying to gather all the data and put into a folder in my mind-"

"Folder?"

"All right, man, look, women, all right, like, they're just not consistent." JJ says

"All right, we're not gonna take female advice from JJ." John B says

"Speaking of." Pope says turning to JJ, "Estrella."

JJ shrugs looking down, "What about her?"

"Yeah, it didn't seem like she absolutely hated us." John B says, "Have you guys talked?"

"Yeah. Finally." JJ nods, "We're good."

"Good?" Pope says causing JJ to nod, "Just good?"

"Yes, Pope. Just good. Alright?" JJ says, "I'm just trying to gain her trust back right now."

"Well, as long as she doesn't hate us right now, I can deal with that." John B says, "So, what's the deal with this Limbrey chick? You think she knew my pops?"

"I don't know. But I do think that she has the information that could exonerate you." Pope says

"That'd be ideal."

"Not to throw a monkey wrench in the entire thing, but she did just try to kidnap you, man." JJ says, "How many times do I gotta say this?"

John B sighs, "Here we go."

"Why are we going back? Why don't we go south? Why don't we go to Yucatán? Coast of Broken Dreams, baby!"

"No, no, dude!" John B exclaims, "I'm not running anymore. Look, OBX is my home. And besides, if I go back, I get another shot at Ward."

"Hi." Sarah says as the girls walk up to the boat with watermelons in their hands, "What y'all talking about?"

"Uh... fishing."

"Dropping lures." JJ says, "That's that, you know?"

Sarah squints, "Okay."

"Need help?" JJ asks Estrella before taking the watermelon from her hands

"Thanks." She smiles as the girls climb onto the boat.

"What's that now?" Pope asks

"I got breakfast." Kie smiles holding up a watermelon

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ᴛʏsᴍ ғᴏʀ 10ᴋ ʀᴇᴀᴅs !!! ʏᴏᴜ ɢᴜʏs ᴀʀᴇ ᴛʀᴜʟʏ ᴀᴍᴀᴢɪɴɢ ᴀɴᴅ ɪ ʀᴇᴀʟʟʏ ᴀᴘᴘʀᴇᴄɪᴀᴛᴇ ʏᴏᴜ <33