The flower shop wasn't far from the police station, meaning they could drop Joey off before they headed over. Kie said she'd swing by to grab her after. Joey ran inside, her heart was racing, her breathing uneven as she scrubbed the blood off her hands. It had stained in the time being, coating her skin as she continued to try and rid it. A little cry left her lips, wincing in pain at how hard she was scrubbing.

"Joey?" the voice made her scream, ducking down as she turned. "Woah, chill."

"Topper?" Joey asked in disbelief at the sight of him, her eyes wide. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Are you okay?" he walked closer as Joey went back to scrubbing her hands. "Is that blood? Are you bleeding?"

"I can't get it off." Joey panicked, her body was shaking as she kept scrubbing. "It won't come off, Topper."

"Look, hey, look." he grabbed her hands to help her scrub them. "Look, it's coming off."

"My fingers." Joey let out a sob, scrubbing her fingers. "I have open wounded. If the blood g-"

"We'll clean them." he tried to reason with her, because her outburust was scaring him.

"You don't understand! There's a hundred different diseases and viruses I could get because of it!" Joey cried, scrubbing her hands harder. "I need to go to the hospital."

"You wanna go to the hospital?" Topper asked her quickly. "Where'd this blood come from?"

Joey didn't answered, leaning on the counter as her hands dripped of water. Topper grabbed them as she cried, using his hands to lather her palms and fingers in soap, scrubbing at her hands under the water. "Look, it's coming off, Jo. See, you're gonna be okay."

Joey felt dizzy, like she was gonna pass out. But, most of all, she felt embarrassed. Her curls bounced as she shook her head, breathing out. "I'm sorry."

"No, it's cool." he reassured her, drying Joeys hands. "We can go to the hospital if you really want to."

Joey shook her head. "I have to wait."

"Wait for what?" Topper shook his head. "Where have you been?"

Joey was involved with something he didn't know, something dangerous. She shook her head, looking toward the window as Kie's car zoomed past the shop. Her mouth dropped, blinking in disbelief. Whatever happened at the sheriffs station clearly hadn't gone to plan, because there was no reason for them to leave her if they weren't running from something.

Joey had successfully used all of Toppers bathrooms now. She dried off in the new one, squeezing her curls as she felt cleaner, still anxious about the open wounds on her fingers. They weren't deep at all, but she didn't think the same way the average person might. Joey worried for John B and the pogues, she didn't know where they had speed off to, nor did she know how to get ahold of them.

"Hey." Topper looked up as Joey walked down the stairs. "I made you some jalapeño poppers."

Joey looked toward the plate on the table, ignoring it as she walked over. Toppers eyes widened as she curled up in his side, her head falling across his abdomen. A little grin was fighting on his face, touching one of her curls. "You feel okay?"

"Yeah." Joey hummed, adjusting so her head fell into his lap fully. "Just tired."

And swarming with anxiety.

When Joey woke up, she was alone. Topper wasn't on the couch anymore, Joey looked oddly, sitting up. "Topper?"

No answer.

She crawled off the cushions, looking down the hallway. "Top?"

It seemed as though she was completely alone. Joey walked toward his phone on the counter, hitting the button. She wondered why he left it behind, possibly in a rush. Joey stared at a phone lock, huffing in disbelief.

1111

Incorrect.

Sarah

Incorrect.

1234.

Incorrect.

Joey.

Unlock.

Joey blinked in disbelief, looking oddly. She hit his call log, seeing the recent call came from Kelce. Usually, Joey wouldn't be so nosy, nor would she follow him anywhere. But, with all that had gone on today, Joey had a bad feeling about the two boys. Pulling her shoes on, Joey ran down the road. She knew where Kelces lived due to the legendary parties that people around the island talked about.

"Shit." Joey mumbled in a panic, looking around at the multiple cop cars and locals swarming the place. She kneeled behind one of the trucks, waiting to see what was gonna happen.

"He went out the back!" Shoupe yelled as he ran out of the front door.

"He was just in there! He can't be far!" Topper called, close behind. Joey squeezed her eyes shut, shaking her head. She looked around, taking her chances as she tried to make a run for it.

"Aye, Joey!" it was Rafe, because he saw her. "Kelce, help me get her!"

Joey tried to run from them, but Rafe was taller and faster, grabbing hold of her. Joey thrashed in his arms slightly. "Get off of me, you son of a bitch!"

"You know where John B is? Huh?" Rafe asked, yanking her face back as he grabbed hold of her. "Where is he?"

"I don't know!" Joey tried to pull his hands off her, but his thumb and index finger was digging into her cheeks. "Get off of me!"

Her foot went backwards, kicking him in the balls quickly. Rafe winced, falling over in pain as Joey broke free from his grip. Kelce stayed back as she took off into the woods, running as fast as her legs would take her. Joey couldn't see in the dark, but she knew if John B escaped, he'd be close by.

The bell echoed in the air, making Joey turn around quickly to listen to the sound. John B went to the tower all the time, he'd taken her there before. Joey darted off again, heading for the place as she ran through the dark woods, sticks cutting at her ankles as she ran.  She reached the Bell Tower, looking up at it as she tried to catch her breath.

"John B!" Joey called as she pushed through. "John B!"

"Joey?" John B looked over the side. "Oh my god!"

"Oh my god!" Joey ran up the stairs quickly. "We need-"

She stopped when her eyes fell onto Topper, standing on the other side of the room. Sarah was behind John B, the Finlay girl looked oddly. "What are you doing here?"

"That was it, huh? The blood on your hands." Topper nodded his hand. "You were with him."

Joey looked to John B and Sarah. "Did you tell him?"

"Do you understand what's going on?" Sarah asked Topper quickly as the sirens echoed outside. "I'm sorry for what I did. I'm sorry, but this isn't about you."

Topper breathed shaky, rubbing his head. "What does that mean, Sarah?"

Joey looked out the window. "There gonna get in here."

John B nodded. "We've got to go."

"Okay, look." Joey got their attention. "I can distract them long enough for the two of you to escape."

"You'll get arrested." John B looked in disbelief. "You aren't doing that."

"My uncle has my moms life insurance. He can bail me out." Joey shook her head, staring at him. "Let me do this for you. Please. I'm sorry."

John B inhaled. "It's not-"

"Are you insane? You can't let her do that!" Topper cut in with a crazy look across his face. "Proof you don't care what happens to her. To either of them!"

"Topper!" Joey yelled at him in disbelief. "Let me handle this!"

"You wanna go to jail? For this guy?" Topper asked her in disbelief, matching her tone.

"Yeah, I do!" Joey shot back.

Topper huffed, shaking his head. "Then i'm doing it with you."

•

kylie speaks

bro i loved this chapter
omfg.