CHAPTER SIX.
divine timing

     NOVA VAN KIRK could see stars.

     The metaphorical kind, that is. You know, the kind you see when you fill your body with so much chemicals that you see things that aren't actually there. Well, that was definitely the case for Nova. Due to the unhealthy amount of drugs and alcohol tainting her body right now, toxins rushing through her bloodstream and pulsating sharply through her veins, Nova was barely able to walk in a straight line, let alone see clearly in the middle of the hot summer night, the girl barely being able to see through the thick blanket of darkness surrounding her.

     She knew it was bad for her, but she didn't want to stop. Well, truth is, she didn't really have much choice since the bottle in her hand was almost empty, nothing more than a dribble of champagne swirling around the bottom of the glass bottle clasped tightly in her trembling hand. Nova wanted to make it last, the girl knowing that once it was all gone, she had one or two options.

     One, she could return back to the party and grab another bottle. Except, Nova actually had no idea where she was. All she knew was that she was walking along the road next to the beach. She had just lost track of where she was a long time ago.

     Or two, she could go back to her empty house and suffer in silence whilst she wallows in endless pain and misery until she falls asleep. Nova didn't want to do that either.

So, the girl was stuck stumbling across the empty street, her entire world spinning on an endless loop whilst she tried her best to see past her dark and blurry gaze, the girl being stuck in the midst of a drug haze that she was scared to escape from. Nova knew the long lasting effects of sobriety, and how she could feel once this night was over. She had faced it head on one too many times before, and after tonight, she didn't want to return to a world filled with grey, the girl preferring the endless colour the toxins poisoning her body gave her.

     And, so, Nova continued to see the stars that twinkled in the corners of her blurry gaze.

     Nova then stumbled forward once again, a quiet and obnoxious giggle escaping past her lips, whilst she brought the rim of the bottle to her lips again, chugging back what remained at the bottom of the glass bottle. Nova began to savour the bittersweet taste that lingered on the tip of her tongue, her tastebuds tingling from the familiar sickly taste of the liquor she was pouring into her bloodstream without a single care in the world.

But drowning her sorrows was becoming harder than she thought when her supply was running short.

Sighing in frustration, Nova used all her strength to throw the heavy bottle across the street, the loud and violent sound of glass shattering the second the bottle crashed against the tough tarmac road. Nova winced at the high pitched sound, regret instantly flooding her body. She hoped no one heard that, because all it took was one noise complaints for the cops to come speeding over, and the last thing Nova needed was to get arrested and have her mom see her in this state.

     It would only stir up worry, and the last thing Nova wanted was for her mom to worry about her.

     Shaking her head, snapping herself out of her thoughts, Nova lifted her gaze to look up at the midnight sky, a shaky breath leaving her lips whilst the girl continued to stare up at the thick blanket of darkness hovering above her, a cold emptiness towering over her like a dark and twisted shadow. It made Nova feel lost and alone, almost like she was being swallowed by the shadow following close behind her, making the girl feel small, like she was a void — the epitome of nothing.

Maybe that's all she's ever been.

All of a sudden, Nova felt herself trip over her own feet, the girl falling to the tough tarmac covered concrete layered across the ground, her knees beginning to burn at the feeling of the material cutting through her clothing and skin, ripping away at the armour she built around herself. Nova then cursed underneath her breath at the feeling, a sharp wince filled with pain and anguish breaking through the overwhelming and deafening silence in the process.

     Nova hissed when she then felt a sharp sting puncture through the material of her jeans, a burning sensation eroding across her skin whilst she pushed herself back up onto her feet. At first, Nova stumbled back and forth whilst she tried her best to regain her balance in the midst of her intoxicated state. But it didn't take long for the Van Kirk girl to stand up straight, using her hands to brush herself off, wiping off the dirt now stuck to her clothing, before she made an attempt to continue her journey to wherever she was heading next.

However, Nova was taken by surprise when she turned around to see a bright light heading towards her, the blinding white light illuminating her path and burning her ocean blue eyes all at once. This caused for Nova to raise her hand and shield her eyes from the bright light, allowing Nova to come to the quick and shocking realisation that the light heading towards her wasn't something out of the ordinary. In fact, the light coming her way were headlights from an incoming vehicle that seemed to be speeding quickly down the vacant road.

     The only problem was that Nova Van Kirk couldn't move. And instead, she remained frozen like a deer in headlights.

     And, of course, Nova was scared. A speeding car was heading her way and she was so petrified that she could barely move. But, once that fear had subsided and Nova began to feel at peace with what was bound to happen, the girl chose to accept her deadly fate and embrace her bitter end. This caused for Nova to stare ahead at the incoming vehicle heading her way, a stray tear rolling down her cheek whilst peace and clarity washed over her body, tranquility seeping into every pore across her skin until she felt numb.

     That was when Nova Van Kirk knew she was finally free.

     Well, that was what she thought.

     Suddenly, Nova felt a strong hand wrap around her upper arm, their grip tightening around her bicep before she was tugged violently to the side of the road, causing for Nova to crash into the arms of her rescuer, a gasp filled with shock escaping past her lips. When the girl lifted her gaze again she saw the car speed past her, before her frantic eyes travelled upwards to meet the face of the hero who was brave enough to pull her out of harms way and save her life.

However, Nova didn't expect to come face to face with JJ Maybank of all people, his electrifying blue eyes filled with shock staring deeply into her own, her body pressed against his whilst his strong arms were wrapped securely around her body, their faces only inches apart. It was almost like he was scared of letting Nova go, worried she would wander off and pull another deadly stunt that could get her hurt, or worse. . . killed.

     JJ stared back down at the blonde girl, heavy breaths filled with relief leaving his lips repeatedly whilst he did his best to comprehend what he just witnessed. He saw Nova standing out in the middle of the road without a single care in the world. She didn't even seem to care that her life was seconds away from ending only a minute ago, and the strong smell of liquor sticking to her clothes was a clear indication to why she was so quick to freeze in such a dire situation.

     Releasing another shaky breath past his lips, JJ finally decided to speak. "We have to stop meeting like this, Princess." He told her, trying to ease the obvious tension between them both.

In that moment, Nova came to her senses and when she realised how close her and JJ were together, their bodies pressed up against one another, Nova was quick to shove him away from her, a look of disgust plastered across her face. "What the hell?" She exclaimed loudly, her words coming out slurred. Another clear indication to JJ that Nova was completely wasted.

"Nice to see you too." JJ sighed. He was clearly disappointed to find Nova in her current state.

Nova then frowned, shooting the blond boy a confused look. "JJ? What the hell are you doing here?" She interrogated further, trying to figure out how it was remotely possible for her and JJ to cross paths again. At this point she was convinced the world kept throwing them together as an attempt to punish her for all the terrible shit she's done since Riley took his last breath.

"Well, I was taking a walk across the beach when I heard a noise. I went to check it out and then I saw you." JJ answered, shrugging his shoulders, before a quick thought crossed his mind, the boy now staring back at Nova with suspicion evident in his eyes. "What are you doing here? Last time I checked, Kooks aren't welcomed in The Cut." He then asked, earning a puzzled look from Nova in response.

     "Wait..." Nova paused, a shaky and harrowing breath leaving her lips. "I'm in The Cut?"

     Truth is, Nova knew she had been walking for some time. The dull aches erupting in the soles of her feet was all the proof she needed to know she had been walking for what seems like forever. However, Nova was still surprised to find out that she had walked all the way from Figure Eight and into The Cut without realising it until JJ mentioned it to her. At least it explained why Nova was completely unaware of her surroundings since she has only been in The Cut a few times in her lifetime.

     JJ was quick to notice the girl's obvious confusion, pushing for the boy to approach Nova hastily before coming to a stop. "Nova, are you sure you're okay?" He asked her. The girl was clearly intoxicated and she had just had a near death experience. He didn't think it was okay to leave her, despite the fact that his assistance was the last thing he owed her after the way she's been treating him since her return back to the island.

     At first, Nova didn't know how to answer that very simple question. She was definitely far from okay and anyone with a pair of eyes could see that. But Nova didn't want anyone worrying about her anymore than they already did. It was the last thing she wanted. And then Nova remembered she was in The Cut, and what else was in The Cut you might ask? Well, Barry, the most notorious drug dealer living on the South Side was the first person to cross her mind.

So, Nova rolled back her shoulders and swallowed thickly, before she parted her lips to speak once again. "I'm fine." She answered, lying through her teeth in the process. A lie JJ Maybank was quick to pick up on.

"Are you sure?" JJ inquired, a look filled with concern flooding his crystal blue eyes. "Because this I'm fine act might work on your parents and your friends, but it doesn't work on me. So, if there is something wrong then you can tell me—"

"JJ, just back off, okay?" Nova interjected, growing fed up with JJ whole caring scheme ( at least that's how she interpreted it ) before she folded her arms over her chest and shot the boy another glare. "Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to keep walking." She informs JJ, before she turns around and makes an attempt to escape from the boy.

     Scoffing loudly, JJ shook his head and began to watch as Nova walked away from him. "You know, in my experience, when somebody saves your life you thank them." He called out to the girl, trying to make a point.

His words only seemed to infuriate Nova even more than before, causing for the girl to stop in her tracks before she turned around with a cold blooded look burning in her eyes, anger and fury coursing through her veins. Nova then began to approach the blond haired boy, her hands curling into fists and her sharp nails digging into her palms before she stopped in front of JJ, her lips parting so she could speak. She wanted to make it clear that the last thing JJ was getting from her was gratitude.

"You mistake me for someone who's grateful." Nova told the boy, sparing him one last glance before she turned away from him again, heading into the opposite direction.

     However, it didn't take a genius to figure out where Nova was heading. Rich girls with a drug problem only wander their way into The Cut for one reason and one reason only, provoking JJ to put a stop to Nova's mission. "Yeah, I can't let you go if you're just going to get your next fix." He told the girl, causing for Nova to scoff loudly whilst she continued to walk further ahead, ignoring the boy in the process.

JJ then huffed loudly and combed his hand through his golden blond hair frustratedly. "Nova, I'm just trying to help you." He informed the girl.

"Then stop trying to help me!" Nova snapped at JJ, her voice echoing loudly through the hot summer air and crackling slightly in the process. "I didn't ask for you help and I don't want your help. I get that you have your own messed up problems to deal with, but you don't have to keep prying yourself into mine. I don't understand why you can't you just leave me the hell alone." She ranted, her words laced with anger and her voice dripping in venom.

     But the second those words left Nova's lips, she realised the errors in her words, especially when she saw the way the boy's expression faltered. That was when Nova realised she had done it again — spoke cruel and demeaning words to push the people who care about her away. She had already done it twice tonight, the first time with Juno, and the second time with Sarah. And now, Nova's hateful words had just claimed another victim, and his name was JJ Maybank.

     The only difference was that unlike before, and with the drugs slowly leaving her system, Nova was quick to realise her mistakes and regret her nasty words, forcing the girl to care enough to apologise, "JJ, I—"

     "No. You know what, Nova?" JJ cut the girl off, his voice lathered in a kind of bitterness that sent chills up and down Nova's spine. "You win. I'll leave you alone if that's what you want. So, go ahead. Keep on killing yourself and see if I care, because I am done trying to save someone who clearly doesn't want to be saved." He explained, his tough-love act causing for Nova to sniffle, tears forming in the corners of her eyes whilst she stared back at the boy.

     JJ spared Nova Van Kirk one last look, before he brushed past the girl, his shoulder grazing against her own before he began to walk away from her for good. That was when Nova realised she was wrong after all. After weeks of telling herself that she had everything under control, the girl was finally coming to terms with the fact that she was losing her way, and if her mistakes from tonight had taught her anything, it was that she needed help more than ever, even if that help came from the last person she expected to receive it from.

     "JJ," Nova called out quietly, turning around to see the blond had stopped in his tracks. Nova then watched as JJ turned back around to face her, his eyes locking with her teary ones. "Can you take me home, please? I just...I just really want to go home."

And in that moment, JJ let out a quiet sigh and approached the blonde, his eyes softening at the sight of her broken form. "Can you walk?" He asked and Nova nodded her head in response, giving JJ the answer he needed.

     "Good. Let's get you home."

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The journey back to Figure Eight seemed a lot longer than Nova originally thought. Nova didn't exactly remember the walk from one side of the island to the other being so enduring. Maybe it was because Nova was beginning to slowly sober up, and thus she was starting to be way more alert about everything around her. Truth is, she didn't really know, but here she was, almost half an hour since JJ agreed to walk her home, her feet aching with every step she took forward with JJ walking beside her, the boy making sure she didn't trip and fall flat on her face like an idiot since she was still highly intoxicated.

     What made the journey home even more intolerable was the fact that neither Nova or JJ had said a single word to each other since they started walking back to Figure Eight, deafening silence flooding the air surrounding the duo. The overwhelming silence was enough to make Nova's skin crawl, chills running up her spine. Sure, maybe it was nothing to worry about. But for a girl like Nova, she found that the silence was always something to be feared, because you never really know what dangerous thoughts were lurking in the silence compared to a world filled with noise.

It made Nova Van Kirk want to scream.

However, she wasn't the only one feeling isolated by the crippling silence, especially since it didn't take JJ Maybank very long to finally speak up, the boy clearing his throat in the process. "So, I'm guessing you had a rough night?" He assumed, finally breaking the uncomfortable silence between Nova and himself, relief washing over Nova when she heard JJ's familiar voice.

     Nova glanced over at JJ, the girl beginning to notice that he was analysing her closely, almost like she was an open book that he was trying to memorise every single word of. It made Nova realise that even if she tried to lie and reassure JJ she was fine, he would see through her little act and interrogate her into she spilled her guts. If there was one thing Nova had learned about the Maybank boy, it was that he was a mix of stubborn and persistent all at once. And so, lying to him would just make things worse for herself.

Nova then nodded her head, a quiet sigh filled with sadness escaping past her lips. "Yeah, something like that." She confessed, a feeling of regret flooding her body when she thought back to tonight's events.

How could Nova forget?

Nova would never be able to erase all the hurtful and venomous words she spoke towards Juno and Sarah earlier that same night, cold hearted names and words filled with so much hate that she had said towards her two best friends echoing through her mind like a broken record, playing on a continuous loop. Nova hated herself for what she said to Juno and Sarah, and if she could take it back she would. The worse part was that Nova only reacted that way because of how Rafe had treated her earlier that same night, and her two friends hounding at her about her addiction only added fuel to the burning fire.

Now that Nova had some time to think about it, she was slowly beginning to realise that everything Juno and Sarah did tonight for her was out of love. And how did Nova repay them? By blowing up on them both and saying hateful things to push them away. If Nova could take it back then she would, but it might be too late, and that's what scared Nova most of all.

     That sadness and fear was something JJ Maybank quickly picked up on, his features contorting into a look filled with concern. "Do you want to talk about it?" He asked, earning a shrug from Nova in response.

     "I just said some shit to Juno and Sarah that I regret." Nova told him. She didn't mean to be so honest, but in the midst of her drunken state, she girl couldn't help but be truthful with the boy. Nova then turned her attention back over to JJ, a gentle sigh leaving her lips once again. "Juno found out about the drugs and when she was just trying to help me, I told her she was broken and a shit friend. And then I called Sarah a stone cold bitch who would cheat on Topper because it's what she does best."

     JJ couldn't help but whistle in response to Nova's words. "That bad, huh?" He inquired, earning a nod and an insincere laugh from Nova in response.

     "Yeah, it was bad." Nova agreed, her fake smile fading away from her lips when she quickly remembered the reason why she was put into that mindset to begin with, a sad look washing over her face whilst dark thoughts plagued her mind. "The worse part is that I took my anger out on my two closest friends because of Rafe." She then blurted out, regretting her words instantly since it was going to cause for JJ to become suspicious.

Jesus Christ, Nova. This is why alcohol is bad for you. It makes you want to tell the truth.

Shortly after Nova had spoken, JJ glanced over at the girl with a mix of suspicious and worry glazed over his electrifying blue eyes. "Okay, what did lover boy do this time?" JJ mused, not even sounding surprised that Rafe had done something to piss Nova off again.

     Nova shook her head, "It's nothing to worry about, JJ—"

     "Nova—"

     "Fine." Nova interjected, cutting the boy off whilst she continued to walk ahead, her mind flashing back to the moment Rafe's hands were all over her body, or the feeling of his body weight being forced upon her being enough to make the girl shudder. "Rafe...he gave me coke and tried to take advantage of me." She quickly said, rushing her words in hopes that JJ would dismiss the entire thing.

     The second JJ heard those words though, he couldn't help but get a bad feeling, his mind thinking the absolute worse had happened. "Wait. Nova, did he—"

     "No, no, no." Nova cut the boy off, already catching onto what he was trying to insinuate. "Look, when I asked him to stop, he didn't. But I managed to push him off before it got worse. I'm fine and that's all that matters." She reassured the boy, hoping he would drop the subject all together.

     However, all JJ could think about was what Nova had told him seconds before — how Rafe tried to take advantage of her when she was wasted and in a vulnerable place. The very thought of Rafe forcing himself onto Nova when it was the last thing she wanted being enough to make JJ's jaw clench, rage crackling in his veins whilst he did his best to control the burning anger that he felt in this very moment. The problem was that he wasn't very good at hiding it.

     "I'm gonna kill him." JJ declared, speaking through gritted teeth, his choice of words being enough to make Nova glance back at the blond with a worried look.

     "JJ, no. You can't do that." Nova warned him, not agreeing with his very stupid plan. However, Nova could tell JJ was adamant on staying true his words. "JJ, you can't just go marching into Figure Eight picking fights. It's reckless and—"

"How can you keep defending him?" JJ interjected, raising his voice in frustration, expressing his obvious anger for the Cameron boy. "He keeps on hurting you and you just keep making excuses for him."

     "I'm not defending him." Nova argued. "It's just...he wasn't always like this. You don't even know him like I do."

JJ scoffed loudly, "I know he's a dick."

     "He can be a dick, yes." Nova agreed, nodding her head, a faint smile ghosting across her lips. "But Rafe's a complicated guy. Besides, why do you care so much anyways?" She then asked.

     "What do you mean?" JJ inquired curiously, shooting the girl a puzzled look.

     "Why do you care about me so much?" She elaborated, her voice laced with confusion. "I get that I'm Riley's sister and you were his friend. I also get that we slept together months ago, but other than that, I just don't understand why you care so much. I mean, it's not like you owe me anything." She explained, shrugging her shoulders in the process.

     JJ stared at Nova in silence at first, hesitant on whether he should tell her the truth or not. For a long time, JJ's friends would continuously question him why saving Nova from herself mattered so much, especially since he didn't owe her anything after how she's treated him since coming back from her month long trip. Truth is, JJ never really gave his friends an answer because he never knew why saving Nova mattered so much to him. That was until now, a single memory crossing his mind before he parted his lips to speak.

"What can I say?" JJ spoke up, shrugging in the process with a smirk tugging at his lips. "You do things to me that not even I can explain, Van Kirk." He teased, earning an eye roll from Nova in response.

"JJ, I'm being serious." Nova replied sternly, causing for the boy to sigh in response.

     "Do you remember when Riley would drag me to your place?" JJ questioned, earning a nod from Nova in response, the girl staring back at him curiously. "Well, I would see you around and think that you were just like every other stuck up Kook in the Outer Banks...no offence."

     Nova couldn't help but laugh, shaking her head. "None taken." She reassured him, allowing JJ to continue.

     "And then Riley would tell me that the stuck up Kook act was exactly that — an act. I never believed him though..." JJ trailed off, pausing for a brief moment whilst his eyes flickered over to Nova, his gaze meeting her own before he continued to speak. "Until that night at the chateau. That night I got to know the real you, and not the version of you that you pretend to be around other people. I got to know the real Nova Van Kirk, and I believe that girl is worth saving."

     Nova felt her own heart swell up in her chest when hearing those words leave JJ's lips. Truth is, he was right when he said she paints multiple versions of herself to make her likeable in the eyes of others, like her parents and Rafe Cameron. That night with JJ she got to be her real self and not the girl she pretended to be in order to please others. Nova always wondered if being the real her and being vulnerable, especially to JJ, who Nova considered to be a stranger at the time, was worth it. Hearing JJ's kind words really made the girl believe that maybe she could be saved.

But there were still some doubts hidden in the far back of the girl's dark and twisted mind. "You mean, the same girl who told her best friend that she was an awful person. Oh, thanks for not telling Juno about the drugs by the way, because she almost pulled me back home by my hair." She replied bitterly, her voice lathered in sarcasm. Honestly, after tonight, it would have been better if JJ had told Juno the truth. At least then Nova and Juno could have talked about it privately without the toxins running through Nova's veins at the time. Then maybe Nova wouldn't have obliterated what was left of their crumbling friendship.

     "Actually...I did tell Juno yesterday about the whole drug thing." JJ corrected, his response surprising Nova for a split second. "But she said I was full of shit, and that there was no way you would even touch the stuff after what happened to Riley." JJ elaborated, his words earning a quiet chuckle from Nova in response.

Then there was a moment when Nova dwelled on JJ's previous words, her smile fading away from her pink lips as those same words continued to play repeatedly in her head like a broken record. Maybe it was because she was still intoxicated, or maybe it was because all of the emotions that she had tried desperately to keep buried was finally rushing back to the surface, but JJ's words pulled on Nova's heartstrings in a way she's never felt before.

     It also happened to be something JJ quickly noticed, causing for the blond to nudge the girl gently. "Was it something I said?" He inquired, his voice snapping Nova back to reality before she glanced over at the boy.

     "No. It's just..." Nova paused, swallowing thickly before she parted her lips to speak once again. "Look, if I tell you something, then can you keep it between us?" She questioned, causing for a small grin to form across JJ's lips before he raises his fingers towards his mouth and pretends to zip his mouth close, reassuring Nova that his lips were sealed.

     Nova then released a shaky breath, looking down at the ground for a moment whilst she spoke, "I never really intended to do drugs. I saw what it did to Riley and I swore to myself that I would never be like him." Nova began to explain, cutting herself off whilst she tried to hold back the tears that threatened to fall. "But then I wondered what was so special about the drugs, you know? I mean, Riley and I told each other everything, and I just wanted to know what was so special about the drugs that he turned to them instead of me." She elaborated further.

     JJ listened closely to every word that left Nova's lips. He could see she was trying to remain strong in the midst of her vulnerability, and the way her voice would begin to shake whilst she spoke, or the way she would avoid his gaze so he wouldn't see she was trying so hard not to cry was a clear indication of that. Not many people would even try to notice the little things, but JJ did — he always seemed to notice things about Nova that no one else would even care to point out.

"I just had to know what was so special after that bag of white powder. So, at a party a few months ago, I went to Rafe because I knew he was into that stuff too. And the second I had a taste of it, I didn't want to stop." Nova continued to speak, wiping away a single tear that was beginning to roll down her cheek. "And that's the thing. I'm not addicted like Riley was. He couldn't go a day without having a fix. But I could. I wasn't lying when I said I had it under control, JJ. The problem is that even though I could stop—"

     "You don't want to." JJ admonished, his eyes locking with Nova's once again.

     "It's the only thing that makes me forget about Riley and what he did to himself." Nova confessed, a shaky breath slipping past her quivering lips when she thought about Riley and the suicide note he left behind. "When I'm sober I feel like there's this huge weight washing over me, drowning me over and over again until I get my next fix. I'm scared that without the drugs, I'll feel this pain forever."

JJ spared Nova a quick glance before he looked ahead to see they were now walking through a nice looking neighbourhood, clearly only minutes away from Nova's house now, a quiet whistle leaving his lips whilst he continued to process what Nova had just said. "That's heavy stuff, Princess." He stated, earning a scoff and a nod of agreement from the girl walking beside him.

     A quick thought then crossed his mind. "Can I tell you what I think?" JJ asked.

     Nova pulled a face and shrugged her shoulders. "No. But you will anyway." She answered, earning a quiet chuckle from JJ in response whilst he glanced over at the blonde.

     "Stop using." JJ told her, earning a look filled with surprise from Nova in response, before the boy decided to elaborate further. "Using drugs to numb how you feel is only going to make things worse for you and everyone who gives a damn about you. Nova, if you don't stop, you're going to end up just like Riley. I know it's not gonna be easy, but quitting is a good start."

     Nova began nodding her head to show she understood. "I know. I think that after tonight — the way I spoke to Juno and Sarah — it was a huge wake up call. I can't keep doing this, JJ." She told him, finally giving in and admitting she needed help.

"Well, I know we're not friends or anything." JJ spoke up, the pair coming to a stop outside of Nova's house whilst JJ stood in front of the girl and dug his hands nervously into his pockets. "But if you need someone to talk to about it, then I'm here." He reassured her, shrugging his shoulders.

A smile broke out across Nova's face after hearing the boy's kind words, her heart swelling up in her chest once again whilst she continued to stare into JJ's crystal blue eyes, the boy staring back at her with a reassuring look, a soft twinkle glimmering in his alluring gaze that told her she was going to be okay. Nova believed it too. Maybe, just maybe, if she tried to get better and make amends with the people she wronged since falling off the wagon, then there was a possibility that the pain she felt would only be temporary, and that there was still a chance for her to heal from her brother's death and the grief that followed.

     Nova then spared JJ one last look before she turned her back on him and began to make her way up the steps to the front door of her house. However, Nova couldn't help but quickly stop in her tracks and turn around to see JJ was already leaving, causing for the girl to part her lips to speak once more.

     "Hey, JJ." She called out to the boy, causing for JJ to come to a sudden halt before he turned around to face her. "Thank you...for everything."

     JJ offered the girl one last smile and saluted in a playful manner, earning himself another genuine fit of laughter from Nova in response, before he turned his back on her, the two parting ways and going back to their respective sides of the island. Naturally, they would be forced to forget that they even crossed paths with each other on this hot summer night, because Nova always believed Pogues and Kooks shouldn't mix.

However, when Nova rested her head on the soft pillow of her warm bed only minutes later, she would dream of JJ Maybank, a spark of hope igniting in her chest, reassuring the girl that she would see him again.

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authors note.
Nova and JJ have me like:

Seriously. They're my comfort couple right now.

Anyways, this is the stage of the story where Nova is going to undergo some major development, and each chapter going forward is going to be all about Nova getting clean and pretty much trying to be a better person. So I hope you guys are excited for that!!

Until then, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and I'll update again soon.