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''I mean, I could be down for a little Moroccan vacay.''

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JJ'S VOICE CUT through the stillness, drawing my attention to John B's face. ''You feeling it too?'' he asked, his sharp blue eyes narrowing as he studied my brother.

John B gave a slight nod. ''Yeah,'' he muttered.

''I am, that's for sure,'' JJ replied, his voice laced with that nervous energy. He glanced back toward the house as the screen door creaked open, and Sarah, Kie, and I stepped out, the wood beneath our feet groaning in protest.

''All right, you ready?'' JJ called out, shifting his focus to Sarah and John B as they exchanged a soft smile. 

''Let's make this quick. All right? Gotta keep my head down,'' JJ said, shoving his hands into his pockets.

John B stepped closer to Sarah, his voice lowering slightly as he said, ''Hey. We're gonna get out of your hair, actually. Give you guys some space.''

Sarah nodded in agreement. ''Yeah.''

''What?'' JJ's tone sharpened, his brows pulling together.

''Yeah,'' I chimed in, stepping closer. ''It's your dad. And... and it's your mom's grave. You should do this with him.'' My voice was steady, but I felt the pull of hesitation in my chest. JJ didn't need to go through this alone, but I knew better than to push too hard.

''So y'all just bailing right now?'' JJ shot back.

''No,'' Sarah interjected, shaking her head.

''Not bailing,'' John B clarified, his hands gesturing as if to smooth over the tension. ''We're just multitasking.''

''Running some errands. We'll be right back. We have something to do,'' Sarah added, her tone firm but light, as the two of them began to walk off.

JJ let out an incredulous laugh, his hands flying up in exasperation. ''An errand, right now? Are you kidding me? We could save Poguelandia if we could just read—''

I stepped forward, grabbing his shoulder gently but firmly, and gave him a reassuring nod. ''JJ, don't worry about it. You're gonna go with your dad. John B and Sarah are gonna run their errand. And we're gonna stay here, get us packed up. We gotta get out of here.''

JJ's jaw clenched, and he shut the trunk of the Twinkie with more force than necessary. ''Just not the right time to be splitting up.''

''It's never the right time,'' I replied, my voice soft.

Our moment was interrupted by Chandler's voice calling out. ''JJ!''

We all turned as Chandler approached, waving casually like we weren't all on edge.

''JJ, I know he's your dad,'' Kie said softly, stepping closer to him. ''Just be careful.''

JJ smirked. ''If he tries anything, I'll just steal the little lens thing for myself.''

''Remember, you're a wanted man. Keep your head down,'' I reminded him, pulling him in for a quick hug and our signature handshake.

''Always,'' JJ replied, giving me a crooked grin before turning toward his father. ''Let's do it,'' he said decisively.

''You got it,'' Chandler said. ''Morning,'' he greeted us with a nod.

Kie let out a humorless laugh, and I raised a hand in an awkward wave, my lips pressed together tightly.

Chandler climbed into the Twinkie, followed by JJ. The van rumbled to life and rolled down the dirt path, leaving a cloud of dust in its wake.

Kie turned to me, her brows furrowing slightly. ''JJ'll be fine,'' she reassured me, her voice calm but concerned.

I nodded, though my fingers had a mind of their own, fidgeting nervously as I tried to shake off the worry gnawing at me. ''Yeah, I know,'' I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper.

She tilted her head, studying me for a moment before her expression shifted, a small smirk tugging at the corners of her mouth. ''So... Rafe,'' she began, her tone teasing.

I froze, my fingers stilling mid-motion. ''What about him?''

Kie crossed her arms, leaning against the side of the van as her smirk widened. ''He's totally head over heels for you.''

''No, he's not,'' I argued quickly, though the heat creeping up my neck betrayed me.

''Oh, come on, Mavie. Even you've noticed it,'' she pressed, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

I hesitated, chewing on the inside of my cheek before finally admitting, ''Okay, maybe I have. But Kie, he's... he's Rafe. And after everything he's done to John B... I just...'' My voice trailed off as I looked away.

Kie's grin softened into something more understanding. ''You'd what? Fall in love with him?''

I rolled my eyes, a frustrated sigh escaping me. ''Yeah, but what can I do, Kie?''

She shrugged. ''Better not let anyone know until he apologises to us. Big time.''

I let out a reluctant laugh, shaking my head. ''Yeah. Like that's ever gonna happen.''

Kie gave me a knowing look, her smirk returning. ''You never know, Mavie.''

After Kiara stopped teasing me about the topic, we played music from an old speaker—something upbeat to make the packing go faster. We were both trying to lighten the mood.

''Mia and Jack?'' I scoffed, stuffing a pair of socks into a backpack. ''You're joking.''

Kiara laughed, her eyes crinkling with amusement as she folded a tattered shirt. ''Nope, dead serious. Spotted them at The Boneyard last week. Looked cosy. Too cosy.''

I paused, raising an eyebrow. ''Jack? Mia? That sounds like the start of a bad joke.''

''It might be,'' she quipped. ''But hey, maybe they deserve each other. Two people who love drama more than oxygen.''

We both chuckled, the sound echoing faintly in the otherwise quiet space.

I straightened up after placing a stack of supplies in the corner and glanced out the window, freezing mid-motion. The familiar outline of the Twinkie appeared in the distance, its beaten-up frame rumbling into view. ''Hey,'' I called, nudging Kie. ''They're back.''

She turned around quickly, her ponytail swaying as she looked out. ''Finally,'' she muttered, brushing her hands on her jeans. ''I'll go talk to them. You keep packing; we're almost done.''

I nodded, waving her off. ''Got it.''

As she disappeared through the door, I sighed and crouched to pick up a small bundle of supplies that had slipped off the counter. My bracelet caught my eye as it glimmered faintly under the sunlight—a simple band with our initials etched into it: JJ, JB, and M. Ours.

I smiled faintly, tracing it with my thumb. It was more than just a bracelet.

That moment of calm didn't last long.

A sharp, blinding pain shot through the back of my head, cutting through my thoughts. The force sent me stumbling forward, and I barely had time to register the betrayal of my own legs giving out beneath me. The bracelet slipped from my wrist as I hit the ground hard, my vision swimming.

The last thing I saw before the darkness took over was the edge of the bracelet gleaming on the floor in front of me.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

THE AIR INSIDE the cooler was stifling, heavy with the scent of damp metal and plastic. My muscles ached from being cramped in such a tight space, pressed against Kiara as we sat in the suffocating dark. Every breath felt like an effort, shallow and laboured.

Kiara and I had already spent what felt like forever banging on the lid, shouting until our throats were raw, but it was no use. The cooler wasn't budging. Exhausted and resigned, I leaned back, the walls of the cooler pressing against my shoulders.

Kiara reached for my hands, her grip firm but trembling. ''We need to breathe. Focus, okay?'' she urged, her voice just above a whisper. I could feel her fear in the way her fingers clung to mine, but she was trying to keep it together—for both of us.

I nodded, squeezing her hands back. ''Deep breaths,'' I murmured, though my chest felt tight with panic. Together, we started practicing, inhaling and exhaling as steadily as we could. It wasn't perfect, but it kept the rising wave of dread at bay, at least for a little while.

We didn't know how much time had passed—it could've been minutes or hours—before faint voices reached us. My head shot up, and Kiara's eyes widened.

''Mimi! Kie!'' John B's voice echoed faintly through the cooler's walls.

My heart jumped in my chest. ''JB! JB!'' I screamed, pounding on the cooler's side. ''We're in here!''

Kiara joined in, banging on the lid. ''Guys, is that you?'' she yelled, her voice cracking with relief. ''We're in here!''

''We're getting you out!'' John B shouted back.

''Help us! Please!'' I begged, slamming my fists against the walls with everything I had left.

A moment later, the lid creaked open, and a rush of fresh air hit me like a wave. Kiara and I gasped, inhaling deeply as light spilled into the cooler. John B's face came into view, his expression frantic as he reached for me. His hands gripped mine firmly, pulling me out.

Sarah was there too, helping Kiara as we staggered out, unsteady on our feet. John B's arms came around me immediately, pulling me into a tight hug. His voice was urgent as he scanned me for injuries. ''Mavie, are you okay? What happened?'' His eyes darted over me, his worry plain on his face.

I nodded, still catching my breath. ''I got hit on the head while I was packing,'' I explained, lifting a hand to my throbbing temple. My gaze dropped to my wrist, where the bracelet still clung tightly. I barely remembered putting it back on, the moment hazy in my memory. ''It was Groff,'' I added.

''He came here,'' Kiara chimed in. ''And he took the scroll. I—'' She stopped, wincing as she touched her head. ''Oh, my God. I dropped my phone. I think he's still with JJ.''

John B's arm tightened protectively around me as Sarah mirrored his movements with Kiara, leading us toward the others. ''Where's my phone?'' Kiara mumbled, her tone tinged with panic.

Sarah's voice rang out as we neared the group. ''Pope! Cleo!''

''Hey, we found them!'' John B called.

''You guys okay?'' Pope asked, rushing toward us. His eyes scanned me quickly before he pulled me into a brief hug.

''I'm okay, no need for the Mickey Mouse band-aids,'' I joked weakly, forcing a small smile. Pope shook his head but didn't look entirely convinced. Cleo was next, tugging me into a quick, fierce hug.

''Where've you been?'' Cleo asked, pulling back to look me over.

''Locked in a cooler,'' I replied, the words dry but tinged with disbelief at my own answer.

Kiara, meanwhile, was searching frantically, her eyes scanning the ground until she spotted her phone. ''Got it!'' she exclaimed, quickly unlocking it and dialing JJ's number.

''He's not answering,'' she said, her voice rising with frustration as the call went straight to voicemail. ''JJ, can you call me back? Please?'' she pleaded before ending the call. Her hands trembled slightly as she clutched the phone.

''Did you check Find My Friends?'' Pope suggested, stepping closer.

Kiara nodded hurriedly. ''Yes. I made him share his location last time he freaking disappeared.'' She tapped quickly on her phone, her brows furrowing. ''He's on the water.''

''What?'' The word came out in unison from all of us.

Kiara turned the screen toward us, her voice trembling. ''He's leaving the island.''

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THE SALTY AIR whipped against my face as the boat surged forward, the engine's roar drowning out everything else. Kiara clutched her phone tightly, my eyes glued to the location marker that had led us this far. 

''Keep going!'' she urged, leaning forward, her eyes scanning the horizon. ''I lost the signal, but it was somewhere out here. Where is he? Where are you?''

My stomach churned—not from the waves, but from the gnawing anxiety that had been building ever since we realised JJ was missing. The water stretched endlessly in every direction, shimmering like liquid glass, but I couldn't see anything, and it was driving me mad.

Suddenly, JJ's voice rang out. ''Hey! Over here!''

Kiara shot to her feet, pointing ahead. ''I see him! There he is! He's out there. Go! JJ!'' 

John B gripped the wheel tighter, steering toward the small, barely-visible figure in the water. ''JJ!'' he called.

As we closed the distance, the image of JJ became clearer—he was clinging to what looked like a piece of wreckage. His shout carried over the waves, ''Hey!''

''Hold on!'' Pope yelled, already moving toward the side of the boat.

John B killed the engine as we reached JJ, the boat rocking slightly as it slowed. He rushed to the edge, his eyes locked on his best friend. ''Pull him in. Pull him in.''

Pope leaned over the side, his arms reaching for JJ. ''Hold on, hold on.'' He grunted as he grabbed JJ and hauled him onto the deck. JJ collapsed, soaking wet and shivering. His side was slick with blood, staining his shirt and the floor beneath him.

I knelt beside him instantly, my hands hovering as I tried to assess where he was hurt. ''Are you okay?'' Kiara crouched on his other side. ''What happened? JJ. You're good. It's okay, just breathe. We're gonna get you back.''

We all exchanged uneasy looks, our gazes drifting to the crimson streak on JJ's shirt. ''What happened?'' Kiara pressed again.

JJ winced as he tried to sit up. ''Groff,'' he muttered.

The words made my stomach drop. Without thinking, I leaned forward and pulled JJ into a gentle hug, my arms careful around his injury. ''I'm so sorry,'' I whispered. I could feel him tremble, though he quickly pulled away, brushing me off with a weak grin.

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JJ WORKED ON wrapping his wound himself, his movements deliberate but shaky. Once he was done, he let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head. ''You know what's the funniest part?'' he began, his voice laced with sarcasm. ''I actually thought he was coming back for me. But no.'' His laugh turned hollow. ''No, he just wanted to get rid of me. And now Pope's a fugitive. Welcome to the club, bro.'' He glanced at Pope with a wry smirk. ''And we have nothing now. We lost everything, and it's all my fault.''

''It's not your fault,'' I argued, rising to follow him. 

''Yeah, it is,'' JJ shot back, spinning to face me.

His expression darkened, and he started pacing. ''Growing up, Luke would always tell me when he was drunk off his ass, 'If there's one thing I know, hell is other people.''' He paused, his hands on his hips, his gaze distant. ''When I was a kid, I didn't get it. It didn't make any sense to me. But then one day, I just decided to ask him. I said, 'What do you mean, hell is other people?' And he looked at me for a while, then he just said, 'Just keep on living... and you'll find out.'''

JJ let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head again. ''Luke's been wrong about a lot of things, but, man, was he right about that one. Went from a fake dad... to a real dad who just tried to kill me. Yeah, Luke. Yeah, I found out. Hell certainly is other people.'' He tipped his head back, finishing off the rest of his beer in one long swig.

I stepped closer, placing a hand on his arm to stop him. ''You just wanted a dad, JJ,'' I told him softly. ''It's not your fault that everyone fails you. It's not. You don't deserve that.'' My voice cracked, and I took a deep breath to steady myself. ''But you still have us. You still have the Pogues. We're your family, and we're not going anywhere.''

JJ blinked at me, his tough exterior wavering. I tugged up my sleeve to reveal the bracelet on my wrist—the one I shared with him and John B. ''Remember this?'' I reminded him, holding it up so he could see. ''You're stuck with us, JJ.''

A soft chuckle escaped him, his lips curling into the faintest smile. But as he looked at me, the smile faltered, and he broke down, his shoulders shaking as he sobbed into my neck. I wrapped my arms around him tightly, holding him steady as the weight of everything he'd been carrying finally spilled out.

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I SAT NEXT to JJ, his body still trembling slightly. He quickly pulled himself back together, wiping his face with the back of his hand. ''Guys,'' Kiara called out suddenly, her voice cutting through the silence that lingered between us.

We all turned toward her. She was staring out at the water, her expression tightening into something uneasy.

''What is it?'' I asked, my voice low as I followed her gaze. The early sunlight bounced off the water, glinting against a dark shape in the distance.

It didn't take long for the rest of us to notice it too—a boat approaching.

''Who's out here this early?'' Pope questioned, stepping forward for a better look. His brow furrowed as the boat came closer.

''It's the cops,'' JJ muttered. His jaw clenched, and his hands flexed nervously by his sides.

''How did they find us?'' Kiara asked, her voice sharp with panic as she glanced between us.

Pope looked to John B. ''So, what's the plan?''

John B didn't hesitate. ''Follow me,'' he ordered, already moving with a quick, deliberate stride. ''Let's go.''

JJ swiped one of the beers lying around and dumped it onto the small fire we'd built earlier, the flames hissing out instantly. He shoved his knife into his waistband, his eyes scanning the area with laser focus.

We all bolted, our feet pounding against the weathered dock as we dove into the water below. The cold hit like a shock, making me gasp before I quickly pushed myself under the surface. The murky water enveloped us, the taste of salt heavy on my lips as we swam toward the cover of the dock beams.

The Snapper creaked as the cops tied their boat to its side. Their boots thudded against the wooden planks above us as they walked down the dock.

''JJ Maybank!'' one of them shouted. ''We don't want to hurt you. Come on out!''

My heart raced as I exchanged a glance with Kiara, both of us holding our breaths. John B motioned for us to keep moving, and we swam toward the boats tied at the far end.

''I have an arrest warrant for JJ in connection to the murder of Hollis Robinson,'' another cop announced.

I froze for a second, disbelief and confusion knotting in my chest. ''Murder?'' Kiara whispered, her wide eyes darting toward JJ.

JJ didn't respond. His expression was unreadable as he pressed on.

''We'll take the pontoon,'' John B said once we reached the boats. ''It's ready to go.''

One by one, we clambered into the cop's boat, untying it from The Snapper. The engine sputtered for a second before roaring to life under John B's hands.

''Go, go, go,'' Cleo urged.

''Hey!'' a cop shouted from the dock. ''Hey, stop!''

The sound of footsteps hammering against the wood grew louder. ''Stop! John B, turn it around! Stop! Hey!''

John B didn't stop. The boat shot forward, cutting through the water at full speed as the dock—and the cops—grew smaller in the distance.

The sun climbed higher as the hours passed, painting the water in shades of gold and blue. 

JJ leaned against the side, his damp hair sticking to his forehead as he let out a low