"This is what's best for you, Ty."

"You have to understand, I'm so glad you're doing this."

"I'm happy you've finally seen the light."

All were examples of the shit Topper came out with on the way to Elora's, him and Tyler walking side by side.

Tyler felt uncomfortable, and angry. In the time between now and fighting with his mother, he'd had a warm shower, dressed into his bleached white shirt and beige trousers, let his mom cut his hair, and set out with Topper on road to the Cut.

To break up with Elora.

Every step Tyler took towards her house, he wanted to turn back. He didn't want to do this, to look into her eyes as he told her it was over, to put on a brave face as his heart shattered into a million pieces, to watch her break down and be unable to hold her, to comfort her.

He didn't want to make her hate him again.

Being loved by her for this month had been the best experience of his entire life. And now, he was about to ruin that.

When they finally got to her house, Tyler turned to his brother, saying. "Stay here."

Topper shrugged, holding his hands up. "Okay."

If looks could kill, Topper would be a thousand feet under by now, and he would be off the hook.

Each foot felt like it was encased in concrete as he made his way up to the door. He couldn't do this. The words couldn't physically come out his mouth. He wasn't able to-

"Tyler-"

His eyes widened as the door flew open, revealing Elle. He was caught off guard, because he'd expected to at least have another minute, but here she was.

And something was wrong. Her eyes were red and puffy, and there were tear tracks on her cheeks. His shock quickly disintegrated into anger as he looked down at her, the girl he loved, so distraught and upset.

"Elle, what's wrong?" He could feel Topper's eyes on him, telling him to just do it. But he couldn't.

"My mom, she's back, she's at the Chateau," Elora swallowed the lump in her throat, wiping the tears from her cheeks.

"What?" Tyler asked, his eyes widening.

Oh shit.

He was going to have to break up with her, just after she'd had a rough interaction with her mom. No.

"I know," Elora said, looking at him, frowning slightly as she finally seemed to see him. Then she looked behind him to where Topper was, watching their entire conversation. "Wait, what's going on?"

I'm here to drop your second bombshell of the day.

𔓘𔓘𔓘

Something was wrong.

Elora had known the second she'd seen him, really, but she'd been so distressed about her mother she hadn't allowed herself to see it.

But now she did. She saw that he was wearing a clean white shirt and a pair of beige trousers. She saw that his hair had been cut and gelled back, just like he used to style it. She saw that he had a look on his face that was bringing bad news.

And Topper was standing behind him. Topper, who he'd repeatedly cursed out last night. Topper, who he hated.

"Wait, what's going on?" She asked him, suddenly forgetting all her problems with her mom in the face of his problems. Because he deserved the world and she'd do whatever she could to provide that. "I didn't think we'd see you for a while, was the fight at home not that bad?"

Tyler clenched his jaw. It was terrible, that's why I'm here.

"N-no," he forced it out himself, biting his lip slightly.

She smiled slightly, despite the tears on her face, and oh fuck that smile- it made him want to fall to his knees. He loved when she smiled. It was when she was most beautiful. She was always beautiful in his opinion, but when she smiled it was like the sun had come out and he could write fucking poems about how the rays hit her face perfectly, making her look so fucking ethereal-

"That's amazing," she said. "I mean, um- trail to El Dorado's gone dry, but with you we can maybe get it back on track, and then we can find this thing that they're trying to find and-"

"No, Elle, we- we can't."

She didn't understand as she looked up at him, at his perfect fucking face, into those deep blue eyes, and saw nothing but indifference as he interrupted her excited spiel. He didn't look like Tyler, didn't seem like Tyler. She didn't know what was going on.

"What, why not? What'd you mean?" It all spilled out of her, her expression softening slightly as she looked at him in a mixture of confusion and levity.

"He meant," came Topper's voice as he strode up her path, coming to stand next to Ty. "That he can't do that cause he's not going to be around anymore."

Tyler was going to kill him. He was going to fucking punch him in the face and scream and shout and cry. He couldn't do this. He wasn't ready. She was the love of his life.

Elora, meanwhile, thought she'd heard wrong.

"The fuck do you mean, 'not going to be around anymore'?" She demanded of Topper. "He's standing in front of me, isn't he?"

But Topper was just chuckling, looking smug. He was looking at her as though he knew something she didn't.

And as she turned to Tyler, she started to realise that maybe he did.

Her boyfriend was tense, a muscle jumping in his jaw. But he also looked at her so indifferently, as if he didn't care at all.

Straight face, straight face, straight face- was all that was running through Tyler's head, because he knew that if he let his guard down for even a second, she'd figure him out and he'd be shipped off the next day.

"Tyler..." Elora's confidence started to falter as she looked at him, her body shaking slightly. "Ty, what's going on?"

He didn't want to tell her. Hell, at this point he'd rather go to Kansas than tell her this. He'd rather do anything than make her upset, than treat her terribly, than revert back to the Kook asshole he'd once bee-

"I want to break up."

And it was those five words, those five words precisely, that made them both break.

Elora's knees buckled, and she fought not to stumble. Her heart beat in her ringing ears and she blinked, not wanting to believe it.

She hadn't heard right. She must not have. Because there was no way that Tyler was breaking up with her. Just early this morning they'd kissed outside his house. Just earlier this morning he'd told her he loved her, squished into the back of Topper's truck.

And Tyler, too, was tearing up as he looked at her. As he looked at her shaking knees, her disbelieving expression. As he took in the way she was falling into pieces right in front of him, all because of him.

He hated that he was making her feel like this. In front of him was a girl he'd once internally promised to always love and cherish, and here he was, breaking her and himself in the process.

"Wh... what?"

The sound of her voice made him want to cry, and he was now waging a full on mental battle to stop himself from showing her how much this was tearing him apart.

"He's breaking up with you," Topper enunciated, and Tyler felt his arm twitch almost imperceptibly, inches from punching him.

Elora didn't believe it, she couldn't. She looked up at Tyler, trying to see something, anything, in his face. She knew it wasn't true, because it wasn't, because he loved her.

And then he started to talk, and she knew it was.

"It's just..." Tyler fought to maintain eye contact with those blue eyes filled with sadness, needing her to believe this. "I'm gonna go back to my house, and start up again at the academy, and try and fix things with my mom, and-"

"And basically become a Kook?" Elora didn't know where she found the fight within her to sound angry, because she wasn't. She was slowly breaking, her heart shattering, her whole world imploding. "Just like you told us you wouldn't?"

Tyler looked at her, wanting to scream at her that he loved her, to tell her that this was all to avoid getting sent away, to rush to her, to pull her into his arms and never let go-

"Yeah," Topper nodded, smirking slightly. "Must be a shame for you."

Shut the fuck u-

"Shut the fuck up, Topper," Elora snapped, again sounding sharp when in reality she was breaking. She turned to Tyler, looking into those blue eyes. "Tyler-"

"I just- I can't be with you, okay?" He sounded desperate, and he hated it. "We can't be together anymore."

Any fight within her body evaporated. She stood in her doorway, her body shaking, her ears ringing, her heart beating. Tears filled her eyes as she shook her head.

"No, you- you can't," she shook her head. "Y-you told us you wouldn't become a Kook again, you promised!"

I know.

"Things change, Elora," he said.

And he saw that he was tearing her apart. He saw that he was taking a hammer to the heart her mother had just put a nail in. He saw it all.

And he still persisted.

Elora was just in shock. How could he do this to her, after everything they'd been through? How could he just stand there all indifferent, and tell her things had changed?

"So, you don't love me anymore?" She questioned, her voice shaking. "Has that changed?"

No. I love you. I want to spend forever with you. You're the love of my life.

"Maybe," he told her, narrowing his eyes slightly.

Elora fought with everything inside her to not burst into tears then and there, her chest heaving slightly as she looked at him.

First her mom, now this.

And they'd lost the cross, they'd lost El Dorado, and she wouldn't have Tyler anymore to hold her through it-

"Okay," she said, her tone flipping fast to anger as she raked at her cheeks, rubbing the tears off. "Okay then, let's go with that. You're a Kook, you're running off and these couple months didn't mean anything."

They did. They meant everything to me. All I want is to continue them.

"You and I meant nothing."

Another low blow, she knew, but it was true. If he was willing to give them up like this, without even fighting, then they hadn't exactly meant much to him, had they?

"Cool," Tyler nodded, keeping his jaw locked to stop the tears he knew were coming. He didn't mean it, any of it. She meant the world to him. Everything he did up until now was only to keep her safe.

Elora chuckled slightly, more tears coming to her eyes as she felt herself begin to break.

"Cool," she repeated, crossing her arms and taking a step closer to him, looking up. Her eyes were narrowed and she was filled with hatred, but also with love. She couldn't tell whether she wanted to kiss him or punch him, but she could do neither.

"Goodbye, Tyler," she told him, her voice low as she made direct eye contact.

Don'tbreakdon'tbreakdon'tbreak-

"Goodbye, Elora," Tyler told her, as if she was just a random girl, as if she didn't mean everything and more.

And as she scoffed slightly, turning on her heel and marching back inside, slamming her door shut firmly, he wanted to cry out.

To tell her not to go.

To tell her he'd been forced into this.

To tell her it was the only option.

But he couldn't do any of that.

"You did the right thing, Ty," Topper told him, resting a hand on his shoulder. "She was only going to bring you down in the long run, just look at last night."

And as Tyler turned to look at him, he'd never felt a stronger urge to punch somebody in his life.

"Fuck you, Topper," he snarled, clenching his fists and turning round, walking back down Elle's front path and away from the Cut, back towards Figure Eight, where a proud mother was no doubt waiting for him.

Thing is, he didn't give a shit about a 'proud mother'.

All he wanted in the entire world was Elora Easton.

And he'd just given her up.

𔓘𔓘𔓘

Elora was running.

She didn't know where she was going, but she sure as hell wasn't staying at her house.

She was crying, sobbing, actually, her chest heaving and her legs threatening to collapse below her.

She was sure they would give out soon.

She didn't know how she ended up at the Chateau, all she knew was that when she got there and saw that the garden was deserted, she ran inside, needing somewhere she could collapse, that she could just brea-

"Elle?"

She jumped, a small grunt emitting from her throat as she turned to see JJ behind her, holding a beer can, looking thouroughly dejected.

She swallowed. "JJ."

Her body was still wracked with sobs.

"Elle, I-I'm detecting heavy vibes right now," JJ said, putting down his beer and causing the girl to give a wet chuckle. "Did something happen?"

Elora bit her lip, nodding. "Just, uh... Tyler. He, um... he broke up with me."

She'd just mumbled it, but by the way JJ's head jerked up she knew he'd heard.

"He did what?" He demanded, his voice full of anger.

"Broke up with me," Elora repeated surely, even though she was still in disbelief herself. "He's, uh... he's becoming a Kook again, apparently. His mom and Topper have convinced him to ditch us and go back to the academy."

"That fucking asshole," JJ muttered as he took this in, shaking his head as he looked at Elora. "Are you alright?"

No.

"Yeah," Elora answered immediately, a knee jerk reaction. "Yeah, I mean- I'm fine, why wouldn't I be fine? Not like he's the love of my goddamn life or anyth-"

"Elle..."

And it was just his voice, uncharacteristically gentle, and the way he was looking at her, his eyes weirdly soft.

It was just that that made her break.

She ran at him, catching him unawares as she threw her arms around his neck, sobbing into his chest. He stumbled back slightly, letting out her name again before unsurely wrapping his arms around her, holding her as she cried.

Elora just needed to be held. She just needed to feel like she was worth somebody, like someone loved her. Because Tyler and her mom, the only two others she'd spoken to in the last twelve hours, sure didn't.

But JJ did.

He'd always been like her brother, really. And she hadn't acknowledged it, because she knew he had trouble with getting close to people and if she'd drawn attention to their closeness he'd have ran. But she'd always thought of him that way.

But now, as he hugged her and let her cry into his chest, she couldn't help but want to tell him. Because she didn't feel like she had much else at the moment.

"I'm sorry," she cried. "I'm sorry, J, I'm so so sorry..."

"Elle..." JJ said, rubbing her back unsurely. "You don't have to say sorry."

He was shit at this. He knew he was. Comforting someone wasn't his strong point at all, and he'd be damned if he knew it.

When Elle had calmed down a bit, and wasn't crying so much anymore, they moved to the couch. JJ sat opposite her as she spoke to him, letting everything out.

"It's just- everything sorta falling apart at the moment," she said, her chest heaving. "My mom's back and sh-she's being so strange and Tyler's just thrown us away without a second thought, and- and- the El Dorado trail's gone dry and-"

"I don't think it's as dry as we think."

Elora stopped talking, looking at JJ. "W-what?"

"John B's lying," the boy growled slightly, looking down at the ground. "He told us exactly what your mom told you, that they didn't find anything, but... he was lying, I could tell."

Elora shook her head and clenched her fists. "Fucking hell," she muttered, looking at JJ. "Everything's just gotten so messed up since we left that island, and I fucking hate it."

"Too right," JJ nodded, clenching his fists. "JB's being weird and by the sound of it Tyler's just being a complete fucker, and don't even get me started on Kie."

Elora looked at him, wiping her wet cheeks. He looked... conflicted. He looked angry yet also happy at just the sound of her name, which prompted her to say. "What's going on with that, Jayj?"

"Doesn't matter," JJ rebutted instantly. "Are you alright?"

"Don't change the subject," Elora said weakly. "Why did you get that look on your face when you mentioned her?"

JJ sighed heavily, looking down and muttering. "When we went to speak to her parents... her dad got all angry at me. Told me he understood, as if any rich fucker who lives on Figure Eight could understand, and then he told Kie that I was a liar, and a thief, and... I don't know, I just thought that if I was going to get accused of it, I might as well get something out of it."

Elora looked at him, hopelessness filling her head. "What did you do?"

"Stole Mike's fuckin money clip," JJ gritted out. "And Kie found out yesterday, during the police chase."

Elora bit her lip. "JJ-"

"I know I shouldn't've done it, okay?" The blonde boy turned to her. "I know that, Elle, okay?"

Elora nodded, leaning forwards. "I understand why you did it, though," she told him.

He turned to face her, raising his eyebrows.

"Don't even think about telling me I don't, cause I do," she told him. "You and I... we're literally in the same position right now, Jayj. Well, except Kie's feelings might actually be mutual."

She said that last part with sarcasm and bitterness, squeezing her eyes shut to stop more tears coming.

"Yeah, there's no chance of that now," JJ snapped back. "And even if she did, I'm still not good enough for her."

Elora shook her head. "I have my own opinions about that, but... you probably don't wanna hear them."

JJ shrugged slightly, saying. "Well, if we're just exchanging bad news, I have some more."

Elora chuckled in spite of herself. "Is that what we do now? Just sit here and feel sorry for ourselves?"

"Well, I don't see many other options," JJ shrugged, the same small smile coming to his face.

"So what's your bad news?" Elora asked, raising her eyebrows.

JJ sighed. "Rafe. He has the cross and he melted it down."

Elora's eyes widened. "What? Does Pope know?"

"Yeah, went on a rampage earlier," sighed JJ. "Took the gun from Heyward's, as well. Cleo found him before he caused any damage, though."

"Jesus christ," Elora said, clenching her fists. "To be honest, I don't know who I'm more ready to punch at the moment. Rafe Cameron or Tyler Thornton."

"Yeah, that's a tough choice," JJ sighed, a small smile on his face. "Take one each? We can both get a punch in at each, though."

Elora chuckled wetly, nodding. "Thanks, J. You know, even though life is shit at the moment... you've made me feel a lot better about everything."

JJ smiled slightly, nodding. "Well, you know what would make you feel even more better? A J and a nice cool beer."

Elora smiled, wondering how on earth this boy could think he was a terrible person.

"Sounds like a plan we can execute."

𔓘𔓘𔓘

Going to the beach at Mase had been Topper's idea.

It would be a way to 'introduce him' back to the others. Back to Kelce, who'd fucking beat up Elle a month ago, back to Ruthie, who'd called her a slut, back to all the girls who were smiling at him as he walked down the beach, calling his name.

And what was worse still was that Sarah was here, and he'd had to tell her that he and Elle had broken up.

He'd never forget the look of confusion and dull anger on her face as she looked at him, before finally saying that that was surprising, but if it was what he wanted, then she guessed it was okay.

Tyler had nodded, keeping the indifferent face without much effort now, because he was used to it.

Yet now, as Sarah and Topper fucked off to go to god knows where and he was left to fend for himself with these people he hated, he was really struggling to.

"You know, mate, I didn't think you had it in you," Kelce chuckled with a grin, as he and Tyler sat on the beach next to three girls, Ruthie, Phoebe and Lily. "I mean, don't get me wrong Elora Easton's a bitch, but you seemed hitched, man!"

The girls giggled in their stupid affected way, and Tyler chuckled slightly, hating every second.

"Well, I guess you can say I finally came to my senses," he shrugged.

"I'm so glad you did," giggled one of the girls, Lily.

"Hey Ty, were you really on a deserted island for a month?" Phoebe asked.

"Yeah," Tyler nodded.

"Holy shit," Ruthie, who was sat closest to him, turned to him with a flirty smile, saying. "Jesus, Ty, all that time there and you're body's still just as-"

"Okay, Ruth, he just broke up with his girlfriend," grinned Kelce. "Might not be so willing to jump into something with you-"

"Screw you, Kelc, I was just saying!" Ruthie said, her cheeks flushing red as Phoebe and Lily burst into more giggles.

Tyler, meanwhile, was fucking disgusted, by all of it. Elora was the only one he'd ever love, no matter if they were broken up or not. He'd only ever belong to her.

"Anyway," Lily said, a wicked smile on her face. "I want to know how Little Miss Slut took it when you broke up with her. Did she cry?"

"Oh my god, I bet she did!" Ruthie cackled.

"Probably begged, as well!" Phoebe added.

"Yeah, for one more round!" Kelce grinned.

Tyler clenched his jaw and tried as hard as he could to get thoughts of punching them senseless out his head. The only thing holding him back was thought of Kansas and how he'd never be able to reach her if he was sent there.

"She didn't exactly beg," came out his mouth as he forced a smile on his face. "But yeah, she was pretty desperate."

He wanted to take it back. He wanted to scream at them that Elle wasn't a slut, and that they hadn't even had sex, and that she was the best person in this whole entire world.

But the Kooks around him were laughing, so he knew he must be doing something right.

"Oh my god, that's hilarious, Ty!" Ruthie smiled, batting her eyelashes. "Wish you'd filmed it."

"Doesn't matter, now you're back with us for good we'll have a whole load of fun with her," smirked Kelce.

Tyler shrugged. "What can I say, Kelc? I've finally come round."

And he had.

He had completely come round to the fact that Kansas was seemingly the best option, as the Kooks around him grinned and laughed and enjoyed this shit.

But it was too late now.

Elle was gone. And he was here.

And by the way things were looking right now, he'd probably never get her back.

𔓘𔓘𔓘

Elora and JJ were lying tops and tails on the couch outside the Chateau when they heard the sound of the van outside. They sat up, frowning slightly at each other before getting up in sync and looking round the corner.

The Twinkie was there. And climbing out of it was John B, who maybe looked even sadder than them.

"Well, look who it is," JJ said, slurring his words slightly due to the amount of weed and beer he and Elle had consumed in the past few hours. "Nice of you to show up."

"You gonna start telling the truth, or what?" Elora demanded, crossing her arms. She'd recovered from her sadness with the help of the substances, and was now just angry.

John B looked down. "Look, I know I've been a little shady. And... stretched the truth a bit."

"Yeah, that's called lying," JJ snapped.

Elora crossed her arms. "John B, where's my mom?"

JB bit his lip. "She's at your house, Elle."

Elora scoffed slightly, rolling her eyes. "I told her not to go back there."

"Yeah, I know," John B sighed, his gaze flicking from her to JJ.

"John B, what's going on?" JJ demanded.

"My dad killed two guys," John B said finally, his face desperate. "Whilst your mom watched, Elle. He was trying to protect me-"

"No, no, no, hold on, okay?" JJ demanded. "You serious?"

"Yes," John B said immediately. "It was the guys from the Coastal Venture. They came here looking for Denmark's diary."

"And your dad offed them, just like that?" Elora asked.

"Yes, and then Singh showed up!" John B protested. "He had a gun to your mom's head, Elle, and then she got away and they took my dad and then they tried to kill me, they took him to South America, alright?"

"Wait, what?" Elora demanded. "South America?"

"Yes, they're on their way to South America, alright? And then they're gonna what, kill him? And I don't know, I don't know what to do-"

"John B! Stop!" Elora shouted sharply, causing the boy to fall silent and look at her. "Just take a breath. First off, what's my mom thinking about all this?"

"She doesn't want me involved," muttered John B. "Doesn't want anyone involved, actually. That was her reason for not telling you. Said she didn't want you ruining your life looking for treasure like she has."

"Fuck off, I've managed fine without her up until now," Elora snapped.

"I know, okay? I know," John B said desperately. "I told her that was stupid, alright?"

Elora crossed her arms. "So, what are we gonna do?"

JJ sighed, pressing a hand to his forehead. "I need to think."

Elora sighed, watching him take a seat on the steps and joining him, sitting down beside him. JJ tapped the space on his other side, looking expectantly at John B, who came as well, sitting next to him.

"I don't know what to do," John B muttered, shaking his head.

"Well, I'm not doing anything with my mom, so it's a good thing she's going off on her own," Elora said. "But how the hell do we get to South America?"

JJ bit his lip, puffing his cheeks out and slowly exhaling the breath. "No clue."

Elora and John B looked down, expecting him to be finished, but he wasn't.

"But..." he slung an arm round each of them, pulling them in. "We're gonna figure it out."

"Yeah," John B didn't seem convinced.

"We're Pogues, man," JJ said. "We always do."

Elora smiled slightly nodding into him. "P4L, unlike frickin Tyler."

"Tyler?" John B frowned at Elle. He never thought he'd hear the redhead speak a bad word about the blonde again. "What's wrong with him?"

"He's becoming a Kook," Elora informed John B. "He's going back to his house, the academy, oh, and he broke up with me."

John B stared at her in shock, shaking his head. "That asshole."

"Yep," Elora nodded, head still rested on JJ. "You can say that again."

And yes, it was true, Tyler was an asshole.

But she also couldn't help but really, really miss him in that moment.

And she knew she always would.