"How did you do it?" Mirabella asked her twin sister, sitting next to her on the sofa.

"I just asked."

"And he just said yes, just like that?"

"Yeah, Bella." Samantha looked over Mirabella. "He trusts me. He knows I wouldn't ask for the car if you were going to wreck it. I trust you and he trusts me."

Mirabella moved her head to face the television. Trust. Yeah, sure.

"Do you think they convinced Effy?" Samantha asked.

"I don't know. Probably. She's always up for a good time."

"Yeah."

✧ . ✧ . ✧

"Is everyone here?" Samantha asked, counting the heads on the sidewalk, and checking the names in her notebook. Her eyes adverted to the bottom of the list where Cook's name was scratched.

Part of her was relieved no one wanted him there, she also didn't. Not after what happened in the elections. But she knew they should've invited him. He was still part of the group.

"So, JJ, me, Mirabella, Em and Naomi will go in my dad's car. Thomas, Panda, Effy, Freddie and Kate will go to Effy's. Is that okay?"

The group glanced at each other and everyone nodded. They start packing everything in the truck, strategically, guided by Samantha. Once they were over, they got into the cars and started driving to their destination.

"It feels a bit wrong we didn't invite him." JJ broke the silence in the car and Samantha turned her neck to the backseat.

"There was no space." She sounded apologetic, which, she kind of was. "Someone was bound to be cut off."

"I know..." He said, sighing.

"We'll bring him next time." Mirabella said, smiling at JJ through the rear-view mirror.

JJ bite the words in his mouth. He wanted to tell it would have been better to bring Cook instead of Effy. Effy was the core of the problem. She divided his group of friends; she was making JJ choose between his two best friends and that wasn't fair. He didn't want to choose. He loved them both.

✧ . ✧ . ✧

"I'll ask those lads if they can help us." Kate said to the group, getting out of the car.

"We'll go get something to eat. I'm craving gummy bears." Samantha informed, following Naomi and JJ inside.

"I actually don't know what I'm craving." Naomi sighed, holding a snicker and putting it back on the shelf.

Samantha snatched 2 packs of gummy bears and put them on the counter. "You want something JJ?"

"I'm good. Thanks." He smiled, looking around the store.

"I guess I'll just eat your gummy bears. If that's okay?" Naomi walked towards the girl.

"Sure."

"Cheers."

Samantha was reaching for some money in her pocket when a loud noise made itself be heard. The three friends looked outside to see Freddie slamming his hand against the glass.

What the fuck?

"Let's go. Now!" Freddie yelled.

Samantha got nervous and only then she realized something was not right. The men that Kate asked for help didn't seem quite friendly, they seemed almost... predatory. Samantha gasped. JJ and Naomi already running outside.

"Keep the change." Samantha threw some bills into the counter, hoping that would be enough to pay the gas and left the gummy bears behind, running towards the car.

The group was already making their way to the cars in a sloppy and frenetic way. Effy and Mirabella already had the car started. Before Samantha could reach for her dad's cars Mirabella was already moving and Naomi had opened the passenger's seat door.

"Worry up!" Mirabella yelled, speeding up a little.

Samantha felt like crying. What the hell was happening? Effy's car had already left the gas station. The men were already moving too in their jeep. Samantha breathed, terrified. And she ran, and ran, jumping into the moving car. Frenetically and trembling, she closed the door.

"Bloody hell, what's happening?" Her voice matcher her body. Trembling.

"Fuck if I know." Mirabella was already speeding up, trying to catch the other half of the group.

"Kate!" Emily spoke and Samantha realized she was calling her sister. Looking at Emily meant looking into the back of the car and she immediately regretted it. The men jeep was right behind them. She swallowed. Emily was saying something, she just couldn't figure out exactly what. Something about them saying something to Kate, about touching her and being rude.

"Speed up, Bella!" Naomi demanded; her voice filled with worry.

"I'm doing my best, alright?" Her British accent more sharp than usual. That was when Samantha knew her twin was scared.

The three cars kept on speeding through the streets. No car in sight besides them. The jeep getting closer and closer. Suddenly Effy hit the brakes, obligating Mirabella to do the same. The action made the tiers squeak. The group held on to whatever they could. Their bodies being thrown to the front.

Samantha's security belt burning against her chest. Thank God she remembered to put it, or else she would have been thrown into the glass and... She shook her head, focusing on anything but those thoughts.

The jeep had also stopped. Effy was not driving and soon the group realized it was because an animal got in the way.

"Why isn't she moving? Bloody hell!" Mirabella yelled, looking at Emily, hoping she would pass the message to Kate.

"They are not getting out of the car." Samantha talked, below a whisper.

They could hear the jeep motor, but the men were just staring at them, their faces twisted with joy and entertainment. The driver moved the car passing by their side. They made their passage painfully slow. Mocking the group, putting their heads outside of the window, hitting the doors with one hand and laughing. Mirabella reached for Samantha's hands, forgetting that she didn't want to do that. Samantha squeezed it, chewing on her lip. The jeep kept on moving, and after passing Effy's car it speeded up, disappearing into the horizon.

The group left a relied sigh in unison.

"What... What happened?" Samantha asked.

"They are asking if we should keep the trip going or head home." Emily said.

"Home!" Samantha plead and Mirabella looked at her, finally realizing they were holding hands, quickly retrieving her own hand.

"Fuck no, Sam. If we go home now, you'll have to explain what happened and dad will never let us out again." Mirabella explained. "We keep driving." She nodded to Emily.

Emily looked around, everyone seemed on board.

"Okay." Samantha agreed, not because she wanted to keep going, but because she knew her twin was right.

Emily gave the news to the group in Effy's car and they kept driving, following Effy.

"Apparently they started harassing Kate and she defended herself." Emily ended up saying after Samantha asked again what had happened.

✧ . ✧ . ✧

The group arrived at the destination long after the planned hour. Everyone was tired and still a little bit scared of what had happened not so long ago. Samantha was jumpy, so when JJ reached to touch her shoulder, asking if she wanted help with her bags, she let out a little scream.

"Oh God, I'm sorry Sammy." He apologized. "I was wondering if you need help with the bags."

Samantha smiled at him.

"No, but thanks. I got it." She assured him and started walking, JJ following. "But I will definitely need help getting the tent up." She looked at him and he smiled, nodding.

"Sure." Both of them laid the bags on the floor and Samantha took a look around.

She inhaled and closed her eyes for a second, feeling the fresh air. She looked at the trees and smiled slightly. She loved nature, especially when it was calm like just now.

"Okay, let's get this party started!" Kate said, grabbing Freddie by the hand and pulling him towards where the beers were.

Samantha still didn't understand why they ended up dating, but some things really were not to be understood.

"Shouldn't we get the tents ready before that?" Asked Thomas.

"Yeah, I think so too." Replied Naomi.

Samantha looked at JJ and he nodded in agreement and quickly they began setting hers and Mirabella's tent. Samantha offered to help with his but he said there was no need, so she got into the tent to read for a while. She could hear the group laughing and talking and she smiled. She was happy. Moving out was not so scary anymore and she could see herself in the future graduating with all of them. It was the dream.

"Hey, stranger." Freddie's voice woke her from her thoughts and her eyes left the book to look at him, in the entrance of the tent.

"Hey. What's up?"

"Don't wanna join us?" He asked, smiling.

"I'm just finishing this chapter."

Freddie nodded and started to turn around but then thought again and looked at her.

"We're good, right?" He asked and she looked at him, confused. "Because of the other day... Because of Cook."

"Oh, that." She murmured and bit her bottom lip. "We're good, don't worry." She assured him, giving him a little smile.

"Really? I didn't mean to step in, I just---"

"It's okay Freddie. You were right anyways."

He looked at her and sighed.

"I'm so sorry Sam."

She nodded, smiling sadly.

"Don't be. It's fine. Really. I just thought I don't... It doesn't matter, truly." With an inaudible thud, she closed the book. "Let's go outside? Grab something to eat?"

The boy looked at her and nodded slightly, stepping out of the tent with Samantha following. They both sat around the fire and Samantha grabbed a beer.

"Is anyone hungry?" Emily asked, looking at the group.

"Yeah, I could eat something." Thomas answered.

The group gathered around the fire, preparing their meals. It probably had passed 10 minutes when they heard something rustling not so far away.

"What was that?" Kate asked, gripping Freddie's arm.

"Probably an animal." Mirabella said.

"Do you think those men followed us?" Thomas asked and Pandora let out a small yelp.

The rustling sounded again, closer.

"What do we do?" Emily asked, everyone was up now.

"Run?" Pandora suggested.

Effy looked at her and rolled her eyes. She crouched on the floor, holding a log in her hand. She looked at the group, then at the place that the rustling was coming from. She gulped and walked small steps in the tree's direction. She gripped the log hard, feeling the splints pricking at her skin. The rustling was closer and closer, and closer. And then...

"AAHH." Effy screamed, which made the group screamed as well when the log hit the face of whoever was that appeared in front of the girl. The body fell with a thud.

"For fuck sake." The man said, clutching at his face, visibly in pain.

The group looked at each other before walking in Effy's direction. Effy looked at them, then at the man. She scoffed and rolled her eyes, crouching beside him.

Without a care, she took the man's hand off his face and plucked his black mask.

"You gotta be fucking kidding me." She said.

x - x - x 

I know. This chapter is super late. I'm sorry for those who have been waiting. I really wanted to bring this chapter maximum by the end of November but once I arrived from the international internship I was 3 weeks behind on university then my computer broke and I only got it back by the end of December. On top of that, I was really burned out by then because I hadn't had a break since February and so in January when that break came I took some "me" time because I was dead. Finally, last week I wrote this chapter and after revising it, it's finally here. Again, I'm sorry :( 

From now on I'll try to post once a week, especially because we only have 2 chapters left plus the second part of this one, but I can't make any promises. But I'll finish this story, that much I can guarantee you! I just can't guarantee that the updates will be quick because I'm still trying to find my inspiration due to the fact I hadn't written since May/June.