𝐒𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐎𝐍 𝐎𝐍𝐄 , 𝐄𝐏𝐈𝐒𝐎𝐃𝐄 𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐄
𝟏𝟎:𝟑𝟑 -𝟐𝟎:𝟓𝟎
𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘨: 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 » 𝘬𝘰𝘥𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦

∞

AVA'S POV:

I sit in the very back of the car beside JJ. My leg taps up and down anxiously, causing his hand to reach across and press down on my knee gently, stopping the movement. I glance up at him, sharing a soft smile before turning my head to look out the window.

My eyebrows furrow at the building outside the car but I remain silent and begin to tap my fingers against my leg in a rhythmic pattern.

JJ notices this and peers out the dirty glass window, "John B, what are we doing at the police station?"

"Somebody's gotta tell the police what happened," My brother breaths.

A series of rough coughs breaks the deafening silence and my gaze wanders over to Pope while he tries his hardest to regain his breath. The blunt in his hand is almost gone, causing my lips to purse slightly.

"Easy there, chief," JJ lifts his hand from my thigh to pat Pope on the shoulder with it but quickly places it back, "Damn."

The blonde's eyes slip between my brother and I, both of us being deadly silent and constantly zoning out.

"Alright," JJ sighs, "I'm just gonna be real with you two 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 circumstances is."

Kiara screws her face up from the driver's seat, "Your old man's an abusive liar."

Despite my busy brain and anxious thoughts, I snap my head up, glaring through the dark car at her, "Fuckin' hell, Kie," I grumble, "That was so unnecessary."

Pope clears his throat, snapping the tension between me and my best friend, "I agree with JJ," He grits his teeth, "Fuck the police."

Kie raises an eyebrow at him, "You going to the dark side now?"

"When's the last time the police helped us?" He snaps angrily.

I open my mouth to speak but my twin brother beats me to it, "Peterkin looked out for me and A. Alright? Tried to, at least," He swallows thickly, "They need to know."

I bite my lip, scanning my eyes over my friends and finishing at JJ, noticing how he pulls at his hair and squeezes my thigh subconsciously.

"Ava, you coming?" John B opens the side door, holding it for me.

I steal one last glance at the boy beside me before nodding, "Yeah," I take a deep breath and hop over the seat, squirming out of the door and landing swiftly beside him.

My eyes flicker down to the gun still in my grip and I throw it carelessly onto the seat beside Pope where my brother was just sat before slamming the door shut roughly.

I traipse behind John B sadly, my gaze fixed to the gravel on the floor that looked similar to the runway's. The adrenaline starts to wear off, causing the sharp cuts and scrapes on my legs and elbows to sting even more but I keep a straight face, attempting to ignore it.

John B holds the door open for me, allowing me to step into the station before he gently closes it, not wanting to alert anyone too much.

"Are you there?" The woman behind the desk taps her walkie-talkie rapidly, "Are you there?"

I start to shake more and my hair falls in front my eyes while I dig my hands into my short pockets, lazily nodding at John B to speak.

"Uh. . . excuse me, ma'am?" He stutters.

"This is not a good time." She snaps, turning her attention back to the radio, "Adam, advise if you need air tran."

A tear rolls down my cheek and I step forward slightly, trying my hardest to appear somewhat stable, "We know who shot the sheriff."

Her eyes snap up to my brother and I. She scans over our dirty clothes and my cuts before sliding back out of her chair, "You stay put. I'll get a deputy." She scurries off into the back room quickly.

John B squeezes his eyes shut for a moment before turning his whole body to me, "Ava, if— if we get the blame. I'm taking it. Me."

My mouth falls open, "John, what are you talking about? We're in this together."

"No, Ava." He snarls, "No."

I tilt my head, my lips parting to shout at him but a voice through the walkie-talkie distracts me.

"Central, three Vick. We have a suspect in our 31. John Routledge."

Another voice beeps in.

"Copy that. All units be on lookout from John B Routledge, and possibly Ava Routledge as well."

The male's voice continues, "Sixteen year old white male. Six foot. Last seen wearing board shorts, a "Bad Brains" T-shirt and a faded red hoodie. His sister could be armed."

My breath hitches and I stagger back slightly, sliding my hands out of my short pockets and up to my hair, "No, no, no, no." I whisper, shaking my head desperately, "No."

A door to the side of us pulls open, revealing Plum and the man who attempted to take my brother and I to foster care. My lip quivers as we start to take slow steps backwards.

"Just. . . breathe. Alright." Plum speaks slowly, her hand out in front of her.

"Let me see your hands," The man growls, not as kindly as the lady at his side.

"John B, Ava, do what he says," She presses.

I glance over at my brother, copying when he slowly brings his palms up above his head.

"Look, I didn't— I didn't do it okay," He shakes, noticing how they stare at his bloody hands.

"Don't. . . move." The man snarls, watching as we start to back away further.

Suddenly, a hand is dragging me back quickly and before I have time to comprehend what's happening, I'm sprinting after my brother towards the car.

"Kie," He bellows, "Start the car!"

We skid down a slope, reaching the door and sliding it open quickly before jumping in. I plummet over the back seat, landing roughly beside JJ.

"What did you do?" Kiara yells form the front, quickly putting the keys into the ignition.

"The cops," My brother roars back, "DRIVE!"

Plum and her partner reach the slowly moving car, smashing their palms against the glass in hopes to get the terrified teenagers out.

JJ just stares at me, ignoring the commotion around us.

I bring my knees up to my chest while tears plummet down my cheeks. I can feel his worried eyes burning into my head but I don't meet his gaze and just listen to the shouts of our friends.

The police officers finally give up on chasing the car down and trip over on the road, causing the teenagers in the car to freeze in silence.

JJ quietly moves closer to me, his head dipping so he can see my wet cheeks. His face immediately softens at the sight of me. He sighs sadly, pulling my huddled up form into his chest and just silently rubbing the small of my back.

I bite my lip to silence my sobs and just push myself further into his body.

After everything this group has been through, I've never felt so broken. My life was so happy, but now, just because of some stupid gold, I'm here; crying over how my twin brother is the suspect for a murder my ex boyfriend committed.

❦

The following days are like hell.

The police scour every single street, all day and night for my brother.

We're parked beside a shed somewhere in the woods. The group had to sleep over night in the car, squashed together.

I lay back on the middle seat between JJ and John B, picking at the dirt under my fingernails. The blonde next to me has a blunt hanging between his lips while he flicks his lighter open and closed, his red hat covering his eyes.

I stare up at the ceiling but the loud sound of sirens cause me to shoot up. JJ does the same, his hand flying to thigh to calm my frantic breaths. I send him a faint smile before laying back down, letting the radio's information fill my ears.

"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—"

Kiara smacks her hand forward, shutting the loud radio off roughly. She sits back slowly, resting her head on the rest with a deep breath.

"Let's game this out," JJ is the first to break the hours long silence, "Maybe you guys can help, being the smart ones and all, but. . ." He lets out a breathe while moving his one hand behind his head, the other holding his blunt, "who are the cops going to believe? Ward Cameron or us? 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. . ." He purses his lips, "Is John B, and 'possibly' Ava, who are pretty much homeless sixteen year old teenagers at the moment."

"Thanks." My brother and I both mutter.

Pope rubs his forehead, "Shit."

"Okay, man," JJ turns his head to John B, "Yucatan, alright? I'm saying that's the only option. What other option do you have?"

"JJ, enough with the Mexico bullshit," John B grumbles, "Sarah will bail me out, and Ava if she gets brought into it."

Kiara nods, "Sarah did witness the whole thing."

Pope turns his head back to us, "And she's gonna snitch on her brother?"

JJ sits up, letting the smoke pass his lips before he speaks again, "Not happening, bro. Okay? We've gotta get you off the island."

"The ferry," Pope suggests, "It's the only way."

"Yeah," The blonde boy nods in agreement, "Exit stage left while you still can, man, okay?" He motions out the window at more sounds of sirens, "Before the entire island is on lockdown."

"Sarah's not a Pogue, John B." Pope mutters when the police cars fly past.

"Yeah," JJ bites his lip, laying back down beside me, "You can't stay here, man."

I run a hand through my hair, taking a deep breath, "John B, you have to go on the ferry. Get away from here, away from Ward and away from this fucking man hunt."

He turns his head to me, eyebrows furrowed, "And what about you? Ava, you assaulted Rafe, if anything they'll be coming after you too and I aren't leaving you here with literally nobody."

"I'll stay here and I'll be fine," I say, "Me assaulting Rafe could be used to get you out of it. Y'know, self defence?"

He huffs, shutting before staring back out the window gloomily, crossing his arms over his sweaty chest. For fucks sake.

___________________

holy fucking shit it's been nearly two weeks since i last updated so im sorry 💀

love you guys

word count: 1907
(sorry it's short, i had a longer one planned but wattpad deleted it)